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FABULOUS NEW CREATIVE WRITING SITE

This is the first post, featuring a remarkable essay on John Oxley from a talented young writer.

Exactly who was John Oxley??

Well, as the essay explains:

John Joseph William Molesworth Oxley was born in Kirkham Abbey, a small village near Westow, Yorkshire, England. The exact year of birth isn’t known but it is thought to be between 1783 to 1785. He was the oldest son of John and Isabella Oxley.

In 1790 Oxley reluctantly, as he hadn’t wanted a naval career, joined the navy. He joined the H.M.S. Venerable as a midshipman. In 1801 he was transferred to the H.M.S. Buffalo as Masters Mate. In 1802 The Buffalo arrived in New South Wales. Oxley started doing important coastal survey work. He travelled to Van Dieman’s land (Tasmania) and returned to England in 1807. He returned to New South Wales aboard a convict ship the following year. 

To download the full essay click on the link below.

Google docs Word version:
https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=13j5hx8ZD_ZUaxtijXdy5WcX9gtE-Gx1-KaiSd6oJzhc

Google docs PDF version:
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B8OZsqleu3WyN2EyZjUyZDktMjFmNC00OTBmLThmNzEtMDA3ZGU2NGNmZGQ3&hl=en

Click here for PDF version

Docstoc PDF version:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/document-preview.aspx?doc_id=54501336

Click here for PDF version

Doc Stoc word version:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/document-preview.aspx?doc_id=54501331

Weekend Retrospective

Saturday morning saw Jojo leaving home early to spend the morning with friends at the netball courts in Fremantle, so that Bretsky and I could spend the morning trying to sort out what we might do about a headstone for Miss Eliza.  This is a task we have been putting off for probably too long, but trying to choose a grave marker for our little daughter has been something we have just not been able to come to terms with.  For me, part of the problem is that I couldn't equate a big lump of granite with my imp of a child.  However, we have come up with a plan to do something that will hopefully honor who Miss Eliza was - bright and colourful.  More on this to come soon.
Next on the list was attending the semi-final between the Dockers and Hawthorn at Subiaco oval.  We had great seats - close to the action and surrounded mostly by purple people.   Unsuccessfully tried to upload a photo there!!  The feeling at Subi was fantastic - 40 out of 42 thousand people rising to their feet at great plays from the boys, and cheering their loudest.  Great relief from a heavy morning.
Sunday was of course Father's Day.  Jojo and I had neglected to make a breakfast reservation, so we concocted our own special breakfast: fluffy pancakes both gluten free and wheaten, good ol' Canadian maple syrup, fresh strawberries and blueberries, and Greek pot-set yoghurt.  Espresso machine burbling on the stove and by crikey it was better than most cafe breakfasts!
We had no real plan for the day, but Bretsky and I were both in the mood for a drive, so we packed a quick and simple picnic and headed off to Guilderton for lunch.

Guilderton is a very small town about just over an hour north of Perth, and is situated right on a river mouth.  It is super windy, and although the river can be a little brown it's a great place for families to come camping together.  Jojo and Bretsky are great friends as well as being father/daughter. Every single night sees Jojo saying to Bretsky "assume the position".  This is Bretsky's cue to slouch on to one side of the couch so that she can snuggle against him, with his arm around her and with her lanky legs stretched out across the rest of the couch.  They stay like this for least half an hour every night, and often considerably longer.  They watch telly, read, talk, enjoy being.  They both cherish this time, and so do I - they always look content.

The last undertaking of the weekend was to try our new coconut grater - yes we have been hitting the Asian food stores again since coming home from Malaysia.

Whirly flower blades scraping tendrils of moist chewy coconut from the full, ripe shell.....like my Nigella Lawson impression?  It did work well, and the beef floss curry made with it was truly sublime.  Always relieved when 'special days' are over.  Looking forwards.

Peace.

It's the 2nd day of the month, therefore....

I write something!  Trawling through the paltry few entries I have written, I noticed that I invariably write on the second day of the month, and decided to be consistently inconsistent, if you know what I mean.
I am going to give you a brief overview of the last three months, and then pretend that there hasn't been a three month hiatus.  Good idea?  So....the last three months saw -
* A fabulous 15 day holiday/trek through Malaysia - I plan to bore you with photos
* Lots of normal working / mothering / wifing / sistering / friending / houseworking / reading / procrastinating
* Several great afternoons at the football supporting the Fremantle Dockers - we are going this coming Saturday to the semi-final - come on boys you can do it!
* The purchasing of tickets to see U2 on our wedding anniversary in December
* Our pet yabby of three years, Denise, sadly died and was appropriately buried under the mulberry tree
* We finally sold the Forester, only took five months to accomplish!
* Jojo and a friend start taking private folk fiddling lessons with a hip young woman, and we have watched her enjoyment of playing and consequently the quality of her playing improve dramatically
* The start of a new, bright quilt
* A plan for the principal and lote teacher and myself to enter an item at our school's talent competition.  We plan to be singing and playing our ukelele's...better start practising!
* and last Monday I got my nose pierced - something I have always wanted to do and thought why the heck not?
I'm sure other stuff happened, but they were the more interesting things.
As for the next three months, I plan to be a regular with the writing, and have devised all sorts of categories for myself to keep me rolling along.
 Peace.