Storytime

I'm not one for teams. Have never played a team sport, and not good at all with a crowd, especially when I don't know anyone. Hello anxiety. However this past weekend was a great example of how teamwork gets things done. It was the Cancer Council Casey Relay for Life 2019...and our group, Mobile Book Worms took to the track. This group is part from work, partners and children, ex-workers and even friends of friends.  It takes some captaining to get this group together and our Fay is amazing. She does it year after year and always with a smile, even if a tired one. This year was hard. It was hot, very hot. There were fires locally (staff members had been evacuated ) and the skies were smoke choked and the sun at one point was blood red. But we walked, and we walked and we walked. I walked for so many people. So many loved ones and family have died from cancer, but my main two were mum and dad. Both lost to this horrid disease. And we walk to...

Last weekend I went away with my writing group for a retreat. And after all the preparation I had done in readiness (see last post), I was more than eager to get there and get thinking. Every time I go away with this group of writers, I am amazed at how little  much I achieve. Usually I do a lot of walking. After all, isn't that meant to help the creative cogs churn? Some may call it procrastination but I call it 'clearing the head'. Most retreats I do a LOT of 'clearing the head.' But as I was so prepared this time, I actually got a lot done. You may notice pad and pen at the ready. And if you zoom in it actually says 'we solve the world's problems, one sip at a time.' Not that there was a lot of drinking done... This was at a lovely restaurant where we went to help celebrate two milestone birthdays. The food divine...and afterwards a nice 'clearing the head' along the pier. It wasn't all sunshine and clear skies....ther...

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...

Ah, if only we could bottle it. Determination that is. Some days it is so easy to find. You have a list of MUST DO's and each one is neatly ticked off, often before lunch time. You are so motivated and determined that before you know it, three chapters from an old work are edited and you are 3000 words into a new piece. Other days... It's almost impossible to get off social media and the thought of a blank page is enough to give you nightmares. Last weekend I did my second Casey Relay for Life.  Along with a great group of people, we were the Mobile Bookworms. The majority of us work (or have worked) at the library. Others are friends/ partners/ children of those that work there...hence the name. A fantastic group of people, eager to put their feet to the test. We had dedicated folks who slept in their cars...others managed naps in chairs or tent. Some of us went home for a few hours kip, then back for more laps. The cause is something so many of us feel very...

Last year, while reading various poetry collections, I was inspired by the poet's ability to capture their landscape. The majority lived in cities, so their scape was urban and rigid, full of noise and movement. It inspired me to try and capture, not the area I live in, but the road I live in and walk. I wanted to try and put down what I felt, heard, smelt, what was 'different' about this place. And I then gave myself the challenge of writing a 'walking' poem about my road in the four seasons.  I began in the autumn- a night walk. As you can see my road is not a paved main arterial road, it is an unmade road (although recently was graded and has that oil screen on top to try and suppress dust). Our house is at the bottom and as you walk along the road becomes narrower and steeper. The 'regimented' gardens of exotics such as masses of agapanthus and laurel hedges give way to native forest.  It is a good walk, an invigorating walk. ...