I got an email from the eldest's school yesterday informing me that there had been a nit outbreak. Normally those words would strike dread in my heart as I'm really not in the mood to spend another night combing conditioner meticulously through my offspring's locks. But I was a bit whatever this time, because the... Continue Reading →

DD was boarding a flight from Melbourne to Adelaide yesterday when he ran into our Newcastle friends Darren and Kirsten in the aisle. The world is waaaaaaaay too small. As Darren succinctly summed it up: "Unbelievable." D & K were on their way to Adelaide - via Melbourne - to see Queen last night. DD... Continue Reading →

“Oooooh, I should start a new website with DD! I'm a prolific writer, it'll be a doddle!" And with that blithe optimism I launched The Thirsty Travellers last month. I'd forgotten that the writing is the easy part - the hard bit is getting eyeballs on the words. I've never worried about traffic at HouseGoesHome.... Continue Reading →

I've been sulking a little since a PR person knocked back my request to bring a plus one to an upcoming event. The PR said it's an “intimate gathering“ at a fancy restaurant, so numbers are tight. She trilled that she was so happy that I could make it on my lonesome. I hadn't indicated... Continue Reading →

I felt ancient over the weekend, and not just because I'm turning 52 in a few weeks time. Fifty! Two! Blimey. I spent Saturday clearing out the garage, so I can turn it into an art-studio-slash-rat-den for the eldest. I can't take the mess and smell any more. It needs to be outsourced. Being the... Continue Reading →

I am deeply unsettled and I need to talk it out. The murder of Hannah Clarke and her three kids, plus the appallingly comments by Queensland police, are weighing heavily on me. The police inspector involved is going through hell over what he [definitely shouldn't have] said. I don't think we need to add him... Continue Reading →

My nostalgia streak continues, but the latest bout relates to a memory from just five years ago. It's been sparked by DD attending a conference in North Carolina this week ... as he did the week I first met him. We enjoyed a well-fated drink at a suburban tavern on the Sunday, fell madly in... Continue Reading →

My nostalgia grows with my years. Is it the same for you? Some of my most powerful memories are of the holidays I spent at my grandparents' houses - first in Cessnock, then in Hawks Nest. The Cessnock years are pretty patchy - being rushed to hospital one night after having an anaphylactic reaction to... Continue Reading →

Many moons ago, when I was a slip of a girl in Year 10, I had a total meltdown about the subjects I should study for the HSC. I thought I wanted to be a pharmacist, so I'd signed myself up for physics and chemistry. The only problem was that I was very bad at... Continue Reading →

I watched a middle-aged woman do her lolly on a pedestrian crossing yesterday. She started smashing a metal cage-like object she was carrying onto a car, then punched the bonnet for good measure. The car was attempting to turn right as she crossed at the lights. I don’t think the driver saw her at first,... Continue Reading →