It's nearly a week since my baby girl hopped on a plane and headed for Germany. It was a very emotional time, having been sick with a cold, busy working the Craft Fair, doing talks and fitting in the 'paid' work I also do. So I suppose the emotions were everywhere. I didn't go to the airport, prefering to say goodbye and go to work just as we would on a normal day.
We had major communication difficulties during the first 24 hours, meaning we did not hear of her safe arrival as soon as expected. We still can't receive texts from her, but we have facebook and email working.
All is fine her end. She has had to deal with travel sickness, missing the tour and a booking not being made as she thought it was, but has come through with flying colours. And all this in a country that speaks another language. Thank heaven for those wonderful Germans who speak English - I applaud you. You make people feel welcome in your country.
The first couple of days my girl was away I felt sick in the stomach, constantly. Letting the baby bird fly from the nest is not as easy as I thought it would be, but I'm glad it has happened, because now she is soaring like an eagle. The world is her oyster (mine too, for that matter) and she is grabbing it with both hands.
I'm so proud.
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
Friday, 30 July 2010
Way too much going on in my life
Naturally I meant to blog immediately after the Craft Fair but I have to say, so much has happened I feel like I'm running but not going anywhere.
The radio interview was fine - there was plenty of room for improvement on my part. I didn't even mention the titles of my books! However, I did learn plenty about the process and what I will and won't do next time around.
The Craft Fair was fantastic. Again, I did have a down side, which was that I was very sick with a cold. It came on the first day, Thursday and on Friday the headache was quite bad. I did manage to see the doc and get antibiotics, because of course, I had ears and throat infections. I was so chilled to the bone it took me 5 hours with the heater on full, doors closed and a quilt over me before I warmed up.
Enough of that. The gals at Blue Willow Cottage looked after me very well and I met and spoke with so many people. I did my talk every day, mostly winging it, and felt quite happy with how it all went. I get very nervous about speaking to numbers of people. That's why I chose writing as a career and not public speaking. On the last day my husband taped my talk and looking at it later that night was extremely surreal. The way I appear on the video is not one bit like the way I feel on the inside. It's not how I see myself at all. But it must be how others see me. It's quite a strange feeling. The fair was great, and I wish I could have seen more of it for myself, but I concentrated on meeting my readers. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to chat with me, and those who purchased my books. Enjoy. Have fun. And don't forget to work on your bucket lists.
If anyone missed out you can email me direct to buy the books at rowekeys01@optusnet.com.au
This week we put our baby girl (age 20 mind you) onto a plane to Germany for a holiday. It is her first time overseas, and her first trip alone. She was met in Germany by a male friend (thankfully), but I was anxious about the flight with a stopover in Dubai for a change of plane. Her instructions were to text us as soon as she arrived so we knew she was there safely, but 24 hours more passed by before we knew anything, and that came via someone else. SO we are having problems with our phones receiving text from Germany and one phone company is blaming the other provider. Aaagh. We rang our daughter and spoke with her so know she's fine, but she was very sick on the flight over. Poor kid. It's hard being a mum. Now I know how my own mother felt when I went overseas on my own age 23 (a couple of years ago, lol).
So with all this happening and fitting in my paid work hours (as opposed to writing hours which are as yet quite unpaid) I received news this morning that an auntie is in palliative care.
So many emotions.
By the way, The Caroline Challenge Quilt was finished last week, and this week I have gone over it to make any alterations and corrections. Today I will send it to my friend for editing. Even that didn't go according to plan - the printer wouldn't do as commanded despite half and hour and several pieces of paper attempting to make it print on both sides. Technology! aaagh.
Gotta laugh.
The radio interview was fine - there was plenty of room for improvement on my part. I didn't even mention the titles of my books! However, I did learn plenty about the process and what I will and won't do next time around.
The Craft Fair was fantastic. Again, I did have a down side, which was that I was very sick with a cold. It came on the first day, Thursday and on Friday the headache was quite bad. I did manage to see the doc and get antibiotics, because of course, I had ears and throat infections. I was so chilled to the bone it took me 5 hours with the heater on full, doors closed and a quilt over me before I warmed up.
Enough of that. The gals at Blue Willow Cottage looked after me very well and I met and spoke with so many people. I did my talk every day, mostly winging it, and felt quite happy with how it all went. I get very nervous about speaking to numbers of people. That's why I chose writing as a career and not public speaking. On the last day my husband taped my talk and looking at it later that night was extremely surreal. The way I appear on the video is not one bit like the way I feel on the inside. It's not how I see myself at all. But it must be how others see me. It's quite a strange feeling. The fair was great, and I wish I could have seen more of it for myself, but I concentrated on meeting my readers. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to chat with me, and those who purchased my books. Enjoy. Have fun. And don't forget to work on your bucket lists.
If anyone missed out you can email me direct to buy the books at rowekeys01@optusnet.com.au
This week we put our baby girl (age 20 mind you) onto a plane to Germany for a holiday. It is her first time overseas, and her first trip alone. She was met in Germany by a male friend (thankfully), but I was anxious about the flight with a stopover in Dubai for a change of plane. Her instructions were to text us as soon as she arrived so we knew she was there safely, but 24 hours more passed by before we knew anything, and that came via someone else. SO we are having problems with our phones receiving text from Germany and one phone company is blaming the other provider. Aaagh. We rang our daughter and spoke with her so know she's fine, but she was very sick on the flight over. Poor kid. It's hard being a mum. Now I know how my own mother felt when I went overseas on my own age 23 (a couple of years ago, lol).
So with all this happening and fitting in my paid work hours (as opposed to writing hours which are as yet quite unpaid) I received news this morning that an auntie is in palliative care.
So many emotions.
By the way, The Caroline Challenge Quilt was finished last week, and this week I have gone over it to make any alterations and corrections. Today I will send it to my friend for editing. Even that didn't go according to plan - the printer wouldn't do as commanded despite half and hour and several pieces of paper attempting to make it print on both sides. Technology! aaagh.
Gotta laugh.
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
Going on Radio!
