Happy New Year!

Hi there and welcome to a new year of My Book-Crazy Life!  This year is going to be full of good things, wonderful things and fun things.  Yes, Brunswick Heads had a wonderful effect on me and I found it very relaxing.  And even though I didn't wish to return to the hot, hot concrete jungle of Brisbane, I found that I had to - well - because there's always responsibility no matter where you live.

And besides, the sandflies were really beginning to make a meal out of me!  I've got over 20 bites all over my arms and legs from the little buggers!

I had a wonderful time at Brunswick Heads.  If I didn't want to get out of bed until late, I didn't have to, I took photos from day one until the day I left, there was plenty to see and do.  There was The Coffee Man to help us wake up in the mornings and get us through the day.  I love how this little town has survived its own major horrible time with the lack of business and has turned into a great little hub of arty, funky and musical community of people who are wonderfully friendly.  There's a great little collection of shops on Part Street which are very much art forms of their very own... and very expensive.  However, they bring in plenty of money from the most conservative of tourists.  Buses travel through the bus depot all day, every day (yep, even on Sundays) and they are wonderfully full of people who want to see this place and are traveling home from here - like I did yesterday.

I enjoyed freshly caught fish from the Brunswick River, mud crab too.  I recorded the greatness of having witness the cooking of the mudcrab outside my Dad's caravan on my camera and on my iPod; totally enjoying it all.  Mum thought it was funny - so did Dad - until they saw the photos on my iPod as my wallpaper; and thought they were beautiful.

I bought clothes from Target 'Country' and a screw-top jar for a New Year project I had in mind that I had seen on Facebook.  I also found a few art things I thought to buy as well and ended up working on a few drawings of trees and the river while I sat by it drinking ice coffees and eating afternoon tea.  People thought I had taken a Fine Arts Degree and were amazed when I said I hadn't... saying that I had been working on my art for years and it's just been practice that's all. 

New Years' Eve was lots of fun!  I had bought a new dress - a cool strapless one - and a bag and we all choofed off to the Brunswick Bowls Club to enjoy our night out to call in the New Year.  The company was great, the food was delicious and the live music was fantastic... even if the lead singer was a little off tune with a cold. 
However on New Year's Day, the family next to us in the van park had an upsetting afternoon when their 8 year old daughter fell 9 feet from a tree and broke her arm in 2 places, sprained her ankle and scored herself 13 stitches under her chin!  We were all shocked that she hadn't hurt herself more.  But she was rushed off to the Mullumbimby Hospital by her Dad where they put her a slab on her arm (this is a slab of plaster on the back of her arm to stablise it as it was still swelling up) and gave her lots of painkillers to see her through the night.  The doctor checked her neck and the rest of her and said that she was very lucky she didn't hurt herself more.  On 2nd, January, before anyone else was up, the family had packed up and left for Brisbane's Mater Children's Hospital to admit her for further treatment.  We all wished them the best before we retired to bed the night before and they thanked us and were off to bed before midnight.  Poor kid, and her birthday is on 20th January where they've organised a slumber party.  By that time, I'm sure, she'd have a cool pink cast on it and all her friends will be signing it for her day; and she could keep it when she has it replaced by the hospital.

I returned home yesterday afternoon by bus - which took 2 hours - and settled in at home; only to be called by my brother, Gabe and Kat, to be asked to mind Jay the Wonderdog.  I've been back in Brisbane for less than 24 hours and I've packed another bag to travel again.  Woah!  That's one very tiring way to spend my time at home.  I've also had to leave the fishies unfed for a couple of days too.

I've done my shopping this morning at The Big Apple and then did grocery shopping at Coles at Springwood.  So, it's been a big 24 - 48 hours for me... and it's only to get busier for me over the next few days. Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm, and remember, I'm always here.

Busy Weekend Again

I've been busily tidying up over this weekend and so I haven't had time to really post anything lately.  I've wanted to, but I can't.  
Anyway, yesterday, I was at the Logan Art Gallery working there for the last shift of the year; and it was the slowest day too.  Only 12 people came in all day; and three of those people came in to collect a prize in the afternoon.  Otherwise it was slow and boring.  I ended up writing a little on my iPod and talking to Ryse, the other volunteer I worked with.
But once home, I looked around and knew I had a lot of work to do before I left for the coast on Monday.  I turned on the television, fed the fishies and made myself dinner and thought it would be good to just watch something to do with Christmas; and I did.  When one show on tv either ended or bored me to tears, I switched channels and - sure enough - it had a Christmas theme to it.
By 9:30pm, 'The Polar Express' had finished and I had watched the hilarious film 'Evan Almighty' as I love it when Morgan Freeman plays God.  He's done that a few times now, and is just the best, isn't he?  I admire the man, I really do.  He's also a left-handed person too... another reason why I like him.  He's such a cool actor too.
Once both those things finished, I turned on the turntable and put on some swing and jazz, turned it up and began tidying up the lounge room.  I tossed out a lot rubbished, collected together the plastic bags and cleared up the kitchen table.  Then, I was finished within the half hour or so and then, it was time to lock up and head upstairs.  I had put away all the painting gear, put all the unpainted pegs in a zip-lock bag and the paint too and the brushes as well.  After I had all the rubbish in one bag, I locked up and went upstairs where I worked more for a little while on the computer and went to bed at around midnight.
This morning, I was up at around 7am, stripped the bed and grabbed the laundry by the bedroom door.  Once the sheets were put on, I headed out to The Big Apple, where I bought 2 mangoes, 6 kiwi, a handful of nectarines and peaches and two bunches of white seedless grapes.  On the way to fruit shop, I had bought 2 Sunday Mails and then I walked home.  And once back here, I put out the sheets, put on the towels and searched for a big bowl for the fruit salad I was planning for tomorrow night.  I ate breakfast, put out the towels, put on the next load of delicates and then got making the fruit salad.  It was finished in no time at all - and I had to make room in the fridge for it!  Yep, the bowl is that big!  The third load of laundry was put out and I put on the 4th load - a very small load - and I was back inside to tidy up from chopping up fruit, and making sure the place was ready for washing up.  The sink backed up and I used the plunger and hot water to get it unblocked.... yuk!... anyway, that's been my morning.
This afternoon, I've got packing to do, my bed to make up, computer things to collect together, books to figure out to read and money to pull together... then, I'll be okay and ready to go tomorrow.  The presents are all ready to go; as I packed them up 2 nights ago.  The fishies are taken care of with a feeder and I've got all the room in my travel bag for my vitemins too (hopefully).  Until my next post, take care keep safe and warm this Christmas and Holiday Season and remember, I'm always here.