It is March, 2024. That last time I looked at the calendar, it was August, 2023. So much stuff has happened between now and then, it’s hard to keep track of it all. In fact, looking at the timeline of events, the last time I posted anything was back in April, 2023. That feels like a lifetime away.
So where have I been? Moving house, that’s where. Ah, moving house. It sounds so easy. Two words. Moving. House. Just up and go, shift over to a different spot and drop your junk there. Yeah, right. When I was a younger chap, when I was renting, I moved about six times in five years. It got so I didn’t bother to unpack boxes if I didn’t have to, because at any stage the landlord might pull the rug out from under and send me on my way.
Those were the days. The Ford Laser (1985, 1.5L engine. Blue, no air-con and had to fiddle the choke to get it started on a reasonably cold morning), was my saving grace. I had bought that for $500. It ran fine when it was warm, chewed a bit of oil because there was a leaky seal somewhere, and there was a funk of off milk in the back but, apart from that, it could take it. Fridge? Took it. Washing machine? Took it. Couch? Unscrew the legs and the back and stack it with the passenger seat down and, yeah, it took it. Just had to strap the boot door down with an occy strap and take it easy over the speed bumps.
I remember one time I managed to get an industrial washing machine shoved in there from my days an MacDonald’s, but that’s another story.
What with a family and a heap more junk to shift, the math changes. You see, as a single guy, you have a bed, a fridge, a washer and a couch. And a black and white telly. You get married, and your stuff multiplies by four. Then you have a kid, and it multiplies by nine. Or twelve. From the looks of these boxes, I’m inclined to think sixteen. Let’s just round it out to twenty and call it a day.
Moving house, one of the most stressful, trying events. I don’t recommend it. That said, I’m very happy that I did it. This new place is just awesome. There’s nature: kangaroos, kookaburras, currawongs, cockatoos, magpies, boo-books, rosellas, rainbow lorikeets, rabbits, foxes, there are even bloody echidnas! Echidnas! I love echidnas! Then there’s the people. Seriously, it’s like fifteen minutes from our old house and the people are like they’re from a different world. Smiles, chatting about crap, can take a joke and give it, it’s like a breath of fresh air. And that’s just the local Woolies.
Anyways, I didn’t want to waffle too much about too much but I thought it was only fair to give an update on what’s going down. On that note, yeah, Jez has been under the pump at home (of course) and at work and that’s left very little time to get on with making books. Does that mean that there are no books? OF COURSE NOT. It’s me. I’ll write in my sleep if I have to. Actually, I kind of have, and it didn’t turn out well, but that’s beside the point.
Yes, there’s a book on the way. The title? Livermead Hill Ghost. That’s about all you’ll be getting for now. More in the days to come. I’m still setting up the sound-booth for the audiobook and still finding that balance between getting things done, putting boxes away, doing work, doing overtime, responding to emergencies and the usual day-to-day. In short, hi! Jez is still here. He just needs a bit more time to get things sorted.
Bear with me.