This year's had its ups and downs but it's ending well enough. Various commitments sent me to Sydney a couple of times. A 70th birthday went very well, considering the backgrounds, personalities and amounts of alcohol involved! On a longer and more recent stay my partner found another stray kitten she gave to her sister, and I caught up with a couple of friends who've just become proud parents. This last trip was memorable as it started with a three-hour drive from Hobart to Devonport, a rough night on a ferry followed by a spectacular sunrise, and a two-day drive from Melbourne to Sydney with an overnight stay in Albury. Frances took the wh

I’d like to have more of my own creative work to share, but after a strong start this year I haven’t been drawing much. Strangely enough this partly stems from how well some of my work was received. Perhaps I feel a lot of it isn't really meant to be liked, though it’s comforting to know some people can relate to it. I’ve spent a lot of time this year reading and writing. I don’t feel like sharing much of what I’ve written, but a lot of what I’ve read is worth sharing with anyone who has the time. I’ll start with the lightest fare before getting serious. Joe Abercrombie’s Half a King was

I needed a break from the Internet after my last journal post. This was partly due to disillusion with some of the work I’d posted online and partly due to offline concerns that would make fascinating reading if I didn’t exercise restraint. I’ve sent friends a few emails but haven’t logged onto DA until now. I ended my last journal by saying I’d like to concentrate on work that feels right for me. For a month or so afterwards nothing felt as right for me as landscaping and gardening. Late autumn and early winter in Hobart are good times for outdoor work and the mornings have been good for walks. When a sun that