Happy New Year!

Blog post No: 1, January 2026!

Greetings from a not-so-sunny Sydney, New South Wales. Bob and I spent December in Perth, WA, with my gorgeous brother Paul, then arrived back in Sydney last night (January 2nd) to spend time with Bob’s wonderful daughter, Jo, and her beautiful girls—our amazing twin granddaughters, Bella and Chiara. Life is good.

Paul’s been in Perth for over twenty years now. He still occasionally toys with the idea of returning to the tiny isle, but Australia is home. We love our time together. Bob and Paul usually play golf, though less so this visit, thanks to a niggling injury. Paul and I, meanwhile, do what we do best: cook. We take turns conjuring all manner of deliciousness.

My other great joy in Perth is playing with paint. Paul has long been a fan of the late, great Bob Ross and has produced some beautiful work over the years—though these days he only seems to dabble when his (little) big sister is in town. As a Christmas gift, he treated the three of us to a fabulous two-and-a-half-hour alcohol ink workshop at a sweet little studio called iCreated, just fifteen minutes from his place. We loved it. I also tried my hand at a couple of abstract acrylic paintings, and the results made me laugh out loud—pure fun.

There were endless rounds of Rummy and Scabby Queen, plus a wonderfully daft card game we found in a local charity shop called Man Bites Dog. I dipped into the Indian Ocean most mornings—Bob joined me sometimes, and there is Reel-based evidence to prove it. And here too. We did very little else. It was relaxed, playful, and deeply restorative.

Christmas Day was equally low-key, apart from the temperature. At 43°C, it was officially the hottest Christmas we’ve ever experienced. My birthday, a few days later, was blissfully cooler and just lovely: chocolate cake, a wildly windy dip at Yanchep Lagoon, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind after dinner. What’s not to love?

We now have three weeks in New South Wales—some of it spent visiting friends along the coast south of Wollongong, and hopefully further north along the Central Coast—before heading to Bali for a month. I pinch myself daily. Gratitude abounds.

We’ll be back on the east coast of Australia from late February through to April to do some duo gigs with the fabulous Michael Fix. Alongside that, I’m editing a book I first wrote over ten years ago—this is attempt number four to get it truly up to scratch. I’m hoping I’ll feel brave enough to share it before too long. It’s a fantasy, with magic, and yes… there’s a unicorn. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I’m starting to feel OK about that. Who knew?

I’m also in the early stages of another CD/book-with-art project, due to be born in 2027. I have absolutely no idea yet what it will be inspired by, but I’m excited to discover where it leads. Wish me luck. Please.

As an aside, I recently read a beautifully written Substack piece by Suleika Jaouad about why New Year’s resolutions aren’t the best way to begin the year. Her thoughts on how results-driven self-improvement often contains built-in failure, while ritual offers gentler, longer-lasting ripples, really resonated with me. I love a ritual.

There’s nothing more to report—except that I’m savouring the gift of being with the people I love in ways, that not so long ago, I couldn’t imagine. Life is never less than interesting.

I hope that 2026 brings you beauty in unexpected ways. That there’s room in your heart for hope, peace, love, and just a little joy. Know that you are loved beyond measure.

Till next time, sweet reader—stay well, keep curious, and rise above the turbulence.

Endless blessings,

Christine x