Posted in Fiction

Enjoying our warmer spring weather…

Posted on by TravellinPenguin

Street sign in pavement outside Swan Bookshop New Norfolk, Tasmania

LIFE

I have been enjoying this warmer weather here in Tasmania and getting out to do a few things this week. Aside from the gym which was a bit lacking this week due to some medical issues. I had a growth removed from inside my bottom lip and I didn’t feel like doing much with a mouthful of stitches. I felt like a porcupine. But it is all healed and good now. Nothing to worry about.

BOOKISH EVENT

No words needed.

I did get to a Fullers book event. 

We enjoyed the big-brained, open-hearted conversation on Tuesday night, celebrating lawyer and writer Sam Elkin’s book ‘Detachable Penis’, a personal account of his transition, and becoming the inaugural lawyer of Victoria’s queer law service. Sam, Meg Tait of the Tasmanian Council of Social Services, and legendary LGBTQI+ rights advocate Rodney Croome AM discussed LGBTQIA+ advocacy, self-care, and both the importance and potential burden of ‘lived experience’ in trying to change minds and policy, and get funding for the LGBTQIA+ community. (from Fullers fb page).

It was so interesting and lovely to see these young people doing so much good for the trans community. 

This event was the last one I will be attending for the year. The events will resume in the new year.

READING NOW

As every other book I read/share in 2025 is going to be by an Australian writer from my shelf, I began Helen Garner’s The Children;s Bach. I really like Helen Garner’s writing though most of what I have read of hers is more current. Her award winning books are earlier and I’ve yet to read a couple of those. She is coming out with a new one end of this month. I read an article about it. It is based on her grandson’s footy life. Not sure if I’ll be interested in that enough to read but will wait for the reviews. I have plenty of Australian authors on my shelves to read yet.

Good Reads says:

“It follows Dexter and Athena Fox, a husband and wife who live with their two sons in the inner suburbs of early-1980s Melbourne. Dexter is gregarious, opinionated, and old fashioned. Athena is a dutiful wife and mother, stoic yet underestimated. Though their son’s disability strains the family at times, they appear to lead otherwise happy lives.

But when a friend from Dexter’s past resurfaces, she and her cast of beguiling companions reveal another world to Dexter and Athena: a bohemian underground, unbound by routine and driven by desire, where choice seems to exist independent of consequence. And as Athena delves deeper into this other kind of life, the tenuous bonds that hold the Fox family together begin to fray.”

I am enjoying 1980s Melbourne. I haven’t read anything based in Melbourne lately so think I will enjoy following the daily life of these characters.

EXHIBITION

Two friends of mine and I went to an exhibition called Cactusmania. It was a beautiful display of cactus/succulents that were put forward for judging. There were so many unusual types of plants. I have a small succulent garden (no spikes) and most of them are producing interesting blooms at the moment. I’ll put a couple of the more interesting plants we saw.

Most unusual- discovering something new.

We then visited a book shop and market north of Hobart and had a great lunch with tomato and cheese (very gooey cheese) toasted sandwiches and milkshakes. A very relaxing and enjoyable day out. 

The smaller book section. There is also a cage is here also. They make the best coffee and have pastries. No big meals.

TRAVEL

I am going to Sydney later in the week to visit two of my dearest friends. One is flying in for a week and the other lives there. I may not get a post out next weekend but I will be posting phone photos on Instagram if you wish to see any. It is such a beautiful city. I will have a bit of quiet time so might get some street photography up on Instagram too.

I hope everyone is having a good weekend and will do something enjoyable in the coming week. Whether very small or a big event, just enjoy it.

Question of the week…Have you discovered anything new this week?

“These don’t look like cold climate plants.”

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Author:

I live a retired life in Tasmania, Australia. I love books, travel, animals, photography, motor biking and good friends. I indulge in all these activities with the little Travellin' Penguin who has now shared five continents with me. We love book shops, photography walks and time with friends as all our family is in USA and Canada. I enjoy visitors to my blog so hope you'll stop by.

13 thoughts on “Enjoying our warmer spring weather…”

  2. Ugh, stitches in the mouth, I know about that from having my wisdom teeth out. Very painful.

    Those cacti are amazing. I have a zygocactus like the ones on the far right of your photo. Mine is a bright prink, like the one in the middle and it lives outside the bedroom window where it bursts into bloom to let me know that spring is on its way:)

    This is really banal, but after having had a ‘new’ and most satisfactory cleaner for almost a year now, I discovered from a chance conversation that he cleans windows too. We had been trying to find a satisfactory replacement for our previous window cleaner since his retirement, none of them have been any good and with the strong winds we’ve been getting, our windows really do need doing more often than before, especially on the south side of the house. It is so nice to have them sparkling clean!

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  3. What a lovely week Pam (apart from the porcupine mouth, and I’m so glad that’s better now). You do keep so busy, and those cacti are stunning! Glad you’re enjoying the spring – we’re easing into winter, and the cold last week was incredibly (not in a good way…)

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  4. In the 1980s I was living a very suburban Melbourne life – the inner suburbs and share houses distant memories. I haven’t read The Children’s Bach, I’ll have to get myself a copy.

    Something new? A neighbour (in the bush) shot at my daughter’s labrador. Definitely a first! (Nicked its paw).

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    1. I can send you my copy in January. I’m not moving at a fast pace through my books at the moment as going to Sydney soon. I’ll contact you once I’m finished. I would be mist upset at a neighbour shooting at my dogs. But years ago, in my early 20s our neighbour in America shot and killed our Bassett hound. He was out chasing deer I thunk and this neighbour was always drunk. We never did get to find him.

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  6. Let’s start at the end. Have I discovered anything new this week? Actually, yes, but in a conversation with a girlfriend (of 47 years) but it’s girl talk confidential! I also clarified my thinking about why I often refer to Austen when I read other authors – and will probably include that in an upcoming review.

    Now onto other things. I love the cover for Detachable penis … though you have obscured most of it! I love cactus plants do enjoyed your cactusmania pics.

    I’m glad your mouth has healed and that there’s nothing to worry about.

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