Moving camp

I'm well and truly back from Adelaide, so it made sense to start another blog. If you're interested, you can visit me at the new address:

www.letshavewords.blogger.com

It's great to be home and to have my family around me again. The Fellowship was wonderful and I achieved more than I thought possible. What would be fantastic now is a mini fellowship each day - where there were no interuptions for at least a couple of hours. That I could get used to on an ongoing basis.

I've spent the week catching up with paperwork (not mentioning any domestic things uh uh) and phone calls. I've written myself a list of tasks and crossing them off one by one. I've been offered a contract for another picture book which is exciting.

The chapter book draft has a due date and I'm working towards that. It's shaping up nicely. Non fiction and poetry are awaiting tweaking and submission. The novel is shaking the cage and asking to be let out again, but redrafting will need to wait until boys are back at school and more pressing projects have been completed.

This post feels naked without photos. I'll have to take the camera on my morning walk. Today I walked on parkland at Williamstown that was only saved for public use by sustained effort on the part of locals. It's a great spot, with panoramic ocean frontage. It looks out into Port Phillip Bay. Our puppy, Emmi, loved it as much as I did. It's an off lead park and she was the only dog. Bliss, all those birds for her alone!

Last day

Richard and I were determined to have a final walk. We left Edward tucked in bed and set out for the parks. We only encountered one shower as I showed him the lake and the parks.

Alice for some reason is now sheathed in temporary fencing (for modesty???). We walked through the atmospheric olive groves.

We also saw beautiful rosellas but they wouldn't pose for photos.
These seed pods were amazing. In the past, when dry we've used the caps for long fingers/fingernails.

After a late breakfast, Edward decided that bed was too good a place to leave. Richard and I looked at the blue sky and decided to visit the zoo. Well the sky was teasing and by the time we arrived at the front of the zoo, the clouds were hanging heavy overhead. The meerkats ignited a discussion I thought closed about whether we should get more pet ferrets (because meerkats are not allowed as pets). Hmm. Not while there's breath in me (because they pong, really pong despite what Richard says). The meerkats, however, are very entertaining to watch and we weren't close enough to smell whether they smell like their relatives.

We were in time for feeding time for the lions...who were ready and waiting ahead of time. A small boy approached the gate where the keepers and food would enter and was told clearly by the dominant female that he should move. He did. The keeper told us a bit about the lions before feeding them, as once they have their food, they disappear to eat it. The two lion sisters are about to have a male companion, once he completes his 30 days quarantine. He's a lot younger and smaller than they are at present, so will be side by side with them until the zoo is assured they'll all get along.


Then the rain began. We watched the leopard being fed until the drips began to find their way down my neck. We repaired to the nocturnal enclosure where it was lovely and dry. The rain continued off and on for the rest of the afternoon, pouring then clearing to blue sky. It really was as if Loki, god of mischief, had gained control of the weather. We persisted in an almost empty zoo, racing from shelter to shelter and seeing what we could on the way. We lingered to watch Pusang, the male orang-utan, Karta the female and the pair of siamangs. All seemed intent on their own activities, largely ignoring each other. Many of the apes and monkeys were sheltering out of the rain, and those that were visible were not very active. Richard and I were both soaked despite coats and headed back into town and onto the bus. We were very pleased to get home and change into dry clothes.


Now to pack. How is it that repacking is never as easy as packing in the first place? Where does all the extra come from. Luckily for me, neither Edward or Richard arrived with full bags, so I've loaded them up with books and bits.

I've had such an adventure here in Adelaide. It wasn't just the volume of writing I was able to achieve. It was being on my own here for a month, meeting so many wonderful and supportive people. It was meeting publishers, writers and illustrators. It was walking everywhere and discovering Adelaide. It was all of these and more. It was grand, just grand.

Haigh's, Central Markets and rain

I'd booked us in for a Haigh's chocolate factory tour expecting that Kerry and car would be here. Not so. I was happy to walk, although the weather was less than last week when I walked there. The boys walked with me, perhaps marginally less enthusiastically. Still we made it after and before the rain. I enjoyed this tour more, the guide seemed more genuine somehow (whatever that means). The boys enjoyed the chocolates, although we're not convinced the Spearmint Nougat (choc coated of course) will be their biggest seller.


