My fav reads in 2009

A new year and time to start a fresh new list of the books I am reading.  Of the books I read in 2009 my fav reads were Breath by Tim Winton (adventure story, amazing writing, a few suprises, loved the beach and coastal imagery); My Driver by Maggie Gee (set in Uganda, quirky, great plot and characters, lots of laugh out loud moments, romance, drama); The Household Guide to Dying (a novel) by Debra Adelaide (again a bit quirky, funny, sad, family drama - great read); Vertigo (a novella) by Amanda Lohrey (short, evocative, moody, bushfire - fabulously written - made me feel like I was there in the story); and The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (set in southern states of America, sad, funny, a bit spiritual and uplifting). 

The books I gave four stars to were also rave-worthy.  I was very lucky last year - I really didn't have read too many duds at all.  So here's my reading list for 2009 with my star rating:

A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz **** (Australian author)
Breath by Tim Winton ****1/2 (Australian)
Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui by Karen Kingston **** (very motivating read!!)
Eating Chinese Food Naked by Mei NG ***
Evening is the Whole Day by Preeta Samarasan ****
Mercy by Jodi Picoult ***1/2
My Cleaner by Maggie Gee ****
My Driver by Maggie Gee ****1/2
One Thousand Chestnut Trees by Mira Stout ***1/2
Rouseabout by Rachael Treasure ***1/2 (Australian)
Stranger by Anita Brookner ***
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne ****
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer ****
The Household Guide to Dying (a novel) by Debra Adelaide **** (Australian)
The Hunter's Wife by Katherine Scholes ***1/2 (Australian)
The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood *** and 3/4
The Lieutenant by Kate Grenville ***1/2 (Australian)
The Lost Children by Maggie Gee ***
The Other Hand by Chris Cleave ****
The Pages by Murray Bail ***1/2 (Australian)
The Road Home by Rose Tremain ****
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd ****1/2
The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas **** (Australian)
The White Woman on the Green Bicycle by Monique Roffey ***3/4
The Young Widow's Book of Home Improvement by Virginia Lloyd **** (Australian)
Three Junes by Julie Glass ****
Vertigo (a novella) by Amanda Lohrey ****1/2 (Australian)
Wanting by Richard Flanagan **** (Australian)

I love love love Summer

It has been the best Christmas/New Year break from work I can remember.  Sunshine, swimming, sleep-ins, sewing - all the favourite 's' words.  (I was going to be risque and throw in another but this is a G-rated blog.) 

We have had lots of house guests coming and going - more Melbourne university students than I can count emerging from the shed in all states of undress and disrepair, pre and post the Falls Festival.  Also cousin Vicki over for Micaela and Aaron's lovely bush wedding yesterday at Koonya.  We had lots of laughs together.

I've had great times too with little Izzie and Lilli - outings to the Taste, Conningham beach and kayak fun. 

Husband has continued his walking addiction over the break and stirred me into a bit more activity too so despite Christmas lunch and the Sue/Steph Christmas take 2 eating and drinking excitement I am feeling quite healthy. New Year's Eve was memorable up at Johnny's watching the amazing lightning storm right above us, full moon and blackout.  

Only nine more days of work and then it's off to Sydney and New Zealand.  Life is good.  2010 promises lots.  Happy birthday today Kerry.

Above is a photo of our new outdoor light shining on John's pumice masterpiece and Tom's wooden fish.

Boxing day reflections

Huge sigh of relief - Christmas day is over.  It was brilliant but big as always - too much of everything - emotions, food, alcohol, pressies....  Boxing Day is always welcome for being so low key.  Husband and I alone at home - A prone a lot of the time watching the cricket, me doing what I seem to like doing most of all for relaxation - sewing away.  Made a shoulder bag to take to NZ and a nice spotty top.  Managed also a walk and a swim and a sort of house tidy up.  Lots of ham fillups.  Still thinking of that wonderful salad Claire made up for us yesterday - spinach leaves, pecan nuts, raspberries and persian feta.  Was yum yum.  Bruce's hovering, whizzing, flashing, alien spaceship gizmos the big hit of Xmas - must track some down for James and Zach for the NZ trip.   Bye for now... take care.

House titivation

Phew - now all the millymaking sewing and markets are over for the year I am concentrating on getting the house ready for our Christmas guests. We realised we've made do without an outside light near the front door for over a year now but better not have the rellies struggling around in the dark trying to find their way to our front door this Christmas. I've ordered a groovy new outdoor light today from an online store selling lighting of every description. Don't you just love online shopping - too easy.

That reminds me - I really must create a website next year for our millymaker products.  Put that on the new year's resolution list... watch this space.

All over red rover

Whahooooo! The market was a great success on Sunday.  A slow start but then it went crazy for a few hours, before a steady stream of shoppers throughout the afternoon.  Sue and I were very pleasantly surprised by how much we made. 

Thanks once again to the lovely girls who run the market - Rebecca, Holly and Heather. Having eftpos available at the market was a great addition.  It was interesting being upstairs in the masonic temple - a bit musty with some strange little dressing rooms with hanging robes in them (what on earth really goes on in these places!!) - but otherwise a great space to share with some very nice people on the other stalls and all our fabulous customers. Thank you to Sue, Shauna, Noella and Helen  - my fellow millymakers, and to all the nice people from my work who came along and supported me.

I am going to give all away my few remaining bags to friends and charity and start the slate clean in 2010 - new ideas, new endeavours. For the moment I feel quite exhausted and all 'sewed out'.  I think it's time to give the Husky a break and to get outside to play in the vegie garden, to go bushwalking, kayaking, swimming too I hope.  Best wishes for a merry Christmas if I don't get to post another blog before then. Chin Chin.

Sue before the shoppers arrived

One week until the Xmas market

Planned to sew up a storm this weekend but really too much happening.  Chelsea's 6th birthday, Christmas shopping, family visits, and general life-decluttering-pre-Christmas mission... Ah well, what will be will be - we have lots of stock already and it's all about having fun being creative really.  Here's a sample of some shiny packaged goods waiting to be unleashed at the hobart market next Sunday 13 December at the Masonic Lodge, Hobart.  Might see you there?

We will be selling tote bags (each a one-off), the millydilly pouch bags (great inexpensive gift idea for dog walkers, party goers and new mums), Shauna's beautiful lino cut, individually hand-painted cards (each one a work of art in themselves - they look amazing framed) and Noella's quirky jewellery and 'intriguing sleeves'.

Five months in the life of our oak tree

Yes we love our oak tree.  It's one of the reasons we bought our house.  Last summer when it was very very dry we noticed all the leaves were curling and turning crispy brown and we thought for a while that the tree might perish.  I watered it solidly for weeks and it came good.  It has been great to see it do it's thing again this spring - obviously without any damage from the drought.  We think our oak tree is between 40 and 50 years old.

16 November  2009

25 October 2009

10 October 2009

 

20 September 2009

4 June 2009