[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDAWhdJU6HQ&hd=1]Around the time I first fell in love with Kate. Brilliant inspiration for a Monday morning.
THE WATER FROM YOUR TAP
Some days and weeks are crap, let’s face it. This week I’ve ripped a muscle in my left shoulder from sitting with poor posture on my bed using the computer so I’m in constant pain. Not a good trick to use the computer in such a position and now I’m paying for it.
My six-year-old daughter has decided it’s a good trick to wake us between 3 and 4 am, singing out for us to come and get her from her bedroom so she can sleep with us. I don’t think I’ve had a full night’s sleep since she’s been born.
The washing machine has broken. We have dental work to be done, medical appointments and I can’t keep track of all the things to do at my daughter’s school.
This morning I dropped a can of hairspray onto my antique china wash jug-set and smashed my pretty set in pieces. Lots of tears and the cranky pants went on.
Distracting myself from writing, I came across the following quote from the lovely Liz Earle.
‘Working with people in developing countries is a very humbling experience. You go into the heart of communities where they live with very little, where water coming out of a tap is a cause for celebration, yet they are unfailingly cheerful and completely free of all the hang-ups we seem to have enveloped ourselves with over here,’ she says.
I’ve long been a fan of her ethos when it comes to skincare and can’t recommend her cleanse and polish cleanser enough, but her quote about the attitude of people in developing countries gave me food for thought. I’ve observed the same thing in my travels through India and the Philippines, the innate joy of people there. I particularly like this photo of Liz Earle with her daughter above because I am also very fond of chickens and would love to one day have two chickens as pets. You can read more about Liz here.
Wishing you a lovely week, wherever you are in the world, and the strength to deal with all those billions of frustrations in life to keep you chirpy and creative. And that you truly appreciate the water from your tap.
liz and lily earle and chickens source
Comfort Television
With all the sad news in the media this week, it’s been good to have some quality ‘comfort television’ to retreat to.
In Australia, we’ve just had the new series of Midsomer Murders featuring Neil Dudgeon as cousin Barnaby. I watched the first show, Death In The Slow Lane, with some trepidation, not knowing if I’d like the character. So far, I have to say he is very good and appealing and in particular I love the scenes with his dog Sykes.
Here’s some more information on the little dog here.
David said, ‘oh the dog’s just the smoother for people like you who can’t bear to see Tom leave.’ Probably true but it worked! I also liked the schoolgirl characters (the scholarship girls) who were fun. The script was very confused and a bit muddling and I didn’t really get to understand why the murderer killed certain people but logic always has to be left behind when viewing Midsomer.
The other show I’m really enjoying is on ABC and is a British show called Marshlands.
This eerie tale with three different time periods (1960s, 80s and the present) woven together to show how a house absorbs the energy of its inhabitants in a lovely big house in Yorkshire, is my cup of tea, totally. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens as the story unfolds. Highly recommended for those who love past/present, mysteries and a good supernatural thriller. It also has a link to Midsomer Murders with the casting of Daniel Casey (Sergeant Troy) who plays Scott Maynard. What is your idea of comfort television? Leave me a note, I’d love to know.
Enjoy your weekend. I’m going to celebrate the Spring with my Spiritual Women’s group, attend a lingerie party (my first) and hope to do some more work in my garden writing shed.
And here’s a photo of Johnny Depp just because it’s Friday. xx
johnny depp image source
marshlands image source
midsomer murders image source
sykes image source
Vale, Margaret Olley
When I was nursing around a hundred years ago we had a saying that death came in threes. This week three newsbreaking accounts of deaths have been rocking the Twitterverse – Norway, Amy Winehouse and just today I was saddened to read that Margaret Olley – much hailed and loved painter in Sydney – has died in her Paddington home.
Sydney has lost not only a great artist but one of its great bohemian ladies.
Vale, Margaret Olley.
all images via source
Norway
I was lucky enough to travel to Sweden and David has been to Norway and Sweden twice. I found it the most fairytale country with beautiful, kind, radiant people. It’s overwhelmingly sad to contemplate that one narcissistic individual has the power to destroy so many innocents. I don’t want to name him and I wish the media wouldn’t print his photograph and give this deluded man the attention he craves. I would far prefer Sunday papers had focused attention on the beautiful faces that have been tragically lost too early to our earth because of one individual’s weakness.
Shine on Norway. All love and prayers to you.
flag image source
La Boheme on a Sydney rainy night
This is where I spent last rainy night. If you’re in Sydney, don’t miss this show! The part where the set opens up to reveal a 1930’s Berlin Cabaret Hall was one of the best things I’ve seen at the Opera House. Stilt-walkers, children shouting for toys, half-naked prostitutes, glittering spangled costumes. It was all so decadent, wonderful, sleazy and beautiful. Very Sydney as well as being set in 1930’s Berlin. And the two lead singers, Takesha Mieshe Kizart as Mimi and Ji-Min Park as Rodolfo sang like angels.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceVzEu21wu4]
Awake
TAKE OUT ANOTHER NOTEBOOK, PICK UP ANOTHER PEN AND JUST WRITE, JUST WRITE, JUST WRITE. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WORLD MAKE ONE POSITIVE STEP. IN THE CENTRE OF CHAOS, MAKE ONE DEFINITIVE ACT. JUST WRITE. SAY YES, STAY ALIVE, BE AWAKE. JUST WRITE. JUST WRITE. JUST WRITE. NATALIE GOLDBERG
It’s the first day of the new school-term. Although I’m pleased to have my writing time back to myself in the shed I miss my Daisy. Courtesy of The Writer’s Almanac, here’s a poem that probably sums up my girl’s feelings this morning.
