A most frustrating week.
On the weekend I travelled again to the mountains, obeying the bush call to research and write. That was the high point.
We had teacher’s day at my daughter’s school, athletics carnival and all the life interruptions that make it difficult for mothers who work from home.
We approached the Winter Solstice and I became overwhelmed with finding it difficult to live in the small brick house and became convinced I had to move right now and ran around househunting before facing the grim reality that the gentrification around us has left us stranded.
But I will plant a little offering in the garden and watch it grow. As Thomasina from Poet’s Cottage would snap at me, ‘Make Lemonade! ’
And in a most surreal night I attended a book club that was not my own and the book of course was Poet’s Cottage. It was a lovely night and the hostess not only lived in almost my dream family home (she had grown her own pumpkins and had proper sized rooms!) but she had named her chickens after characters from Poet’s Cottage!! Here is an atmospheric avante garde shot of the chickens.
And I was saddened to read about Johnny Depp’s split from his wife, Vanessa Paradis. Just at the Winter Solstice touched us.
It was a good week to remind myself of the following quotation which I posted on my Facebook Author page
The reward doesn’t necessarily go to the biggest, the brightest, or the best. It goes to the one who has the courage to keep trying until success is inevitably achieved.” —Dr. Robyn Silverman
, and here is a lovely photo that I took from the Facebook Vivien Leigh page of Vivien and Larry in 1940’s London. So much glamour and cool amongst the debris and chaos. So unflappable and as stylish as ever.
I loved the following quote taken from the same source that Noel Coward said about his friend Vivien. So tender and poignant really.
Thank you for visiting me. And in one final surreal moment of this Winter’s Solstice week, on a chilly and grey Friday I was contacted by the gardener of the real Poet’s Cottage in Stanley and he also helps out with Marguerite’s garden (who I partly based some of Birdie Pinkerton in the book). I was most impressed by Marguerite’s garden in real-life and so it was a thrill to meet the gardener behind that work of art. xx
A frustrating week yes but you make it all sound so interesting TP and that is what I love about you! I’m so pleased to hear that ‘Poets’ is doing well and going international and all that fabulous jazz. BTW i do understand the sometimes teeth-gnashing angst of living in a tiny house with children. Argh! On the other extreme have you seen on the telly Sara Beeny renovating her 98 room country manor OMG! But her little boys and her indomitable dachshund bring such life and energy to it. Lots of love Jen xx
Dear Jen, I did see the last half of the Sara Beeny show on the weekend. I couldn’t imagine having 98 rooms but I am willing to give it a try… xx
I absolutely loved the quote referencing the necessity of perseverance. Fear of failing avoids trying, and fear of trying avoids failing, but there is no success in either. Obstacles make for a more interesting story, and I’ve enjoyed the window you opened to us all to see how you encounter it. Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
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