PRE- ORDER Fleur's newest novel 'Into the Night'
One of the things I love about being married is two familles worth of traditions combine. I like traditions, especially around Christmas and birthdays. As a kid I loved knowing that we would go to the small Christmas pageant which was held in Orroroo every Christmas eve. I enjoyed the carols which were held either…
Last week, after many power outages and surges, the microwave blew up closely followed by the TV. I’m not casting any aspersions that the power caused the demise of my two electrical appliances, but it does seem coincidental. We rarely watch TV and I thought I hardly used the microwave… However not two days after…
Every daughter has a special relationship with her father. Mine is no different. I love my Dad to the moon and back and I’m so proud of what he has achieved in his life and the obstacles he’s had to over come to do it. A few weeks ago, Mum and Dad flew to Alice…
Meita (pronounced ‘metre’) is our new pup. We seem to have a few coming along don’t we? Well unfortunately Buck and Hogget both were killed by snakes, last year, so the only working dog we have at the moment is Wally (also know as Law – our dogs have about five (nick) names but they…
I’m not sure why it’s heart wrenching, incomprehensible tragedies that make us stop and look at our lives – I don’t understand why we can’t see what we have until something happens. Why have I enjoyed the hugs I’ve had from my children more this week than others? Why couldn’t I appreciate…
People come and go in our lives. Some are easily forgotten and some stay with us forever, even if we’re not in contact. This morning I found out that my old music teacher died from cancer. I’ve been shocked at my sense of loss, even though it’s been nearly twenty years since I’ve had contact…
I went to sit with my first ‘child’ today. Although he’s a bit dottery on his paws now, and old and grey around the muzzle with weepy eyes, underneath he’s still my old Rex. He was born one cold blustery winter night under the combine in our machinery shed. Coincidentally it was on my dad’s…
Today I’ll be heading to the beach as I’ve done on this day for the past two years. You see, today it’s two years since my friend Ned died and Ned loved the beach. Her death was expected. She’d been suffering from breast cancer for a while and was told just before Christmas there was…
Going to Perth, for us, is mostly a big adventure. We don’t go often – the eight hour drive puts a ‘quick trip’ out of the question. We left very early last week – 4am. My daughter needed to be in Perth for an appointment at 3:30pm – nothing like a deadline and an unfamiliar…
I think regular readers of my blog know that our family spends a bit of time at the beach. The boss is a keen fisherman and always seems to have his eye on the tides, his Almanec and whatever else that tells him it’s a good fishing night. Our beaches are usually deserted but in…
I can’t believe we’ve hit March already – I’m not sure where the year has disappeared to! Our weather has been slightly murky for the last few weeks, with a real autumn feel about it. I sometimes can’t believe that Perth can be around the 40 degree mark and we haven’t hit 25 degrees! It…
Last night as I took these photos, my kids were happily eating their tea. The boss had gone for ‘a quick fish’ at Thomas River and my dogs were happily running around my feet. No one had any idea what we would be seeing on the TV, twelve hours later. I almost feel like it…
The rain has brought the frogs out, which in turn usually brings the snakes. Thankfully I haven’t seen any, in the last week, but I’m sure they are gliding, slithering and sliding all around the house at night – ugh, it doesn’t bear thinking about! These little fellas, in my opinion, aren’t cute and I…
Happy New Year! I’m completely amazed at how quickly this year has been and gone. As a child, my Mum would always tell me, not to wish my life away, which was pretty hard, when I was ten, and thinking I was much older and knew better than she did, or sixteen and badly wanting…
Tomorrow my Christmas starts. We have family coming for the big day, so I won’t be online too much. Munji trees amaze me. They’re parasites and live off any tree or bush that is near them. This one in particular is awesome, because three weeks ago I would have sworn it was dead! No leaves,…
Our front door is always cluttered with boots. If it’s summer, it’s usually just of the rossi kind – normal slip on work boots, but if it’s winter they’re of the muddy, rubber variety. This door way is the bane of my life – it’s forever covered with mud, sand, grain, hay or anything that…
Kids can be hilarious! How many times have you been trying to tell them off and an ‘out of the mouth of babes’ moment happens and you’re left trying to smother the laughter that just wants to bubble out of you? My son is the best at it – he has some funny ways of…
I’ve been talking with my marketing guru and we’ve come up with a ‘novel’ idea! The best answer to this question: ‘What is the first question you would ask Fleur McDonald?’ will win a twenty minute conversation with me, in December. If you email me with your answer, I’ll pick the winner on the 30th…
This chair is a memory from my childhood. It used to be my Nana Parnell’s and it used to be green. It had a hole the size of a twenty cent piece right in the middle of the seat. A coal from her open fire caused that. It’s actually an antique; a ‘Smokers Bow’. I…
It was quite an amazing experience to see Nick Parnell play his Bach to Brazil concert, in Esperance. I’d been hoping for some time that he would be able to “mesmerize us with his mallets” and mesmerize he did! With fifty instruments on stage, the main instrument was the Vibraphone, but included tuned wine glasses,…