I’m loving its black marbled finish, that spring under my step as I jump through a vinyasa, the reassuring stick as I pivot feet and hands between the various warriors and that weird in a good way new mat smell.

More than its physical properties, though, I’m loving the way practising on a new mat makes me feel.  I’m three months or so into my recommitment to daily yoga practice and I’ve come to love the 20 minutes or so in the evening that sees me fold, bend, stretch and balance before retiring to bed.  I’ve rediscovered the power of my breath and I’ve rediscovered that respect for the transformation of a human body’s function over its appearance.

I don’t quite know the science behind it but since using my new mat, I’ve been able to fold deeper, stretch higher and balance for longer in the asanas….

Namaste.

Or should that be new mat, stay.

And on that note….

This letterbox with its red rose motif.  There’s so much character to be found on the streets of Annandale.

In a move that’s perhaps counterintuitive to the self-care theme, I actually spent less time on my makeup on Friday.  But it was all for a good cause.  I had to get a few lumps, bumps and dark spots lasered off my face.

Here’s the spendy sunscreen from the dermatologist that I had to slather on after the fact.

That whole less make-up thing was really confronting for me.  I’ve gone to work with a full face of makeup for the last decade or so and in that time, it’s been a kind of armour.  It’s often projected more calm and poise than I felt able to bring to the working day.   I’ve also looked upon my efforts with the face paint as a nod of respect to the people I see at work.  That their sharing of their problems and themselves with me is worthy of me putting both my best mind and face forward for them.

So it was different fronting up on a regular day with nothing but sunscreen, concealer, mascara and eyeliner (that was the ‘bare minimum’ I could tolerate for a proper day at work).  I did wonder if the team would recognize me and if looked up for the job.  But just for a moment.  It honestly didn’t matter once I started my loud clacketty clack up the stairs and across the lino at work….

My appointment was in the city and as usual, I was irrationally fascinated about being let loose there on a regular working day.

The unexpected homely touches of cafes that only open for trade during the week in the more corporate streets around George Street.

The view from a floor-length window on an upper level of one of those anonymous-looking office towers.

A hasty lunch on my lap (and a possibly illegal one… but don’t tell) in the train back to work.  Of all the days I chose for my weekday city adventure, it would be the very one that featured an all-day meltdown of our great city’s train and by extension bus network…

Some witty displays at the entrance to some of the eclectic stores along King Street in Newtown.

They all made me smile widely as I speed-walked back to the office.

We were finally ushered in and I gazed around me with a mixture of awe and sadness.  Awe because knowing that this would be the last time that I’d be able to visit for a year made me appreciate more deeply the beauty of the museum as well as the quality and range of its collection.  There was a little sadness too because I’ll miss not being able to visit on a whim.  My bus rides into the city won’t be the same either because I assume the entire facade of the museum will be under wraps while it gets made over.

I have many happy memories of bringing Master SSG to the Australian Museum over the years.  We’ve visited with friends and on our own, as an adventurous and risk-taking toddler, then as more considered preschooler and now as a practically grown-up Year One boy.

Master SSG took the photo above of one of his favourite exhibits while I found myself lost in my memories as I gave a crawling infant wide berth on the stairs and wished his mother a solid night’s sleep on the grounds of the amount of energy her little one was expending through his exploration.

I’d never stopped to notice before just how perfectly the taxidermy and skeletons are maintained at the museum.

No matter how many times I visit, there’s always something new for me to discover.  From different angles, the glass cabinets offer so many different windows into exhibits beyond what is immediately in front of you.

I remember finding museums boring and colourless as a child but my perspective on them has changed with time.

While most of the colours to be found are on the more muted side of the spectrum, they have a beauty to them that draws you in to look closer to discover the subtleties that are hidden at first glance.

Master SSG was fascinated by this touch screen featuring 100 Australians and their achievements.

The museum will reopen next year bigger and better than it already is.  I understand that part of the reason for the renovations is to accommodate a major collection of Egyptian antiquities.  I can’t wait to see this reinvention of the museum.  I’m also grateful for all the memories we already have of this national treasure.

Did you get a chance to visit the Australian Museum over the weekend?  Do you have any further news about the renovations?

Life has looked a little like this since Saturday….

The same dream that saw me charged with maintaining the structural integrity of this maths assignment whilst Tip was being played before me.  I did my job perfectly, only to witness the marshmallows being eaten off their toothpicks as we went through the school gate…

These went down a treat after my run….

I inhaled both as I looked to the sky and attempted to decipher its cryptic sky written message to myself and the rest of Sydney….