new in town...

Well, i have officially moved into my new place, and after a sweltering heatwave, with no air conditioner... and no internet... and no friends... i'm very glad to be back online.

I have decided to keep this blog running as an update (sort of stole this idea from tim) for anyone interested in what i'm up to. personal blogs are under-rated. but i'm hoping i will actually have interesting information to report to you all on, and if not, at least i have a record/diary of my time while i am here.

I'm settling in fast - without internet i was forced to come up with my own means on entertainment. Anyone who knows me will know that i pretty much live cybertronically (is that even a word?) so the first day was horrible, but i got all the un-packing out of the way... i went to visit the air-conditioned shops a few times... and i spent a lot of time watering plants from the tank out the back.

Next to the tank (pictured) is a glorious specimen which provides and abundance of juicy apples. I took advantage of the 'temporary disconnection' and decided to make an apple pie. Now... this is something that i definitely have never attempted before... and although i briefly spoke to my mum about how to go about it, i was pretty much left to my own devices. I have to say, in the beginning i thought it was going to turn out a hopeless mess of apple mush.... but it turned out rather lovely! I put an entire photo story on facebook if anyone's actually interested in the endeavour, but for this blog; "here's one i prepared earlier".


...and yes, i did leave it to cool on the window ledge, although it was mainly for the sake of the photo, as i'm sure the kitten would have gobbled it up had i left it there alone. I haven't actually eaten a slice yet, as i'm waiting to share it with company, but the smell that is left lingering in my kitchen/dining room is absolutely heavenly, and from the few little "taste tests" i allowed myself throughout the cooking process, i can tell it's going to be delicious with a little dollop of ice cream.

So i guess this officially makes me a home-maker now, right? That's what i think anyway. Another creatively productive thing i managed was to write another song - i recorded it whilst sitting in a 39 C lounge room (which was considerably cool, compared to outside which was up to 45 at the time) and to be honest i wasn't really thinking about quality, so it's slightly depressing, done in one take per vocal, and there is a lot of clipping. Nevermind. Go listen to 'Simple But True' if you like. Funny thing is, i've been complaining to my mum about wanting to sell my flute for years... she wouldn't let me, because my grandma and grandpa bought it for me. "You will pick it up one day again, you never know" she would say. I always retorted with something like "yeah, use it as a door stop". It surprises me sometimes how little respect i have for my own musical instruments. Never the less, as you can hear, i have picked it up again... and as you would also be able to hear, i'm a little out of practise. Perhaps if i have it a name, like my guitar (delilah) i would give it the respect it so obviously deserves. Any name suggestions?

My lovely little man (ponyo) is also settling into the new house wonderfully well. He very quickly found a few favourite little spots where i can't reach him, but i'm happy he hasn't ventured out near the road, where semi's and various other large vehicles often pass through on their way to Melbourne. I wish more of my friends would write blogs - i really enjoy reading even just everyday mundane things about the people i love; does that make me weird? Well - i'm hoping this blog will eventually not only be a personal diary of my days but also a record of my first year of teaching. This could be helpful one day to someone else who is starting out and doesn't know what to expect. I don't know exactly how much time i'm going to have to update, but i suppose we will find out pretty soon!

I need to mention another blog which i have spent the last few days reading. This blog is written by a woman who names herself social documenter of Narrung, with interest listed as 'wishing to see the waters around the Narrung Penninsula restored with fresh water flows from the River Murray'. As someone who has moved into this area, this blog has provided me with so much information, history, and a greater appreciation for the life of this area and surrounding areas. She writes from experience, as well as using citations where appropriate, and honestly i can't stop reading! I'm very thankful to have come across her blog, and recommend it highly.

Well - until next time! Signing out ^.^