Wow! This rollercoaster ride has some real hot spots. Last week I was interviewed by a lovely young journalist at the Leader newspaper and had my photograph taken for an article that will be in the paper coming out tomorrow. Yesterday I was contacted with a request to go on radio. How exciting ... and a little bit nerve-wrecking.
I will be on 3RRR, 107.2FM at 10:00 am Wednesday 21 July.
I will be on 3RRR, 107.2FM at 10:00 am Wednesday 21 July.
Thursday, 15 July 2010
Speaking at Melbourne Craft Fair
I have been very fortunate to have two wonderful things happen to me: The lovely ladies, Chrissie and Rhonda at Blue Willow Cottage have again invited me to be a guest at their stall at the upcoming Craft Fair in Melbourne. Through these good ladies I have also been given a spot in the workshop programme to give a talk at 12:30 each day. I will be in Workshop 3, 12:30 pm each day Thursday to Sunday the 22-25 July, Craft Fair, Melbourne Exhibition Centre. Before and after my talk you can catch up with me at the Blue Willow Cottage stall, E35, where I will be doing book signings. You will be able to buy both The Maria Challenge Quilt and The Elizabeth Challenge Quilt, as I recently had both books reprinted. They sold out at the Quilt Convention in April! Wasn't that great! Thanks for everyone's support.Now, time for me to go and do something with these buckets - they will be at my talk at the Craft Fair. See you there!
Monday, 12 July 2010
Do People Change?
Recently I have been confronted with the concept that 'people change'. It has had me thinking very deeply about whether or not I believe this statement. Initially my heart wanted to believe it is true, that people can and do actually change. Sometimes it is even possible to provide what appears to be evidence that change has occurred. In the end I came to a conclusion:
People do not change - but life provides experiences that reveal a person's essence.
The basic essence of a person doesn't change. What occurs is a layering of events as one travels through the multiple experiences of life and these experiences allow us to reveal our essence. For example, someone who survives a major traumatic event does so because they essentially have the ability to do so. They reveal to themselves and others the power to overcome, which was within them all the time, untested. What we see as positive events, like being shot to stardom as a singer, for example, will also reveal the essence of a person in how they handle the experience. The result will always come from whatever was within that person anyway.
So no, I don't believe people change. I believe what we are capable of will unravel naturally when faced with different experiences; that we can only react to things in ways that come from deep within us; that we can even surprise ourselves with the way we pull through a situation, calling on energy from deep within that we didn't know we had, until we were tested. This can be perceived as change, but it is not change, it is something that was there all the time and just needed the right 'experience' to bring it out. I don't believe people can do more than they are capable of doing, but most of us don't know the depth of that capacity.
But it's all semantics.
People do not change - but life provides experiences that reveal a person's essence.
The basic essence of a person doesn't change. What occurs is a layering of events as one travels through the multiple experiences of life and these experiences allow us to reveal our essence. For example, someone who survives a major traumatic event does so because they essentially have the ability to do so. They reveal to themselves and others the power to overcome, which was within them all the time, untested. What we see as positive events, like being shot to stardom as a singer, for example, will also reveal the essence of a person in how they handle the experience. The result will always come from whatever was within that person anyway.
So no, I don't believe people change. I believe what we are capable of will unravel naturally when faced with different experiences; that we can only react to things in ways that come from deep within us; that we can even surprise ourselves with the way we pull through a situation, calling on energy from deep within that we didn't know we had, until we were tested. This can be perceived as change, but it is not change, it is something that was there all the time and just needed the right 'experience' to bring it out. I don't believe people can do more than they are capable of doing, but most of us don't know the depth of that capacity.
But it's all semantics.
Wednesday, 16 June 2010
Weekend away
The view of the Otways from where we were stayingI wish I could show you the project I am working on but it is a surprise for the eventual recipient. It feels like I am carrying a lot of secrets this year - all nice ones though. I do like to make things for people and see the joy on their faces when they receive them. More bliss.
This week it's back to work and I am extremely busy now. Every day is full to the brim with something to do. Most important to me is my writing, which is going well enough at the moment. The third novel in the Australian Challenge Quilt Series is half way there.
Tuesday, 25 May 2010
Fear Passed
My recent fear of sitting down at the computer to write seems to have finally passed. Thankfully. Now I can move forward and complete the novella I am working on.
This tree is at Fernshaw, at the bottom of the Black Spur, where a pleasant barbeque area is located. The tree was planted in commemoration of a visit to Fernshaw by the Duchess of York on 15 May 1901 - we were there on 15 May 2010. Love serendipity.
Friday, 21 May 2010
Writer's fear
Lately I have had immense difficulty in making myself sit down at my computer to write. I will do anything to avoid it - clean the bathroom, clean the toilet, loads of washing, washing floors. Then there are the more damaging, less useful ways to avoid writing - play computer games, watch TV. I haven't even avoided my writing by sitting and sewing! There is a serious problem afoot!
In trying to work out what my problem is, I can only conclude that I am fearful this third book in the Australian Challenge Quilt Series will not be as good as the first two. I'm afraid I will let my readers down. Anything I do type I feel unhappy with.
So I asked my husband to read what I have written to date and give me an opinion. He said it was as good as everything else I have written. Why don't I believe him? How do I overcome this immense brick wall in front of me?
I should take a leaf from the gum tree I photographed at Marysville last weekend. Despite the raging firestorm of Black Saturday last year, and even though the outside of the trees are all charred black as night, the leaves are growing wherever they can, strong and green. I need to be like the burned trees, and the people of Marysville - fight back with confidence and cheerfulness; keep on going and in the end I will succeed.
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
AQC at Royal Exhibition Building
I spent three days at the Australasian Quilt Convention at the Royal Exhibition Buildings in Melbourne and met lots of wonderful women who came to talk to me and buy my books. It was an honour to sign everyone's copies and I do hope they enjoy the stories I tell. There was no point in me attending the convention on Sunday - I sold out of books!
Thanks to everyone for their support. And a big thank you to all the gorgeous ladies from Blue Willow Cottage who looked after me.
Isn't the Exhibition Building beautiful? I think they have done a wonderful job of doing it up and it is one of Melbourne's jewels.
