It’s nearly Christmas, and then, as usually happens, it’s nearly the end of year. I’m excited twice, for one about what has happened this year and for two, about the start of brand spanking new year. It’s all a bit overwhelming.

New things

I have a vegetable garden that is, somewhat to my amazement, growing vegetables and I just harvested my first crops.

Christmas is approaching with rapid speed which means work functions, gift shopping and other Christmassy things. I love Christmas.   It’s (almost) the one aspect in which I wish we were more American. I want to do some original decorating this year, especially as we are playing host. I can’t wait for the first of December.

I’m going to be a student again next year (apparently) though I’m still not sold on the idea. But I’m doing it for the ‘greater good’ for my career ect.

I have a great number of things that I need to do and want to do. It’s all quite difficult to fit them in to the equation. I’ve always been good at wanting to do stuff and crap at figuring out exactly what to do. Next year I want to start my library qualification, continue to study creative writing, possibly enter a poetry award, start my monetized food blog and keep working. I wish I knew how all the pieces worked together. I also want to start my own happiness project, make colossal amounts of food, travel the world or at least some of it, buy beautiful things for our house, get actual red hair, go to a writing convention and a concert, watch my brother and sister in-law get married, get engaged (heh, I wish), become self-sufficient and ultimately save the world.

Dreams – thank God they’re free.

Here are some photographs from my life. It’s mostly peachy.

Pak choi seedling

Rice Paper Rolls

Brownie Muffins

 Banoffe Pie

Freshly harvested pak choi

 My first strawberries

And my new shooooees

So many, many things have happened since my last post.

We moved into our amazing, wonderful new house which brought lots of changes on its own. I started walking to work, I’ve started swimming, I’ve started my new garden, my roster has changed at work. It’s all go. It’s all quite wonderful.

Some snaps.

More to come!

Well, here I am again, making excuses about my very abandoned blog. I sort of have a good one this time. I have been on my death bed, almost. And before that travelling abroad. August was one busy month. In a very brief sum-up (I could write pages, but somehow I can’t, yet)  I turned 21 and it was magical, my parents returned from their vagabond adventures abroad, we went to the river city Brisbane, I got a  deathly disease and among it all my book turned into a four headed lion that is threatening to eat me. It’s been great! I remembered how much I love travelling: how I love watching the people of a different city, and exploring the little corners of somewhere foreign, and all the eating, and bustling airports, and motel rooms made of bricks and the photographing and the sunshine. I love it all.

And now its nearly, very nearly, spring. Spring is all about growth and change and freshness and for me this spring is going to contain some really big changes. First of all, we’re moving house (yay!!!!!), which is big and full of changes on its own, but it also means that me and Row will have our very own place, which is scary and wildly exciting and just good. I hate house moving because I take after my father (sorry dad) and am a massive hoarder and have way, way too much stuff. (I’ve also recently had a life epiphany and discovered that I’m a messy person so that makes it hard too). But I am so ready for a brand new fresh house that is different and we can make our own place, I’m ready for change.

The second thing that’s happening is that my roster is changing at work and I will be migrating to the land of afternoon work which = free mornings. I really, really want this to be a good thing. A lion-taming thing. I hope so. Very excited for change and progression at the moment.

Summer is coming and I want good things to happen. I have several projects lined up which I will have to write about soon. God damn I need to do some writing!!

Good night.

It has been a little, well possibly a long, time since I posted. Terrible Laura. I don’t even have an excuse, let alone a good one. Aside from being cold, which is horrible, this winter has been pretty amazing. My job has contributed greatly to that. And there has just been lots of nice things, and more good things to look forward to.

I made lolly cake

One night I made soup for dinner and Rowan was in charge of toast making. This is what I got presented with. (It’s a flower).

 Last week at work the library had a makeover. It was an all-hands-on-deck operation that turned many people into zombies (well maybe just me). I have to say, despite having to wear pants (!!!) all week and getting dirty and sore, it was quite fun and was cool to be involved in. And now the library looks awesome. I kind of wish I was just a visitor not a staff member, so I could enjoy the library without being harassed.

