SUMMING UP 2017....

It's a cliche, but where on earth has the year gone? And once again I tend to think, hmmm 2017, not much happened. Then I think, really focus and I'm blown away by how much I did do.

There was a lot of spending time with grand kids...taking them to Wiggles and Frozen on Ice..



Decorating a garden area just for them...NO BOYS ALLOWED


and with the lovely Zoe we got to meet some of the Zoo's creatures up close and personal.


Some one even turned one...


Got to love the attitude!

Hubby and I ventured to the circus as well as Book of Mormon (so funny).

Daughter and I adventured even more. It was a great year for entertainment...Alladin, My Fair Lady, Cabaret, Shakespeare pop up theatre...



 which usually led to a lovely meal out...



 and perhaps a cocktail...

but the best was spending time with this lovely woman.

Even went out for a night with my sister, brother and his partner...rekindled a blast from the past with Alice


I even managed to catch up with friends. When a get-together fell apart, Miss Amanda and I played tourist in our own back yard... visiting a glorious garden.


and I went north to spend a week with the lovely Tiggy. We don't talk often but damned when we get together it's like no time has gone by at all. It was a great week!


I was even quite social...well for me.  I did the Relay for Life again, what a great team!


And talk about teams, the one at work is AMAZING. So much fun...so many dress ups!











How can a girl not love to work with a bunch of crazies  folks that love a dress up as much as I do!

I even pushed myself and did a few courses this year. Work ones such as Leadership and Digital Literacy...but there was a dumpling master class...


Macaron class and cake decorating course. Hmm all food related...what does this tell you about me?

This made me push myself with my abilities and we had a RSPCA cupcake day at work to much success...



One of the major highlights was when hubby and I helped to celebrate the marriage of some beautiful people.



Amazing experience!

So of course, when I look back I'm wondering what on earth I did writing wise.  There were some glitches this year, family in hospital and not doing well, visiting Dad often down in Geelong. I then took on full time work (only for 4 months but geez you notice working 5 days and weekends!) which leaves little time for writing and the poor garden has been neglected badly!

But I did manage to get to two book launches. One was Lia Hill's for The Crying Place, the other was for Jenni Ivin's mind drawings. 


I got to a few venues to perform...was filmed by Channel 31, went to a Reading Matters conference and to a workshop run by Kate Cuthbert.

Our yearly writers retreat got me working hard on my WIP....I read, edited and began work on my novel Four Things.


Looking back over the year I did write. Over 40 poems and about 6 short stories. I wrote 11 reviews for Magpies magazine, began a dystopian chapter book and read 46 books (one more may be read before the new year begins).

Listened to 29 audio books on my drive to work and back. 

Even incorporated my writing into school holiday programs...to great feedback.



I sent out very little...but will have two poems published in the new year, one paid for, and one poem shortlisted in a competition.

The last part of the year I spent time on my novel...having the lovely Toni Jordan check up on me every now and then giving me a push in the right direction...finishing the damned thing! I have discovered some problems, but have a cold reader waiting in the wings and a deadline to have it to her. Fingers crossed!

It's been, at times, a bugger of a year....too much sadness. At other times it's been pretty damned good.

I know 2018 will be a great year, I can feel it. So hope when everyone else looks back on their year, not to focus on the bad, but to look ahead at the future. And all the amazing things it can hold.

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