Hubby and I have had dogs for many years now. Late last year, we lost our beautiful Aksel, our 14 year old German Shepherd. Like most shepherds, it was his back hips.
Last Sunday, we lost Rocky, our 14 year old Australian Cattle dog. He had cancer š
Meaning we have one dog left, our kelpie puppy Kiya.
It’s been a hard week on all of us…
See you next week, dear Reader. I hope it’s a good one for you!
And so it begins; my first blogpost of the New Year. And Iām in Melbourne, which apparently used to be called Batmania prior to being renamed back in 1837.
(And no, although itās amusing to think of a black-winged crime fighter controlling the convicts in this area of Down Under, apparently it was named after John Batman, a leading member of the Port Philip Association and the person who negotiated a treaty with the Aboriginal elders to purchase 600,000 acresā¦ so nothing to do with DC Comics, Inc.)
But discovering this fact the other day got me thinking about the past, and how so much of history gets forgotten, both intentionally and accidentally.
I met a lovely lady last night – my cousinās mother-in-law. It was her 76th birthday party and our conversation had moved onto the topic of tattoos. I related the story of one of my family memberās, whoād faithfully kept a diary – until the day his girlfriend at the time found it, read it, and used it against him. Unsurprisingly, heād decided to stop journaling, and ink his memorable events onto his skin instead. Iāve always wondered if this second method resulted in lost memories. And this saddens me.
2023 was one of those years which Iām glad has ended. And although I could blithely say āI could happily forget whole chunks of itā I know that, should I *actually* do so? Sure Iād be more free-from-pain than I am right now, but Iād also no longer be me. Our memories are what makes us who are we – and thereās lessons I learned through those painful 2023 experiences that Iām glad I wonāt have to re-learn.
So here I am, starting 2024 more despondent than I can ever remember being, but intentionally trying to look for snatches of hope for a brighter year. (They *do* say when youāre down, the only way is up, right?) And hope, after all, is all we need, yes? Arenāt there a plethora of films out there whose entire premise is that hope is stronger than hate, or fear, loneliness or depression?
So thatās how Iām looking at 2024. One day at a time, one hour at a time. Trying to see the good, rather than focusing on the less-than-good of the recent past. Moving on, moving upwards. And recording it in words here on this blog, which Iām grateful to be able to do. Not everyone feels they have the luxury to record their thoughts in text, after all.
So. Hereās to a hope-full week ahead for us all, dear Reader, and Iāll see you next week š
ā KRidwyn
PS Just cos I can: the doubledecker bus I rode from Tullarine airport to Melbourne CBD. The last time I rode on a doubledecker was in 1980 in London!
Yes, I know, itās been 7 days already. But hey; Iāve been having a good holiday, okay?
Speaking of holidays, itās been more of a āhiatusā from this blog, hasnāt it (insert sheepish expression here). What a lovely word that is too, by the way. According to my Apple dictionary:
Hiatus, as in a āphysical gapā, or āto gapeā. Well, there certainly is a gaping hole in the timeline of posts on this blog! But as much as Iād like there not to be, I canāt change the past, so hereās hoping 2023 fares better for blogposts. Once a month even, perhaps?
Looking ahead, Iām also looking forward to querying again, probably around mid-March. Itās been years since dipping my toes in the querying waters, so Iām apprehensive. Wellā¦ downright terrified, truth be told. But now Iāve posted this – even if only on a sporadic blog such as this! – my brain is telling me itās a commitment Iāll be unwilling to break. I hopeā¦
On the reading front, Iāve challenged myself to anther 104 books this year. I absolutely LOVE that Goodreads has their āReading Challengeā function, where I can track my reading year by year. I recorded just over 110 in 2022, which I was pretty happy with. In 2023, Iām planning on the majority of those being YA, followed by MG and a smattering of adult and also non-fiction in there. Not only because those are my faves, in order, but also thatās where Iām at with the Library collection Iām trying to forge my way through at work. Iām pretty sure Iāve mentioned how BRILLIANT my job is, yes? Teacher Librarian for a K – 12 private school, where I get to spend the schoolās money on books I know the kids will love? What can be better than that? (Well, writing full time perhaps, but thatās a scary thought right thereā¦)
Anyway, hereās hoping all this reading Iāll be doing will help the writing some. And between the writing, the reading and the job, plus a newly-graduated daughter to help negotiate the big wide world of work and university, and two younger children completing Year 11 and Year 9 in 2023ā¦ this yearās ending will probably come around quicker than even Iām expecting! I wonder what my life will look like by then?
Well, thatās it from me, dear Reader. Have a great January and āseeā you in a month!
– KRidwyn
So it would appear that the last three weeks of December slipped by without my blogging. Whoops! And we’re at January 4th already, and the holidays are waning quickly. Sigh.
I’ve spent a bit of time at the beach / out in the sun in my garden over the past several weeks. I’m browner as a result (I had photos of both these but for some strange reason WordPress is declining to upload them.) and I also found out from my hairdresser that I should part my hair on the other side. One: it covers the greys and faded hair in my normal part, and two: it still has colour on that side, so I’m looking younger! On the down-side though, it feels REALLY weird and I’m not liking it much at all.