Friday, 30 April 2010
Day at the Convention in Melbourne
It's a happy kind of tired I feel as I sit to write this. I've had one of those days indulging in the pleasure of the quilters' world and it fills my heart. Coming home, it is difficult to concentrate on driving when my head is spinning with a multitude of possibilities - that quilt kit I'd like to buy; that book I'd like to purchase; those threads all displayed in wonderful rainbows of colour that draw you in. Isn't the Convention just SO inspiring?
Speaking of inspiring - I spoke with Jinny Beyer today. I am sitting at the Blue Willow Cottage stand (194), directly opposite Mrs Sampsons Drapery where Jinny is busy talking to people about her fabrics and her new book. I decided to give her a copy of each of my novels, The Maria Challenge Quilt and The Elizabeth Challenge Quilt, as a way of thanking her for being inspiring and taking the time to come out to Australia and share her knowledge with us. I'll tell you a secret: one of the reasons I've chosen to be an author is because I am pretty good with the written word ... and hopeless when it comes to speaking. I think I blurted out something barely intelligible to Jinny before scurrying away. This is called "stepping way out of one's comfort zone." I know she's a regular person like you or me, but speaking to someone you admire, and who is well known, is not so easy for me.
So to all those wonderful people who talked with me today about my Aussie patchwork novels, thanks for taking the time and making me feel good. I hope you enjoy your books and look forward to catching up with you again some time.
Meanwhile, I'm back into the Exhibition Building tomorrow (May-day).
P.S. My daughter has just walked in the door with some lovely news. She works at Angus and Robertson and reports that a customer came to the store in a state of excitement about The Maria Challenge Quilt and was desperate to buy the second novel, The Elizabeth Challenge Quilt. She said she couldn't put the first one down and even though she hadn't quite finished it, she needed the sequel immediately, and had to know when the third one was coming out. Wow! That makes me feel fantastic. Thank you.
Speaking of inspiring - I spoke with Jinny Beyer today. I am sitting at the Blue Willow Cottage stand (194), directly opposite Mrs Sampsons Drapery where Jinny is busy talking to people about her fabrics and her new book. I decided to give her a copy of each of my novels, The Maria Challenge Quilt and The Elizabeth Challenge Quilt, as a way of thanking her for being inspiring and taking the time to come out to Australia and share her knowledge with us. I'll tell you a secret: one of the reasons I've chosen to be an author is because I am pretty good with the written word ... and hopeless when it comes to speaking. I think I blurted out something barely intelligible to Jinny before scurrying away. This is called "stepping way out of one's comfort zone." I know she's a regular person like you or me, but speaking to someone you admire, and who is well known, is not so easy for me.
So to all those wonderful people who talked with me today about my Aussie patchwork novels, thanks for taking the time and making me feel good. I hope you enjoy your books and look forward to catching up with you again some time.
Meanwhile, I'm back into the Exhibition Building tomorrow (May-day).
P.S. My daughter has just walked in the door with some lovely news. She works at Angus and Robertson and reports that a customer came to the store in a state of excitement about The Maria Challenge Quilt and was desperate to buy the second novel, The Elizabeth Challenge Quilt. She said she couldn't put the first one down and even though she hadn't quite finished it, she needed the sequel immediately, and had to know when the third one was coming out. Wow! That makes me feel fantastic. Thank you.
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Korowa Quilt
Way back last October I told you all about a new project I was working on for the 120th birthday celebrations of my old school and felt it was about time you got to see the finished result. This quilt is a replica of a large mural we painted on the wall of our common roomm but which was pulled down only a few years later when the school expanded.
The project proved to be one of those where everything that could go wrong did go wrong, and I subsequently spent a solid two weeks trying to finish it in time. I had trouble printing on the fabric (headmistresses photos in the stars; Korowa crest on the sun; 120 memories of my time at Korowa on the orange strip of land). The fabric kept catching in the printer, messing up several pieces. However, as each problem presented myself I simply had to work through it and resolve it. The quilt is certainly not perfect, but it's done. I hope you like it. It's different.
Don't forget I will be doing book signings at the Australasian Quilt Convention in Melbourne for the next three days. Find me at Blue Willow Cottage, stand 194. See you there!
Thursday, 15 April 2010
Book Signing at Australasian Quilt Convention
I will be attending the Australasian Quilt Convention for three days to do book signings, and am really looking forward to the whole event. You will find me at the Blue Willow Cottage (stand 194) with Crissie and Rhonda. Hope to see you there.
Thursday, 25 March 2010
Book Signing at Angus and Robertson
I will be doing a book signing at Angus and Robertson, Forest Hill Chase Shopping Centre, Canterbury Road, Forest Hill VIC, this Saturday 27th March 2010 from 11:30 am until 1:30 pm. Everyone is welcome to come and chat with me about my novels. The store is having a children's day as well, so there will be entertainment for the kids.
See you there.
See you there.
Friday, 26 February 2010
Manuscript Rejected
Prattle House 1415 was rejected by Harper Collins. However, the rejection letter was an extremely good one in that they told me why they felt it was not suitable. Now I have the option of taking that information on board and changing it.
I always need some time to sulk when I receive a rejection. That has been done now, and put in the past. The important task ahead is to decide what my next proactive step will be. I always find it difficult for a while, because there are so few publishers to approach. All the best publishers are either not taking manuscripts at this time, only accepting manuscripts through agents, or I have already been rejected by them. This then leaves the not so good publishers to approach, and I have approached some of those too. Finally there are tiny publishers that have little clout in the competitive world of book selling - do I really want to go that route? Probably not.
I have an idea but I will have to step a mile out of my comfort zone and do something dramatic!
I always need some time to sulk when I receive a rejection. That has been done now, and put in the past. The important task ahead is to decide what my next proactive step will be. I always find it difficult for a while, because there are so few publishers to approach. All the best publishers are either not taking manuscripts at this time, only accepting manuscripts through agents, or I have already been rejected by them. This then leaves the not so good publishers to approach, and I have approached some of those too. Finally there are tiny publishers that have little clout in the competitive world of book selling - do I really want to go that route? Probably not.
I have an idea but I will have to step a mile out of my comfort zone and do something dramatic!
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
My Book at Angus and Robertson!
