Jen Black's Blog, page 18

A bridge of wire mesh

 The fresh sea air knocked us both out and we had a very quiet Sunday.

On Sunday evening we went to the Plonk beach cafe and ate Tiger prawns and flatfish with chips and  a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. The bridge in the picture is the Spit bridge  - the only bridge I know built of wire mesh which means I can see through it as I drive over it or sail underneath it - and it is a drawbridge, timed to open at specified times. Boats queue up to move under the bridge, some going out to sea and some returning to harbour. This happened while we were there, so there was lots of interest which certainly kept the youngest members of the party happy.

Monday was another day out in the boat. An early start - 7.30am and by 9 we were unloading the boat on the Hawksbury River. Very different to the day in Sydney Harbour. I've never seen a boat backed into the water before, but everything worked well. We found a solitary seal sunbathing, got stopped by the marine police on a jet ski and were invited to display knowledge of the rules, regs, certificates and permission to fish - yes, yours truly did some fishing using a dead prawn (bought at a garage on the way out of Mossman) but did not catch anything. Paul caught one hand sized silver fish which he returned to the ocean. 

Lots of beaches with houses of various shape and sizes, but no public landing places.  So we ate our sarnies onboard thinking that if one buys a plot of land and builds a house, then one does not wish to have one's peace disturbed by the hoi pollaig in this case - us.  I found the day most relaxing.

A day on the boat

 A splendid day on the water. 

 31 degrees and everyone in shorts and sandals 

Sydney harbour is huge and offers many kinds of beaches, from the sort only accessed by boat to those like Balmoral right next to main roads, shops and houses. In spite of the vast spaces of the continent, houses stand very close to one another and are built onto cliff faces and slopes, often on stilts and columns, all to enjoy the waterfront view.
And what houses! They say it is no good being a millionaire here today - you need to be a billionaire!
Most homes sprawl across the available space, but I spotted one tall thin building with five floors and possibly a garden level as well. I did wonder how people reached their front door. There are steps thatclimb straight up the hillside, so steeply I would not dare attempt to climb them and driving to most of them seems impossible. Dh says some have lifts to take them up and down.
The new boat was lovely with enough room for four adults and two children to move around freely. Powerful, too, as we rocketed across the choppy waters between the headlands and bounced on the waves caused by the ferries and the speedboats.Came home sunburned and yawning after all that fresh sea air.

First days in Oz

 We had to have a PCR test within 24 hours of arrival in Australia. So yesterday we set out to attend the local drive-thru test centre and were astonished to find that there was a 3 hour queue of cars ahead of us all waiting to access the Willoughby Centre. In actual fact it took closer to 4 hours, but eventually it was done. Evidently cases are rising here as well as in England.

We got the result within 24 hours, and happily we both registered as negative. We have to do it all again in 6 days time. So the precautions on the planes and in the airports of Newcastle and Dubai paid off. Because we had a longer wait in Dubai, we have not really suffered from jet lag, though I have to admit to feeling a little jaded today (Friday) What we need is a good walk in fresh air and we may do that this afternoon.

The temperature is 22 degrees and intermittently sunny. Tomorrow it is forecasting 31 and 33 on Sunday, so I may pick up a little tan before I arrive back in cold Newcastle. It was warm enough for the boys to play with a dinosaur spurting cold water this lunchtime! Rather them than me!
There are plans to take the boat out on the harbour tomorrow. Am I seasick on small boats? I don't know, but I will certainly find out. 

An eventful flight

 Car picked us up from home, 5pm, smooth ride to the airport. Check-in clerk says he must ring Australia. "We do it for everyone," he says with a reassuring smile. 

Reports back, minus smile, with another guy. "There's a problem."

One of our many, many documents states I am Mrs Jennifer Mary Black. The airline ticket has me down as Mrs William Black, and Australia won't accept me. 

I had visions of Bill flying off, and me heading home in a taxi. (Must remember to get house key from him.) Then I remembered Paul and his police training - smile and insist. "I am  both of those things," I said. "I am one person. Check my passport number. It is nothing but a clerical error." On whose part, I did not say. 

The manager spent ages hanging on to call Australia to try and change things. We stood at the desk, worrying. It must have taken an hour or more, and we finally paid £10 to get the name changed so Australia will accept me. We made it to the BL in time to have a swift glass of wine (2 SWIFT brandies for Bill to calm his nerves) and then onto the plane at 8.30pm, - the plane left 30 minutes late because "there had been so many problems." (Not just us, I hasten to add.)

The young guy behind us was flying to Singapore for work, and his PCR test was 5 hours out of time. We don't know what happened to him but he may have had to stay overnight and wait for a new test. Flying these days is no easy task. Check and treble check everything. I am braced for an exciting arrival in Sydney.....

We seem to be acceptable

Excitement is starting to build in the household.

I actually packed my case yesterday. The hoops we have had to jump through!

