The last Halloween party I went to was in 2016. It‘s not a big thing in Australia. My step daughters and I went as spiders and big daddy was Spider-Man.

Yesterday‘s Lifeline Cardiff purchases for the grand total of $13. Most of these are gifts for the kids but the rest are treats for me. I‘m all alone this weekend & I‘m loving it. My step children & partner are away. I‘m having big sleeps & tea & treats in bed. I went to ballet class yesterday, shopped for hrs, drank some nice wine & did some decluttering. Today I‘m off to watch Hustlers, the movie in a Gold Class Cinema=cocktails & yummy food.

Some #LitsyLove being posted after work today. Can you see your name?

A postcard that arrived today and my reply that I will post tomorrow. I hope you enjoyed your afternoon nap and the rest of your delightful sounding holiday. How lucky you are to have parents that live there. My parents have been swimming with the sharks and want to take the family one day @Rissreads

Because I went to Samoa and didn‘t finish my #7coversinsevendays Here is one I purchased today for $3.50 at The Salvos in Toronto on my way home from work. Isn‘t it pretty?

Tonight Coles made me dinner, I am having a couple of glasses of wine and reading about one of my favourite authors in County Style Magazine #backtoschoolsucks

Reading in Samoa next to my normally a non reader step daughter Tilly. The bridge collapsed very early on in this book so where to next I wonder?

Are any of my fellow Aussies up for joining @thegreensofa and I this round? @CarolynM @Sarz @Tashreads @Freespirit Info can be found on @suvata

Trying to get into this one. I am on holiday at the beautiful and bright Samoa. Probably not the best beach read but it‘s a buddy read.

Posted these on Wednesday. Are they for you? #JustBecause

#covercrush #7days7covers tag you‘re it @AWahle post your favourite covers and tag a new friend everyday for 7 days xo

#covercrush #7covers7days No explanation needed and tag a new friend each day.

#7coversin7days Thanks to those who tagged me @Rissreads Have you been tagged yet? Post a cover you love each day for 7 days and tag a friend. No explanation needed.

I have to return this to the library today. It‘s a shame I can‘t keep it. The illustrations are gorgeous. Beatrix was a very talented woman in many ways.

About to start my #Australianreadinghour I borrowed this one from the library but would love a copy for myself. Olley is one of my favourite artists. She was a hoarder in a beautiful way and a very generous woman, who lead an interesting life. It‘s one hour till I should be in bed if I am to get the sleep I need so let‘s see how I go. Feel free to tag anyone you think might like to join. I will start @thegreensofa

Don‘t forget tomorrow is #Australianreadinghour Feel free to read anything at anytime. I will be reading an Australian author in the evening and will post during that time. I will also be drinking some Australian tea from The Tea Collective ❤️. @LitsyHappenings Please tag a fellow Aussie. I will start @Rissreads Everyone is welcome. Can‘t wait to see what you all get up too.

Stuck at home today as it‘s pouring but it is exciting when you realise your neighbour likes books like you do.

This gorgeous thing is my eldest nephew. Previously a reluctant reader I‘ve tried everything to get him to read then I found some of these books at Vinnies and now he is hooked. Here he is reading at the breakfast table before school. I will have to hunt for more.

Got these for a steal at the Red Cross in Dubbo last Monday. Lots are gifts. Some I think I may already have, such is the state of my library.

Yesterday I scored these at a coffee shop called 2828 in Gulargambone for $1 each. I also got my Dad a talking book for $2. My Nan, mother and I had a simple lunch together before we returned to my sister‘s isolated farm to help her care for my newborn niece.

Some gorgeous bookmarks from @StayCurious What a clever lady you are. And thanks for the treats too @LibrarianRyan

A new onesie for my newborn niece and a book for my 5 year old niece. This one might be my last one 😭 my last Billy B Brown too hopefully.

Today‘s op shop haul from Vinnies in Dubbo for the grand total of $7. Hopefully I will get to do more op shopping on Monday.

Gorgeous old fashioned arrangements and beautiful quotes throughout. A lovely book to add to your coffee table collection.

Thankyou @wanderinglynn my nephew has run off with them already. I‘ve never had smelly bookmarks before and maybe I never will 😭

Gorgeous illustrations and very educational in terms of keeping our beautiful oceans safe. @LibrarianRyan @julesG

Hanging out at my sister‘s shop today. It‘s a co op she runs with her friends. I went to yoga this morning in this light filled, lovely smelling room. The class was run by my cousin. I had coffee with a new friend I met at yoga who remembered me from an article I wrote in my 20s! I am just back from the Vinnie‘s op shop nearby where they had books for $1 and DVDs for $2 but the lady only charged me $16 for all of these goodies. Some are gifts.

Better late than never hey @sudi 1. The Discovery of Witches. I don‘t own it. 2. The Colour Purple. A high school text I loved. 3. Too many to count and for my bookshelves to hold. 5. Probably a self help book? 5. @LeeRHarry @Eggs #wondrouswednesday

Wrapping my cute niece‘s 6th b‘day presents & decided to include this book. Does anyone else have a present cupboard where they buy things throughout the year for gifts when they see something someone would like instead of rushing to get presents last minute? I picked this one because my niece, Lila loves to dance & the main character has the same name as her favourite cousin, who is my step daughter, Tilly. I ❤️ that Lila loves to read like I do.