I am extremely happy. My first experience of having my book in a real book shop - here is a photo of The Maria Challenge Quilt on the same shelf as Philippa Gregory. It is the Staff Recommends section at Angus and Robertson, Forest Hill, VIC. I'm stoked!
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
Book Signing at Quilters Bazaar
My, the days and weeks fly so quickly. There is so much to do - I need to slow down to enjoy it all more. It's just that I'm frightened I might miss something!
Sunday 7 February I went to Quilters Bazaar in Gisborne to help them celebrate their 1st birthday, which owners, Jim and Lorraine did with great style - and plenty of fantastic bargains for their shoppers. The shop is full of candy for quilters, with many different styles of fabric to appeal to all tastes and beautiful displays to catch the eye. They looked after me very well indeed, and I had my own spot near the front door where I was able to meet and talk with people, some who had already read my books, others who were learning about them for the first time. It's really nice to be able to chat with other quiltmakers and share ideas - I took quite a few ideas home myself.
Many thanks to Jim and Lorraine for looking after me and giving me the opportunity to share their birthday celebrations and meet lots of new people.
And as a post script, it was also the anniversay of Black Saturday which did not go unthought of in my mind.
Friday, 5 February 2010
No picture today. I've popped into bloggers' world to let you know I will be at Quilters Bazaar at Shop 5, 50 Aitken Street, Gisborne Victoria this coming Sunday, 7 February 2010 from 10:00 am until 12:00 noon for a book signing. I will take both my Maria and Elizabeth challenge quilts to display, and for those purchasing the books on the day you will receive a special Glenvale Patchwork and Quilting Guild instruction sheet for the Elizabeth Challenge.
For more info check out the shop's website at http://www.quiltersbazaar.com.au/
Hope to see you there.
For more info check out the shop's website at http://www.quiltersbazaar.com.au/
Hope to see you there.
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
The applique quilt
I'm back after quite a break beause I have not been particularly well, ever since I had blood poisoning last November - things went downhill from there. But now I feel better, and rattle like a pill bottle (is that supposed to be a sign that I'm okay?). It has been all I could do to get the basics done. Now it is a new year with new plans and new hopes, plus a lot of old ones still in the dream mixer. I keep adding things to my bucket list. How is your bucket list coming along?
I thought today I would share with you the photo of the completed applique quilt top that I teased you with so long ago. This was a secret project at that time, being a gift for a friend's 50th birthday. Now she has been presented with it I can reveal it to you. The quilt was made by 4 of us who patchwork together and is currently being quilted by the 5th person in the group. As the birthday girl was originally from South Africa, where so many flowers are quite similar to Australian natives, and as she is now very much an Aussie, we decided Australian native flowers would be the best choice. I designed the quilt and each of us completed one strip. The centre strip is actually narrower now, and will be filled with quilted gum leaves and gumnuts. The outsde strips of foundation pieced blocks represent waratahs. The brthday girl was very surprised, and very happy with her new quilt.
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
Prattle House 1415
Here is the first chapter of Prattle House 1415. If you think it is any good, lobby the mainstream publishers for me to have this book published. The Joy of the Season to you all.
Chapter 1
Packed off to Grandma’s
“Elizabeth!” yelled mother, who was rushing around in her usual manner, teetering on high heels that made a loud clacking sound on the highly polished floorboards. Mother was constantly in a hurry. Her mind was always concentrating on the next thing she had to do, and it was sometimes hard for other members of the household to keep up with her. It was probably quite true that she had a million things on her mind, but Elizabeth was pretty sure that most of mother’s problems were entirely self-inflicted. If only she would stop for a minute, maybe she could catch her breath and calm down, which would have the wonderful effect of allowing everyone else in the household to breathe easy for five seconds.
Trying their best to stay out of mother’s way so as not to cause any further problems, Elizabeth and William had stayed in their rooms away from the hustle and bustle. It was much quieter there, and they could attend to their suitcases themselves anyway. They were about to be packed off to Grandma’s for the entire summer holiday, and as they had never even met Grandma before, they were feeling a bit put out.
Mother and Father were high flyers. Ninety percent of the time they were Janet and Alfred Hollow, career people. They seldom actually played the role of mother and father. Janet was a lawyer who had worked her way up through the ranks of her law firm and was now a partner. She was thirty-two years old when the twins were born, and had taken little time off from her career before hiring a nanny and going back to work. Alfred was the CEO of a major company and a director on the boards of several others. The twins did not precisely know what their father did, because they hardly ever saw him. At least mother would fly in through the front door of an evening and see them for half an hour or so before they went to bed.
Freda was the one they spent most of their time with. She was the housekeeper and lived with the Hollow family, her room being at the back of the house. Her main tasks were keeping the house clean and cooking the family meals. That usually meant she cooked for herself and the twins, because Father was so often interstate somewhere and Mother often had her meals at the office while she worked. However, poor Freda had had a scare yesterday when a letter came for her saying that her own mother was very ill and she needed to go home to Germany to look after her. That was why the twins were now packing in readiness for their journey to Grandma’s.
Mother had not mentioned Grandma much at all. They knew she existed but never knew where she lived, what her name was, or what she did. Last night they had asked Mother all sorts of questions about her, but their questions were mostly avoided and they did not find out much. So now they were feeling abandoned, sent away as punishment for something they had done, with no idea what. Elizabeth was packing her case with a scowl on her face and her lips pulled tight when she heard her mother call out again, this time with more desperation in her tone.
“Elizabeth!”
“Coming!” yelled Elizabeth as she slammed the lid of her suitcase and walked out to the kitchen where Janet was racing around like a headless chook.
“Elizabeth, I need you to call a taxi to take us all to the station. We have to be there in an hour or we’ll miss the train.” Janet puffed as she pulled at some containers in the cupboard.
“Sure,” replied Elizabeth as she walked over to the phone and picked it up. She had to look up the number of the taxi company and as she dialled the numbers she caught a glimpse of her mother fighting with pieces of plastic, trying to match lids with bases.
“I’d like a taxi immediately,” she told the operator.
“How many passengers?” asked the lady.
