Warriewood Beach {photo source}
I guess you could call me a water baby. Growing up on a coastal town on the West Coast of New Zealand, with a father who took my brother and me to the beach every afternoon after he finished work and every Christmas holidays, meant I could swim before I could walk. I remember watching the sun set over the horizon as we caught waves on boogie boards.
I’ve been trying to get back to the surf my whole life.
I managed it once briefly, in my twenties, when I lived at Alexandra Headlands, one block away from the beach. But the brick flat was tiny and my flatmate too messy. I left there when I ran away to Cairns where the beaches were close but the surf was absent.
Living on Sydney Harbour has soothed my longing to gaze at the water. But the tiny beach at Lavender Bay is filled with plastic bottles and weeds, and there are waves only when a ferry passes by.
Next weekend, my boyfriend and I will move into a beach house on a hill on Sydney’s northern beaches. From the lounge, kitchen and bedroom we will have views over the park, past the trees and out to the Pacific.
At the end of our street and along a dirt path down a cliff, a surf beach waits for us. I imagine early morning dips, afternoon sun baking and evening strolls after dinner. There is a studio in the Surf Life Saving building that teaches Hatha yoga.
We will have two spare bedrooms, undercover parking and a games room big enough to store our bikes and the kayaks we keep talking about.
It is the house I have dreamed of my entire life.
***
Where is the house of your dreams?
So happy for you and Duckfish Katie. Life is truly wonderful when long held dreams finally come true 🙂
xx m
Thanks Magda xx
Ahh that’s great news! It sounds like a wonderful new home. The kayaks would be great too, I always loved kayaking the few times I’ve had a chance. Sorry for my absence in commenting, life’s had its way with me. I start at the Cordon Bleu in two more days though 🙂 And thanks again, I don’t think I’d have known how to get this far without you.
Thanks Celynne — I’m so happy to hear you’re about to start your course — how exciting!
I can feel tanned boobies coming on (for us both) :).
Will have to plan a visit in the future :).
Yes, yes, yes — I would love to have you as our first guest. We’ll even have a real bed for you to sleep in (not a blow-up jobbie). I’m on holidays from early November until early March (it’s a hard life :)) so come down any time xx
Sound great Katie. I’m in the Northern Beaches too. It was a total lifestyle change when I first moved here. You’re going to love it!
I’m looking forward to it 😀
That sounds amazing. I’d love to live by the beach…one day. Maybe in retirement. We are where we are now. I have been here most my life, we are raising our family here and it feels like home. We have just built a new house (nearly done!!), renovated an old cottage and extended, close to the main drag – walking distance to everything. Each time I go there to see how the progress is going I don’t want to leave. It feels like home. And having lived in over 30 houses in my life (and I”m only 36), feeling like home is a big thing.
Wishing you all the happiness in your dream life xx
Your cottage sounds amazing, Jodi. I’ve lived in so many houses too – this will be the 24th. I hope this time I find home.