July 2009

Could this picture really be five years old today?

July 31, 2009

My heart is crying, people. Isn’t she just gorgeous? (By the way, Neighbours fans? The baby India character? Looks a lot like Keira did as a newborn. I did a double-take a few weeks ago. Uncanny.) The photo was taken at the fabulous Warrandyte bakery where, incidentally, I met my pal Genevieve for coffee last week.

A very un-parental thought to have…

July 30, 2009

Yesterday the kids were fighting and I literally said this out loud, “Riley, please don’t hit your sister with a candlestick.” And in my head I added, This isn’t a game of Cluedo, buddy. I’m tired, folks. Tired and stressed. For a week now there’s been some behind-the-scenes issues going on here at miscmum (server [...]

There’s a new scarecrow at the farm

July 29, 2009

My uncle sent up a present of this realistic-looking hawk to hang over my grandparents’ vegetable patch which is being heavily picked off by all the birds at the moment. He got the idea from his bowling club, who use the same birds to keep the others off their greens (I think). Here’s the closeup. [...]

Still riding the crest of the wave; starting to get a bit wobbly

July 27, 2009

First, thank you all so much for your comments, emails, twitters etc of congratulation to Saturday’s news. To celebrate I thought it would be fun to get up at 4.45am Sunday morning, charge out to the airport, drag along a daughter who was crying because daddy was out of her sight for five seconds, and [...]

I won a poetry award today

July 25, 2009

I know, can you believe it? I’m still pinching myself. When I first heard the news I was requested to keep it quiet, which was okay by me because I kept expecting a call back saying something like, “You’re Karen Andrews? Sorry, we thought you were Karen Andrens. Whoops our mistake. How embarrassing.” My poem “At [...]

It’s Olympic time…again

July 24, 2009

Remember last year when we went Olympic mad? When my mother was down and hosted what can only be described as a truly awesome Olympic-themed party? The children have not forgotten. Oh, no, and when mum was down they demanded a repeat, could just not wait another three years (or one year if you count [...]

Spot the one that doesn’t belong!

July 23, 2009

Well, three don’t belong, but I’m thinking of one in particular!

Anti-Productivity Commission Petition for booksellers

July 22, 2009

Much has been said against the Productivity Commission’s report last week recommending the lifting of parallel import restrictions, thus jeopardising the Australian publishing industry and potentially the livelihood of authors. My friend and independent bookstore owner asked me to co-write a petition to our Prime Minister and she has given me permission to post these [...]

What I’m reading late July 2009

July 21, 2009

I’m pretty sure I need to start changing these post titles to something more appropriate like, “What books I’m borrowing late July 2009″ because a great many go back unread. Flicked through, yes. Started, yes. Finished? No. Well I can finally change that this week, for I did finish David Sedaris, one of the few [...]