Hello out there!

I'm currently in the beautiful little sleepy seaside town of Yamba, staying across the road from the beach attending a Compassionate Heart retreat.

There are 9 of us here, all similar in some ways, different in others, all from different backgrounds and life experiences, yet drawn to this retreat in the interests of taking time out for ourselves, to direct some loving kindness and compassion towards ourselves.

The accommodation is simple but clean and comfortable.  The food is also simple but wholesome.  The view is beautiful, as is the beach.  We have free time before our morning and afternoon workshops that allows for naps, wandering around the local area, going to the beach, having a massage, a singing bowl healing, a tarot reading or anything else we would like to do within that time.

The evenings we've been going out to dinner, somewhere nearby, sampling the local food, enjoying the company, conversation and laughter.  While I still have some things drifting through my mind, mostly in relation to the retreats I will be running (the first in less than 3 weeks time), I'm feeling like I'm more relaxed, that I'm finally unwinding.

I had a complete technology break while in NZ and this is the first time I've been online since coming to Yamba.  I'm enjoying this technology free time.  I have had mobile phone service here, but I keep it on silent and just check on occasions.  It's good.  It gives me breathing space, time for me.  To recharge the batteries.

And speaking of batteries, my laptop battery is about to go flat ~ well the update there is it died, just as I'd finished typing the word flat.  Good reason to put it away and have another wee technology break.

So now it's evening, I've enjoyed an afternoon of meditation and a delicious Mexican dinner.  I even tried a watermelon marguerita!  Not bad from this non drinker.. acquired taste, took me a little while to get used to it, but I managed to drink it albeit over a couple of hours.

Anyways, that's it for tonight.  My mind isn't up to thinking deep and meaningful, so will finish here and see if I can download the pics I've taken here.  They're pretty much all beach pics, but there's a few to choose from. Slightly different angles, one end of the beach, then the other, waves splashing... I know I know, I easily end up with dozens of pics of the same thing!