I donated some books at the station book swap a while back and I came home with some too. Always the way. I was obsessed with SARK in my late teens and used to own this tagged book.

Such gorgeous writing in this stunning, grey book. Many pages folded already. Gotta love a margarita in winter especially when delivered to the hammock by a hot bloke I know. Have a curry in the slow cooker for dinner so that will warm me up. Then a couple of episodes of Daisy Jones and the Six later.

Book swap scores from Tuesday afternoon. I get off the train and walk home via the book swap for ‘exercise‘ instead of catching the tram. It‘s my favourite afternoon of the week. Afterwards I stretch with a glass of wine. I also try to go to bed early with tea and a book.

Yesterday my train was cancelled so I made good use of time (over half an hour) and kept warm by visiting the nearby Book Swap. Good way to fix a bad start to winter. May have got a bit grabby but how could I leave these behind. I promise to return them when I‘m finished.

Newsagency purchases last Wednesday. The activity books are for my nephew when we travel up the east coast of Australia next school holidays to my grandmother‘s 90th birthday so I can keep him entertained.

I love the Australian Women‘s Weekly which comes out monthly (but we still can‘t say Women‘s Monthly 🤣). I got a pile of them on Saturday night from downstairs in my building‘s library. The magazine has a great book review section, I often get ideas from. I‘m posting this to remind myself to buy it for one of my nieces or nephews.

What I discovered on the way to the Sydney Writer‘s Festival on Friday in a little lane in Redfern. I hope it‘s there when I return next year.

Scores from the Little Free Library just now on my way to get a free chai at the Metro. If you spend $30 on groceries, your drink is free. Going to give the mag to my wayward teen to read while I soak in a 🛀 with those salts tonight. I love the adult version of this magazine. A teacher called this week to say he was going to give Tilly 0 unless she hands something in on Monday. Needless to say there has been no tic tok for her this weekend. Ha!

& that is a wrap on the Sydney Writer‘s Festival for another year. This pic was taken in the Eternity Bar at Central as I waited to board my train home this arvo. I went to see the book‘s author speak yesterday. Today was all about cooking & script writing. Eleanor Catton summed the festival up best & brought tears to my eyes by saying something like ‘The best books make you realise that everyone is different but that we are also the same‘. ❤️

A great start to the Sydney Writer‘s Festival yesterday. They are some of my favourite days of the year. I think it‘s great that Jane has got much better at public speaking and is now interviewing people herself. She was talking to Ben Stevenson, the writer of Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone. This book goes against all the writing rules as he thought he was going to die of covid which was in full swing as he was writing it.

Last term‘s library sale was fill a bag for $5. I‘d been a couple of times with no cash but it turns out it was eftpos only! I missed out on some good books because of this. It really annoys me when people won‘t take both cash and card. The dvds are for my nieces and nephews. I saw the tagged author speak about cemeteries at the Sydney Writer‘s Festival. Which is on again next weekend. Woo hoo!

I‘m always in need of🍷 ( I‘ve smashed 2 this fortnight. One in the dishwasher and the other was on the edge of the island as I wizzed into the kitchen) so whenever I see a nice and cheap set I grab them. These beautifully etched set of six were only $10! Can you see them? I may have not gone straight back to work after being on an interview panel last term because you know op shops. I figured it finished before schedule. Here is the result. Ha!

Tuesday‘s finds at the Book Swap on the way home from work.

Op shop finds from 3 weekends ago! I‘m partial to a Princess Highway dress and this was in the window so I couldn‘t resist. One of my favourite things to do is read in the bath with a glass of wine so there are bath products in this shot too. I collect Rose Tremain books. I already own a burn after writing book but this one looked different. The pottery has my grandmother‘s name on it so I thought I‘d use it as a pot for a plant. I like the style.

Last night‘s 📖 club was at a member‘s gorgeous, eclectic & colourful 🏠. It was warm enough to be outside some what rugged up. Our other 📕 was Still Life by Sarah Winman. I ❤️ that a character in both 📚 was an animal. Claude 🦜 was hilarious & I want Six thirty to be my 🐕 . We ate 🐓 🍜 & sweet 🍞 from a fantastic local bakery. Dessert was brownies, macarons & melting moments. I was 😢 when it was time to go 🏡. I‘m the 1 in the dark 🧥.

Out to breakfast again before ballet on this beautiful Saturday morning. Rain‘s coming! Op shopping after then to the pub to watch dad‘s horse race and Smashing Pumpkins and Jane‘s Addiction concert tonight! The support act is Amyl and the Sniffers who I have wanted to see for ages! I‘m reading this for my Stockton Mother‘s Book Club. Liking it enough to watch the series. I did find the rape scene out of character with the rest of the book though

Some Little Free Library finds from a while ago. New books all look the same nowadays.