Well, that’s me. I’m off to work out why photos aren’t uploading, because I was planning on using them a LOT this year.
Wish me luck, dear Reader!
Happiness! Breakfast and this view š
What a blessed way to finish blogging for 2020, am I right?
See you in the New Year, dear Reader. And may God shower you with His richest blessings today š
– KRidwyn
Meet Xaf.
She’s the dragon keeping me company while I write.
Cute, yes? I think so! She always makes me smile š
Have a smile-y week yourself, dear Reader!
– KRidwyn
I’ve decided, instead of New Year’s resolutions for 2019, to try implementing two pieces of advice I’ve been given in the past several years.
The first was from a nurse helping me through depression following the birth of child number 2. Her piece of advice (among many others, most of which I use regularly) was to have realistic expectations – for myself, as well as for others. That’s a tricky one for me – but one I’m going to try to remember in 2019.
The second was a few years ago, from New York literary agent extraordinaire, Janet Reid. She wrote a blogpost responding to a question I’d sent her; the gist of her answer was for me ‘to focus’. Again, something which is going to require more than a little training, for those of you who know me IRL… but something that’s worthwhile, I think.
So in 2019 I plan to ‘focus’ on my writing. The novel-in-progress, that is, not my blog. Hence the plan to post photos each week. Starting with this:
The view from one of my early-morning writing spots. Peaceful. Quiet.
Amazing, hey!
Anyway, here’s wishing you a wonderful week, dear Reader š
– KRidwyn
Well – kinda.
It’s still me writing, at my desk, putting words onto the little white rectangle on the computer screen in front of me.
But it’s not Monday morning, the 17th of September, 9am.
It’s last week (well, it will be last week, by the time you read this – and I know that this sentence isn’t grammatically correct from when I write this, but it’ll make sense when you read this later… I hope!) and yes, there *is* indeed a very valid reason for this cheating post, which I’ve written and scheduled ahead of time.
I’m in Canberra right now. Or Sydney. Or en route to one of those places. At this point in the planning of the event (because it hasn’t happened yet) I’m still a little fuzzy on the details.
But Hubby is at home with Miss10 and Master9 and my mum, keeping the house fire burning (although maybe not, because the weather’s starting to warm up nicely and it might be too hot by the time this post is published, to need a nightly fire) because Miss13 and I are with sixty-nine other 12- and 13-year olds, enjoying (ha! hopefully ‘surviving’, at least) a week-long camp to our nation’s capital and other ‘worthwhile to visit for educational purposes’ places.
Hence the need to post ahead of time. I have absolutely no idea where I’ll be at 9am on Monday 17th September, but I *do* know that multiple kids will be there. All with pre-teen and early-teen needs, which is to say MULTITUDES!
Sigh. I’m tired now, even just thinking about it. And I haven’t even started packing yet.
So. That’s what my week’s going to be like. How about you?
– KRidwyn
Iām directing a musical at the moment. Performance dates Thursday 9th and Saturday 11th August. Thatās pretty close! And itās a pretty huge undertaking – over half the student population of my school is involved, in one way or another.
So because everythingās ramping up and Iām getting even less time to blog than I usually would, Iām going to make this post short and just say, YAY! Weāre alive and have the chance for happiness, both for ourselves and to bring happiness to those we interact with every day š
Hereās praying you have a wonderful week, dear Reader – a blessed week, a happy one!
– KRidwyn
Wow – what a month it’s been! I knew, starting the #blogJune challenge this year would be difficult… I just didn’t realise exactly how challenging it was going to be!
So the month started by introducing the whole #blogJune challenge, and my theme (blessings) for the rest of the posts. Then I followed this with:
#1 Getting an incredible (impossible!) car park
#2 Finding the hiding engagement ring
#3 Knowing a fellow driver would be safe
#5 Lightning flash when I needed it
#7 purchasing (and collecting) a mobile phone storage box in an impossibly short time frame
#8 free family entertainment – and awesome entertainment too!!!
#10 Hubby being awake before me…
#11 Family, friends, and youz guyz sending me birthday wishes š
#13 My #WritingRace friends – youz guyz ROCK!!!
#14 Colleagues who go the second mile š
#15 My Mum – the reason Hubby and I could get a night away together!
#19 Heat – natural and electrical – both are great!
#20 The incomparable Mr Stephen Dittman – thank you, my friend š
#21 A different perspective on vomit…
#22 Raindrop, splatting on my head
#26 My Knight (well, Lady) in shining armour š
#27 Additions to the #TBR pile
#28 My schoolkids and the absolute delights that they are!
And that was it for the month! Twenty-eight blessings which I thank my God for, not even a scratch on the surface of the myriad of blessings he pours out on me day-after-day-after-day-after-day and you get the idea.
He is just SO incredibly awesome. And I’d encourage you, dear Reader, if you’ve never sought Him before, to do so. To trust Him, because He is truly the one and only One worth trusting!
And even should you choose to not, then maybe just try the whole ‘count what the good things are in your life’ because the change in attitude which develops is also pretty cool š
Anyway, I’ll get off my soapbox now. Have a Blessed rest-of-the-week, dear Reader! And I’ll catch you all on Monday š
— KRidwyn