Blundering About Like a Caffeinated Spider
You just need to read a couple of posts to know I like to be organised. So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone I feel like ...
My Haiku
Failure is NOT an Option
The last couple of months have been so brutal I’ve come close to admitting failure. So brutal I’m not going to mention them. (Aside ...Utter Chaos
Photo by Motoki Tonn on Unsplash There’s a saying, or perhaps it’s a proverb or idiom about planning. I know it as When man plans ...Life Rafts
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash I’ve been considering life rafts recently. For some reason, my mind turns to Titanic style life boats, along with ...Pleasure, Beauty, Haiku, Wisdom
What to do next?
Lately I’ve been finding myself tired. There’s so much stuff going on I have no idea what to do next. For one thing, they’ve started ...Pleasure, Friendship, Haiku, Wisdom
Expectation
Expectation is a way of thinking about the future. You’re expecting a particular outcome from the actions you’re taking. Maybe you’re following a recipe expecting ...Wisdom, Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure
What’s a Good Book Like?
I’ve been reading a lot about book marketing and branding lately, asking the question, what’t a good book like? I even asked friends and colleagues, ...Injured My Hand
I injured my hand gardening over the Christmas/New Year break – couldn’t type, hold a pencil, paintbrush, or mouse for several weeks. It started out ...I’m Not Ready!
Somehow, we’ve arrived at January 9th, theoretically, my first day back at work, and I’m not ready. It’s not really my first day back, I’ve ...Happy Holidays 2022!
Here we are again, approaching Christmas and the excesses of the season, in my ninth seasonal greeting. I feel like I’ve done it all before. ...Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wealth, Wisdom
The Smell of Wood Smoke
The other day, a rare for this year sunny day, we took Clever girl for one of our longer weekend walks around the neighbourhood. There ...Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wealth, Wisdom
Christmas is coming
I saw my first Christmas decorations recently, and I suddenly realised Christmas is coming. It came as quite a surprise – even though I’ve just ...Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
Little Seal Pup
We managed to get away and took Clever Girl for a long walk along the beach. While we were there, we saw a little seal ...Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
Too Late Now!
I admit it – now and again; I get annoyed with Clever Girl and want to send her back. But I recently realised it’s too ...Daffodils in Bloom
The other day, I happened to notice the daffodils are out. It’s not as exciting as when I lived in the UK – one day ...Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
In Case of Doubt
I recently came across an emergency alarm – “in case of emergency, break glass”. A clear and simple instruction, along with a clear and simple ...Friendship, Beauty, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
The Greatest Ever Haiku
I wrote the Greatest Ever Haiku this morning, and I was so excited to share it with you. But there is a thing that sometimes ...Friendship, Beauty, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
Life With Dog
Check any dog owner’s instagram, tiktok, or whatever feed, you’ll see any number of cute life with dog pictures of dogs doing adorable things. But ...Pleasure, Beauty, Friendship, Haiku, Wisdom
Who are you?
I had my hair cut today. And not for the first time, as I looked in the mirror and nodded approval at the hairdresser, I ...Filing Cabinet
Decluttering my filing cabinet has been on my to do list for at least the last five years. It was so badly stuffed beyond its ...Isn’t That Odd?
I’ve discovered it’s possible to be frustrated and amused at the same time. Isn’t that odd? And a bit weird? We’ve been talking about replacing ...New Life Emerging!
And here we are, emerging into 2022. And despite the ongoing Covid Cataclysm, I feel more positive about “things” than I have at any other ...Happy Holidays 2021!
I feel more positive about the 2021 Holidays than I did about the 2020 Holidays. Perhpas because last year was looking like more of the ...Tidy Desk Tidy Mind
Does a tidy desk really equal a tidy mind? Or is it just that the open, expansive space feels more relaxing? Rife with possibilities. A ...The Smell of Fresh Laundry
I LOVE the smell of fresh laundry – hints of lavender, mown lawn, and a little little bit of sunshine. So with the odd warm ...I Got My Voice Back!
