I've got a busy day ahead of me.  I'm trying to sort things out and begin packing.  And I've got lots of bookwork to organise and get out, and to finalise things here and there.  There are things to be booked, and things to be done. Does hoping, and hoping, get you somewhere every now and again???   Maybe it does??  Temperature drop for the start of my photo shoot in Murrurundi...  I can only keep hoping.  As one does. Scone Close Precis Forecast issued at 4:25 am EDT on Friday 29 November 2013. Detailed Scone Forecast Fri. 29 Nov Sat. 30 Nov Sun. 1 Dec Mon. 2 Dec Tue. 3 Dec Wed. 4 Dec Thu. 5 Dec Summary Rain, a few storms developing. Possible shower. Partly cloudy. Mostly sunny. Sunny. Mostly sunny. A few showers. Max. Temperature 28 °C 24 °C 26 °C 31 °C 34 °C 36 °C 28 °C Min. Temperature 11 °C 9 °C 9 °C 11 °C 14 °C 16 °C

Ok, at this point, I am just about begging for a cool change to hit the Hunter Valley on Wednesday night..  My poor Dan..  travelling all that way in 37 degrees.  It will remind me, disgustingly, of our trip back to Canberra in January of this year in 44 degree heat.   Disaster... Oh..  and here's a little bit of trivia for you.  In biting my lip and worrying about the state of my car, when I glanced at his fuel gauge sitting again right on empty, I thought to myself "I can't remember the last time I checked his oil and water" (please don't ask about the tyres....).  So I ran the risk of running late to work (justifying it on the basis that if he either ran out of petrol or oil I'd be far later) and swung by the service station.  Oil didn't even register on his dippy stick thing.  Bloody hell, what's happening to us Dan????  Began muttering abject apologies to him, patted his bonnet, grabbed 2 thingies of oil, paid, put them b...

Yes, I'm still counting.  We're up to 39, and technically, because the day is almost gone, it's quite close to being able to say that sleep 39 is done and that we're at 38.  I have a habit of counting down the sleeps to an event that excites or is important to me.  Some are well aware of this.  Plus if I don't keep count, this will sneak up on me, and I'll be in strife! This is a time for taking big breaths, and BIG STEPS.  Today I informed my current landlords that we are leavning.  They've been pretty terrific, and have looked after us well.  They said they are sorry to see me go.  My neighbours are sad too.  So the landlords are commencing Vacating the Premises process.  It all sounds so formal, doesn't it?  I guess it will become less daunting as we go.  And the other big step was signing the lease on our Melbourne house and sending off the bank cheques for the bond and the 1st month's rent.  And I also finall...

Random thoughts from this morning...  Heath has gotten ready nice and early this morning. Jessica is another matter. I've been checking the long range forecast for Scone. As a result, I'm growing gloomier and gloomier by the minute.  Goodness I hate the heat... I am wondering whether perhaps I had already put detergent in my washing machine???  Surprised??  Sigh... My website and email both ended up going down yesterday.  Name Server names, ARecords, CName records..  This stuff might as well be written in a whole different language.  However the hosting people finally helped me with it. Touch wood it's all ok. The website is back up. And my emails are working. This is a very good thing. There are important documents to work on and things to be done. Go little plant!!!  So tough!!! 

Ok. So I counted them. Are you surprised?  We have 40 sleeps to go. My phone has run a little hot. And there's been lots of messages coming in.  I like that.....  Right now, I'm trying to work out an order to do things in, while I sit on my bucket next to Freelance while she eats breakfast. The flies are bugging her. The little toads. It was cool last night so I gave in and put a warm rug on her. What would you do?  How would you organise all of this??  I've never moved interstate. There are so many unknowns. People ask what will I do?  How are you going to do this, or that? And to be truthful, I answer a bit of it at the moment with "I don't know.."  I suppose I am ok at flying by the seat of my pants, and that the unknown doesn't daunt me as much as it might others. But still... Freelance is nearly finished. Again, that's my queue to vanish.

Today I got the phone call we have been desperately waiting to receive, which was to tell me that we've got a house in Melbourne.  We won't be living right in Melbourne of course, we will be in a lovely tranquil environment, with a lovely drive up the freeway into Melbourne itself. I've been looking for houses since July.  First I'd hoped to buy, but things didn't move quickly enough for this.  So we are renting for a short while longer, and that is ok.  Our new house is lovely.  It is new.  It has the biggest, and newest looking kitchen.  And oh goodness me, it has a dishwasher!!!!  For those who know the kitchen we've had these past 12 months is ordinary.  And that's being kind.  And we'll have 2 PROPER bathrooms, like really nice bathrooms too. The removalist trucks will arrive here in Canberra on 4th January, with delivery to the Peninsula on the 5th.  I can't begin to say how much this means to us.  ...

