January 2010

My beloved favourite writer every, JD Salinger, passed away last week. I re-read 'For Esme - with Love and Squalor' in commemoration. The papers were full of feature articles musing on whether his unpublished canon will soon appear. Part of me would love to read every single word that the man has written, but I also feel like it would be a slight betrayal considering his refusal to publish for so many years, despite admitting that he still writes prolifically.

Spent last week on hols in Queensland to visit new flaxen-haired nephew Sam. The week was a wonderful blur of restaurants, wine, family, drinking coffee and bobbing in the ocean. We were in Brisbane for four days, then Coolum for three. Arthur joined us on the trip, and flew down in a cargo box - quite comfortably it seemed. He emerged unscathed and mostly unphased by the experience, scooting out of his box, sniffing around and lifting his leg. I was definitely more stressed for him than he was. I think I projected my own claustrophic inclinations on Arthur, afraid of being cooped up in a box in the cargo hold of a plane for four hours. But he shrugged these fears off and managed the journey with aplomb. Well, as much aplomb as a small, odd looking terrier cross can have.

Now back in the Top End. Back at work. Ready to start the year with gusto and energy. Lots of plans afoot.

We should be millionaires...

I'm not sure whether to blame it on the damp air from the wet season or the storm-related power surges, but both our washing machine and television blew up within two day of each other. Both had had a good run; we bought the machine from a friend who left town months ago, and the television was given to me by a presenter from work when I moved into my lady shack and I've watched it for nearly a year now perfectly.

Concerned by the mounting pile of wet, dirty washing and the thought of not being able to watch the daggy Christmas specials on television over the silly season, we priced new models. To our horror, both were around $600 each.

M happened to mention our plight to a mate, Smithy, who has been in Darwin for a long time, and possesses infinite wisdom in the field of new and secondhand. He suggested a bloke from Palmerston who refurbishes washing machines and dryers for a fraction of the cost, so we looked him up. The next day, they delivered a secondhand Simpson 5.5kg machine, in perfect working order for only $175! I felt very impressed and smug with our cleverness as I proceeded to wash seven loads of laundry.

Coming home from yoga on Saturday morning, M met me at the door saying he had a surprise. I walked in and saw a television, bought by M from a lawn sale around the corner for $50!

Hooray! We wash and watch again.

This time next week..

Looking down the barrel of Christmas (or 'the festive season' to be politically correct); it rolls towards me like a giant snowball (in Darwin?) picking up everything in its path, including me. I feel like my life has suddenly increased in pace significantly since December arrived, and my days are a frantic procession of jobs being ticked off, presents being bought, trips to the post office and dishes being washed. And now, suddenly, it arrives next week!

Just signed up to the library and checked out four books for four weeks. My summer reading list includes: 'Experience' by Martin Amis, 'Boy' Roald Dahl and 'On Writing' by Stephen King. Currently devouring 'Wuthering Heights', a birthday gift from M last year and a large heavy tome which I must rest on my knees in bed, such is its weight.

Treating myself to an early mark this afternoon and heading to a media screening for the new film, Bran Nue Dae with M and RM and AMMM from work.

Will miss the family on Christmas Day. But M and I have loads of fun planned including the tradition of champagne breakfast on the foreshore with mates and a big slap dash lunch, then siesta and walk on the beach. Arthur will get a fat ham bone to gnaw on, tied with a red bow.

Back

Back to work.

Back to the heat. And now the rain!

Back to my dog who has regrown his blonde mop and has put on kilos in our absence.

Back to see my articles in Resident, which was lovely, plus my feature in R4YL.

Three days in Sydney for marketing conference turned into 1.5 days at marketing conference and 1.5 days in Sheraton Darling Harbour spending time bent over toilet or lying in bed groaning. Darling Sarah traipsed over the bridge in her high heels armed with Buscopan. Ended up getting a big needle in my bottom from the hotel doctor.

All is better now though, thanks to returning to M in Darwin and chocolate ice cream under the fan.

And now its raining!

Acclimatising

Back to the steamy Top End with a case of jet lag and a sense of new beginnings. Have spent the last few days resting, reading, washing, and cleaning the house and yard from top to bottom. We've felt a tad lethargic; something to do with the jet lag and the heat. I've been going to yoga every day and we're detoxing from the carbo overload in Argentina. Miso soups and vegetables along with twice daily walks with Arthur.

I've been thinking a lot about next year and the things I'd like to achieve. The trip to Argentina has inspired me to learn Spanish properly and so enrolling in a course and getting together to practice regularly with a group is high on my list of priorities.

The magazine came out the day after we arrived home and I bought three copies, poring over them as I waited at the post office. It was so great to see my name and photo in print in the contributors section and the stories have turned out fabulously.

So good to see Arthur. He has been chewing his foam mattress to bits while we've been away so I went to Spotlight and bought some grey fabric with paw prints to make a pillow case for him. We went to the Salvos on our street and found a cool red sheet which I used for the other side of the pillow case. It looks so great and A-man loves it. M and I are talking about going into business with them; one of our many schemes.

Dos dias mas

Oh dear time is running out swiftly. Only two more whole days left prior to us departing Argentina's shores.

Snif snif!

Stop blogging and start frequenting cafes, talking to Portenos and soaking up the city.

Five cafes in one day

It all started with breakfast at El Federal; coffee and croissants over the Buenos Aires Herald.

I set off on a day of shopping to Palermo. Walked up to the Subte at Catedral and caught the green line to Pueyreddon, then wandered Ave Santa Fe for three hours shopping. Stopped around 3 for some empanadas, agua and coffee at a little bakery/cafe on Santa Fe. On consultation with my map, I summoned up enough energy to walk the remaining blocks to Malabia in Palermo. The place is amazing; leafy trees and wide streets which are more than two person wide. Kids in their school uniforms chat animatedly and the streets are lined with cafes and designer stores. By now its 4.30pm and I am meeting M at 5pm at Plaza Italia.

By now my boots have done some serious kms so we decide to head to the famous El Preferido in Palermo for some sustenance. The place is super cute with high bright green wooden tables and resident cats bat pieces of paper around the floor. I order a tortilla espanola, empanada and 2 cafes. It is all amazing; great coffee and delicious homemade food.
We wander again, taking photos of street art, looking in stores, wandering through the plaza. We decide to have a beer at a place called Dos Hermanos where we sit and watch children on a carousel in the park across from the cafe. Then we head to the Subte to go back to San Telmo, via the final cafe of the day, La Poesia for a light dinner of a sandwich, pumpkin ravioli and papas fritas.

What a delicious day.