You may or may not know that when I had the stroke last year, my inner dialogue went missing. For a while I really missed ...Some Things to Live By
After another few weeks in lockdown, I’ve been thinking about “things”. Both the physical some things and the mental some things we accumulate as the ...The Joy of Freshly Mown Lawn
In a rare break of sunshine, we did a little yard work. A bit of pruning, and weeding, and lawn mowing. It’s amazing how much ...Pleasure, Friendship, Haiku, Wisdom
The Day Seems Bleak
We’ve had FIVE covid related lockdowns. Full of long, bleak days. So many that even I, an introvert who works from home, has about had ...The Time Flew By
Have you ever lost yourself in some kind of activity and wondered where the time went? You say, “oh my gosh, the time flew by, ...Liquidambar Leaves Falling
This time of year, liquidambar leaves are falling, though I only just noticed them. I mentioned before, that we take Clever Girl to the local ...NBN Outages
Over the last few days we’ve seen been severe storms and power outages across Vicoria. Some people have been warned not to expect the power ...Silent Walk in the Park
We take Clever Girl to the park every day. We get up early, because she’s still young and active – if I want a quiet ...The Miracle of Rain
The miracle of rain is that it happens at all – drinking water just falls from the sky. It supports all life on this planet, ...I’m not feeling well…
Taking some time away as I’m not feeling well. Back when I feel better. This photo of me and Clever Girl by DB. For more ...Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
Puppy has Sharp Teeth
It’s hardly groundbreaking news for anyone who owns a puppy (or is owned by one), but they have sharp teeth. They chew rocks, and twigs, ...Pleasure, Friendship, Haiku, Wisdom
I’m Losing My Mind (I think)
I think as well as rats (of the flying and furry kind) we are infested with mischievous pixies. Either that or I’m losing my mind. ...Wisdom, Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Something I’ve learned since becoming a dog owner again is that it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie. When they’re sleeping they are quiet. They’re ...When the Sun Comes Out
Last week was a bit cloudy and miserable, and I was struck by how beautiful the garden was when the sun comes out. Raindrops glistening ...Time Passes Slowly
I’d like to say my vacation time passes slowly, and I really enjoyed my break, but that would be a lie. I’d also like to ...Happy Holidays 2020!
Well. Let’s be honest. The only happy thing about holidays in 2020, is that the year is nearly over. Vaccines are coming out, people are ...Welcome Back!
Welcome, welcome back! It’s been ages since I wrote. I didn’t mean to leave such a long gap between posts, but I was quite sick ...The Tiny Pretty Things
When you think about it, life is all about the tiny things. The tiny pretty things. Especially when there doesn’t seem to be much that’s ...Friendship, Beauty, Haiku, Pleasure
Beauty Excites Emotion
Okay, so we all know that the last few months have been hard, emotionally draining, and not very beautiful. Especially here in Australia, what with ...Melody for Marbles
In a recent blog post, Dean Wesley Smith mentioned driving from Lincoln City, Oregon to Las Vegas, Nevada with a car full of marbles. Carefully ...Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
Times Are Tough and Getting Tougher
June has been another tough month under Covid restrictions has passed, even though they’re easing a bit. Even homebodies like me are starting to chafe ...Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
The Joy of Being
It seems to me there’s a lot of sh*t going on right now. We’re busy worrying about disease, job security, and how to make sure ...Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
It’s Weather for Ducks
I’m not sure why people compain about rain they call it nasty – weather for ducks! (Though I’m not exactly sure why it’s only weather ...Wisdom, Beauty, Haiku, Pleasure
I Still Survive
Sometimes, the fact of being alive comes with a price. Sometimes you’re not thriving, sometimes it’s as much as you can do to come to ...Wisdom, Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure
It’s Not War, it’s Sickness
All these fat old white men talking about a war on Covid-19 is making me irritable. It’s not war, it’s sickness. Viruses don’t hide out ...Do I Start Again or Start Something New?
Poor Pretty Girl is gone now, and I find myself not only orphaned but petless too. It’s been hard to start again. She’s left a ...Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wealth
Was that a Radio Conversation or Not?
The other day I was trotting around doing some chores before work, and I thought I heard a radio conversation. The kind of morning radio ...Pleasure, Friendship, Haiku, Wisdom
Public Bathroom Benefits
A while back, someone told me that most people are too lazy to travel more than one or two cubicles in a public bathroom. And ...Welcome 2020, good to see you
It seems like no time at all since I was wishing you Happy Holidays, and now it’s all Welcome 2020. Last year I was feeling ...Happy Holidays 2019!!!
The fifth anniversary of this blog passed quietly during the year, so this is the sixth time I’ve wished you all Happy Holidays. Here are ...The Melodious Dawn Chorus Daily
One of the amazing things about birds and animals, is vocal group communications, whether that’s the Dawn Chorus, Twighlight Barking, or the alarm tones that ...The Joy in Matching Beanies
The other day, I saw a young couple wearing matching beanies on the train. He had his arm around her, and she was nestled into ...Stealing Kisses
Sometimes, I think the best viewing comes from watching ordinary people doing ordinary things, like stealing kisses. And you don’t have to go far to ...What I Need Right Now
The other day I was watching Men in Black: International, and among other things that made me laugh, were the red buttons. The “what I ...Busy Bees Buzz Buzz Buzzing
I don’t know about you, but it didn’t really occur to me that bees exist in Winter, even if they aren’t busy. Well, not until ...Being Alone But Not Lonely With Others
I recently went to a writer’s conference. And that was kind of funny; writers are generally solitary creatures. Even in a crowded room we’re busy ...The Bizarre And Confusing Logic Of Creative Pursuits
I don’t believe in writer’s block, I believe in the logic of creative pursuits. Generally, when I sit down to write, I just write the ...The Joy of New Undergarments
I mentioned in my Winter Wardrobe Plan that I needed new undergarments. But it was a kind of off-hand addition that suggested there was no ...Life is Passing Me By
I can’t believe the year is a quarter gone – it’s passing me by. I had grand plans, but I’ve achieved nothing. Panic has set ...Pleasure, Beauty, Haiku, Wealth
The Benefit of a Good Night’s Sleep
We recently replaced our old worn out mattresses. Not before time, because you can’t beat a good night’s sleep. They’ve had a decade of good ...Back in the Swing of Things
If you’ve caught up with the Project Worthwhile Life, then you’ll know I’m changing direction. Getting back in the swing is more like falling off ...Life Worth Living Project, Haiku, Pleasure
Happy 2019!