I love to rise in a summer morn,
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the skylark sings with me:
Oh, what sweet company!
But to go to school in a summer morn, —
O it drives all joy away;
Under a cruel eye outworn,
The little ones spend the day
In sighing and dismay.
Ah then at times I drooping sit,
And spend many an anxious hour;
Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learning’s bower,
Worn through with the dreary shower.
How can the bird that is born for joy
Sit in a cage and sing?
How can a child, when fears annoy,
But droop his tender wing,
And forget his youthful spring?
O father and mother, if buds are nipped,
And blossoms blown away;
And if the tender plants are stripped
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and care’s dismay, —
How shall the summer arise in joy,
Or the summer fruits appear?
Or how shall we gather what griefs destroy,
Or bless the mellowing year,
When the blasts of winter appear?
“The Schoolboy” by William Blake, from Songs of Experience,
This week I am aiming to stay awake. To be present and to write, write, write as in the quote above.
bunny yeager image source
deer image source
helena as enid blyton source
Rainbows and Snow
Just back from a rushed trip to Tasmania to see my family.
Hobart as magical as always. Snow capped Mount Wellington and rainbows shimmered over the city for days.
I did nothing except watch Daisy’s excitement to be with her young cousin as she explored the delights of a ‘real’ backyard with a (gasp) trampoline.
At night ferocious winds gusted over my sister’s house – the trampoline was blown over the neighbour’s fence with the winds recently.
I knitted and read yet another Miss Marple.
Since our return we have been relaxing on our holiday break. We are a family who enjoy nothing better than to potter, sleep in, an excursion to a cafe, read and play at home. My daughter found this mermaid on the beach at Manly.
But Hobart , city of rainbows and snow. It is always a wrench to leave her.
Cosy Winter Reading
How I love books and winter. A perfect combination. I adore going to bed early these days reading and re-reading some of my winter favourite cosy reads. Here’s a few below that I’ve read recently.
Ransom and We Need To Talk About Kevin were both my Magic Hat bookclub choices. I highly recommend them. Ransom is poetic, powerful and a clever retelling of the Greek myth of the Iliad. Not that I’ve read the Illiad, I confess, but at least I’ve now read Ransom.
We Need To Talk About Kevin is gripping, intense and has a killer of a twist. It provoked a wonderful bookclub discussion for our glam hatters.
I’ve also been re-reading some old Agatha Christies, starting with the Miss Marples as the shows are beginning to take over a bit in my head so I needed to go back to the source. J’adore Miss Marple! My favourite heroine of all time. I’ve re-read A Murder At The Vicarage and The Body In The Library. Both wonderful reads and terrific to see an early Miss Marple forming.
And of course, the witty and sly Love In A Cold Climate is perfect bedtime fodder.
Cathy Kelly’s Once In A Lifetime is another book as cosy as a hot-water bottle and cocoa.
Another book I’ve loved reading to Daisy is this one from Enid Blyton. Gorgeous illustrations and timeless stories we can enjoy together.
I hope you enjoy seeing my bedtime books for winter. What books have you been enjoying or can recommend to me?
Happy snug reading over the weekend. xx
johnny depp reading image source
AFTER THE WINTER SOLSTICE
This is my favourite time of year as we enter into the dark cave, the belly of winter in Australia.
Garden Angel
Except it’s never quite cold enough in Sydney. I’ve had a headache for two weeks now which I know is because I’m trying to juggle too many things alongside family illness.\
Smuchie outside the writing shedOur writing shed
My publishers and agent Selwa Anthony have started to discuss covers and author photos which is exciting, scary and very distracting!
I’m juggling two books and one short crime story. Yes, I’ve entered again for the annual Sisters In Crime Scarlet Stiletto Awards. This is the shortest space of time in which I’ve written a story for and I feel it probably doesn’t stand a chance as it has a very nasty bite in it. Ever hopeful, I shall submit this dark little tale because you just never know where your luck will flow.
On Saturday I spent a ridiculous amount of money to have my hair dyed to its natural state and I bought a most beautiful vintage-style dress (black with floral print) from a retro shop in King Street, which I have christened my Poets Cottage frock.
Vivien Leigh
At night all I want to do is retire to bed early with a hot water bottle and pile of books.
More Vivien
At day, I’m often in my writing shed which you can see above. We’ve just ordered some lovely bird wallpaper for the shed. I shall post photos when it’s up. And yes, we are going to take down the Hills Hoist in front of it. I do like a Hills Hoist but I’ve yearned for a Granny line for years.
June is coming to an end which is sad. June to me is the month of roses and love. It’s the anniversary of when I first met my writer partner, David Levell. I’m in love with everything rosy, including Jurliques Rose handcream which I’ve been slathering on my dry crocodile hands. That’s my June beauty tip.
And this morning whilst the city was waking, Daisy and I on our way to her natural therapist, Dr Peter Bablis, were peering through the windows of Channel 7’s Sunrise show to see live television at Martin Place and Daisy received a lovely smile and wave from the presenter, Mel.
What a pretty and personable person she comes across as.
J’adore winter. I wish it lasted for longer.
images of vivien leigh source