“Three,” replied Elizabeth. She gave the operator the pick up address and destination, still watching her mother fighting with lids and bases, and grinned to herself to see such an intelligent woman having a hard time with little pieces of plastic. It was amazing how her mother could cope with difficult cases of litigation but had trouble with some of the simplest domestic duties. Elizabeth thought it was time her mother was rescued from the plastic.
“Here, let me help you with that,” she said, as she gently took the containers from her flustered mother and delved back into the cupboard where she retrieved the correct lids.
Janet click-clacked over to the large, stainless steel refrigerator and opened the door. She stared into its depths. “I don’t know how Freda expects me to organise everything at a minute’s notice like this. She must think I’m superwoman!”
“What is it you are trying to do?” asked Elizabeth in an effort to calm things down.
“I’m trying to be a good mother, that’s what I’m trying to do!” Janet glared at her daughter for a second and then stuck her head back into the fridge. She did not have the slightest idea what she was looking for. She stuck her head back out again and turned to Elizabeth.
“Where does Freda keep the peanut butter?” she asked her daughter.
“Well she doesn’t keep it in the fridge, Mum,” replied Elizabeth. “It will be in the pantry. But what do you want peanut butter for anyway?”
“I’m trying to make the two of you some peanut butter sandwiches to take on the train. And if I could find some cake I’ll pack that up for you too,” said Janet, as she spun around on her high heels and headed for the pantry. “Don’t all good mothers make food parcels for their children to take on the train with them when they go on a long journey?”
Elizabeth put on a wry smile. ‘I think you read too many Enid Blyton books when you were a girl,’ she thought to herself. She watched her mother, who continued to prattle on while she peered into all the shelves in the pantry. This was going to be hard work, Elizabeth could see, and if they were to catch the train at all, she needed to step in and take control. It was quite normal for Elizabeth to have to take over some of the domestic situations in the Hollow household, when it was obvious to her that her parents were not in their comfort zone, and when Freda wasn’t around. She was, in a way, quite mature for a girl of twelve.
“How about you go and see how William is getting along with his packing, Mum, and I’ll make the sandwiches,” said Elizabeth.
Mother put her hand on Elizabeth’s cheek and looked at her for a short time and smiled. “You’re a great kid, Elizabeth,” she said. “I’ll miss you these holidays while you’re at your grandmother’s.” She took her hand away quickly and started to teeter across the family room in the direction of William’s bedroom. The moment had been brief, and as Elizabeth watched her move away she seriously doubted that her mother, or her father for that matter, would notice they weren’t there. She quickly made some sandwiches and put together a nice lunchbox each for her and William.
Ten minutes later they were in the taxi heading for Southern Cross station. The city skyline ahead of them was covered in a slight haze, as was common for Melbourne. They lived close enough to the city to be able to reach the station within twenty minutes. It was not much longer before they were seated in the train and Mother had kissed them quickly, tottered off the train and was standing on the platform waving them goodbye. She had not been able to resist a quick glance at her watch, and Elizabeth sighed to herself, thinking that it would not be long before her mother was back in a cab racing off to work, even though it was Saturday. Oh well. Mother was happiest when she was working.
Elizabeth put on a happy face, smiling at her mother as the train jerked forward. She nudged William in the side to remind him to do the same, and together they waved goodbye as the train picked up speed and headed out of the station. William went back to reading the book he had brought with him and Elizabeth looked out at the passing buildings. They were heading for Ballarat, where their grandmother would meet them. She lived in a small place in the goldfields, called Last Metle River, which was an hour’s drive from Ballarat, but the train didn’t go near there and Grandma didn’t like to drive in the city. They had a two-hour journey ahead of them, plenty of time to wonder what Grandma was like.
“Hey, William!” said Elizabeth, giving him another nudge in the side, which jolted his book more than the train was already managing. William scowled and looked up at her. He always had his nose in a book. William was a quiet boy, younger than Elizabeth by all of five minutes and never allowed to forget it. He thought she was a bossy older sister, but it didn’t much bother him. He just liked to make her think it annoyed him sometimes. He kept to himself generally and was a lad of few words. Elizabeth had worked out, though, that when William had something to say it was usually profound and important.
“What do you think Grandma will be like?” Elizabeth asked her brother.
William shrugged and went to go back to reading his book, but Elizabeth was bored and wanted to talk.
“How will we know who she is when we get to Ballarat?” she asked.
William shrugged again. “I don’t know,” he helpfully offered. “Maybe she’ll be holding a sign with our names on it. You know – like they do at the airport.”
“Don’t be silly,” Elizabeth chided. “Why would she do that?”
“Well you do realise she doesn’t know what we look like either,” William ogled his eyes at her as he said it. “It would be a very practical way of finding us amongst all the other passengers,” he said.
“True,” Elizabeth admitted. “And I suppose the train isn’t actually very full, is it?” she said.
“I don’t think there will be very many sets of twins getting off at Ballarat station, all expecting their grandma’s to be there to pick them up.” William said. Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Even though we don’t exactly look like twins.”
That was true. Whilst they both had dark brown hair and were fairly skinny, they did not in any way look the same. Elizabeth had a heart-shaped face, fair skin with some freckles upon her nose, whereas William had a round face, olive complexion and was shorter than Elizabeth by a full six centimetres. Elizabeth also had one very distinctive feature, but you could only see it if you were close to her. Her eyes were two different colours – one blue and the other green. It was quite an unusual feature and people would often forget what they were saying when they noticed the peculiarity. William, on the other hand, had two perfectly ordinary blue eyes.
“Well what do you think she looks like,” Elizabeth asked for a second time.
“I don’t know,” William responded, resigned to the fact that he was not going to get back to his book in a hurry. Elizabeth was on for conversation, and as he was the only one in the vicinity that she knew, he was a captive audience. “Aren’t grandma’s supposed to be fat and grey?” he offered.
“Ewww! That doesn’t sound the least bit appealing” said Elizabeth. “Can’t she be thin and dye her hair?”
William rolled his eyes again. It wasn’t going to make a scrap of difference what he said, it would probably be the wrong thing. So he threw the ball back in her court “Well what do you think she will be like?”
