Trentham

And it's cold. We're supposed to be painting here, but it's drizzled off and on since we got here. The Accountant, ever the optimist!, thinks it might be warmer tomorrow - but his evidence is pretty slim. On the other hand, it's always nice to get away and the dogs regard Trentham as a holiday resort - the fire, being allowed in side most of the time, new walks through soggy leaves, new dogs to wag at...We're going to dinner tonight with Peter and Maria, too, and that's always lovely.

I bought Peter a book from the Belgrave book barn - I Could Read the Sky. It's a novel with photographs and a preface by John Berger. It's a novel about Ireland and the photographs are all of Ireland and the Irish. Steve Pyke took the photographs and they are stunning. I can't understand why the book was so cheap! I bought one for myself, too - it's rare to see a novel that utilises photos - although Anthony Burroughs did it wonderfully with Beard's Roman Women. I now realise, after some internet searching, that the novel was made into a film. Hmm, where was I that year, I wonder?

I worked in the State Library of Victoria on Friday - I'm trying to do that every Friday - it's a wonderful place to work. I bought a wireless card for my laptop so I can take it in, be on the 'net and surrounded by umpteen reference books on any and every subject. Last Friday I looked up a marvellous book on tattooes. (For Ableth, the Blue slave). Found this wonderfully tattooed man who used only black - based on Borneo tribal designs - but about a quarter of his chest was actualy just black. How must that have hurt? Also found ones that echoed the body - one in particular where the tattoo was off little verterbrae before flowing out into the figure of a woman. Very interesting. I should say I am not tattooed - I've just always been interested in it. I wrote a series of poems once, From the Tattoist's Parlour about a love affair between a young woman and a tatooist (and tattooing, come to that.)

On Monday I leave for Books North festival in Townsville. I love Townsville - it's so tropical and the Strand is wonderful, the restaurants are great and the place has a good atmosphere. Of course, we'll be work-work-working - I'm going to run my new 'My Family and Other Animals' workshop for poetry - and something different for the story writing ones, too. But at night I should be able to write Bridhyia's Gifts and knit. Lovely! I'm looking forward to it.

I'm reading Q & A at the moment. Interesting structure. I'm enjoying it.