The world feels pretty scary right now. All the anger. All the hate. So many wars. So much corruption. The terrible climate change tragedy that has devastated Nepal and Tibet. The epidemic of teens assaulting, terrorising and stealing. The good ones dying instead of the bad ones. I've been in desperate need of a laugh... Continue Reading →

I know I am a bit late to the wake but I am so sad that the world has lost Dolly Parton. And I was so furious when I read that the US President had ordered flags to fly at half mast for a week in her honour. Not because I don't think Dolly deserves... Continue Reading →

“I don’t swallow” would have been an accurate but sensational title for today’s blog post. I was a judge yesterday at the Australian Gin Awards and put 49 gins through their paces. Swallowing 49 gins could be dangerous, so you’re given a spittoon. We kicked off at 10am and even after doing a lot of... Continue Reading →

I slept very badly last night after checking the mailbox on my late-night dog walk and discovering a letter from the Sheriff’s Office. I have been summoned to a 16-week trial. Far out! They will need to excuse me because I have travel and a medical thing booked, but it freaked me out. This jury... Continue Reading →

Those sneaky buggers at IKEA sent me a voucher for $35 off my next purchase, which weirdly coincided with the youngest wanting a metal chair from IKEA for the verandah of her tiny home. The voucher arrived last Tuesday, but I didn’t notice it until Saturday morning. I read the fine print and realised it... Continue Reading →

How are you with long-haul flights? I am contemplating returning to Europe after a very, very long absence and I’m a bit nervous. The decision is mainly being driven by friends who want to holiday with us over there after DD attends a conference. While I am vaguely excited by the thought, I mainly feel... Continue Reading →

I’m a restless creature. I crave constant mental stimulation. Boredom is not my friend. I've spent most of my life frantically avoiding it. Before mobile phones, I was a voracious speed reader. I’ve always struggled to savour the words and wolf down the storyline instead, racing through a book in a few hours. These days... Continue Reading →

I am struggling with the deprivation that is required by dieting. I know I need to bite the bullet and do it, but dieting is very, very dull. And it’s a long-term project, not an overnight fix. My sister stayed over last night and brought lamb koftas from Dales Downtown Meats in Uralla. (Uralla has... Continue Reading →

About halfway through lunch on Sunday, all the couples at the table - and the recently uncoupled bloke - realised that none of us live with our partners. DD and I were the longest not-living-together couple out of the bunch, clocking up 12 years this October. That raises eyebrows and "have you had a serious... Continue Reading →

Within hours of posting these fateful words on Friday morning - "my weekend is surprisingly under-scheduled" - I found myself typing my credit card details into the Kangaroo Valley Golf and Country Retreat’s website. Yep, I booked a cabin there for Saturday night. Why? I hadn't seen the youngest for ages and the next few... Continue Reading →