River Run

I am SOOO excited!

Margareta-Admin — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 03:33:43 +0000

I am SOOO excited!

Margareta-Admin Wed, 05/10/2016 - 2:33 pm

Can you guess why?

‘School holidays are over …?’

Nope. (Although the silence is rather sweet …)

‘Your book edits are finished …?’

Nope. (I’m getting there though …)

‘You’ve lost 5 kg in the last week …?’

Nope. (I wish…)

Want me to tell you?

Of course you do …

Taa DAAA … I started a new diary/planner this week! Yes! All those crispy, smooth, beautiful, clean pages waiting for me to fill in with all manner of things. Excitement overload, I tell you!

Tragic, isn’t it. Being a self confessed bookaphile I am also a ‘stationary-holic’ and thus, simply ADORE anything that looks like a journal, diary, calendar, notebook, blingy pen …

I remember before Bella’s Run hit the shelves, my wonderful father, (also a bookaphile and I suspect a closet stationary-holic) took himself an hour down the highway to the nearest Officeworks store and spent at least that time again trying every pen he could get his hands on, so he could find me the ‘perfect signing pen’. He did it and to this day I buy the “Uniball Gel Impact” pen by the truckload. My Dad is a legend. It’s a shame they don’t make the Uniball Gel Impact in a glittering bling-like model or bright pink. Otherwise I’d be buying a road-train full of them.

Anyway, back to my love affair with diaries and planners. I’ve tried all of them. Big ones, little ones, financial ones, bound leather all-in-one packages. And I usually forget to fill the darn things in, always returning time and time again around March (when the novelty has worn off) to my trusty ELDERS calendar. You know the one from your local Elder’s Store in the big white envelope; gorgeous rural pictures to each month, lovely BIG squares for each day to fill in the family’s whereabouts/happenings. Once the year finishes there a tiny space up the back to scribble down those pesky appointments in the New Year because you don’t want to hang up that new calendar too early or it’s bad luck. (Although maybe that’s just the Irish in me...)

Two years ago I was given one of those fancy ‘family planner’ calendars, which were all the rage. Each kid gets a single line and you fill it in and are supposed to feel organised. My problem with this particular outfit was the spaces were too small for all that was going on, there was no place for events that affected the whole family and where were the general reminders like worming the dogs supposed to go? In with the kids if they had nothing on that day/night? (They do say, if you worm one lot you should worm the other ...)

Soooo … of course, back I went to my Elder’s calendar and my very vacant looking diary, which I still had forgotten to fill in after March despite my best intentions. I think that particular poor, forgotten diary was a Moleskine one in a very pretty red – which really was such a shame.

ENTER Facebook. Yes, I know. I too vacillate between thinking it’s the scourge of the earth to it being the best thing since the creation of those apple peeling twirly gadgets. (Yes, I’m sure that really is its name … ;))

My Master Planner

Facebook told me one day, thanks to one of my commenting rural friends, there was this family planner cum diary created by Milestone Press in QLD. Now, I will be the first to admit it was my love of fuchsia pink that made me buy it in the first place. BUT I AM SO GLAD I DID. This planner is the bee’s knee’s (do bee’s have knees? I’m glad I didn’t say the duck’s nuts ;)). I cannot tell you how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE this planner. The Elder’s calendar has been relegated to the loo and now, pride of place on the bench is my MASTER PLANNER. There is a week to each double page, HEAPS of space at the top of each day for general stuff (like worming the dogs), a birthday’s/anniversary’s line, and then more space FOR EACH FAMILY MEMBER’s activities. There is even a spot to put in dinner, which is getting ultra organised, I know, but by goodness, do you feel good when that’s filled in. No umminng and arrring at 5pm over what the hell you are having for tea. You can get stuff out of the freezer a day or so ahead because your planner tells you to do it!

Kicking goals people, kicking massive goals up here on the hill.

Whatsmore, YOU START YOUR NEW PLANNER IN OCTOBER! Yes! And for some reason my brain can get over the ‘bad luck’ thing because ‘hey, it’s just a diary’, not a calendar. And in goes all the end of year activities PLUS the new year’s uniform days, school stationary pick-up days, back-to-school haircuts/dentist etc. etc.

Oh my goodness, you have no idea how organised I feel.

Ready to be filled in!

