Necklaces – Red Phoenix Emporium, skirt – Banana Republic, leather jacket – heavily discounted Burberry (the best kind!!) from the sometime during the pre mummy years of my life.

By mid morning, the chill had been completely driven from the air by sweet, glorious winter sun.

Preschooler SSG and the rest of his class had an excursion to the local beach and I was lucky enough to be able to join them.

The aim of the morning was to clean up the beach.  The activity had been organised by the class teachers as an extension on what the preschool group have been learning about in class with regards to recycling and respecting the environment.

The beach was actually pristine but together we managed to find bits of plastic to put in our rubbish bag.  It was one of those beautiful mornings of unexpected joy and beauty that I would otherwise never have experienced if the beach excursion hadn’t been planned.

It was more errands after the beach and I was sad to discover that my local Hot Dollar discount store is closing down.

More than one ornament at my place came from the shelves of Hot Dollar…

I don’t know where I’ll get my fix of whimsy and kitsch  now that it will be gone.

A typically eclectic shelf at Hot Dollar.

The colour and randomness of its stock always makes me smile.  Even if I don’t go in, it’s nice to have something a little unexpected to look at as I attempt to guide the wonky trolley I always get from the supermarket down to the carpark.  You will be missed, Hot Dollar but thanks for the half priced screw top glass jars I scored today.

How’s things going with your tax return?

Did you find unexpected joy and beauty somewhere in your travels today?