Monday, July 29, 2013

How I spent Sunday

First, thanks to readers who commented on my last post. It does make a difference to know there are readers, and an even greater difference to know there are readers who take pleasure from my blog. I was surprised by the number of comments on my travel posts and so have decided to try to write some posts about places I visit in my daily life. I love Sydney, and there are many aspects of it that it will be fun to write about.

Yesterday I had a quietly perfect Sunday. My daughter was briefly visiting Sydney and the day began with breakfast at a local cafe before she flew back to Brisbane (Sunday breakfast out is such a Sydney phenomenon - and one that I love). Then, a knitting excursion. Not just a knitting meet-up, but a meet-up that involves companionable travel to and from the destination. This was a very low-key, almost impromptu excursion, with Margaret, Fee, Zena and I - all clad in various knitted garments and accessories - joining the train at various city stations and then making the hour and a half trip to Wollongong - knitting all the while.

Fee and Margaret
Zena

Often when you knit on trains or, more generally, in public places, you attract attention or comment, but our carriage seemed to be jam-packed with families too intent on a day's excursion to notice us, or, maybe, we were just too involved in knitting and chatting to be aware of any attention we attracted. Kylie met us at Wollongong and we went on to have lunch, and knitting, and chatting at a local restaurant that overlooks the beach.

Wollongong beach

I enjoy the rambling conversations while we eat and knit. I enjoy the perspectives people bring from their work lives, whether it's film-making, the law, academia, or engineering, and their passions, such as their families, cooking, reading, dogs, quilting or singing. And I particularly enjoy the way these conversations are regularly interrupted by comments about knitting or crochet patterns, or yarns, or alternative knitting techniques. What we have in common is our love of knitting, but over many of these excursions and meet-ups we've come to know each other so well that the conversations flow easily, companionably and supportively.

Wollongong friends

Then the train trip home provided the perfect book-end to the trip. I arrived back at my local station as the early winter sun was setting. I've long thought that the walkway over Redfern station is one of the best places to observe Sydney sunsets, and now I have an opportunity to include a photo of one in my blog post:

Sunset over Redfern Station
Redfern sunset

That's how I spent Sunday. How fortunate I am.

5 comments:

Rose Red said...

How I wish I could have joined you all!

DrK said...

It really was the most perfect of days. I love your summary of our conversation and am often struck by how it might have been knitting that bought us together but it's the other stuff that keeps us there. I'm always grateful for our little coterie of like minds!

Cecilia said...

Sounds like a perfect Sunday!

Donna said...

Oh, is that diggies? We were going to go down there for lunch on Sunday, but changed our minds. Lovely spot!

lynnie003 said...

Friends that share your passion in knitting or craft are a blessing aren't they I too have friends that share the passion of creating
We are off on a train trip in a couple of weeks but up north to Newcastle to Stitches & Craft, so like you I am look forward to a day of knitting and catching up and above all laughter