This year my new MASTER PLANNER is a beautiful shade of purple/violet and it also has a double page for each month, so, at a glance I can see the stuff I need to plan ahead. Like holidays and girl’s nights out. Really important stuff …

Find out more at …

http://milestonepress.com.au/

If the Master Plan diary doesn’t float your boat, when I was in Melbourne last week I saw these BEW-DIFUL ‘Sweet’ diaries at Kikki K. Oh my goodness, as you can imagine, I just wanted to INHALE the whole range. I have restricted myself to one in particular which I will use as a work ‘To do’ style diary on my writing desk. (I am a HUGE fan of the ‘tick off the to-do list’, having been known to put something I've ALREADY done on it so I can feel good about a tick - told you I was tragic.) Here it is …

http://www.kikki-k.com/2017-a5-weekly-diary-sweet

And then yesterday, I was catching up on a few blogs and over at Dolly Henry Design, Megan was getting organised with this amazing, beautiful planner from NoteMaker. Yes, I know it’s a little on the expensive side, but readers of Dolly Henry Design can get an exclusive 10% off Rifle Paper Co. products from NoteMaker, if you get in before December 31, 2016. Just imagine that stylish compendium sitting there your desk/counterpane; so pretty with it's botanical accents, stylish, crisp and smelling like new.

I can see I might need a third diary for some reason or other … Maybe the farm? Can you just see this one bouncing around in the ute?

If you want to find out more go to …

http://www.dollyhenry.com.au/

BOOKS, BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS …

The Good People, Hannah Kent

We’re getting to that time of the year when all the fabulous pre-Christmas books hit the shelves. I have been waiting very impatiently for Hannah Kent’s (a la Burial Rites) newbie, THE GOOD PEOPLE. I now have it in my hot little hands so I’m chuffed.

A Distant Journey, Di Morrissey

Another fav author of both H and mine, Lee Child has a new Jakc Reacher book coming in November (how can Tom Cruise even THINK he measures up?). Aussie mega-author, Matthew Reilly has a new blockbuster out mid October and Di Morrissy fan’s will be ecstatic to see A DISTANT JOURNEY arrive in stores after October 25.

This month there are also some new releases coming to those who adore reading rural fiction. My great mate, and all round gorgeous girl, Fiona Palmer has just released THE FAMILY SECRET, which I am sure will not disappoint. I love Fiona’s books and can’t wait to get my hands on this one.

The Family Secret, Fiona Palmer

If you missed the news last week, my stable mate at Random House, the lovely Nicole Alexander, has also just released her newest epic, RIVER RUN. I simply love that cover and the storyline sounds intriguing. I haven’t been able to wrest it off my husband yet, but I’m holding out hope he’ll hand the book over sooner rather than later.

River Run, Nicole Alexander

My other beautiful friend and writing group buddy, Jennifer Scoullar also recently released her latest environmental fiction novel, JOURNEY'S END. Jennifer is an incredibly talented author, who has taken rural fiction into another realm.

Journey's End, Jennifer Scoullar

So, tell me, what’s your favourite planner/diary/calendar?

Who/ what are you reading this week?

P.S. I should note here that I am not paid to promote these products. They are simply ones I use and like.

Until next time,

Margareta x

September School Holidays Start Now

Margareta-Admin — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 04:03:08 +0000

September School Holidays Start Now

Margareta-Admin Fri, 16/09/2016 - 2:03 pm

Today hails the start of the September school holidays. For those of you past having kids of school age, this won’t necessarily cause a bump on your road. Except, perhaps, if you’re a grey nomad travelling around and all of the sudden everywhere you want to go is booked out, jam packed with screaming kids or even – woe forbid – the local Dan Murphy’s or IGA has sold of out of your favourite wine (#mumsinneedofliquidtheraphy).

In my house it means I have to come up with ‘The Project’. Yes, living three hours from Melbourne means those dinky little lists in daily newspapers entitled ‘20 things to do with the kids on school holidays’, will not work out here. We don’t have a zoo (well, maybe an ‘onfarm’ native fauna one …), nor a fun park to turn to when things get tough. And I might add, that awful word BORING is not allowed to be mentioned or even breathed up here on the hill. (admin - when I was a kid say BORING and you'd be cleaning venetian blinds quicker than you could think "whoops I shouldn't have said that!")

Despite the fact, in most cases, the kids find heaps to do around the farm, it usually involves that torrid thing called, ‘Work’. Hence, The Project’. I figure if I call it ‘The Project’ maybe they won’t twig what it really is!

For example, these holidays, H has time off from his ‘other job’ and we will be building those ongoing cattle yards that I keep banging on about. (Maybe we might get them finished?) The Farm Boy is excited because he gets to drive the tractor, use the post hole borer, learn how to weld, and so long as we don’t mention the word ‘work’, he’s as happy as a boy let loose in his Dad’s machinery shed.

The reverse of this colour scheme .. sort of ... because I love pink.

The Princess on the other hand is a little trickier and this is why I have another ‘Project’, just for her. And that is … (Ta Dahhhhhh …) painting the mailbox. Yes, I know. Sounds boring already, BUT we have decided to turn our very mundane ‘cream with a brown roof’ roadside mailbox into a bathing box. Are you excited? I’m excited. (Can you hear my joy resonating through these words?) We have chosen the colours; bright pink walls (LOVE pink), turquoise roof, yellow trim and have even been on the hunt for one of those little round vent things that usually sit above the door. (I have no idea what they’re called.) Unfortunately we can’t find one, so I think H has been co-opted by the Princess to make one instead.

