This week has been a lovely one. I've unpacked very slowly, watched loads of washing dry in the warm Sydney sun, re-arranged my wardrobe, talked at length with my cat girls, dusted surfaces with extra care, read about life for young priests in their first year at a catholic seminary, found a handbag I thought I'd lost, run myself into a sweaty, aching, grateful mess at the gym and had breakfasts and lunches with friends I adore. And there were pancakes.
I never get to do these good things during working weeks.
But these pleasures come at a price - I've not been able to see what my friend and colleague Nat has been wearing. There are days I only go to work to see what Nat is wearing. I've mentioned Nat before; she is an exceptionally accomplished lawyer, a creative soul who is blessed with exquisite dress sense and the most perfect taste. Yesterday she was in court and, in a sea of black robes and steel pinstripes, stood out like a hummingbird against a mob of starlings and not only because of her sharp mind.
The Crown's submission:
Black mohair blend Orla Kiely top with silver peter pan collar (from London)
Marni silk skirt (from Harvey Nichols in London)
Jonathan Aston tights (London again)
Black Chie Mihara mary janes from eBay
Not in shot but you can picture it: black Marc Jacob bag from NY.
The photograph was taken by my other learned friend, the Shillings staff photographer who is close to earning his royal warrant for services to keeping my blog illustrated and relevant.
Ah, friends. Is there is anything in life quite so wonderful? Well, okay, that Marni skirt, but you know what I mean.
We're having a heatwave. The days are blinding hot and no one is sleeping in the stifling still nights.
This morning as I was dressing for work I received a submission from Kate. Kate doesn't type or in fact use English much but she made her point very clear when she hopped on the bed and sat directly under the ceiling fan that was going full pelt.
"Outside", I said with my pointing finger directed at the door. Kate responded with the saddest miaow and went and hid in the corner. She then played her ace - the crouching, pathetic figure and the sad, terrified eyes.
She won. I laid a clean sheet on the bed and left the fan on for them. Kate and her adopted sister, the hapless Ellie, toughed out this wretched draining day in relative comfort.
Kate may not have read Canterbury Tales in middle English or know much about Oliver Cromwell but she can outsmart me every time.
I'm very lucky to work in an office with such effective air conditioning I sometimes have to don a cardigan. I didn't today. My learned friend has very kindly acted as my Lord Snowden and presented evidence to support that I did in fact wear my new pendant.
What we have here is a Marni skirt, a Jigsaw t-shirt, vintage shoes from eBay and said pendant.
He made my scar disappear!
And this is what I pinned at my waist because I could:
And here is a Scorpio cat who has just about earned a PhD in manipulation: 
