How did it get past Christmas '15 already?

Someone wound the clock forward for sure last year..it's kinda crazy but I feel like we just stepped into a new year a minute ago and all of a sudden we've slipped right out the end of it and stand at the brink of another new one..it's January 4th as I write this and I'm in awe of the year ahead if it's to be anything like last year..a year filled with cleaning out & packing & selling & moving from our Sydney home, relocating to the ....Byron hinterland & buying a century old farm house 8 acres and an orchard..2015 was a year where my writing took a back seat, where lack of familiarity could have tipped me over the edge & stress should have reigned supreme..but it didn't!! It was filled instead with excitement & challenge & adventure & hard physical work..and a sense of peace & contentment & rightness that I totally wasn't expecting..so when I think about 2016, yes that is right it is '16 already I'm not loosing my mind, well not yet anyway..I have to think can it get any better than this?? 

Well..maybe this year I'll get back to my writing..maybe I'll get my book out, or books..or maybe I'll develop a farm blog or establish the orchard.. buy some cows, build a chicken coop..help someone..learn a language..paint a landscape..make new friends..whatever..who knows what will turn up..

all I know for sure is life and it's endless possibilities are out there..it's what we do about them that matters..

Writing, editing, writing..

Oh my, is it ever going to be finished?? Why is it I'm never happy with it..edits edits edits..changes changes changes later and I'm still not sure..has OCD got hold of me.. is it frightful..rubbish..a disaster..a complete failure..will anyone like it..read it..buy it..pay for it..rate it..tell others about it..

Is it unique enough..What if I'm never happy..What if I feel I can't get it right..What if I keep changing it again and again..Can it compete with current YA books..DOES IT MATTER??
 Is one ever totally happy with their manuscript? Questions asking..answers none..
The Writing Life - Is this the way it is?

And then there is Nanonanowrimo..the National Novel Writing Month

Sometimes I wish I could write a sucked into the page because it's so much better than what's happening in your real life at the moment fantasy story. Or a fantastically (is this even a word?) twist and turn crime story.. or even better a jelly legged, fire crackers going off, melt in a puddle romance..
But hey uh uh..no way..not me..not possible..s.o.o.o here I go AGAIN working on the absolute final edit of my (at least that's what I'm telling myself) first complete contemporary YA novel, perhaps with a little bit of fire cracking romance and a touch of twist and turn crime in Nanonano month..and back in the writing saddle absolutely loving it..who knows what will eventuate.

But seriously speaking of  fire crackers and fantastical reads; these are some on my current HAVE read list and I reckon some of the best YA reads of the year..

Restoring a Century Old Farmhouse

I can't believe I'm even doing this..how is it even possible that 7 months after selling my home in Sydney I am living in and restoring a century old farmhouse??
What happened in between the plans to downsize to make life easier bit and moving to the Hinterland into a country life did I not get? Where did the longing to be in a comfortable unit or townhouse in a quiet laid back beach suburb go? Oh well so much for the quiet life. But I'm happy unbelievably so, and every day I pinch myself and can't quiet believe I am now the proud owner of a small but exquisitely lovely acerage in this exceptionally lush green extraordinarily pretty part of our state..blessed

Camping out..on a renovation sight..

 Living on a reno sight is..interesting..exacting..challenging and for us exhilarating..did I mention challenging at a whole different level..

..Maneurvering around broken windows, smashed cement, countless rusty nails and wood with splinters the size of hockey sticks takes being challenged right up there like swimming with sharkes or bungy jumping off the Eiffel Tower !!

We've finally done it..Carter's Farm

It's been a while since I've been here writing with something else taking up my every moment!! We have finally bought our long held dream farm..an 8 acre, 120 yr old house, & orchard filled with mangoes, citrus & macadamias in the beautiful Byron Hinterland village of Dunoon. Up from Lismore, inland from Byron & down from the exquisite village of Bangalow. Dunoon is the Macadamia capital of Australia (so the sign says on entering the village) Housed with a General Store filled with everything you need including your grog, a General Practitioner, a Post office, garage, local hall, club, fire station, two churches, a pre school & school Dunoon is a pretty little village surrounded by trees & tucked away on a ridge overlooking farmlands & Macadamia plantations. Why Dunoon? Well to be honest we weren't even looking anywhere near here..we had been looking around  the Nambucca Bellingen area 4 hours south of here & had decided to settle in the pretty arty village of Bellingen..but as fate would have it we were out bid, out priced & out of faith in our longing to buy there when out of the blue an agent called to see if we were interested in looking at an old farm in the Hinterland that we'd never even seen or inquired about..and as the story goes it was meant to be..as soon as we saw it we fell in love..there was the 100 yr old farm house & garden that we longed to restore..there was the orchard & dairy bails that took me back to my childhood..and the big old tree near the house that I could imagine the swing seat attached too, a laden Christmas table under & many leisurely & happy family times eating and sleeping on the big verandah..well of course we have a way to go with the renovations (she is over 120 yrs after all) but already we are ecstatic sitting around the blazing open fire at night gazing up at the clear crisp night stars and wonder why we hadn't done this sooner..OK on with my Blunstones & back to work..now where did I leave my axe again..Cheers till next time.

Waiting..

So we have moved in with our daughter while we are in a holding pattern between our old home and searching for a new one..and it is time to chill and enjoy our local surrounds like this spectacular beach..

It's been a while..

As a matter of fact I've been away so long it feels like I'm starting a new blog beginning all over again..but really no..I'm not I've just moved house and have to say an impossible job two months ago has just become possible..that's it we are out..finally..and basking (well not exactly) in a job well (well not really) done..and reflecting in pain (every inch of muscle, arm, shoulder, leg & yep back aches even my ears) right now  & can imagine will do for a few days..or weeks(some of my have to have or I won't survive s..t is way too heavy) and we are now officially homeless (well technically we are holed up in a hotel room, not able to face going out the door again just in case there is another heavy pile of well you no what waiting for us to store somewhere, throw in the tip or dump on another unsuspecting friend (actually my friends are very suspecting)..but seriously what a job! Def not for the faint hearted & those of the human race that lack body strength ( by that I mean well endowed in the muscle department) & determination of mind..but enough said..we are out & recovering..& waiting for our next adventure..c u next time from somewhere in the world..

Noooooooooooooooooooo...please don't end.. I can't believe it's finished😞no more fantasy world to retreat to filled with Hobbitsies, Wizards, dwarves,elves & Kings