Elizabeth contemplated for a while, trying to imagine her ideal version of a grandma. “I reckon you’re right, William” she acceded. “Grandma’s are cuddly. That’s much better than saying they’re fat. And I suppose she must be really old so she would have grey hair.” Elizabeth was starting to form a picture in her mind. She continued to describe it out loud to William. “She will have a jolly round face, probably an older version of you, William!” she laughed and nudged him in the ribs yet again. He grimaced and moved in his seat to make it a little harder for her to jab him in the ribs. “She will have a hanky in her hand and she’ll wave it at us when she sees us.”
“What’s a hanky?” asked William.
“A handkerchief” exclaimed Elizabeth, and she tried to nudge him again, but he was quicker this time, and moved out of her way before she could manage a good jab. “A handkerchief is a square piece of fabric that you blow your nose on, like a tissue only you can wash it and use it again.”
“Ewwww, barf!” said William. “That sounds revolting. I hope she doesn’t wave anything like that near me!”
“Don’t be silly” said Elizabeth looking haughty, “all grandma’s must use hankies. It’s old fashioned and grandma’s do old fashioned things.”
Elizabeth was starting to sound like she thought she was an authority on grandmas. William thought her imagination was probably running away from her. Unfortunately she continued.
“She will be wearing a pink dress and carrying a handbag. In her handbag she will have a red purse, a nail file, cough lollies, a spare hanky,” William rolled his eyes but Elizabeth kept going. “her keys, a pill bottle…”
“What?” William interrupted her. “I suppose she has a multitude of ailments because she’s so old, does she?”
“Oh yes,” said Elizabeth “she probably has high blood pressure and heart problems, maybe she even needs a stick.”
“A stick!” cried William. “Oh, I know, that’ll be to beat you with.”
“No, der-brain!” said Elizabeth, attempting a nudge. “A walking stick.”
“It’s a wonder she’s able to meet us at the station.” William said half to himself, half to the train window. “She’s so old and sick I can’t imagine she is able to drive a car. She must have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana skin.”
“Well if you’re so clever” said Elizabeth “what do you think she will look like?”
“I don’t know,” said William. “I’m sure we’ll find out when we get to the station.” And with that he finalised their conversation by opening his book and beginning to read.
Elizabeth just huffed and looked out the opposite window. It was just so typical of a male to end the conversation like that. It was going to be a long two hours if William was not going to entertain her with conversation at all. She crossed her arms and gave him a glare. He didn’t respond so she was left to her own thoughts once more.
Actually she was feeling a bit scared. Despite all the self-assuredness she displayed on the outside, inside she was feeling worried and anxious. Here they were heading off into the country, two city kids, to spend the next eight weeks with a relative they had never met. She had asked her mother a few questions about Grandma the previous night, when Freda had told the family she was urgently needed by her own mother and could not be with the twins for the summer holidays. Mother had gone into a flap about what to do. It was such short notice there was no way she could hire another housekeeper straight away. It had been many years since Janet had spoken to her own mother, the twin’s grandma, but she had resolved that it was the best solution to a difficult problem and had phoned her. Elizabeth had thought that they must have had some sort of contact for mother to know where to call. There was something strange about her mother’s relationship with Grandma, but when she asked questions she was told to be quiet.
She did learn a few things about Grandma though. Grandma had recently returned from overseas and was now living in the goldfield district of Victoria. She was in her late seventies and had finally retired after spending most of her life travelling the world. Just what she was doing travelling the world Elizabeth didn’t know. And that was the sum of what she did know.
To Elizabeth’s surprise she had been daydreaming for a while because when she gathered her wits about her she found they were well into the countryside. The paddocks were brown and parched as a result of a long drought that had hit the country areas hard for several years now. In the distance she could see some mountains. They were not very tall but they did make shapes along the horizon. She nudged William who elbowed her back this time.
“Look at the mountains, William” she said.
William looked up from his book and stared out of the window. “What mountains?” he asked.
“Over there” Elizabeth pointed.
“They’re not mountains,” said William in disgust. “They’re just hills.”
Elizabeth didn’t bother to argue with him this time. He was back to reading again so she decided it was best to amuse herself with her own thoughts for the rest of the journey. She looked at her watch. It was 11:55 am. The train was scheduled to arrive in Ballarat at 12:30 pm, so with another half hour to go Elizabeth decided it was a good time to pull out the lunches she had made for herself and William. She handed William his lunchbox, and he opened it and started eating his sandwiches without skipping a line in his book. Elizabeth opened her own and started eating in the hope that some food in her stomach might rid her of the butterflies that had been there for most of the journey. They would soon be there.
Chapter 1
Packed off to Grandma’s
“Elizabeth!” yelled mother, who was rushing around in her usual manner, teetering on high heels that made a loud clacking sound on the highly polished floorboards. Mother was constantly in a hurry. Her mind was always concentrating on the next thing she had to do, and it was sometimes hard for other members of the household to keep up with her. It was probably quite true that she had a million things on her mind, but Elizabeth was pretty sure that most of mother’s problems were entirely self-inflicted. If only she would stop for a minute, maybe she could catch her breath and calm down, which would have the wonderful effect of allowing everyone else in the household to breathe easy for five seconds.
Trying their best to stay out of mother’s way so as not to cause any further problems, Elizabeth and William had stayed in their rooms away from the hustle and bustle. It was much quieter there, and they could attend to their suitcases themselves anyway. They were about to be packed off to Grandma’s for the entire summer holiday, and as they had never even met Grandma before, they were feeling a bit put out.
Mother and Father were high flyers. Ninety percent of the time they were Janet and Alfred Hollow, career people. They seldom actually played the role of mother and father. Janet was a lawyer who had worked her way up through the ranks of her law firm and was now a partner. She was thirty-two years old when the twins were born, and had taken little time off from her career before hiring a nanny and going back to work. Alfred was the CEO of a major company and a director on the boards of several others. The twins did not precisely know what their father did, because they hardly ever saw him. At least mother would fly in through the front door of an evening and see them for half an hour or so before they went to bed.
