Celebrate the Small Things: Capricorn Moon

Alas, I must return to work on Monday after a three week break, and so it is with some disappointment that I report on the non cooperation of the weather with my holiday plans.

We went to Auckland for New Year's Eve, and spent a couple of days there sightseeing...in the rain. Yes, it rained the whole time. On our return home we found the weather had followed us, so we had three more days without the sun. Keep in mind, it is summer Down Under and yours truly likes to hit the beach daily during his Christmas/New Year vacation.

On Friday the sun came out, so I headed for the beach, but it was closed due to dangerous conditions. Sure the sun was shining and a light breeze was blowing. It would have been perfect except for the fact the lifeguards had put up the no swimming sign. Undeterred...okay I was slightly deterred, I traveled further south to another beach. Imagine my joy when, upon arrival I found the same beach closed sign.

I stood and pondered the awful cruelties of life, and while I was feeling sorry for myself, the lifeguards zoomed out across the beach in their little sand buggy, and erected those beautiful red and yellow flags which declare to all that the surf is ready to receive swimmers. On my way in to the crisp rolling waves, I thanked the lifeguard for opening the beach just for me.

2016 looms large as a potentially great year for my career according to the Chinese horoscope, or so my partner assures me. Across the Margin published my short story Capricorn Moon on January 6, so I'm off to a good start. Lovesick is resting, waiting for the first round of revisions, and I have commenced my next project which is a supernatural thriller. As for going back to work on Monday...I can hardly wait. I love my job!

May 2016 be an outstandingly successful one for you, both personally and professionally. Do you have any particular goals or plans?

A Trip to Somewhere

I started back at work on Monday after a three week break for Christmas/New Year which wasn't quite long enough. That always seems to be the case. I had  numerous family gatherings -my nana and daughter both have birthdays in early January- watched lots of cricket, including going to two games, went swimming often (beach and pool), and I took a trip to somewhere.

I'd like to tell you about the trip which involved flying to a destination, buying a car and driving back, but I am currently plagued with all manner of apprehension vis a vis sharing my personal life online. My online presence has always been about two things: fun and book sales.

Book sales? Still waiting for those. Fun? Some of what I call fun is now being deemed insensitive and offensive which leaves me wondering what to say and what not to say. I have always considered myself to be a very circumspect person; cautious in word and deed, but it seems I have either been deluding myself or I have undergone a radical change. In any case, I find myself bridled, and I fear this is no good thing.

On the book front, my first novel, Devolution, will be re published with a new cover this year, and of course A Muddy Red River is also due for publication in 2015.

Christmas Redeemed

In the aftermath of Christmas, I want to reassure my readers that my Christmas was far better than I imagined it could be. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and at Christmas we celebrate his birth, the beginning of God's plan of redemption. By keeping my eyes on Him, my saviour, this Christmas has also been redeemed.

I want to share my top ten Christmas moments for 2014. As I don't generally like long blog posts, I am going to split them in two. Here are the first five, in chronological order.

1. My aunty and uncle hosted a Christmas lunch/dinner/breakfast for my mum's side of the family the Sunday before Christmas. She purchased a number of small items from a second hand shop, wrapped them and distributed them to us as we sat around the table. We were instructed to chose a gift from the basket, unwrap it and tell a story about it. We could then chose to keep it or give it to someone else, and explain why we were giving it to that particular person.

2. Images on television of babies and toddlers sleeping peacefully in the arms of their parents at the annual Carols in the Domain concert in Sydney.

3. My girlfriend and I drove around on Christmas Eve looking at

Christmas lights. The trouble that some people go to to produce such spectacular displays, and the way they welcome strangers to join together on their lawns and enjoy, still makes me smile.

4. Singing "You are the Light of the World" at church on Christmas morning. A pumping song with lots of energy, hand clapping, gestures and a simple, powerful message of hope.

5. I began a new Christmas tradition with my family many years

ago which involves a trip to the beach on Christmas Day. December is notorious in Australia for un summery weather, and Christmas Day itself is often rainy and cool. This year, we had warmth and sunshine and we swam in the ocean under the watchful eye of individual lifeguards. Yes, there were enough lifeguards on duty to rescue each and every swimmer should we have encountered any trouble in the surf.

While you wait for the next five, why not share some of your Christmas highlights.

Invigorating

This is not the scene which greeted us this morning. Port Kembla Beach is an award winning beach on the south coast of New South Wales which at its best shows this face and is resplendent with the bright colours of summer.

We planned this trip to the beach a week ago, determined to get to in the surf more often than every other summer we have had such intentions. We woke this morning to grey skies and so began the inevitable debate as to whether we should go or not go.

In the end we decided to go for it despite the thick fog and the slightly cooler than anticipated air temperature. My dad, my nephew and my children braved the uninviting weather, the threat of freezing water and the absence of other swimmers, and we plunged in (after consulting with the life guard who was still trying to figure out the safest place to put the flags.)

The fog stayed and we had the breath stolen from our lungs as we dived into the waves but it was great. A half an hour later, the flags were up and other people flooded the sand, stripping to swim in the refreshing waters of the Pacific Ocean. We had a great time. It was super invigorating and a great way to start the day.

I'm so glad we went for it instead of making excuses to stay in bed. Ever had that feeling?