We slide, or perhaps I should say staggered, in the front door of our new house just before 9pm. I was shattered after an 11 hour drive. There was some euphoria. Then all I felt was overwhelming tiredness and that confused feeling that comes with unpacking. No matter how carefully I pack it I can never find things easily at the other end.  It is nice to finally climb into my own bed. I feel like I've been camping for so long. I forgot to buy milk and that sucked, because I'd been pretty excited about using my new teapot. I was too tired for wine so I tried to have a black tea instead. However tea without milk is The Devil's Work I've decided.  Maxie seems to have settled. I've reluctantly put him in the laundry overnight though, because he will pace and prowl the house with all the windows open.  I got rattled coming in to Melbourne. Was it because I was trying to find the quickest route from the Hume Freeway to Eastlink?  It probably wasn't. Apple ...

I'm writing this from The HMAS Otway at Holbrook. We nearly always stop for a rest and fuel in this little town less than an hour from the Victorian border. This morning we set out on the Hume Highway. We are traveling South. And we are traveling home. I miss my brother and his boys already. Despite this it is an exciting feeling to have my children and Maxie in Dan as we drive home.  Maxie travels well. He's never gone this far before but so far takes it all in his stride. I still have to arrange for the last member of our "family", the lovely Freelance, to join us. Then we will be complete

I'm back in Canberra. I no longer live here.  This is the first night I've spent in Canberra in my entire life when the house I live in isn't here in Canberra.  What an odd feeling!  I'm staying at Tom's house tonight and we need to be on the road by 9am tomorrow because it's a long way to the the Peninsula.    Maxie was bowling around Tom's house like it belonged to him within 15 minutes of arriving.  He's pushing his luck though and when he thought too hard about getting up on the bench Tom flicked a face washer at him.  The resulting backflip he executed almost had me on the floor.  The Bad Ass..  Tom has put on a new album, "If You Wait", by London Grammar on.  It's amazing.  Take a listen..  You will love it.  And I have new music for our car trip tomorrow because it is downloading as I type. Before hitting the road I flew in and out of Royal Randwick to photograph the boom colt Rubick (Encosta de Lago - Sli...

Today I took the day off.  I did start having idle thoughts about heading to the pool and/or beach to see who popped up before my lens.  However I felt tired and a little flat (and ever so slightly miserable!), so I ended up just working on images then doing some groceries for Mum. When I went out for the groceries I stopped in to JB HiFi in Leichardt because I needed to buy yet another portable hard drive so that I can send images through to the client.  My little expedition to the shopping centre that I've mostly only visited as a passenger with my Mum in a region reminded me of what lies ahead. I still haven't explored Mornington, Hastings or Rosebud, and its surrounding areas at all apart.  Ok, so I've had a couple of very trips in with Lyn, and another friend.  However this was a while ago and its very different when you're driven to unfamiliar places as a passenger (not all that common for me, I seem to spend a lot of time behind the wheel!), inst...

Yesterday I spent the afternoon out at Chris Waller's stables concentrating on a couple of their stable stars Zoustar and Boban.  They are one of 10-12 horses I will be tracking this autumn behind the scenes and then of course on the racetrack.  I had a lovely play with Haylie and Lucy who are great girls.  They really got into our shoot. The timing of my project beginning was perfect for me.  It has given me something to focus on and enjoy this week.  And I've needed this.  Late on Tuesday afternoon the excellent staff at RPA worked out that my Mum had not had a stroke after all and that the problem was in fact heart related.  They put a temporary pacemaker in that night and then last night the proper one was put in.   I can't begin to say how relieved we all were that it wasn't a stroke.  Somehow strokes seem intimidating.  They remind of things I'd rather not think about.   So it was with some relief that I g...

These are some photographs from the trials at Rosehill this morning.  Horses take my mind off things I would rather not think about.  It's amazing how they work, every single time..... Tom and I laugh as we listen to Maxie doing his best attempts to jailbreak out of the laundry.  The boys will sleep far better without the little Bad Ass roaming from window sill to window sill, not to mention the toe raids he launches when he has an attack of the rats..  He's so naughty.  My camera bag is in front of the laundry door.  Knock yourself out Maxie..  Tom and I reckon he'll be in there cursing like Gollum, calling us "Tricksy... False....."    Bergdorf (Manhattan Rain - Miss Excellence) What a lovely colt.  Doesn't he know it though.  He's a bit of a toad.  Its's Ghibellines.  Guelph's half brother by Shamardal. I Can Dance Real Surreal Ygritte (Snitzel - Deputy Lil). ...

I'm back at my Mum's house.  She's been admitted to the Stroke Ward at Royal Prince Albert Hospital.  It was nearly 8pm when I left.  I don't know the hospital and it has the most confusing exit on the planet!  Ok, so I was tired.   I've spent all day surrounded by medical staff and beeping machines.  And answering emails and texts and making phone calls.   It started raining this afternoon and when I went out about 5pm to top up my meter I shivered in my summer dress and got cold and wet.  It was cold and wet when I returned to dear old Dan who'd waited patiently for me all day in the street.  I got in, and put my head in my hands, and cried and cried.  We haven't had to face serious problems with the health of our parents..  Actually, technically that's not true because Mum has had a few cancer scares and a burst appendix when I was the only one there.  But this one really frightened me.  My mind spun ...