Category Archives: Family

DARK MOFO and the Winter Solstice

June 23, 2014 By in Family, Tasmania Tags: , , , , , , , , 27 Comments

DARK MOFO Hobart 2014

What a lovely little weekend that was.

It was the winter solstice here on Saturday. The shortest day of the year was a sunny one, filled from dusk until dawn with light and brightness.

DorkyDad and I went out to the Winter Feast on Saturday night – a loud and lively celebration of local food. It was the only DARK MOFO event we went to together. DorkyDad had been to listen to poetry and music at the Odeon Theatre last week, and DorkySon and I spent a merry afternoon with our mops at Yin Xiuzhen’s ice sculpture, but Saturday night was special.

Continue reading →

Boxes

June 17, 2014 By in Family 34 Comments

child playing with cardboard boxThere is a bit of a box theme running in this house at the moment.

One of DorkySon’s favourite playthings is what he calls his ‘random box’ – a large, lidded plastic container filled with an assortment of absolute tat. There are those dreadful cheap toys that you get free on the front of magazines – shaky little vehicles that lose a wheel the first time they go out on the road. There are golf balls that have been liberated from DorkyDad’s collection. There are pieces of tinsel and sparkly rosettes with small scraps of Christmas paper still attached. There are assorted collectors cards – Australian animals, Disney characters, Phillies players from the 2009 baseball season. There are slices of cardboard pizza that smell of basil – sort of. There are empty Kinder Surprise cases, and a couple of old phones with the batteries removed. There’s an egg timer and a magnifying glass, a plastic fishing rod with assorted sea creatures in lurid colours, a few pieces of doctor’s kit… Continue reading →

Boy Love

June 3, 2014 By in Family Tags: , , , , , 55 Comments

Fripp Island beach

DorkyDad and I were lying in bed the other night. We were laughing.

“He’s like you,” he said.

“No, no, no. Don’t blame that mess on me,” I said. “He’s all you. Every last bit of it. It’s all your fault.”

It was a shock to have a son. It was all a shock, actually. Pregnancy, labour, birth… that deep intake of breath that came when I was handed a solid little body for the first time.

I was so sure it was a girl. We had chosen her name. She would arrive calm and quiet in a rosy glow. Instinct would kick in and the rest would be easy.

Ha!

That’s what DorkySon says now. ‘

“Ha! Tricking you!’

Wee bugger.

Continue reading →

Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter

May 30, 2014 By in Family, Tasmania Tags: , , , , , , 22 Comments

autumn in Tasmania

Tomorrow – the first day of June – is the official start of winter in Tasmania. I like the way the seasons are marked so precisely into three month chunks here.

Autumn has been glorious. The sunsets over the last few weeks have taken our breath away, and the daylight hours have had a real crispness to them. Most of the rain has come at night. On the few overcast days we’ve had, the river has looked all the lovelier, infused with a glittering silver light. The mist here, when it swirls like magic down the Derwent, is called Bridgewater Jerry. It creeps through the pillars of the Tasman Bridge, stealing it from sight for an hour or two, but it’s nothing like Edinburgh where the haar descends for days and chills you right down to the marrow.

Continue reading →

There is going to be a wedding

May 26, 2014 By in Family, Scotland Tags: , , , 37 Comments

marriage

There is going to be a wedding.

This July, back on the island where I was born, my oldest, closest childhood friend will exchange Miss for Mrs, although in true Scottish fashion she already shares a surname with the man she is due to marry. She was my bridesmaid, almost seven years ago, and I’m honoured that she has asked me to do the same.

What a joyful celebration it will be. I can imagine already her shy smile, her graceful walk, the radiant light in her eyes. I know there will be giggles as she and her husband try to steady their shaking hands for long enough to ease on golden bands. Continue reading →