COVID-19

Happy Christmas and congratulations for surviving 2020.  This has been a unique year with so many struggles for so many people.  In fact I’m sure there isn’t a person in the world that hasn’t been affected by COVID in some way. Here in Melbourne we are still remembering the devastating bush fires that were raging at this time last year. The fires gobbled up many homes and there are people still waiting to get into their new homes. People died too. With all this in mind have the very best Christmas that you can.  Don’t worry about all that plastic…

The lockdown door has opened a crack with more light coming through on November 1st.  With this new life seeping towards us we have another Melbourne spring-style day. Cold wind and now in the late afternoon the sun is out and the wind lessened. To Celebrate I have poured a gin and tonic in one of the beautiful glasses I inherited from my mum.  The gin turned up when I was cleaning out a cupboard.  Not much left which is perhaps why I forgot about it but enough to celebrate.  The crystal is sparkling in the sun and the slice…

I’ve been missing for a while – it is the dreaded virus. COVID-19 lock down in Melbourne and my creativity is locked down with it. I settle into my chair and I have nothing to write. I wander around the house. I make a cup of tea. I check my emails again and again. I find something on YouTube to listen to. I go for my daily walk. I sit at my computer again. It’s no good there is nothing there. My creativity has died. Are you the same? What’s been your ‘go-to-thing’ to lift you spirits during these COVID…

I wrote this on the Sunday I heard about all Melburnians having to wear a mask when they left the house. I live in central Melbourne.  I thought about how my life under COVID-19 had changed. I came up with one huge positive.  I wrote about it……. *************************************************   In one way Covid-19 has played into my hands. I have re-learned the love of walking. Once this love took me into the wilds where I slogged for hours through bush to finally lunch by a freezing river or even spend the night in a communal hut with others who also…

This is an amazing time in Australia.  It is a time where the country pulled together, cared for each other, looked out for each other and followed the rules. By doing this we have stopped COVID – 19 in its tracks. Not conquered yet but certainly halted it.  We believed all  lives mattered in this wonderful multi-cultural nation of ours. Watching the weekend marches you could be led to believe that ‘Only Black Lives Matter’. Of course Black Lives matter and all of us whatever race we belong to are horrified by the actions of the police officers in Minneapolis.…

It’s taken me a while to write this post … I don’t want to offend anyone or lose a friendship… it is more that I’m writing to get an understanding of my friends who aren’t writers or readers. Writing and publishing my book ‘Mayhem in Melbourne’ has been a huge mile-stone in my life.  Yet I have at least three friends who I thought were close friends, who four months after publication haven’t read it.  I put a copy in their hands so it’s not a problem with access or the cost. When I see them, I don’t say ‘Have…

I wrote this piece about the magpies in my area during COVID-19.  I also mention them here. This piece is for your enjoyment:- it is part of my ‘Love Writing Collection’ Life with the Magpies In my post code it is the year of the magpie. There are magpies everywhere. Yelling, chortling, and talking loudly amongst themselves. They do this at full volume. I’ve yet to see a magpie whispering to a mate. My favourite park is full of them and until the lockdown they marched around the children’s play area lording it over everyone and pretending they’re in control.  …

My writing is not going well at that moment – too may statistics about Covid-19 to distract me.  My creative juices need an out outlet so I’m cooking. I have just made Lebanese Lamb Stew with Eggplant I love egg plants. I love the colour and I love the shape.  I bought one so I could admire it on my kitchen bench. Then it came time to use it and on searching for a recipe I came across this one on the Adamant Kitchen blog.   The recipe turned out well. I think less tomato puree next time and possibly…

I’m giving away 10 copies of my book Mayhem in Melbourne… read further to find out how you can score one. At the moment, locked up as we are, I’m reading book after book.  It is so relaxing.  It takes me from this fraught and stressed existence to another world.  I have just finished reading a Donna Leon Mystery, The Girl of His Dreams. It has taken me to Venice and the world of Commissario Guido Brunetti.  It is giving me an interest in today’s Venice without the crowds of tourist he is describes as he walks around the city…

A WEEK INTO LOCK DOWN… …and I’m working out ways to control my roving mind – or is it brain function.  Whatever it is, it is flipping around all over the place and preventing me from keeping on task.   Are you having this problem? Or is it just me?  I need to switch off  the breaking news, in fact all the social media. I don’t need to know the latest cornovirus  figures. It only depresses me. The task I have given myself is to work on the sequel to ‘Mayhem in Melbourne’.   I have the first draft of the…