The rain was pelting down outside so we had to linger in the chocolate-scented environment - what torture! When it eased we caught a bus into town and then another to Central Market. We checked the bookshop there and they had Snow Play, although neither of my picture books. Sigh. I signed the Snow Play copies. Being Friday lunchtime by then, the market was a busy place, but we managed to navigate our way up and down aisles. Unlike our Melbourne markets, the deli, butchers/chicken shops and F&V were all mixed in together. We tasted some cheeses and bought some goat's cheese and also some food for tea. We had Yiros (souvlaki) for lunch and then caught the free city bus around to where we could hop on our bus home.

A slow afternoon of reading, watching and computing will round out the day, before our market-fresh dinner.

Notes and transformers

I wrote up my notes from yesterday's interview while boys got going this morning. Richard curled in next to me reading. He and I then walked up to the shops for provisions before a late breakfast. We decided to see Transformers, an extreme example of product placement, the toys having come first. The film was pitched at an older audience than the toys and it was M-rated. It was an action movie first and second and plot really a linking device between elaborate action sequences. Add a pretty girl or two and that about sums it up. Long too at 143 minutes. Still it gave us an opportunity to eat our Haigh's chocolate.


Edward, who's in those horrid early days of a cold, curled on the couch for a snooze and Richard and I went for a walk. I showed him the avenues and we found some more photo ops...well I did and he tolerated them!

A good day

I was up early this morning to collect Edward and Richard from the airport this morning. They arrived almost on time. A big breakfast was our first stop after a taxi ride back to Norwood.

Back in the apartment, both boys had a nap while I headed out for coffee with working title press publisher Jane Covernton. I'd forgotten that Omnibus was for some years in Fullarton Rd near hear, which explains why Jane was so familiar with the area and knew just where to go for coffee! We had a great chat.

I was back at the apartment for a short while before heading to Goodwood to meet with the Chair of the Pedal Prix organisation. I really enjoyed hearing about the history of this event, which I had imagined was generated by the Formula One Grand Prix event. It had a very different genesis, via a Tech teachers association looking for a co-curricular project for their tech school students. In that sense, the 'road testing' which became the Pedal Prix was almost an afterthought!

After a trip back with a very enthusiastic cabbie who accelerated my career into movies and limousines, and who dropped me off saying I need to write something about cabbies, I roused my sleepy boys but could only convince Richard to accompany me on a bus trip into town. We bought him a toothbrush (yes he forgot to bring one) and some trousers (what do you mean the mid-calf look is passe?) and then...okay, first...we found 'Snow Play' (packaged with bag) on prominent display in the book section. Richard obliged me by taking several photos.
You may notice that notice that of Target's best sellers I am No 1, No 2 and No 3!

I meant to say in my last post that Mary had given me a piece of orange poppyseed cake to take home after elevenses the other day. I gotta say, it was very nice. Thanks Mary, thanks Tin Cat Cafe. I looked up their web presence and wish I had time to have dinner there, it looks great. We had the upstairs room to ourselves which was great. I liked the fish tank television and some of the jewellry on display (especially the little boot earrings).

So many great places, so little time!

Meetings, elevenses and such

The mystery object photographed in the post below is a hand-stitched camel saddle. Amazing. There was a display of tools for the making of saddles as part of the museum exhibition. There was a wooden round-headed hammer-type tool particularly for pounding the straw stuffing smooth.


On Monday, I found more 'parades' to walk around. The trees are impressive now when most of their leaves are around my feet, they must be glorious in spring time. Then Mary collected me and dropped me at Omnibus Books for a meeting with Dyan Blacklock. I heard Dyan comment at one of the Reading Matters sessions about the way Omnibus archive. She expressed concern about the longevity of electronic storage methods. I'd meant to ask her about that, but it must have been about the only question I forgot to ask. She's given me some books for my boys, but I think I might read them too. One is by John Heffernan, whose 'more than gold' I'm enjoying reading at the apartment. John was a Fellow in 2005.

