Boxing Day

We survived Christmas!

I'm glad that's over for another year. I can sit back and relax now. Life can finally return to normal.

It should be a quiet day today. I'm hoping to get a chance to catch up with friends.

See you soon.

That Time of the Year

Well… here we are. It’s Christmas eve.

The shopping has been done, the tree is up, the presents are under it. Nothing to do now but wait. And worry that there’s something I’ve forgotten. It was too easy. Something has to have been forgotten…! Don’t you just hate that feeling?

At least this year the tree has balls. Well, you know what I mean. The decorations are on it. Last year the tree went up but ended up naked. I thought it didn’t look too bad — a nice fake green tree with presents under it. It was kind of nice. Natural. A back to nature kind of thing.

This year, I have nice new shiny gold and silver balls on it. Only… one whole packet of the gold ones didn’t come with string so I couldn’t hang them. Maybe next year, when I get time to put the string on.

I don’t know what happened to the tree lights. They’re in that cupboard. You know the one. The one where you put everything so you’ll know where it is when you want it. I know they’re in there. I just can’t find them. And I can’t be bothered looking. I know they’ll be there next year.

Never mind. The tree isn’t naked and there’s enough presents under it to make it look like Christmas again.

Have a good one, everybody!

Xmas Panic

Aaaaaargh!

Xmas is coming too fast. I'm not ready. The tree's not up, I can't find the lights, the cards are not sent, the food hasn't been bought, I have presents to get... Man oh man I hate this.

I love all the good will to men and all that stuff, but really... Give me a break here. I've got so much to do I'm not sure if I'm going to make it.

All I want to do is sit and write. Shadow Runners has been left up in the air at a crucial spot. Mark of the Condemned is also hanging out for a completion of a scene. I'm madly doing paintings for Xmas presents. I keep getting interrupted by unimportant things like: paying bills, answering phones, receiving visitors, preparing meals...

Life sure does get in the way of a good time, doesn't it.

I do have some exciting news about my 2 brothers and sister and I. Stay tuned for the next blog. Roughly translated, that means when I have a moment I'll write it all out.

Okay. There had to be one of me. Very sneaky of Roxie to take this with my own camera while I wasn't looking. December 10, NEWS Xmas dinner. And a great night was had by all. 

The North Eastern Writers Society. Gottcha that time! Our Xmas dinner at The Sydney Hotel, Wangaratta, on Saturday, December 10, 2005. 

The North Eastern Writers Society. A rare looking bunch of writers [some trying to hide] out for a dinner. 

Bastet. Acrylic on canvas. Sepia. 

My Other Artistic Pursuit

As you can see by the photos, I also paint.

I've just recently gotten back into painting mode. For a long time I only concentrated on my writing, but I think I missed fiddling around on canvas. I'm trying to put together enough paintings for an exhibition and possibly to sell some of my work. It will take a while to restock my work. It's been years. It also doesn't help that it is getting near to Xmas and four of my recent works, including the Bastet in this blog, are walking out the door as Xmas presents.

Never mind. Now that I am "newly inspired" I'll no doubt have many more to display and sell.

Today, though, is fish tank cleaning day. Oscar is currently enjoying the yabbies I gave him. He was supposed to eat one every day for the next week, but he's finished them all off in one go. Greedy little sod. At least he won't be trying to eat my hands while I'm up to my arm pits in his tank. Oscars don't have a rule about not biting the hand that feeds them. If it fits in their mouth, they'll eat it.

OK. I'd better get on with it. The sooner I do my duty, the sooner I can get back to my writing.

Catch you next time.

Fire Serpent. Acrylic on canvas. Sepia. Inspired by carvings on ruins in Mexico. 

Geoff with Tiger at 4 months old. Having a siesta on our verandah.