A Very Fortunate Week

The first rainbow I've seen since I moved here.

I've been extremely fortunate this week with two exciting events happening.  The first one was when I received a message from the archivist at the State Library of Queensland asking for permission to add my blog to their archives.  Wowee!  I was rapt, as you may imagine.  A friend of mine, also blog writer, had that happen to her a couple of years ago and I remember being very impressed when she told me about it.  It never occurred to me that my blog would one day also be chosen.  As well as being archived with the State Library, it means the National Library of Australia would have access as well.  Apparently they look for blogs depicting life in Queensland and like to have these for reference.

The second exciting event was that a short story I had written was placed second in the annual short story competition held by the writers group to which I belong.  It will also be included in the 2014 anthology "Your Story Makes You Special".  I'd submitted two entries and the one I'd written about my grandmother was the successful story.  The anthology will be available in November.

The above, combined with my book launch last month, have given me a real high...life's quite exhilarating at the moment! 

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There was a chain of events yesterday which caused some mild mayhem for me and the cats. although Bella wouldn't agree that it was mild.  I was sitting at my computer, Mitzi was on the bed snoozing and Bella was sound asleep in the recliner, her usual spot.  As I mentioned last week, we've been having very blustery winds and being on the first floor with the balcony facing south, I've been feeling their full force.  Consequently, there have been allergens blowing around which often trigger a bout of sneezing.  This one extremely loud and forceful sneeze, however, caught me and the cats by surprise.  Mitzi shot under the bedclothes in alarm while poor Bella leapt straight into the air and landed on the floor.  Just as all this was happening, there was a loud knock on the door.  I jumped up, tripped over Bella who let out a yowl of fright then banged into a small occasional table, knocking it over with a crash.  Cursing roundly I righted it and hobbled over to the door to be confronted by my rather startled neighbour from upstairs who was very kindly delivering a parcel which had been left at the office by the postie.

I'm now sporting a lovely bruise on my shin and a sore muscle in my back as a result of all this. I'm not sure why the muscle is sore, but I noticed it once all had calmed down and I'd regained my equilibrium. Bella and Mitzi escaped unscathed with only their dignity ruffled.  As for the neighbour, he probably worried there's a houseful of nutters who've moved in downstairs and are doing their best to wreck the place.

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Book Review:

Hey True Blue, autobiography, John Williamson (Penguin 2014)

For Aussie readers of my blog, John Williamson needs no introduction....I think every Aussie knows the words to "True Blue".  For others outside our island continent, he's Australia's No 1 country singer and passionate lover not only of the unique Australian bush but of all things Australian.

His autobiography tells of his beginnings as the son of a wheat farmer from Quambatook (Quamby), a dot on the map in the southern state of Victoria.  It's written in typical straightforward, down to earth prose about John's life as a singer...the pubs, clubs and other venues where he's performed along with the bushies, characters and celebrities he's met during his performances in the cities as well as the Outback.  John makes no attempt to hide his Aussie accent in his singing and it's because of this he has become Australia's true blue Mallee boy.

I found it a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting book, written in a flowing easy to read narrative. Highly recommended for an entertaining read with John's sometimes larrikin personality stamped on every page.

The book is very new as evidenced by the library stickers on the cover.  No holds, no renewals and return in seven days!

I hope the week is kind to you.  Until next time...