After the meeting, Mary and I had afternoon tea before she dropped me back at the apartment. I will be travelling to the same general area on Wednesday to meet with the chair of the Pedal Prix organisation. I'd considered walking, but now realise it's a bit far!

Today there was a morning tea 'Elevenses' at Tin Cat Cafe, a sort of farewell because the end of my Fellowship is approaching. There were people I've met in my time here and several new faces, a lovely gathering. I spoke about my experience here and also read two poems, 'Iceberg' and 'How to Grow a Flower'.

There were several 'Fellows' present and they shared their experiences. Elizabeth Hutchins has just returned from her Fellowship in Brisbane where she takes credit for breaking their drought...there was 62mm rain in the day or so following her arrival. Well done Elizabeth!

Odds and ends, Museum and Art Gallery

Yesterday was an odds and ends day. I walked in the rain to get a printer cartridge, bought a Canadian writing magazine, some postcards and forgot the cartridge. I sent the postcards and a letter. I tightened up a poem and also the 3 Pongo stories. I tried to start work on another story, but it just wouldn't happen.

Despite a night where my dreams told me the story was about maths 'factors' and then that it was about being too small, I woke determined to get into the story. I did too. I was keen to go to the museum and told myself that I wrote 500 words, (half of my target) then I could go into the city and finish the rest when I returned.

I went to the museum first and saw the Afgan Cameleers exhibition. My knowledge of their role in Australian history was very sketchy and it was great to see artifacts and photos from this time. I wonder how their experience compares to muslims arriving now? Any guesses about what this is? (Front and side view)



I walked through most of the other galleries. I'm not sure how I feel when I visit the animal galleries. It is interesting to see the animals together, and compare their similarities and sizes. But I also find them rather spooky for some reason. The Pacific collection is quite amazing, with examples of weapons, tools, decorations and basketry from many small islands.


I don't think I'd ever really thought about the origin of sayings about Snake Oil salesmen, but I found bottles of snake (and scorpion) oil amongst other medicines and syringes and even needles. It doesn't bear thinking about how blunt those needles would have become after multiple uses...making an already difficult experience more painful.


There was a fantastic collection of hats from Alice Spring's Annual Beanie Day. The felt ones were my favourite, although the picnic hat was amazing.



The art gallery was full of people lining up for the second-last day of the Egyptian Exhibition. I opted instead for the permanent collection and had a lovely time wandering through the different galleries. I particularly liked the collection of Sidney Nolan portraits. I also liked the work of an early 20C Australian woman painter, but can't remember her name. Sigh.

I waited for the bus but when the free bus pulled up and people hopped off carrying their fruit&veg, I thought I'd go to the Central Market. When I checked my map, the bus didn't really go all that close and I hopped back off again at the next stop and walked home. Fortunately the promised rain held off until after I was safely inside.

I completed my daily target of words, but think I'll need another post-it note session tomorrow before I do any more.

Haighs and circus

Yesterday I wrote the third of the three interlinked stories and worked out just what was going to link them, while still allowing them to stand alone as individual stories. I also workshopped (via email...thanks L) several poems three of which had their genesis here in Adelaide.


My tulips are opening up and just look better and better.



Today I reworked the three stories and kept working on the pesky ending to one of the poems. I had an ending but it wasn't as strong as it should be and I've had several goes at the final stanza. This end of the day, it's feeling stronger.


I also walked through Victoria Park and the South Terrace parklands This parkland has some game grounds but has avenues and is more 'treed' than those along East Terrace. I nearly walked into a small creek (twice) while I looked everywhere but down. The day was warm and glorious, but recent rains have greened everything.


My destination was Haighs Chocolates. They make the chocolates here and sell them too. I'd signed on for the tour with about a dozen others. There was a Swiss couple, some Japanese businessmen, a family and another singleton like myself. The tour hadn't begun and the other singleton was making asides to me about starting late. She continued through the tour, with not one positive thing to say. Not sure why she came really. The Japanese were carrying jars containing what looked like pond water, but may have been herbal tea. We saw cement-mixer-type machines for making things like scorched almonds, marshmallow bars being chocolated, and rockyroad being hand-mixed. Samples at the start, samples at the end, and then into the shop. What more could a chocoholic want?


