Storytime

Alas and alack my two weeks of leave have gone. Frankly I'm wondering where they went. I'm sure I didn't relax for two weeks, I would have known. But I did get to meander to the countryside... spent some time at home spent quite a bit of time in the garden Even got a spell of babysitting with the grand daughters I did very little writing. Well no, I did work a lot of my adult WIP...redrafting and editing. Added about 3000 so far as I've gone through. Wrote a few poems. But I must have been thinking, and pondering, and wondering. Because in the last few days of my break I began playing with an idea. Before I knew it I had a story at the tip of my fingers. I managed to write down about 3000 words in a spurt before I took a break. And then...then...another idea came about. This was during a sleepless night. Usually I sleep like the proverbial dead. I read for a bit, then head hits pillow and it's good night. But ...

Yep I'm on holiday. For two weeks. Two lovely, wish I had put in for more, weeks. No, we are not going anywhere. Not this time. And surprisingly for me, I don't have a lot planned. It has been a hectic past few weeks. Lots of Tinies and Storytimes and kinder visits and Halloween shows....there has been new libraries to meet... if near Narre Warren you must check out Bunjil Place! AMAZING. Reading nooks to try out.... There has been Charlie Chaplin capers for a friend's 50th... we even began a saga about the mystery of the meandering moustache.... There has even been a tad of culture Much Ado about Nothing at the pop up globe...AMAZING. With this lovely lady.  So I'm a tad tired.  And in my wisdom have decided to simply take it easy. I do have some things pencilled in the diary...getting my back seen today....car service tomorrow...hair cut on Friday. But for once I don't have a huge TO DO list as is my wan...

What to pack when heading off for a writing retreat. 1. SUSTENANCE. There is nothing worse than being so involved in your work that hours pass and you pause to find your fingers curled into talons, your back needs to be crunched and your stomach growling for food because you have happened to have missed breakfast, lunch and dinner. In truth, this has NEVER happened to me but...I believe for some people, it can, may, and does occur. So when going away, it is always great to have a selection of easy meals and snacks. Healthy snacks such as fruit and nuts, rice cakes and hummus. 2. THAT PIECE TO WORK ON. I mean you have to take your major WIP (work in progress) with you...why else are you going away with a bunch of fellow writers? Surely, some say, you could work on said piece at home. Alone. Or with assorted children/ grandchildren/ pets/ siblings/ parents/ spouses surrounding you. (AS IF) Writing, surely, is easy. Sit down and do it....this is often said by those that do...

For years, almost ten I believe, Alex ran Poetry in the Hut. The Hut Gallery in Ferntree Gully was a good venue...close to public transport...easy parking. There was no feature reader but an open stage, five minutes with the proviso of not using the F or C word. (If you are a good writer you don't need them). Then of course there was the afternoon tea provided by the ladies from the gallery. Times move on and so do venues. The venue changed and now we have... Poetry in the Hills is held in the Belgrave Library. $5 entry...2 pm start...usually with some musical entertainment and refreshments afterwards. It is a very warm and welcoming environment. Some old and familiar faces, some new faces. What I love the most is the variety of performances. Yes it is called Poetry in the Hills, but we always get so much more. Songs, musicians, memoir, short story. On Sunday we had some great musical treats- one young girl (a newcomer) stunned us all with her amazing voice and...

You don't always know when you are ready to take a break...a brief holiday...a respite from the everyday. Sometimes there are signs. You are tired and cranky....you dream of getting in the car and just going...and telling no one....and if you work with the public you just want to slap people. Which of course is not allowed (mind you there should be exceptions - especially school holidays). I got to the stage if I had to tell another child to 'GET DOWN FROM THERE, IT IS A BOOK SHELF NOT A JUNGLE GYM' I would have screamed. So off we went, other half and I, off to the civilised wilds of South Australia. Firstly to Robe (such a lovely place) then on to Victor Harbour - then catching the ferry across to Kangaroo Island. What an idyllic relaxing place. We stayed in a cottage ...with no wifi, no telephone reception. Nada. There was a television (with limited channels- gotta love some of those Alice Springs adverts) but an abundance of wildlife. Each day we got t...