1. Exercise obsessed. Always have been. Go to ballet class whenever & wherever. Been dancing since I was 9. I stopped when I was married. No wonder that didn‘t last. 2. Stretching with a 🍷 on 🩰 free nights. Stretching for me takes at least 2 glasses & I can stretch for hrs. 3. I ❤️ a foreign 🎥 & how they never quite end right, that‘s more realistic than Hollywood. Reading the screen keeps me awake. If I lay down I am asleep but only after dark.

Another quick holiday op shop at the Salvos in Dub Vegas. I‘m going to pay my ballet buddy who sews to turn the brown fabric into some warm up pants and the pink into a shirt dress. The other flower piece I‘d imagine as a panel in a dress. The stationery was free and for #LitsyLove of course. There are a couple of nice warm winter tops. The pink one may even get worn under the black. I saw Maxine speak at the Sydney Writer‘s Festival last year.

On Thursday last week I made my usual holiday trip with Stew to where he works in a nearby town for the day. The weather was terrible as it rained most of the time and High Street is long with lots of op shops spread along the way but we had a yummy morning tea at Icky Sticky patisserie. The new owners still make my favourite cake. Then we had an Italian lunch together and in between I shopped. Here are my spoils from just one of the op shops!

Got this one at Vinnies in Dubbo and perused it on the way home on the bus before leaving it in the park during the rest stop for someone else to enjoy. I have vintage cases I could store books under my bed in like this picture. This was the only idea I got from this book but it was still enjoyable to flick though. I wouldn‘t pay full price for it though.

This school hols I became well versed in the art of a quick op shop as I wasn‘t a free agent. I took my step daughters & 1 of their friends. Only 1 step daughter came home with anything but they weren‘t too annoying. They all picked on me for buying this shirt but I don‘t care because I ❤️ it. We went to the 🍣 train beforehand (no sake but there was green tea ice cream) and to a nice organic🍷 shop after then on to the spa and sauna at my place.

Things you find at a book swap. I ❤️ me some choko with butter so don‘t mind if I do. I also ❤️ this mag about books that State Library of New South Wales puts out and I collect Jackie French. Today has been great so far. My building inspection to make sure it is🔥 safe was done in less than an hour so I have the rest of the day to get organised for school going back on Monday eg. food prep and a bit of relaxing later on with that mag and a wine.

Scores from the Dubbo book swap. As usual I took more than I replaced because I have book addiction issues. I went home to the country for my favourite cousin‘s 21st birthday. It was a Wild West theme we got ready at my sister‘s town house and also slept there that night. A booze bus was hired to ferry us between both locations. I‘m heading back home now and excited to read the magazines on the way. They usually help the trip to go faster.

I‘ve wanted to visit this little book swap in Sandy Hollow for yonks and finally got to on the way home from my parents after a massive Easter with my sisters and their kidlets. The kids range in age from 10 months to 14 years and I am very grateful that they all play so well together. We hardly saw most of them as they were yabbying in the creek behind my mum and dad‘s place. The yabbies were too small to eat so they threw them back in. 🐣

1. Nadia Comaneci, the gymnast. I‘d watch the movie of the same name over and over again and dream of getting perfect scores. I have gone on to do that twice so far in my ballet exams. Once as a 12 year old and as a 41 year old. 2. I am a dancer which is similar. 3. Classical. Due to the hours and hours of ballet I do a week. I love screaming girl music though. This Easter school holidays I finally get to see Amyl and the Sniffers live in concert.

Day 2 of Newie Writer‘s fest ✅ 1st up was the laid back Holly Throsby. This was the view out of the window of the lecture theatre I was sitting in. Gorgeously distracting. Next up was Jessie Cole then the tagged book‘s author. I have her first manuscript that was never published even though offers were made. Next was Chloe Hooper & last was Jane Harper whose public speaking skills have improved somewhat since last I heard her speak. Thank god.

Newie Writer‘s Fest opening night was anything but tame. I always ❤️ a funny feminist. Fucks the patriarchy right up. Grace is also autistic so even better for variety. T‘was great to hear such authenticity, not just from Grace but also from the elders, new chancellor of the uni I attended who is hosting the fest as well as its creator who even spoke about her dr texting her her HRT script as she was about to run out & too busy to go to an appt.

Another massive w/e for this whirling dervish. Fri arvo drinks with the new boss, Saturday yoga class then ballet, hair appointment, friend‘s 40th birthday on a roof top over looking the city in the blazing autumn sun, a little sleep in, takeaway breaky of smoothies and banana bread on the beach, a spa and sparkling margarita followed by lunch of prawn and halloumi salad with a bottle of Pinot gris at this pub followed by another lay on the beach.

Yesterday‘s scores from my building‘s book exchange. As you can see the weather has been gorgeous. I spent some time at the beach after my yoga and ballet class. My partner finally took me out to dinner to celebrate my distinction in my Repertoire ballet exam. I had my favourite, zucchini flowers. Then came home for a bath, Shiraz and The Notebook movie.