Freda was the one they spent most of their time with. She was the housekeeper and lived with the Hollow family, her room being at the back of the house. Her main tasks were keeping the house clean and cooking the family meals. That usually meant she cooked for herself and the twins, because Father was so often interstate somewhere and Mother often had her meals at the office while she worked. However, poor Freda had had a scare yesterday when a letter came for her saying that her own mother was very ill and she needed to go home to Germany to look after her. That was why the twins were now packing in readiness for their journey to Grandma’s.
Mother had not mentioned Grandma much at all. They knew she existed but never knew where she lived, what her name was, or what she did. Last night they had asked Mother all sorts of questions about her, but their questions were mostly avoided and they did not find out much. So now they were feeling abandoned, sent away as punishment for something they had done, with no idea what. Elizabeth was packing her case with a scowl on her face and her lips pulled tight when she heard her mother call out again, this time with more desperation in her tone.
“Elizabeth!”
“Coming!” yelled Elizabeth as she slammed the lid of her suitcase and walked out to the kitchen where Janet was racing around like a headless chook.
“Elizabeth, I need you to call a taxi to take us all to the station. We have to be there in an hour or we’ll miss the train.” Janet puffed as she pulled at some containers in the cupboard.
“Sure,” replied Elizabeth as she walked over to the phone and picked it up. She had to look up the number of the taxi company and as she dialled the numbers she caught a glimpse of her mother fighting with pieces of plastic, trying to match lids with bases.
“I’d like a taxi immediately,” she told the operator.
“How many passengers?” asked the lady.
“Three,” replied Elizabeth. She gave the operator the pick up address and destination, still watching her mother fighting with lids and bases, and grinned to herself to see such an intelligent woman having a hard time with little pieces of plastic. It was amazing how her mother could cope with difficult cases of litigation but had trouble with some of the simplest domestic duties. Elizabeth thought it was time her mother was rescued from the plastic.
“Here, let me help you with that,” she said, as she gently took the containers from her flustered mother and delved back into the cupboard where she retrieved the correct lids.
Janet click-clacked over to the large, stainless steel refrigerator and opened the door. She stared into its depths. “I don’t know how Freda expects me to organise everything at a minute’s notice like this. She must think I’m superwoman!”
“What is it you are trying to do?” asked Elizabeth in an effort to calm things down.
“I’m trying to be a good mother, that’s what I’m trying to do!” Janet glared at her daughter for a second and then stuck her head back into the fridge. She did not have the slightest idea what she was looking for. She stuck her head back out again and turned to Elizabeth.
“Where does Freda keep the peanut butter?” she asked her daughter.
“Well she doesn’t keep it in the fridge, Mum,” replied Elizabeth. “It will be in the pantry. But what do you want peanut butter for anyway?”
“I’m trying to make the two of you some peanut butter sandwiches to take on the train. And if I could find some cake I’ll pack that up for you too,” said Janet, as she spun around on her high heels and headed for the pantry. “Don’t all good mothers make food parcels for their children to take on the train with them when they go on a long journey?”
Elizabeth put on a wry smile. ‘I think you read too many Enid Blyton books when you were a girl,’ she thought to herself. She watched her mother, who continued to prattle on while she peered into all the shelves in the pantry. This was going to be hard work, Elizabeth could see, and if they were to catch the train at all, she needed to step in and take control. It was quite normal for Elizabeth to have to take over some of the domestic situations in the Hollow household, when it was obvious to her that her parents were not in their comfort zone, and when Freda wasn’t around. She was, in a way, quite mature for a girl of twelve.
“How about you go and see how William is getting along with his packing, Mum, and I’ll make the sandwiches,” said Elizabeth.
Mother put her hand on Elizabeth’s cheek and looked at her for a short time and smiled. “You’re a great kid, Elizabeth,” she said. “I’ll miss you these holidays while you’re at your grandmother’s.” She took her hand away quickly and started to teeter across the family room in the direction of William’s bedroom. The moment had been brief, and as Elizabeth watched her move away she seriously doubted that her mother, or her father for that matter, would notice they weren’t there. She quickly made some sandwiches and put together a nice lunchbox each for her and William.
Ten minutes later they were in the taxi heading for Southern Cross station. The city skyline ahead of them was covered in a slight haze, as was common for Melbourne. They lived close enough to the city to be able to reach the station within twenty minutes. It was not much longer before they were seated in the train and Mother had kissed them quickly, tottered off the train and was standing on the platform waving them goodbye. She had not been able to resist a quick glance at her watch, and Elizabeth sighed to herself, thinking that it would not be long before her mother was back in a cab racing off to work, even though it was Saturday. Oh well. Mother was happiest when she was working.
Elizabeth put on a happy face, smiling at her mother as the train jerked forward. She nudged William in the side to remind him to do the same, and together they waved goodbye as the train picked up speed and headed out of the station. William went back to reading the book he had brought with him and Elizabeth looked out at the passing buildings. They were heading for Ballarat, where their grandmother would meet them. She lived in a small place in the goldfields, called Last Metle River, which was an hour’s drive from Ballarat, but the train didn’t go near there and Grandma didn’t like to drive in the city. They had a two-hour journey ahead of them, plenty of time to wonder what Grandma was like.
“Hey, William!” said Elizabeth, giving him another nudge in the side, which jolted his book more than the train was already managing. William scowled and looked up at her. He always had his nose in a book. William was a quiet boy, younger than Elizabeth by all of five minutes and never allowed to forget it. He thought she was a bossy older sister, but it didn’t much bother him. He just liked to make her think it annoyed him sometimes. He kept to himself generally and was a lad of few words. Elizabeth had worked out, though, that when William had something to say it was usually profound and important.
“What do you think Grandma will be like?” Elizabeth asked her brother.
William shrugged and went to go back to reading his book, but Elizabeth was bored and wanted to talk.
“How will we know who she is when we get to Ballarat?” she asked.
William shrugged again. “I don’t know,” he helpfully offered. “Maybe she’ll be holding a sign with our names on it. You know – like they do at the airport.”
“Don’t be silly,” Elizabeth chided. “Why would she do that?”
“Well you do realise she doesn’t know what we look like either,” William ogled his eyes at her as he said it. “It would be a very practical way of finding us amongst all the other passengers,” he said.
“True,” Elizabeth admitted. “And I suppose the train isn’t actually very full, is it?” she said.
