My Journal:

February 2009

As always, a busy month for me, made busier because all the organisations I’m involved with have opened for business for 2009, ensuring that not a day goes by without there being something for me to do, a place to go, an event to attend.

Australia is a land of extremes. It’s been a strange summer in this corner of Queensland. Elsewhere (do you know, there is actually a place in Tasmania called Elsewhere) it has rained almost non-stop, and about 70% of this state is in flood, but up until last week, the Lockyer Valley was the hole in the doughnut. Thankfully, when it did rain, it was quite heavy so everything is nice and green again. We haven’t had much heat either, which is most unusual. We had a few days in the high 30’s but mostly around high 20’s, unlike Victoria, who have sweltered through a heat wave of epic proportions, one that resulted in one of the worst bush fires recorded, with the loss of whole towns and many lives.

This month saw me saying goodbye to my youngest daughter and her husband, who set off to work the harvest trail around the country. They will likely be gone for a year or more but I hope to catch up with them somewhere, sometime during my own travels this year. They spent 3 weeks in the Leeton area, picking oranges, and are now enjoying a little ‘holiday’ at Sussex Inlet, on the south coast of NSW.

I also took on the role of Membership Secretary for the Society of Women Writers Qld; one way of giving a little back to a group of ladies who have helped and supported me in my writing career. I continue to teach at TRAMS in Toowoomba, but if I want to do some more travel this year, I’ll likely be handing this volunteer job onto someone else in the near future.

My notes for my autobiography are taking shape and I hope to be getting down to the final draft later this year. That’s the plan anyway; when thoughts of the size of the job threaten to overwhelm me I remind myself that the way forward is a little bit at a time.

The bookclub I joined when I moved to this valley is still going strong. We continue to review a book and meet to discuss it every 6 weeks or so. It’s a great way to read authors one wouldn’t otherwise consider, and hugely satisfying to compare notes about our impressions.

A number of years ago a couple of friends and I began what we called our ‘birthday group’, the idea being that we would go out for dinner to celebrate each others birthdays. Over time, the group grew and we now number in the 20’s. Every month it is someone’s birthday, so now we go out for dinner the first Tuesday every month and celebrate all that month’s birthdays. It’s always a lovely night and a great way to visit new restaurants and try the foods of other cultures.

I’m also still involved with the local community, as secretary/treasurer of the Neighbourhood Centre and am currently organising a Country Music Day in order to raise funds. As a small group we are constantly battling for funding, especially to pay a horrendous public liability insurance bill.

My lovely friends in Italy have just had their first baby, so we don’t get a chance to speak often now. They are learning how much work a tiny baby can generate! But I continue to study Italian and visit with a lady in Toowoomba who helps me with conversation. She also supplies me with the yummiest treats, like artichokes and olives done the Italian way.

Autumn begins next month; usually that doesn't mean much in this area, where it's either dry, or very dry, but I think that this year might be different. More next month.