Love a good campfire we do!

After they have exhausted themselves from all this work activity, we might take a day or two to find other things to do like a trip to town to the movies, or the pool. They’re always good standbys. And then there’s the bonfire or camp-out night where they have mates over, cook and then eat half-raw sausages and try to toast a decent marshmallow. (The dog usually gets quite overloaded with charcoal and sugar at this point.)

"We will get through" is my mantra.

Whilst I DO love having the cherubs home, I will have to admit, my dear readers, that I am the mother who, on the first day back at school, will wander around the house and garden in a dazed state just picking at weeds and playing with my dogs, wondering at the peace and quiet that has FINALLY returned to my world. For at least five days of the week, anyway, and until mid October when the world starts to go mad with the ‘End of the Year’. (I sighted Christmas decorations last week in Spotlight! In September!! True Fact!!!)

A couple of great links I came across this week.

Over at Dolly Henry, Megan is having a wonderful chat about ‘Why being “too busy” to reply is damaging your small business”. This was a wonderful, thought provoking post particularly relevant to this day and age of constant availability. Emails, texts, messenger. Everyone is available in the here and now. A lot of people manage it well; they LOVE having all this technology at their fingertips and prefer an email to a phone call. Me? Well, I’m of the old school. And sometimes, I get overwhelmed. This post was a little reminder, that despite how I’m programmed, I need to move with the times and this is an excellent post on etiquette in dealing with modern communication.

Across at Best Recipes, they had these ‘Muffins that taste like donuts’ and O.M.G. are they going to shoot my no sugar diet to hell. Take a look and if you make them let us know how it goes. (Repeat after me: I AM NOT MAKING THEM. I AM NOT MAKING THEM.)

Rural and women’s fiction author, Rachael Johns, has also been twittering and facebooking that there are now MINT MALTEASERS available in the supermarket. If my diet didn’t go down the gurgler with the muffins, it sure will now. I will have to be physically restrained from picking up a box next time I’m in IGA. Only thing for that will be avoiding the lolly isle completely and that’s going to be difficult seeing it’s school holidays (#mumsinneedofsugartheraphy)

On the book front, I have just finished reading a FABULOUS book by Jane Harper called ‘THE DRY’. Set in northern Victoria it’s a crime/thriller novel that started a publisher bidding war, the likes of which is unusual in Australia to say the least. It’s a brilliantly executed novel where the joy in reading lay in the minute details of country life. Harper pegged this small country community under the stress of drought and other more sinister things (cue spooky music) perfectly.

On the rural romance front, Nicole Alexander’s latest novel RIVER RUN, has hit the shelves. I bought this for H for Father’s Day as he loves Nic’s books and am now waiting VERY impatiently for him to finish. It sounds like another fabulous read from an author who is at the Heart of Australian Storytelling.

I also have the spectacular Liane Moriaty’s TRULY, MADLY, GUILTY on the go, along with HOW TO FIND LOVE IN A BOOK SHOP by Veronica Henry which I was drawn to by its gorgeous cover. I haven’t been able to get into it yet, so no comments until I find a nice slice of time to devote entirely to the book.

Barbara Hannay’s latest, THE GRAZIER’S WIFE, has also made it to my TBR pile. Barbara’s sweeping historical and contemporary dual narrative saga’s rarely disappoint, so I’m looking forward to dipping into that one. At the moment though it is with my Great Aunt, who LOVES reading these kind of books. It also serves the purpose of H not seeing just how many books are sitting on that TBR shelf :)

Podcasts have also become a recent addiction. After putting the kids on the bus, the dogs and I tramp up and down hills (my ‘lets check fences/weeds/cattle and get fit at the same time’ routine) and I have taken to listening to all kinds of brilliant interviews. Unfortunately yesterday while getting particularly immersed in one such podcast, I lost one dog - the Kelpie, Ange. After retracing my steps, in the pouring rain (down the hill which meant I had to go back UP the hill AGAIN) I found her. Off home we went, where I found I had now lost the OTHER dog - Lucy, the pint sized Jack Russell X. Back I go again (still raining) cursing. I found her sitting under a large tree obviously taking refuge from the deluge. Not happy Jan (or Lucy, as the case may be). Off I trudged again with BOTH dogs and I made it home albeit soaked but having finished the podcast AND with TWO dogs (or the real working dog and the one who just thinks she is). So be warned. Podcasts can be addictive and all-consuming. And cause you to lose your canine mates. Let’s hope that doesn’t translate to misplacing my kids over the next two weeks!

Until next time.

Margareta

River Run

I am SOOO excited!

BOOKS, BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS …

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September School Holidays Start Now

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