I've started work on a final project here...an already plotted out story based on circus classes, aimed at younger readers. It's interesting jumping from long work to very short, to poetry, to chapter book. Again, having the luxury of writing all day with no distractions, this isn't as difficult as it would be at home.

Pongo and Port Adelaide

After the elation, must of course come the reality. Time to get working on the next project. Yes. Now. I've done the research I need on the mc. The setting, well yes I think I've got that too. The conflict...Hmm. Take One. Nup. Take Two. Uh uh. Take Three - try it as non fiction? Nope, that didn't work either. Pacing was not useful. Sigh. Okay.


I took myself up to the bookshop to sign their copy of Kora. It was arctic outside, the coldest I've felt since being here...perhaps something to do with feeling lost? Who knows? It took me minutes before I trusted my hand to sign Kora.


I walked back along The Parade, muttering to myself, trying to work out why I couldn't get the voice, couldn't make a start. Half way along the block and Eureka! I got it. By then I'd fixed on the florist up ahead and wanted some flowers to replace those that had been in the apartment on my arrival. Flowers are grand, especially tulips. Gathering my tulips I paced back to the apartment, arranged (hah!) the tulips and began.

What I'm working on is three short, interlinked stories with the mc Pongo. I got the first draft down in one go. Yeehah! Sometimes persistence is less useful than a brisk(iced) walk and a stern talking to. Not sure what the locals think about the walking and muttering, but heck it worked for me!

Today I wrote the first draft of the second story which also included altering some of the detail in the first. The third one is still awaiting its direction, but I'm hoping sleep will provide its focus.

Nan collected me at noon and we lunched at Semaphore. The early rain and grey skies had cleared to a glorious sunshine.


Then we walked around Port Adelaide. We missed the guided tour and soon abandoned the walking map. To me, the whole area has a feel of being in transition. The old port buildings are lovely, constructed from ballast stone, bluestone (lighter than Victorian bluestone) and sandstone.

There are woolstores and olds shops and pubs. There is new paving on some streets and some public art sitting along side historic monuments and buildings. Change is coming. A new bridge is being built, apartments with yacht berths are appearing. It was nice to see it now.


We drove home via Pegi Williams Bookshop. This specialist children's bookshop was recommended to me by a local writer (tanx Janeen) and is wonderful. The shop serves schools and libraries as well as the general community. It's light and bright and fulllll of wonderful books. John Winch's last book 'Fly, Kite, Fly' is just beautiful. Time for Bed, Isobel by David Bedford and Leonie Worthington is lovely. However...although several of my titles are on order, none were on the shelves. Sigh. At least I know they're coming.

On the way back, we called in to see the reps at Macmillan Education and for a bit of a chat. An article on Reading Recovery set off a conversation about how reading is taught in schools and how the methods keep changing. I guess the bottom line is that each method suits most okay, some brilliantly and others poorly. A big hurray for teachers who use lots of methods.

The apartment has its own little library with works by previous fellows. I'm enjoying reading fiction and non fiction from previous visitors.

Post-its, mandalas and bridges

When I first got here, my novel got a bit stuck. I had a plot outline, but it wasn't working on the page so I post-it noted all around the computer here, completing the story arc. I could swap the notes around easily, and did. As it happened, and as I expected, laying the story out like this helped me to get going again. Not that I followed this plot outline completely and the distance between post-its was not equal. Bit like the Dewey System, some notes represented paragraphs, some represented two chapters or more. Still, somehow it gave me the freedom to keep writing in the right direction.


Today I walked down Kensington Road to Fullarton Road. It wasn't such a pretty walk, although the trees are still grand. It's not hard to see what inspires army camouflage patterns.