Australia is very careful about who it allows to visit, but so far, we seem to be acceptable.

One more test to do and if that is OK then we're OK.

Now I have to remember all the little things I use every day - the sort of things that are easily forgotten. Like eyebrow tweezers, my diary, password book - yes, I know they should never be written down, but hey! Laptop mouse and batteries - without that I am sunk. Imagine being on holiday and no internet access! Unthinkable. How else will I show you all the pictures...

TV thoughts.

 Shetland is a series I enjoy watching in spite of having to tune my ear in to Douglas Henshall's accent each time.  The last episode revealed all last night and then the last few closing words accused Jimmy Perez of aiding and abetting murder! 

Jimmy Perez! What are they thinking? 

I know that they filmed 2 series on Shetland back to back recently, but of course they are not going to release series 7 until next year. Hopefully, early in the year. I don't want to wait forever.

The other crime drama I began watching I'm not so keen on. Dalgleish. Oh, the acting is fine and the lead actor does a wonderful job but the story lines are so depressing. Always connected to the church in some way, in the dark colours of the 70s for accuracy and not a joke in sight. Now I know why I never read any of the novels of P D James except Murder comes to Pemberley, and I was not very keen on that.

There is a rumour that Happy Valley is doing a series 3. I hope so. Even my other half watched that, though we caught onto it quite late as in last year.

Hope for Last Tango in Halifax is fading, which is sad. I know they've all gone on to bigger and better things - well, the two female leads have; but I would like to see another series.

November droops

 November means Nanowrimo.

Social media goes quiet, book sales drop off,  and many claim the month is filled with holiday prep  - which is odd because  we don't have any holidays in November and surely it is far too early for Christmas preparation? (But other countries do!)

Then there is tax preparation and end of year wrapping up of projects - now there I can relate, since I am desperate to finish my current novel and this week - or was it last? - Amazon told me it required a new tax form from me. 

I don't take part in  Nanowrimo because for me it takes all the pleasure out of writing. Besides, the editing afterwards must be horrendous. 

I'm one of those people who write a scene and then go back the next day and fill in all the "expression," as I call it. I sometimes go back two and three times, especially if my plotline is changing in any way- which it usually does!

It seems odd that to lump book sales in with this list. Not all readers are aspiring authors, but mine do drop in November. I wonder if it possibly has more to do with people waiting for Black Friday reductions when they plan to have a a splurge and buy lots of cut-price books? That makes more sense to me.

A big enough turkey

 We are currently waiting to see if Australia deems us worthy of being allowed to visit them.  Been waiting about a fortnight now. We have an exemption as parents of an Australian citizen - well two or three of them - but it doesn't seem to speed things along as we fondly imagined it would.

Once we do get there it will be heading up to midsummer for them - totally different to the grand Northumberland countryside closing down for the winter here. The idea of walking barefoot along Diamond Beach appeals very much right now and we are assured that Helen has bought a turkey big enough for everyone. 

The Ellsdon Affair under way

These, at the moment, are the first paragraphs of my new novel. They may yet change or be deleted as I am still very much at work on it! (The highlighting is for me to keep check of a sub-plot as I go through the chapters. So easy to forget things, or get them out of place in the time line.) he title will undoubtedly be The Ellsdon Affair. As yet I have no cover....

The coach rolled to a stop in the small Northumberland village of Ellsdon, the door opened and Miss Rosa Brewster fell out onto the stony track. By sheer chance, her cousin Louise, impatiently awaiting her arrival, dashed forward, caught her by the arm and prevented her from pitching headlong in the dust.

“Careful!” she cried. Young enough to laugh at mishaps, they clung together, chuckling. “What were you doing?”

“Thank goodness you were waiting for me,” Rosa gasped. She held her cousin at arm’s length and scanned her fair curls and amused blue eyes with pleasure. “I’ve been so cramped the entire journey I think my foot has gone to sleep because I can’t feel a thing. Do you think we might dare a quick stroll?” She waved at the village green behind her.

Louise darted a glance at the house behind her. “Quickly then. The others will hear the coach and be out in a moment.”

With Louise to steady her, Rosa hobbled a step or two until feeling came back into her foot. “I could not wait to get here,” Rosa declared. It was the truth, but she declined to speak of the reason for such longing. Time for such disclosures once she was settled in with her cousins.  

Louise snatched an assessing glance at her companion. “We shall have such fun.” For a moment, her fair brows drew together. “We even have a little mystery I think you ought to know about. It involves Grace.”

Rosa stopped brushing dust from her gown. “Your sensible older sister? What can Grace have done to cause alarm?”

We liberated Tim on Wednesday 27th October at the high p...

 We liberated Tim on Wednesday 27th October at the high point of his favourite walk. In sight of home on the other side of the valley, in sunshine, a west wind to support him, and a rainbow on the other side of the hedge. So now my lad is free to do what he liked doing best.

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