What's On My Mind: Airlie Beach - sunshine, time with Mr Books, walking along beaches, snorkelling and cocktails with spritz! Palm Bay, Long Island, Whitsundays (my photo) What I'm Reading: The Fire and the Rose | Robyn Cadwallader The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma | Bessel van … Continue reading Stories & Shout Outs #60

What's On My Mind: Finally feeling back on track healthwise, workwise and blogging-wise. Planning a mini-break in Queensland for next month. I know lots of people have jumped back into international travel this year, but I've seen so many of my family & friends spending a week confined in a foreign hotel or hostel room … Continue reading Stories & Shout Outs #59

What's On My Mind: An overnight trip to the mountains has suddenly made everything feel better. I suspect Mr Books and I are getting closer and closer to making the decision to move for good. What I'm Reading: The Mabinogion | Jeffrey Gantz (translator - Reading Wales) Thirst For Salt | Madelaine Lucas (April release … Continue reading Stories & Shout Outs #58

What's On My Mind: As mentioned in an earlier post, February is my birthday month, as well as that of many of my family and some of my closest friends. It's hectic in a fun, chaotic kind of way. This weekend we are celebrating my dad's 80th birthday. But I'm tired. Very tired. My hormones … Continue reading Stories & Shout Outs #57

What's On My Mind: So, 2023. How's it treating you so far? My first week of January involved catching up with the extended family, plus some time in our house in the mountains attempting to complete DIY projects inbetween bad weather. A few visits from friends provided lovely diversions. Then it was back to work. … Continue reading Stories & Shout Outs #56

Stories & Shout Outs with bronasbooks.com November was a HUGE blogging month, and in the end, I only just managed to keep up with AusReading Month. Non-fiction November fell by the wayside as I could not keep up with all the posting and reading. In attempt to relieve this blogging bottleneck, I am contemplating a … Continue reading Stories & Shout Outs #55

Stories & Shout Outs with bronasbooks.com Last night, halfway through an episode in season three of For All Mankind, the 'new-in-the-house' book stack by my computer table spontaneously tumbled down across the kitchen floor. A sure sign it's time to compile my next Stories and Shout Out post! What's On My Mind: November So many … Continue reading Stories & Shout Outs #54

What's On My Mind: I'm so grateful that I thoroughly enjoyed the two weekends of sunshine we had in August, because Sydney in September is back to rain, rain, rain. Thankfully we are taking off for a week to (hopefully) find some sunshine and warmth in FNQ and to celebrate the birthday of Mr Books. … Continue reading Stories & Shout Outs #53

What's On My Mind: July was a busy month with two weekends away from Sydney for various social gatherings. One with friends; one with family. The friend one was a catch up with all the women I worked with at Mudgee Preschool in my first year of teaching - 1990. Many of them are still … Continue reading Stories & Shout Outs #52

What's On My Mind: Covid blues. It has been three weeks since I tested positive, but a lingering cough and tiredness now that I'm back at work has made it rather hard to blog and read. Most nights I'm lucky to read 5-6 pages of my book - which is a VERY slow way to … Continue reading Stories & Shout Outs #51

What's On My Mind: I have had a head cold this past week, so not much!And it's cold outside. I don't like being cold. What I'm Reading: Grand Days | Frank MoorhouseChernobyl Prayer | Svetlana AlexievichH is for Hawk | Helen MacdonaldBurning Questions | Margaret AtwoodEssays Two | Lydia DavisCollected Stories | Shirley HazzardMauritius Command … Continue reading Stories & Shout Outs #50

What's On My Mind: After my holiday, I flirted with the idea of giving up blogging.I'd run out of scheduled posts and I thought, that's that.I've got nothing left to say write.I backed up my blog and logged off.It lasted a week! What I'm Reading: The Birds and other Stories | Daphne du MaurierOctober | … Continue reading Stories & Shout Outs #49

My Month: My writing hiatus is mostly a reviewing hiatus. The words to describe my reading journey have deserted me, for now.Instead, I have been tidying up behind the scenes.And catching up on my Classic Club duties.In case you were wondering, it's still raining! What I'm Reading: His Excellency Eugene Rougon | Emile ZolaThe Tortoise … Continue reading Stories & Shout Outs #48

My Year so far: BusyLots of lovely weekends at our home in the mountains during January with various friends and family coming to stay and DIY projects galore.Our first (small) dinner party at home since Covid.February is my birthday month, so plenty of dinners, lunches and coffee dates have been had!B24 & GF are about … Continue reading Stories & Shout Outs #47

My Year so far: After our self-isolating Omicron Christmas and New Year, Mr Books and I were able to escape to the South Coast for a week of walking along the beach, swimming and reading. Since then we have been trying to organise a family get together to make up for the one we missed … Continue reading Stories & Shout Outs #46