Goodbye Corockinrolla

Tomorrow some guy I don't know will come to my place when I'm not here. He'll get my car keys, held together with a rubber band, from the letterbox, and head up to my car, by the Corner Store. Then he'll get into it and drive it away.

Vale, lil car, you have been so good to me.

I bought that car from a nice man in Silver Street back in May 2005. I think I paid about $1800, sourced from a loan from a friend and a cash advance on my credit card. Those were the days.

The car has never failed to start or broken down. It has been in so many accidents, always with me at the wheel. It's driven to Canberra and back twice, to the High Country with Charlie so many times, to Cape Conran, Lorne and survived happy sad lonely and fun times.

Now I am donating it to Kids Under Cover.

Hit the road

Read two books this month. That's a record. Don't read books much anymore, it's a sad fact. Lucky for me I have people who lend me good ones so I when I do read, they come recommended. Two slightly dark, and very different novels, 'What I have Loved' and 'The Road'. Testament to me having a week off in Queensland, and then a house with no Charlie... A space for reading.

Last Friday, after drinks and crackers at Prudence, heading home slowly on the steel horse when I smashed into Swanston Street. I thought, I should be humiliated, but all my energy was going into shock. Confidence in tatters, the final leg was very slow and there may have been some sobbing. Hot shower and sympathy down the phone lulled me to sleep.

Pretty Frock

This is the dress I bought to wear to my Ma's 50th birthday party - theme: frock and suit. After much searching (and soul-searching) around for a 'frock', I found this lil number. It won because it's black. And grey. And I'll wear it again (already have). And they gave me a free singlet too.
Don't ask my why I was on ebay this morning but I was, and I found the exact same dress - same size, same everything - and bids are at $15.50. This is a fraction of the price I paid. What's my point? Get in there and buy it and you'll look fabulous.

Some Good Ideas - Plopp!

In Hong Kong I was impressed that I could check-in for my flight at the Central train station, and my bags went all the way through. What a good idea.

Here in Lund, in Southern Sweden, it appears that you can deposit your used recyclables at a hole-in-the-wall within a supermarket; you get a refund; or your press a button to give the refund to a charity. What a good idea. Nearly as good as a federal law prohibiting charging for university tuition. Brilliant.


Not sure about calling a chocolate 'plopp', however.

Primarily Comfort

My room reminds me of Jack's in Westersingel, I like the bold colours. Oh, and the blossoming magnolia in the courtyard. Why am I here?

All Nations are Hallucinations

The Danish are a friendly bunch. On my tiny plane from Munich I made friends with an economics academic sitting next to me. After some chit chat he started bleeding very heavily from the nose. He apologised for not being able to show me around Copenhagen, but that was fine by me. Instead I had a little deja vu as I wandered aimlessly as an unfamilar city woke up. A few drunk yoof and vomit around the place, lots of shuttered doors and after a while I realised I'm strolled off the map. I used to have a great sense of direction...

Shadow and other mysteries

Still at the very beginning of this adventure called 'work trip'. Sitting in Hong Kong airport with bright red fingernails, a sore face and two young Belgian businessmen next to me. Copenhagen in the morning. A 12-hour flight must be the limit of what I can bear. And they tried to seat me next to a bassinet. Spelling? I said I'd sit there if there was no baby in the bassinet. No such luck. I'll be in a middle seat. The kindness of strangers has not deserted me. And some not so strange.