Yesterday‘s scores from the book swap after getting the go ahead to go back on pointe shoes from the physiotherapist. I had the day off work so I spent time organising my new place and snuck in a quick dip at the beach at the end of the day plus a few glasses of champagne and watched a great episode of Gardening Australia.

Recent book swap scores!

My sister & her fam came to a nearby town for their ☀️ hols & I couldn‘t resist visiting & babysitting my 2 nephews & niece while they had a child free lunch. On the way🏠 I was waiting at a 🚌🛑 out the front of their air bnb when an 👵 offered me a ride to the shops. I don‘t usually accept lifts from strangers but she seemed harmless. I visited an op shop while waiting for the 🚌 Here are my scores! The stationery is for #Litsylove obviously.

Yesterday‘s book swap scores coupled with a couple of vintage pillow cases I scored at the op shop for $1 each. It was a relaxing Friday arvo after work.

Wednesday night I had a free ballet class as one of my ballet teachers is opening her own studio. I walked there on account of the Little Free Library I knew was on the way. Score! This photo is from my bath as I perused my finds afterwards. It was a bloody hot night and I dripped sweat onto the sprung floor before I even left the barre.

1. How I‘m going to fit 9 hrs of ballet in a wk, work full time, run 2 households, spend time with friends & family & not go mad this term. It‘s my last day of school hols so I intend on spending my last day of freedom laying on the beach then laying in the hammock reading & drinking margaritas instead of meal prep & cleaning like I really should be doing. 2. travel of course. It makes you more confident but also more humble & the food is great!

1. I hate winter but if I had to pick one thing it would be slow cooking cheap beef all day then using the leftovers in pies. 2. Definitely The Bronze Horseman by Paulllina Simons. I love that series and I really hope it gets made into a movie one day. @TheSpineView

Today‘s scores! I hate being home when my excellent cleaner is in the house so today I ran some errands, got a large chai latte and walked up the steep street to the little free library. Always hard after a holiday! Just having some lunch then off to the beach to read for an hour or so. Times like these I am glad I am a school teacher!

Just spent a week at Sandbar ⛺️. At home tonight & soaking all the grit off me in the 🛀. Do you ever go there @Freespirit ? If not, I recommend it. No mozzies or flies & close to home. We had the most perfect weather the 1st few days & then it poured. Lucky the Bookclub girls I went with also ❤️ an op shop. I got these as we went into town as a rainy day activity. It‘s a 1/2 hr drive. The op shops there have retained their low prices which I ❤️

Did well on our free community Facebook group today. It was started during covid when everyone was cleaning out but had nowhere to get rid of the stuff so a lady started a pg for advertising the junk you wanted to dispose of. You put it out the front of your 🏡 & people would come by & find their treasure in your 🗑. Not only did I get 2 bags of designer clothes (some with 🏷) today but I also got this eclectic mix. I hope my niece likes the 📚

Read this one decades ago while on a holiday on the Gold Coast. I remember it giving me serious itchy feet for travel. I also remember getting through lots of books that holiday by the water.

Yesterday arvo I laid at the beach with a travel mug of wine and read this. Not hooked yet but I will keep trying.

Yesterday all my op shop dreams came true & I found metres of Ken Done for $15. They‘re old curtains in pretty good nick which I intend to turn into clothes. The fan is for my ballet exam prop this year which is the Spanish dance from Coppelia. Grand total $57. Up until this point I‘d been very good. I could have spent much more but the pink Art Deco tea set I left behind is still calling me. I used the sparkle body wash in the bath last night.

Got these this week at my building‘s book exchange.

Got these from the Little Free Library today as a reward for walking up the hill. I also spent ages at the beach reading. Got to love Summer holidays.

Salvos scores last year after work. The skirt has pockets! My aim these holidays is to get some craft in. Perhaps whilst camping?

Sometimes I start to investigate a book & I just can‘t stop. This one is all about the horror of grief. I got it from the Church Street Little Free Library in Dubbo last week, when I was at my parents place for xmas hols. I‘ve spent about 2 hours today & yesterday reading it on the beach & in the spa & sauna frying myself like a good Aussie. The rains are on their way tomorrow though unfortunately. Right in time for the summer visitors of course!

Yay! Look what was at the post office for me this morning @BarbaraBB Happy holidays and best wishes to you xo

First poetry book of 2023. I try to read a poem a day. Ideally with organic tea in bed and because I‘m on school holidays I can do just that. With no alarm to wake me up. The painting in the back ground is at my mother‘s place as you walk up the stairs to the landing. It‘s of a shearing shed. Both her father and brother were shearers. Good ones so I‘ve heard. I am enjoying these romantic poems so far. I scored them at an op shop a week ago for $3.