This was a genteel light industrial area with dental suppliers and designers and Macmillan Education. I peered through the Mac Ed window but could see none of my Macmillan titles. Perhaps I should go back when it's open. Kept walking up to Magill Road which has lots of furniture shops (all closed coz I was too early). I was going to keep going to Portrush Road, but I wanted to go to the movies so turned down Osmond Terrace. This 'mandala' was commissioned to celebrate 150 years of council. I like public art like this, just in the centre of the road. The information about it and it's construction was a bonus.


The movie I wanted to see was Bridge to Terabithia. I loved Katherine Paterson's book and was holding my breath lest the movie disappoint. I enjoyed the movie although I'm not sure about the ending. The elements I loved about the book were there. Beforehand, someone had asked me about whether it would be suitable for their grandchildren to see it (aged 5 and 10). I'd said no and I still think it wouldn't really be suitable for a 5 yo, although I think the ending is calculated to broaden the appeal down to include mid-primary viewers. Will be interested to hear other reactions.

I went back into the A&R store in The Parade today and was pleased to see two copies of Ebi's Boat on the shelves. Yay! They say they've got A Nest for Kora too, but we couldn't find it. I signed both copies of Ebi and put them on prominent display. The assistant promised she'd find Kora today and I could go in and sign it tomorrow.

Thank you Friday night TV programmers

I walked into the city yesterday morning. The parks are quite different during the week. On the weekends, all the activity is in the park. During the week, most of the traffic is speeding around the outside. Nicer on the weekends.

I came back late morning and got back to work on the novel. I knew the end was close, but the closer it got the harder it seemed to be to tie up all the plot elements. The challenge was to keep going, rather than be distracted by other things (like reading some of the wonderful books left here by previous fellows, or taking just a little walk around to the Haigh's chocolate factory).

I stopped for tea, and watched a bit of TV, but the novel kept calling me back to the computer. Finally, about 9.30pm when my fingers felt fit to fall off, I stopped. It wasn't quite the end, but everything came together, leaving only the 'mop up after the storm'.

So, as of mid morning this morning, the first draft is done. Whoo-hooo! I took myself up to a cafe and shouted myself a coffee and cake. There were moments when I wanted to let those around me know what I'd done, by shouting it at full volume. But it's not really that kind of neighbourhood, so I contented myself with the occasional grin and later, the occasional skip. I'll save less restrained impulses for another time.

But lest the temptation be to fritter away the rest of the time here, I've set myself two further projects, the first of which I began to work on in the cafe.

btw the stone at the end of the previous post is in a grotto in the Palm House at the Botantic Gardens. But what sort of stone? It's almost like coral, but I'm not sure it is...any clues?

Rollercoaster writing

This opportunistic palm discovered a place to thrive high up in one of the local street trees. A plant cookoo?

Tuesday was up and down. I had been given a list of good bookshops in Adelaide and thought I'd call them to see if Kora was in stock. Hmm. Not-a-one. After the first, I began to ask if they'd seen the distribution rep yet. No. Sigh. There were myriad reasons, annual leave, relocation etc, but it was very disheartening. I'd thought I'd be able to meet some new booksellers who would of course be bowled over by my book and happily handsell it. Bit hard if they've not seen the book. I emailed the publisher sharing my frustration and asking if they knew for sure anywhere in Adelaide that was stocking Kora. They did. I visited and they were so excited to meet the author as few visit. They said lovely things about both Ebi and Kora and asked me to sign all copies. I felt much better! I came back to the apartment with new energy, unravelled the last half-day's work and rewrote it and more. Ahh the power of a little encouragement. The day ended with a dinner at Mary and Ian Wilson's house in the hills. We walked first, past the old brickmaking site and then up the Greenhill Road through the bush and back. Mary's ties with this area go back many years and they live in a house that belonged to earlier generations of her family before being sold. They bought it as the bulldozer was warming up and have restored and extended it into a wonderful family home.

‘We have to try,’ said Nina, finally.

They sidled along to the second cell.

‘Mrs Makati,’ whispered Nina. ‘Psst. Mrs Makati?’

The mumbling stopped.

Nina whispered again.

‘What? Where?’ Mrs Makati took a deep breath. She raised herself onto one elbow, looked around her, and began to scream.