“I don’t think there will be very many sets of twins getting off at Ballarat station, all expecting their grandma’s to be there to pick them up.” William said. Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Even though we don’t exactly look like twins.”
That was true. Whilst they both had dark brown hair and were fairly skinny, they did not in any way look the same. Elizabeth had a heart-shaped face, fair skin with some freckles upon her nose, whereas William had a round face, olive complexion and was shorter than Elizabeth by a full six centimetres. Elizabeth also had one very distinctive feature, but you could only see it if you were close to her. Her eyes were two different colours – one blue and the other green. It was quite an unusual feature and people would often forget what they were saying when they noticed the peculiarity. William, on the other hand, had two perfectly ordinary blue eyes.
“Well what do you think she looks like,” Elizabeth asked for a second time.
“I don’t know,” William responded, resigned to the fact that he was not going to get back to his book in a hurry. Elizabeth was on for conversation, and as he was the only one in the vicinity that she knew, he was a captive audience. “Aren’t grandma’s supposed to be fat and grey?” he offered.
“Ewww! That doesn’t sound the least bit appealing” said Elizabeth. “Can’t she be thin and dye her hair?”
William rolled his eyes again. It wasn’t going to make a scrap of difference what he said, it would probably be the wrong thing. So he threw the ball back in her court “Well what do you think she will be like?”
Elizabeth contemplated for a while, trying to imagine her ideal version of a grandma. “I reckon you’re right, William” she acceded. “Grandma’s are cuddly. That’s much better than saying they’re fat. And I suppose she must be really old so she would have grey hair.” Elizabeth was starting to form a picture in her mind. She continued to describe it out loud to William. “She will have a jolly round face, probably an older version of you, William!” she laughed and nudged him in the ribs yet again. He grimaced and moved in his seat to make it a little harder for her to jab him in the ribs. “She will have a hanky in her hand and she’ll wave it at us when she sees us.”
“What’s a hanky?” asked William.
“A handkerchief” exclaimed Elizabeth, and she tried to nudge him again, but he was quicker this time, and moved out of her way before she could manage a good jab. “A handkerchief is a square piece of fabric that you blow your nose on, like a tissue only you can wash it and use it again.”
“Ewwww, barf!” said William. “That sounds revolting. I hope she doesn’t wave anything like that near me!”
“Don’t be silly” said Elizabeth looking haughty, “all grandma’s must use hankies. It’s old fashioned and grandma’s do old fashioned things.”
Elizabeth was starting to sound like she thought she was an authority on grandmas. William thought her imagination was probably running away from her. Unfortunately she continued.
“She will be wearing a pink dress and carrying a handbag. In her handbag she will have a red purse, a nail file, cough lollies, a spare hanky,” William rolled his eyes but Elizabeth kept going. “her keys, a pill bottle…”
“What?” William interrupted her. “I suppose she has a multitude of ailments because she’s so old, does she?”
“Oh yes,” said Elizabeth “she probably has high blood pressure and heart problems, maybe she even needs a stick.”
“A stick!” cried William. “Oh, I know, that’ll be to beat you with.”
“No, der-brain!” said Elizabeth, attempting a nudge. “A walking stick.”
“It’s a wonder she’s able to meet us at the station.” William said half to himself, half to the train window. “She’s so old and sick I can’t imagine she is able to drive a car. She must have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana skin.”
“Well if you’re so clever” said Elizabeth “what do you think she will look like?”
“I don’t know,” said William. “I’m sure we’ll find out when we get to the station.” And with that he finalised their conversation by opening his book and beginning to read.
Elizabeth just huffed and looked out the opposite window. It was just so typical of a male to end the conversation like that. It was going to be a long two hours if William was not going to entertain her with conversation at all. She crossed her arms and gave him a glare. He didn’t respond so she was left to her own thoughts once more.
Actually she was feeling a bit scared. Despite all the self-assuredness she displayed on the outside, inside she was feeling worried and anxious. Here they were heading off into the country, two city kids, to spend the next eight weeks with a relative they had never met. She had asked her mother a few questions about Grandma the previous night, when Freda had told the family she was urgently needed by her own mother and could not be with the twins for the summer holidays. Mother had gone into a flap about what to do. It was such short notice there was no way she could hire another housekeeper straight away. It had been many years since Janet had spoken to her own mother, the twin’s grandma, but she had resolved that it was the best solution to a difficult problem and had phoned her. Elizabeth had thought that they must have had some sort of contact for mother to know where to call. There was something strange about her mother’s relationship with Grandma, but when she asked questions she was told to be quiet.
She did learn a few things about Grandma though. Grandma had recently returned from overseas and was now living in the goldfield district of Victoria. She was in her late seventies and had finally retired after spending most of her life travelling the world. Just what she was doing travelling the world Elizabeth didn’t know. And that was the sum of what she did know.
To Elizabeth’s surprise she had been daydreaming for a while because when she gathered her wits about her she found they were well into the countryside. The paddocks were brown and parched as a result of a long drought that had hit the country areas hard for several years now. In the distance she could see some mountains. They were not very tall but they did make shapes along the horizon. She nudged William who elbowed her back this time.
“Look at the mountains, William” she said.
William looked up from his book and stared out of the window. “What mountains?” he asked.
“Over there” Elizabeth pointed.
“They’re not mountains,” said William in disgust. “They’re just hills.”
Elizabeth didn’t bother to argue with him this time. He was back to reading again so she decided it was best to amuse herself with her own thoughts for the rest of the journey. She looked at her watch. It was 11:55 am. The train was scheduled to arrive in Ballarat at 12:30 pm, so with another half hour to go Elizabeth decided it was a good time to pull out the lunches she had made for herself and William. She handed William his lunchbox, and he opened it and started eating his sandwiches without skipping a line in his book. Elizabeth opened her own and started eating in the hope that some food in her stomach might rid her of the butterflies that had been there for most of the journey. They would soon be there.
Are you good at anagrams?
In my next blog I will be giving you a gift for Christmas - the first chapter of my tweens novel titled Prattle House 1415. Here's a little competition for you: Can you work out what "Prattle House" is an anagram for? Leave a comment with your guess.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)