Today was Heath's birthday.  He arrived back home just after midday.  My brother and I had combined to buy him a pretty cool present, plus I bought the usual Doctor Who and Lego culprits (ok, ok, stop shaking the head, I know we already have STACKS of Lego.....).  In some ways Heath's birthday felt strange.  Ok, partly because I'm still not used to it when he doesn't wake up here.  But there are a few other reasons too.  And there aren't any easy answers.  We went to see Day of the Doctor.  Talon came too.  It was amazing and it was a great thing to do on his birthday.  Then dinner at my house, where I had all the balls in the air, baking cakes, cooking dinner, making icing...  Depending on when we need to book the removalist truck, this could well have been our very last birthday in this tiny house.  And yes, these are the famous front steps.  I get lots of image ideas sitting on my steps, and many thoughts floo...

I'm not sure how I should feel about this...  It is always a nicer feeling when you are asked about this sort of use and agree to a fee up front, rather than stumble across it by accident (not to mention have it credited).  Having said that, they are a nice group at the Sunday Tele, and I truly like the Editor who seems to be a great person and the new Pic Ed also seems good, so I'm sure it won't be an issue, but still..... The People's Champion For sale as a Page Print from the News Ltd Photo Shop

I'm sitting outside again, on my front step, with my laptop, my cup of tea and Maxie.  Today is Saturday 23 November 2013.  In America today, it's still the 22nd of November.  This weekend marks the anniversaries of two events that occurred before I was born.   The first even is one that I have always felt fascinated and sad about.  It makes me reflect on an era in American and world politics that was game changing, and life changing for many.  And importantly for me, it was an era where the power of the still image has never more apparent.  Today marks the  50th anniversary of the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kenndy (or JFK as he is often referred to). I have some books on JFK, including one that is precious to me, by his personal photographer, Jacques Lowe.  It's called "Remembering Jack" .  It is a great book to read while curled up on the lounge with a glass of red wine.  It reminds us that great phot...

Oh!!!!  Stop what you are doing, right now...  Go onto Google...  now!!!!  There is nothing like when society at large gets behind an event.  It makes me genuinely excited.  Specially when it's a super cool and ace event, not something stupid like " Who Care Who Big Brother Says Goodbye Too...". .   Doctor Who is turning 50...  Ok, ok..  The raised on the ABC/BBC highbrow girl is raising her head again. I can see you shaking that head, smiling slightly again....  But we are feeling a little bit consumed by this..  I grew up on Doctor Who!  Tom Baker was my hero..  As was K9!  And what girl didn't want to dress like Leela and look like her when she grew up????? She was so tough, and so savage, and so cool!  Heath's birthday is on Sunday.  He's turning 12.  It's been a really tough year.  But I hope next year will be full of surprises and delights.  As part of his birthday present...

I'm home from work, and from feeding Freelance.  I called in to the shops, and bought some stuff for dinner.  And again forgot to buy Maxie some food and me some laundry powder.  Darn it..  Domestics..  Never my strong suit.  I had to come the long way around from the paddock.  It's actually literally just up the road from me, but they are doing all these bloody awful roadworks, right on our doorstep it feels, because of the huge new sub-development that they are putting in.  It's changed the character of the area, but, as I keep telling myself and the kids, we're not here for much longer. In a sudden surge of inspiration, I decided I would try to cook Risotto tonight, or Gluggy Rice as my attempts have been called before.  I can see that smiling creeping on to your face, yet again.  My sister can cook some pretty ace ones.  And I should try to lift my act a little bit. Before I begin this tricky little task though, I poured m...

It's Wednesday night.  Maxie spent time outside both this morning before we left for school and work, and this afternoon after we got home.  My house is quiet.  I've put a DVD on to break the silence. Ok...  You're right.  The DVD is a horse one..  Not surprised???  I guess not.  It's "The Horse Whisperer".  I am not averse to watching movies over and over.  And I do like this movie.  My regulars readers will know that I've written previously about a hot January evening in Carlton where I was bought a ticket to the premiere of the film documentary " Buck ", who was actually there for a question and answer session when the movie finished.  He's the cowboy this film is based on.  I like the film a lot, particularly after that evening..  I like the line in it "I didn't love her because it was right..  I just loved her" .. Today I finished our applications for the other 2 houses my friend has seen on our behal...