Hello, and here’s to a happy 2019! I feel much more optimistic about a happy 2019 than I was about 2018. It feels like the ...Pleasure, Beauty, Haiku, Wealth
On My Way Back Home
This picture was painted on the second of April. 1918. The view is a lot less pastoral now, but the hills are part of a ...Wishing on a Moon Balloon
We’ve been blessed this year by some exciting lunar events, including the supermoon, blue moon, blood moon, partial solar eclipses, and a total lunar eclipse. ...In the Quiet Time
Hard as it is to imagine now, there was a time when I didn’t drink coffee. But now my most favourite time of the day is ...Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wealth
Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
I miss you so much
One of the key Stoic philosophical foundations is preparing yourself for misfortune. There’s a sort of miss you or make you risk management element to ...Yes, Love is Forever – No Matter What
Love is forever. At least that’s what traditional marriage vows say: to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, for ...Beauty, Haiku, Pleasure, Wealth
We Can’t All be Cats With Nine Lives
I recently had a transplant rejection scare. There are no words to describe how dismal waiting is when you’re having health investigations, and you feel like ...Pleasure, Beauty, Haiku, Wealth
The Sun Shines Brightly
I had my second cataract surgery not long ago. When the bandage came off, I was surprised (again) that the sun shines brightly. And that ...Unbearable Silence
Sometimes, when you are waiting for something, the wait feels unendurable. A never-ending unbearable silence. Especially when you think that something is really important. The return ...Changing Seasons Bring the Smell of Smoke in the Wind
Once again it’s the time of changing seasons. The weather is cooling, and the morning air has a definite chill. People who live in the ...Life Takes the Back Seat
I received some disturbing news this week that suggests I have lost focus on what really matters. Life goes on regardless, and we think we are ...Happy 2018!
2017 was a pretty dismal year for me. I’ve been waiting for it to end for a long time. And I’ve been looking forward to drawing ...If a Tree Falls in the Forest
During the recent storms, a tree fell on our house . Fortunately, the tree died a long time ago, so it was brittle and broke ...My Dog Snores Gently
As you know, my poor pretty boy has been ill. It turns out he has kidney failure and is down to about 25% kidney function. ...Spring is Here at Last
Spring is here at last. We’ve had some of the kind of warm days that make you want to start clearing up your yard for ...Feels Like a New Start
Things have gone to pot around here recently, but I’ve only just noticed. It’s not pleasant and I feel like I just need a new start. ...Mysterious Mysterioso
Mysteriously life continues on its path. And if I’m fortunate, there will be another 40 or 50 years of it. So with my book Holistic ...Sheepishly I Sit
I’ve been sheepishly waiting a lot lately. With all the legalities I’ve been taking care of it’s been hard not to wait docilely in line ...When the Darkness Comes
I’d be astonished if you had somehow missed my bereavement. Grief, like darkness comes and goes. It ebbs and flows over time; keeping weird unsociable hours ...Cough Cough Coughy Cough
I’ve had the direst couple of weeks because DB kindly brought me the latest flu doing the rounds and it seems that all I did ...The Feeling of Bliss…
My latest Haiku: the feeling of bliss you get when your tax is done. Especially when you remember that it has taken you a decade to get ...I’m Feeling Poorly…
Part of a wood engraving published in Melbourne Punch, vol. II, p. 204-5, 1856. Shows the future of medicine; Florence tending a sick man in a ...I Fear it’s All Chaos; I Must Refocus
It seems I have been too scatterbrained recently; I must refocus. Everything is sliding a little bit more towards the out of control side of ...Site Move Complete
I mentioned last time that I was moving to a faster and more reliable web host. And that you wouldn’t notice a thing. After a week ...Day is Beginning
August’s Haiku is inspired by dawn. I’ve noticed that each new day is beginning earlier and earlier. They bring a tiny bit more sunshine with the earnest ...Wind Blows Fiercely
I love it when the wind blows fiercely. I’m just the right size to have to fight it; not so small I blow away and ...Looks Like Rain Will Fall
As you know, I have been planning to include pleasure in my life. This year, I am focussing on trying new things. One thing I’m trying is ...Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
Look Forward in Happy Anticipation Not Backwards with Regret
I think we spend too much time wishing we had done things differently. We torture ourselves about how much better our lives would be if ...
