Spring is here.
And I don’t need the raucous calls of the plovers that stand guard on the roof of our house to know that- although it is a very noisy reminder. This pair hatched their chicks a month ago- just before the last cold and rainy spell. They spent the first week in the middle of the lawn next door and then relocated their little family down the street to the park. The parents are now back, but I haven’t seen the chicks.
Spring is everywhere- it’s in the scent on the air in the morning, it’s in the lengthening days, it’s in the blossoms that hang so briefly on the trees, it’s in the little pieces of wattle that I pulled from my hair after this morning’s walk.
I’m paying attention to it because here in Sydney, Spring lasts but a moment. It’s a glorious couple of weeks between winter and summer- and then it’s gone.
Ok, to the round-up…I’m not even going to pretend to call it a Friday Five this week- firstly because it’s not Friday, and secondly, there’s more than five…here goes…
What I posted…
Heaps on the astro site, and some posts about designing covers over on the author site. I made the mistake of sharing my cover designer with the team at the partition job during the week, so drafts of the cover for Wish You Were Here are still a few days away.
What I’m working on…
Book no 4 is underway. Working title is I Want You Back, and it picks up the story of Callie from Baby, It’s You. To find out more or to follow my progress, don’t forget to sign up over at the author page– I update my progress regularly there. As a teaser, I’ll be sharing some excerpts from Wish You Were Here over the next few weeks…
What I’m looking forward to…
The all-Sydney AFL qualifying final this afternoon. I enjoy the AFL, but have a bias towards games in Melbourne and the G. In any case, this will be the first Sydney game I’ve been to, and the first final I’ve been to. We have nose-bleed seats, but it will be interesting to see how the atmosphere feels in Sydney compared to the way a capacity crowd at the G feels.
What I’m reading…
The Coroner, by MR Hall. I was first drawn to this one because of the BBC series The Coroner- a show I loved. They’re not the same- and I knew that before I started this book. Apparently there’d been some hoo-haa about similarities yadda yadda yadda, (there’s even a statement on M R Hall’s website) but so far the only similarity I’m seeing is that they both involve recently divorced 40-something, newly appointed coroners.
The TV show is cozy crime, set on the coast. It’s light and enjoyable entertainment. Jane Kennedy is a tad flawed, but very likeable. The book is darker and Jenny Cooper is very flawed indeed. At first I found her difficult to like, but I’m getting there.
The other similarity? I enjoy both.
What I cleared…
The path…well sort of. My rosemary bushes have gone mad and hubby threatened to prune them with the wipper-snipper…or his chainsaw. I took a more gentle approach with the secateurs and we now have a path wide enough for him to get the mower down to the grass.
What I need to do…
Speaking of clipping, I need to book Kali in for doggy day spa- she needs a clip badly. In fact, she no longer looks like a cocker spaniel, but more like a womble.
What I cooked….
These fabulous little lemon and herb fritters. They’re lighter and fluffier than fritters have the right to be. I added some smoked salmon and a little goats cheese lightened up with crème fraiche. They made the perfect Father’s Day breakfast. And the recipe? Sorry, it’s Max’s recipe- I’ll let her tell you about it in her own words…over on the author site.
Where we spent Father’s Day…
Lunching at Cottage Point Kiosk. It’s hidden away and a little tough to get to, but it doesn’t feel as though it’s in Sydney.
Hubby had said he wanted me to book somewhere: with an outlook, near water, casual, different. This place ticked every one of those boxes.
And the food was good too.
Where we picnicked…
Fish and chips over-looking the sea- is there anything better? Yesterday hubby and I wandered up to Terrigal and did just that.
We met up with my brother, his wife and youngest son; and found a spot on the grass overlooking the water.
Just how gorgeous is this view?
How was your week? Anything worth reporting?
And Anyways... 
Such gorgeous days. It’s been raining here, though fine today (finally). I must check out your author blog and add it to my blog reader! Am excited to see the new cover.
So am I 😉