In two weeks, actually less than, its going to be August which is so exciting. Mum and dad get home, and then its my birthday and then we are going abroad! Well, to Australia, but its still super exciting. It will be mine and Rows first proper trip away together and we are going to go to Dreamworld. Woohoo!

So it’s Sunday night. This was kind of a half-arsed weekend (sorry Mum). It mostly consisted of eating, naps and serving the public – the eating and the naps were quite good. I treated myself out to breakfast on Saturday because I ended up in town quite early. I went to the Morrison Street Cafe and had poached eggs. I love going out for breakfast and I love good eggs. It was lovely. Then I got to go out for dinner to my in-laws and we had a roast (I’m too lazy to cook roasts so it was veeery nice). I am hanging out for Wednesday – the commencement of two wonderful days off. A pretend – but better than my real – weekend. I plan to do a lot of writing. At least I have good intentions.

I tend to drool over shoes, dresses and anything mustard coloured but I have found something quite far from the clothes rack that I might just have to obtain somehow. Of course I can’t afford it but maybe further down the track I might be able to, or maybe someone will be kind and get it for my birthday (hint, hint).

A writer must have her tools, this being an 11.6″ Sony Vaio Netbook. And yes, it is pink. It’s like a baby version of my laptop that I could take with me everywhere. Ahhhh…

The last week I have attended several writing workshops by author Jill Marshall. After the first one I felt bewildered, after the second I felt…sober and kind of like becoming a nurse or a tradesmen and after the third one I felt hope.

While the workshops were highly informative (really, really insightful) I did feel like they had a slightly negative slant, an unspoken message that traditional publishing was like, what’s his name, Voldemort (Oh, I’m not supposed to say that). But despite that, I did get new found passion in my book (the best thing about workshops) and I have really been getting stuck in and also have gained some objective insight. I can see the weak parts of my book but also I can see that it has strong parts. This has been very helpful. But there is more work to be done. Lots more. And no-where-near enough time.

It is now full-blown winter and its cold and wet. I don’t like either of these things much. I do like my sleeping bag (that isn’t technically mine, so I have been informed on multiple occasions), and my hotties, and my socks and my hot drinks and my evening naps and I think with my new job and many different things planned that this winter really isn’t going to be too wintery – grey, depressing, slow – it is in fact turning out to be quite cheery.

And now two pairs of shoes, that should be mine, but aren’t…yet. The first pair I plan to buy and the second I shall pour over and dream about until I can justify the cost (somehow).

They are both from Overland.

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Having porridge at midnight in my new pink dressing gown while watching That 70’s Show. This, after a very long and delicious nap (coma) on the couch. Outside a storm is blowing. Ah, and tomorrow, a day off. I’ll be starting on one of my projects and if it rains, which it will, perhaps watch a movie, or two. With several cups of tea.

On a dreary Monday we decided to go out for some lunch and then to the annual book fair at Founders Park. I probably could have spent 5 hours there but alas I was with the boyfriend. Still, he was very well behaved and kept himself (and me, and possibly some other punters) amused by reading excerpts from very very old books on marriage. He also bought some books, to my delight.

I had some great finds. Including some non-fiction (staples in my book diet). But my best find was a massive book published in 1975 by a lady called Margery Fisher – Who’s Who in Children’s Books. It features, in alphabetical order,  every character you can imagine with descriptions and beautiful illustrations.

It is Sunday evening and I have had an extraordinary weekend. It began with fine Mediterranean food and wine (local wine of course). On Saturday I worked (sorry to include the boring bits) and then I did some shopping! My shopping trip resulted in a new favourite jacket, its royal blue and double breasted and was such a bargain. I also bought my perfume from the aromatherapy store and a peacock green cardigan. Then I went home and made key lime pie, which I am starting to master. And with my dessert we watch The Prestige ( which has given me a great desire to go to a magic show).

Today I went to a talk by writer Gavin Bishop as the start of the Writers in Residence Programme. (More to come on this).

Tomorrow it is the Queens Birthday (apparently) so I get the day off! We are going to go to a book fair and I think we might just have to go out for brunch. I have a couple of big projects that I need to get serious about. They are very exciting and I almost wish I could quit my job and just focus on them. The first and most important is finishing my book.

(Mostly successful) Rag Curls