My Journal:

April 2010

My trusty brother reminded me once again that another month has gone, and it's time to write up my journal. It's been a busy month for me, as usual. The broken bone in my foot has healed, although not without some problems with my back, which did not like the way I had to limp to accommodate the pain in my foot.

The local neighbourhood centre held its annual Country Music Day mid month. This event is held as a fundraiser, the profit going towards our annual public liability insurance bill, without which we would have to cease operating. Once again we managed - with a lot of work done by too few - to raise the necessary funds. During the recent school holidays, one of the other members and I had occasion to call into the cottage (which is our 'neighbourhood centre') and found some young people in the grounds, trying to break in. There is nothing of value in their and we were at a loss as to why they would want to destroy something that is of historical significance. The young people involved couldn't answer but the shame of the police calling on them and their families, and the knowledge that they could have been charged (we declined to press charges, thinking they deserve a second chance) scared them I think. They wrote letters of apology and offered to do some work around the yard. The whole incident may end with a positive outcome however, because we are thinking of establishing some gardens there and thought it might be nice to get the young people involved. Giving them ownership of the gardens (naming them for the youth of the area) might give them some pride and encourage them to look after the place, rather than try to destroy it.

During this month I managed to find some people to take on two of my jobs (volunteer, as in unpaid of course) and I'm looking forward to the little extra time that will give me to get some more writing done. And as one of my sisters pointed out, time for more important things, like going to the movies with her!

A couple of weeks ago, I drove down to Inglewood with a friend. She had told me about the olive trees, planted by the local council there, saying that the general public were able to collect the fruit. Unfortunately for us, the olives were overripe but we know where to go now and next year will be there at the right time. My friend is Italian by birth, and she is going to show me how to process and preserve the green olives. I've tasted the ones she processed a couple of years ago and they are truly to die for.

I've been working on typsetting the annual anthology for the Range Writers (another unpaid job!) and it's nearly done. They have been producing a book each year for over 30 years now, so one has to admire them for that. They are not an incorporated society but they meet each month to read their work and get feedback from the other members. This practice is dying out now, with younger writers happier to share their work over the internet.

Well, that was April; more in May.