tomorrow is december!

True dat Winnie the Pooh! Always the most wisest little bear out there. Because he is so correct. I cannot stand goodbyes. I always feel like I have to say them at some point. Whether it's saying goodbye to George in London, or saying goodbye to my family here in Sydney. I guess I truly do live two lives on each side of the world, like some sort of double agent or something (it would be so much cooler if that was actually the case. However, I would suck so bad as a double agent - I can't hold a straight face for more than 0.12 seconds! Then the dimple comes out).

I think, perhaps, the fact that I actually finally did receive my visa this week, it's just taken all my energy out of me and all I have been capable of doing is sunbaking by the pool (tough life I know...I sound pathetic haha). But it is December tomorrow! The first day of summer and the start of my last week here in Sydney with my family so I am going to soak it as as much as possible!

Have an awesome weekend!

london calling...finally!

London in the snow...how magical! I cannot wait!

Oh my goodness...! I can't even begin to tell you how close I was to being admitted into a crazy home thanks to the long wait for my visa. But now the wait is finally over! My visa has finally been approved and I will be heading back to London in approximately 10 days time and giving George the biggest hug of all time at Heathrow airport!

The reason it took so much longer than usual (my last visa took something stupid like 7 days to be processed) is because this time George and I applied for a "partner" visa. This meant that we had to go to incredibly hectic lengths to prove that we had been together for over a long period of time, among a million other things. Neither of us realised just how long the processing time was going to be, so when we found out it could take up to 12 weeks (in working days) it felt like I was never going to be back in London (before Christmas at least). So I am just squealing with happiness that I finally received the news this afternoon that it's on its way back to me. It means that I will now be a fully "settled" U.K resident and can live there for three years, with the option of being able to extend (an option which wasn't available on my old visa). It is just so nice to no longer be in limbo and know that my pesky little passport will soon be back in my mits, with a fricken visa attached. The dilemmas of falling in love with someone from the other side of the world!

Now...since I have been so distracted, I haven't been able to properly appreciate everything about being in beautiful Sydney. In some ways I was beginning to resent being stuck here. Sydney has never felt that far away from everything, to me before! So now I am going to live the Sydney dream every single second up until I step on that plane!

Disclaimer: This photo is not my own, I just love it so much but am having trouble crediting it (Tumblr can be so annoying!). If anyone knows who the original source is, I would love to know so I can correctly credit it :)

simply daydreaming.

1// dressing in an ensemble like the beautiful Miranda Kerr is wearing here
2// walking through magical floating snow.
3// cozying up in an adorable little cottage like this one.
4// in total agreement with this list of gentle things.
5// jumping in puddles (I can't wait to whack out my newly purchased Hunter's - they are waiting for me back in London)
6// starting, or ending (not fussy) the day off with a stunning and yummy looking food display like this one.

weekend in sydney.

In-between packing for the upcoming house move, my weekend revolved around chilling out with family. My cousin came to stay on Saturday and we sat out on the deck in the sun, catching up over a couple of beers and magazines. Then Sunday was spent celebrating my great-aunt and uncles 69th wedding anniversary (!!). It was the perfect Sydney summers day; boiling hot with the cricket on in the background, sipping on champagne and munching on yummy BBQ food while all the kids were running through the sprinklers.

sydney instagraming #3.

Another stolen month in Sydney, seen through the lens of instagram. I'm still trying to patiently wait for my new UK visa, which is kind of making me go a little crazy in the process. George has finally finished his CIMA exams for the year (so incredibly proud of him), so now would be the perfect time to fly back to London and spend the lead up to Christmas together.

However...if this current wait time involves more things like the ones featured in the above photos, then I might be able to cope for just a little bit longer.

I hope everyone had a lovely week and has an even better weekend! :)


Instagram: @sophlear

drinks in the summertime.

Lazy afternoon drinks have to be one of the best things about summer. Eddy and I went round to Carla's for a chill sesh around the pool (just like last weeks one), before heading to a local wine bar for a few ciders and a bottle of Pinot.

Seeing as it's Thanksgiving, it makes me realise that I am so insanely thankful for afternoons just like these ones (among so many other things), with some of my all time favourite people!

Wishing everyone (even the people who don't celebrate the holiday, myself included) a magical little Thanksgiving! 

flowers in your hair.

I actually feel like I have no clothes here in Sydney. I packed for a four week holiday, and now I have been here for fourteen weeks. So my limited suitcase has become quite thin when it comes to choosing what to wear every day (luckily I re-found this old denim jacket in my Sydney bedroom, so that's an added bonus). But it has now kinda become fun. Like some sort of a little daily challenge.

It becomes especially fun when I can accessorise with those stunning hydrangeas and twirl around in the park with my favourite oversized scarf/blanket.

hydrangeas.

Flowers make me so happy! But...how could they not? Especially when they are freely picked from my friends front garden and are the perfect shade of blue. And are so photogenic. And.are.hydrangeas. My all time favourite flower (along with peonies).

Once again, it's been proved. It's all about the little things!

weekend in sydney.

Just a few scenes of our weekend. Our weekend spent packing up and sorting through every single little corner of our house to get ready to move into our new house in two weeks time. It's crazy to see how much that has been accumulated throughout our lives. I think my mum has kept every single little thing that Eddy or I ever did from when we were born. It was so hilarious going through it all.

We only stopped to enjoy a spaghetti vongole for lunch and a warm chocolate cake for afternoon tea. All the while having movies like The Holiday or Notting Hill playing in the background. 

the littlest things.

coffee at The Grounds

finding the cutest home knitted christmas jumper (by my godmother) in the back on my closet

green tea + vogue australia

days with my grandma

wine by the pool

russell sunbaking

beach days

Just a few awesome things which have made me smile this week! Now it's a rainy Friday night and we are just sitting down to watch The Amazing Spiderman with a cup of tea and some chocolate. Friday night perfection!

Wishing you guys the best of weekends!

afternoon at carlas.

It is crazay that yesterday was super dull & gloomy, and today was absolutely glorious. Eddy and I headed over to Carla's house (our long-time best family friend, who has been mentioned on here a coupla' times) where we took full advantage of the awesome weather and cooked up a storm on the BBQ, went for a swim with the rose petals and sat around poolside with a bottle of wine.

If every day were like this one, I might not mind that much if I don't happen to be in London by Christmas time*. These sorts of days can be added on to the Visa Wait Survival Guide, that's for sure!


*Who am I kidding? It has been 95 days (NINTY FIVE!!) since seeing George last. I might just explode sometime soon. Please can my Christmas miracle come true and can I at least be back in London by December?