April 2020

I wrote this piece about the magpies in my area during COVID-19.  I also mention them here. This piece is for your enjoyment:- it is part of my ‘Love Writing Collection’ Life with the Magpies In my post code it is the year of the magpie. There are magpies everywhere. Yelling, chortling, and talking loudly amongst themselves. They do this at full volume. I’ve yet to see a magpie whispering to a mate. My favourite park is full of them and until the lockdown they marched around the children’s play area lording it over everyone and pretending they’re in control.  …

My writing is not going well at that moment – too may statistics about Covid-19 to distract me.  My creative juices need an out outlet so I’m cooking. I have just made Lebanese Lamb Stew with Eggplant I love egg plants. I love the colour and I love the shape.  I bought one so I could admire it on my kitchen bench. Then it came time to use it and on searching for a recipe I came across this one on the Adamant Kitchen blog.   The recipe turned out well. I think less tomato puree next time and possibly…

I’m giving away 10 copies of my book Mayhem in Melbourne… read further to find out how you can score one. At the moment, locked up as we are, I’m reading book after book.  It is so relaxing.  It takes me from this fraught and stressed existence to another world.  I have just finished reading a Donna Leon Mystery, The Girl of His Dreams. It has taken me to Venice and the world of Commissario Guido Brunetti.  It is giving me an interest in today’s Venice without the crowds of tourist he is describes as he walks around the city…

A WEEK INTO LOCK DOWN… …and I’m working out ways to control my roving mind – or is it brain function.  Whatever it is, it is flipping around all over the place and preventing me from keeping on task.   Are you having this problem? Or is it just me?  I need to switch off  the breaking news, in fact all the social media. I don’t need to know the latest cornovirus  figures. It only depresses me. The task I have given myself is to work on the sequel to ‘Mayhem in Melbourne’.   I have the first draft of the…