Storytime

Last week I went to the Poetry at Christmas Hills...a really enjoyable way to spend an evening after work. Great venue, really good vibe, and always some interesting poetry. And such variety. Because this was just after Easter and the day before Anzac Day...the poetry included works with religious tones but also quite a few war poems. I have never written about war. I know no one that has gone to war (that I'm aware of). I remember when my son was at school they had to interview a grandparent and ask about the war....he talked to Dad. Don't recall a lot of what was said but do know that Dad was about 10 when it began and he remembers catching and eating a lot of rabbits. A child's perspective. A friend of mine, J, was a very small child in London during the war. She remembers huge craters where buildings stood only the week before and her mother telling her not to stare at the man with the disfigured face because he 'just came back'. But then I realis...

Well we've just survived Easter. There was too much food, too much chocolate but never too much family (which is what it is all about). We had my son, his partner and three young ones up for the day.  There was old fashioned fun...hide and seek...penguin bowling (with interference)...and of course the obligatory Easter Egg hunt. There is nothing like watching small children - with the helpful hints of bigger children - scramble around searching for those gaudy decorated eggs. I mean they do stand out...how hard is it to find some of the above nestled amongst books or sitting in a pot plant? Then I remembered a book I read recently. It was a Young Adult, it was set in a futuristic society...there were vampirish like creatures..the world was a dark and bleak place. Or was it? Half way through I had a niggle that something wasn't working for me. Three quarters of the way through and I discovered there was no colour. Don't get me wrong- I didn't expect fl...

      Definition of  pretend  in English: pretend Line breaks: pre|tend Pronunciation:   /prɪˈtɛnd     VERB ·        1 [WITH CLAUSE OR INFINITIVE]  Behave so as to make it appear that something is the case when in fact it is not: Remember as a child when you had watched a movie, or read a book...and then you were that character? Perhaps you were Peter Pan ready to battle Hook....or maybe the cowboy riding in to save the day....Indiana Jones escaping the storm of arrows.... the princess waiting in her castle...a young wizard wielding a wand.... As a child you had the ability to pretend, to lose yourself and become someone else.  The above 'I'm a Frog' is one in the Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems (love Mo's work). And in this book Gerald is totally upset because Piggie is no longer herself, she ribbits, she hops,...

At a recent poetry event, nostalgia seemed the theme for the day. A lot of poems focused on remembering people, whether grandparents or parents...best friends from childhood days. But it seemed that even more poems were about childhood. Not necessarily major childhood events, but everyday happenings that to the majority of the audience, took us back to our own childhood. For some of us, childhood was quite a few years ago...but in reality how much has changed? Unfortunately a lot.  Today's child appears to be twinned with technology. How far can a tween go without their phone/ playstation/ Ipad? How many toddlers know exactly how to work an Iphone? They can't speak in coherent sentences, but can show you the photo of the puppy they played with on holiday. And of course there is that whole revolution about getting children moving, getting them into that forgotten sphere of play...outside. How many children of today have discovered a ring of fairy toadstools? Sat down...

Well I wish it was. Unfortunately it is merely chaotic mess. My desk that is. For the past few years I have intended (notice intended) to de-clutter my life. To tidy, to organise, to create a space that oozes creativity. And parts, small parts of my life have been streamlined and organised. My earrings (and yes I have lots, collecting them for nearly 40 years does that) have been lovely and structured for years. Know exactly where to go for a colour or style...it works divinely. Back to my writing desk---my in tray (warning- there will be some un-tidy-ness) Hmmm nothing structured or defined is there? I'm trying to be very honest here- quite embarrassing really. Yes I'm not a neat freak---cleaning is not on my top ten favourite things to do. In fact it's probably about seventy three-just after taking out the garbage. But I understand it is a necessary act to accomplish. So I scrub and clean, vaccuum and sweep the house each week. Just that some parts ar...