I haven’t checked in for a couple of weeks or so as it’s been very busy here lately. Mr. Penguin is in hospital having a knee replacement. Our old dog Molly is in hospital with a bad case of colitis, dehydration and just all the things that come with being 15 years plus.

I have been doing quite a bit of watching You Tube photography videos trying to increase my knowledge base, especially in landscape photography which is an area I don’t do much of but would enjoy it I think. Street photography is my first love.  I’ve ordered some filters and will learn how to use those to be a bit creative. Winter light in Tasmania is the best (I think) of the year so would like to get out and enjoy it.Keeping up with Ollie’s training continues to be fun if at times challenging. He is a very bright little spark and also very strong willed. We argue at times but I need to make sure I always win. He is 10 months old tomorrow.  

I have been reading a bit but mainly continuing to listen to The Diary of Samuel Pepys (Selections from). I am enjoying it very much. It is 37 hours long on audible. He kept his diary from 1660 to 1669 and I am currently in 1665. 1665 is the year the plague hit London. Such a scary thing as medical treatment back then was very different and also very unforgiving. In 1666 the great fire of London will hit and that’s going to be challenging for him too, I’m sure. He was quite a character and he got up to all kinds of stuff, quite a bit of it naughty. He is quite taken with himself and I’m not sure I would like him as much in real life as I do reading about him in his diary. I just find all of it interesting.

I also receive one Shakespeare Sonnet from Fullers Book Shop with an explanation from our facilitator Tim each weekday. That is going along fine. It will take several months to get through 120 of them. I am enjoying it though and it is a good way to become familiar with them. Tim sources information from several different books and shares that information with us and we are able to write comments back to him.

I finished culling about 3 boxes of books and as the tip shop opened up again off they went. So much stuff there to look at.  I dropped in today for a bit just to see their reorganisation.  I picked up a couple of Australian books while there. Two of the three book trilogy by Henry Handel Richardson. I found number 2 (Ultina Thule) and 3 (The Way Home). Now I just need the first one.   I also snagged Peter Carey’s copies of the True History of the Kelly Gang and one I’ve been wanting to read, Oscar and Lucinda.  I also found an Australian book I have never heard of called Lady Bridget in the Never Never Land (Australian Women Writers Literary series by Rosa Praed.  Australian bloggers who have grown up in Australia might know more about this.

I have taken Ollie on a couple of good walks and taken photos as well so will share a couple below as a sign off.  Hopefully once everyone is picked up from hospital I will be homebound and settled. Did I also mention Mr. Penguin opened the car door into traffic and another car hit it? Ruined the door so our little Honda Jazz (Fit) was towed away and replaced with a really big SUV which I do not enjoy driving as our city roads are not freeways. Hopefully we will get our car back Tuesday afternoon. What is the saying? “When it rains it pours?”

Back with more books and photography soon I hope. Until then….enjoy the photos.

While out walking I came across these brothers and they were happy for me to take some photographs and even happier when I sent the photos to them.

This is the fire track at the base of Mt. Wellington that Ollie and I walked up. Very pretty on a lovely day.