Yesterday was busy. I walked to visit Rosemary who showed me so much of the zoo last week. I returned some reading matter she lent me and asked her a few more questions. Her knowledge is vast and we shared a cuppa while I learned more about both the lions and the orang utans at Adelaide zoo. I managed to pick the showery patches on both outbound and inbound walks but fortunately it was only light and I reached the apartment unmelted.

Nan collected me for lunch and again, we managed to bring the rain. Hard to wish it away. We sought shelter for lunch and when we emerged, the showers had passed and we were able to wander around the Botanical Gardens. There seems to be lots of work going on at the garden, with replantings and new buildings under construction.

We went into the Bicentennial Conservatory which showcases flora from our near north neighbours and then into the beautiful Palm House which has a collection of mostly very spiky plants from Madagascar.




The rose garden is extensive and must be glorious at its peak. We were a little late for that.

Last night I was able to attend Young Authors Night (thanks Ian Bone for the lift and letting me sit in on your session). This initiative of the SA Writers Centre brings together grade 5-7 writers with local authors. Fiona McIntosh was key note speaker at the general gathering first. The local authors all sit on stage and are introduced. Then each author is assigned a room and a number of children (and family members). Each child then reads their piece and the author responds to it. The kids do amazingly well reading before a room of strangers, and each receives a certificate. Everyone then returns to the hall and has supper and can get the autograph of all the authors in the room. There's a lovely vibe to the event and it's a great promotion of writing. From smaller beginnings, the event is now staged across three Adelaide venues and just keeps growing. Go SA Writers Centre!

I also, surprisingly, managed to reach my daily target of words.

Here's a puzzle...what is this???

Wandering

Yesterday began with another bright clear morning. I walked the long way round to get the Saturday Age from the newsagent up in The Parade. People were looking at me strangely and I realised I was the only one wearing shorts and Tshirt...everyone else had coats and gloves. Perhaps I should have worn a sign saying I was from Melbourne where we are more familiar with these temperatures. (Adelaide has been having fabulous Melbourne Autumn weather all week). Anyway I took my arms and legs and The Age back to the apartment and lingered over breakfast reading all my favourite bits.

Ivy (villain) is confusing Nina (mc) and her brothers by being nice to them. But the confusion is shortlived, when they realise she needs them, if only to deflect attention from her purpose. After they are dismissed they climb through heating vents to overlook the ball. Why can they see two of the African Trade Minister?

This morning I set out for the parks surrounding the city, turning right instead of left. I've discovered that the trees I'd seen last week are part of an olive plantation planted many years ago by migrants.

I can't tell whether or not the trees still fruit, but they are a wonderful sight, both from afar and close up. The trunks are all knobbled and twisted, with tiny little 'caves' that must be home to myriad little folk.



Further on, I had to leave the path to avoid being knocked down by hundreds of runners on what I think was a cross country event. There were some seriously fit people making the run look like a saunter, and others whose panting breath echoed through the trees. Unlike last week, this part of parklands is cut into three by major city feeder roads. Each section of the park has its own atmosphere. The first, which included a football ground and aforementioned runners seemed to encourage vigourous activity.

The second, host to Alice and a lake complete with bridges was host to more gentile activity and I saw lots of families with small children and bikes.

The third, smaller park, was the venue of choice for a busload of seniors who were cuddling up to their cuppas. The area where they were huddling had a concrete area with a small concrete grandstand...performance space?

From this angle this twisted tree branch looked a bit like a upside-down camel, but rotated all resemblance vanished!

The Adelaide Fruit and Produce Exchange is a wonderful set of buildings, although no longer functioning as a market. I called in briefly at the weekly Rundle St market, but really they were just setting up and I wasn't in the market for jewellery or paintings...although I was tempted by some winged slippers.

Nina discovers that the plants she found in the conservatory can be distilled to make an inhalant which can cause total anaesthesia.

A sailing ship was drifting on the lake as I walked along the other side of the park. When it drifted too far away, a remote controlled tug would nudge it closer to shore and then let it wander where it would.