After having been off the air for some months, I have received several ‘follows’ which have inspired me to pull my finger out. Hello everyone!
I have joined a writer’s group at the Sandy Beach Centre in Sandringham, Victoria, where we meet once a week. We are an eclectic group of people with vastly different interests. Our teacher, Claire, a poet, introduces different genres and writers each week. We share our work and write constructive ideas on one another’s work. It’s a very supportive atmosphere, but it has made me realize just how much I don’t know. I feel like a novice, as so many are far more advanced than I am. This is a good thing, as it keeps me trying harder.
When I last wrote a post, I mentioned a film, Poets’, in which Chris and I had been invited to participate. If you blink you’d miss us! The film was shown in Rosebud at the Short Film Festival and won its section. It will travel Internationally and be shown in Cannes. Congratulations to all concerned, especially the poet, Andrea Louise Thomas and the young Director, Liam Kelly.
A rather important mile- stone was celebrated this February, my seventieth birthday. This inspired me to travel to Tasmania with my eldest daughter to visit relations. Instead of coming home, I continued onto Canberra to spend time with my other two children and their families. This time I ensured I had an extra day to catch up with former work colleagues and friends. Nothing replaces old friends!
Sharing work on the Internet has drawbacks. Some competitions require unpublished work, and therefore I’m saving my short stories, hopefully to compile enough for a book. I did enter one recently in the Ely Writers’ Day, Short Story Competition, U.K. and it was highly recommended. This was a great surprise and a thrill.
Hello Barbara! So happy to hear from you again. I’ve missed you. Sorry to take so long – end of term busyness has made finding a decent block of time for blog matters difficult. You would understand. 🙂
All of your news sounds wonderful. So good to see, in your eighth decade, that you are still reaching for new things and learning. Happy birthday for last February!
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Thanks for your good wishes, Heather. As for the eighth decade, that makes it sound old!!
Hope you’re enjoying your Easter break. Great weather so far…. ❤
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A bit cool and overcast today but I’ll take that over a heatwave any day!
I’m enjoying the time to catch up on a few things and not to be rushing about. 🙂
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Me too, perfect for gardening. The grand children come in the 2nd week, so am looking out things to do. It’s lovely having time to catch up!
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Welcome back, Barbara. So delighted to see you. I’ve missed you. Don’t get too carried away about ‘how much you don’t know’ or how ‘advanced’ other people are. What is advanced? It’s all too easy to lose your own voice and that’s the most important thing of all – and the most fragile!
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It’s so good to hear from you too, Helen. Thanks for your good advice. It’s interesting how fashion plays its part in all of the arts, especially writing!
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Congratulations and happy birthday, even if a bit late.
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Thanks Gerard, and it’s so good to hear you haven’t been slacking either!
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Great update Barbara – belated birthday greetings to you and a huge congrats on the highly recommended. Love the sound of the writers group too!
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Thank you, Pamela! Wonderful to hear from you. I hope you’re enjoying an inspiring spring!
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Miracles do happen!! Thanks Elaine, lovely to hear from you again, and know you are there.
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Lovely to hear from you and hear what you’ve been up to – and huge congratulations on being highly recommended 🙂
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Elaine, I was sure I wrote back yesterday, but maybe my mind is playing tricks!
Great to hear from you and thank you for your good wishes! Hope all is going well for you in your neck of the woods. I cooked Quinoa yesterday for the first time and thought of you!!
It was delicious… ❤
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Aha, how nice! I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
All is well on my side of the world thank you xx
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