As winter creeps into our backyards and eclipses the golden sun that just the other day tickled our flip-flop wearing toes, I cannot help but feel a bit of “placelessness.” At this instant, during a break from our regular routine and some extra special time with Papa Bear, I have reacquainted myself with the “me” that has no agenda…that is simply present. And so have members of the rest of the nest undertaken this feeling of “placelessess” with gratification and blissful indulgence. It makes the return to our nest more pleasurable and heartening.  With a few more layers on our backs and a couple of fishing rods on our shoulders (thank you Santa) we are off to grand adventures and uncommon grounds each day of our holiday. As we peer into new and wavering waters, we find solace in the placid yet mysterious lakes and lagoons or the boisterous motions of the bay.  One of the sandy whereabouts we frequented on a few occasions, has always illustrated a different story each time we visited. The last one (I happened to miss this adventure as I went off for a hike after endless efforts of detangling lures) ended with a high tide that left the crew marooned and the littlest one luring in a significant size maliced octopus. Amazed at what they saw, the other day left them more awestruck with the estuary full of sand sharks stranded from the high tide. The sharks pursued the little fish during the upswell and even though every creature in the water and on land was trapped by the rescinding water not one fish was caught on a hook. Not one photo was taken of any of these “river monsters” as my boys referred to them nor one “fish on.” They never get tired of casting (they always bellow out the word, “caaastiiing” just as in their favorite Animal Planet documentary television programme, River Monsters) and we couldn’t be happier with their zest for this new outdoor quest.  The octopus escaped and as the story goes…there was no struggle to keep it from its aquatic life. This uninvited yet inevitably celebrated perversion will eventually come to an end just as the sun will burn her way through the winter haze and butterflies will flutter and swirl for the New Year as if we tossed confetti among the tall and patchy eucalyptus trees we so often see. But then there is always the weekends that we can look forward to more of these escapades. Happy “placelessness” wherever it may sweep you away and may it make your sojourn back to your nest more enriching as well as bring peace into your new year!