#BFCr3 @wanderinglynn

Came home from my mini break yesterday to my favourite newspaper from readings. Any other Aussies want to do this with me #Australianreadinghour @thegreensofa @CarolynM @Freespirit @Tashreads @Sarz ...

I‘m away for my partner‘s 47th b‘day at The Anchorage. Service is excellent. Margaritas in the spa? No prob. Candle on the balcony? No worries. Breakfast comes with bottomless champagne as does arvo high tea. I‘m enjoying this book despite the fact that the main character is acting like an adolescent brat. It‘s taking me ages to absorb a pg as despite this he is making me think & everyone can remember what it feels like to be a passionate teen.

Was super excited to read this for #poemsbeforephones. I got it from the Salvos at Toronto for the bargain price of 50 cents (I think a poetry lover may have died because there was a lot of old volumes of poetry in a crate by themselves) & right about now I‘m glad I only paid that much. I will persevere hoping I connect with it soon. At the moment it just feels like he is pulling my leg. There are some outstanding lines every now and again though.

Better late than never #BFCr3 Week 2 #smallsteppers @wanderinglynn

It‘s Book Week in Oz. As much as I ❤️ reading, I hate Book Week. I think the focus needs to be less on dressing up & more on reading. Matilda, almost 9 & not a reader, is dressed as Paddington ?. Linnéa is almost 11. She loves to read the same books over & over again & is dressed as 1 of the Musketeers. I tried to use things we already had & only buy things we could reuse e.g. Linnéa‘s shirt & belt are my size and Matilda‘s bag will be my spare.

Stew started to read this to the kids today in prep for our trip to Samoa in Oct. He reads classics to them most nights at bed time. Other recent ones include The Hobbit & Wind in the Willows. I sat in the other end of the hammock drinking a glass of white. Sunday bliss. Linnéa is on the left. She had her first crochet lesson yesterday & is a tad obsessed. Matilda ,on the right, was over it after an hr. So glad the days are starting to warm up.

Putting this #LitsyLove in the mail today when I get off this tram at the next stop.

I went to a chat on the 31st July at my local library about writing crime. It was held in the art gallery upstairs. At the moment they have an exhibition on female convicts. Many bonnets, that are beautifully decorated and feature the names of the women, line the walls. It reminded me of The Handmaid‘s Tale. I met Liane Moriarty‘s sister. She signed all 3 of my books by her. The interviewer promised not to mention her sister but then Nicola did.

Not as awesome as my perfect score in Week 1 last round. The heart is for exercise. The bottle is for drinking an extra 2 big glasses of water a day. This has made my skin clearer straight away. The wine glass is for sticking to my standard drink rules. The book is for reading. The dirt tin is for decluttering and last of all the present is for treats. I thought I would give this bullet journalling you Americans do a go. I picked this 1 up for $10

1. Outdoor. I go a bit nuts if I have to stay inside for more than a day. 2. Water closely followed by a margarita then tea. 3. France ❤️ again. 4. None. Not a fan. 5. Yep. #FRIYAYINTRO

Finally had a chance to get this posted today as it took me an extra 2 hours to get home this arvo as buses replaced trains due to a freight train breaking down in front of my train. It was going to be an extra 2 hrs I had with my partner before the kids came home from Scouts but so anyway 😭. #gettingshitdone This picture was taken on my Saturday evening walk in my front yard with the kids and Stew. He took the pic not me. I hope you can read it.

A funny Australian kids book that I‘ve made look scary with a Litsy filter. Poor Olga is desperate for a dance partner & goes walkabout looking for 1. Like all good kids books & tv shows there‘s a bit of adult humour that goes straight over the kid‘s heads. My Mum bought this for the grandkids yonks ago. I read it to them for the first time in ages on Sunday morning in bed. It‘s funny how they sleep in on school days but are up at 7 on weekends.

#poemsbeforephones this morning @monalyisha

My favourite workout. I wish I got to do it more often. #BFCr2 #Smallsteppers @wanderinglynn

Got this cute book from the Salvos today for 50c. I‘m going to use some of the drawings in it to make a travel album for my partner.

My pregnant, oldest friend and hopefully my step daughters and I are participating in a pro choice march on the weekend. Wish us luck. I hope what is happening in America doesn‘t continue to happen anymore or anywhere.

Today‘s finds at my building‘s book exchange. The introduction in the Byrski book is so good I want to frame it. Home Beautiful is a magazine my mum buys that I love to read. I may just skim read the Wilkins. Today was a big day but I love it when the universe gives me a gift like this.

Tomcat Books is probably my new favourite secondhand #indiebookstore @Pruzy Not really a bookmark but close enough.

Yesterday was my school holiday op shop day in Maitland. I spent $2.50 at my first stop and got a tie and book for Stew and a de Beauvoir book for me. I‘ve loved her ever since I studied foreign literature at university.

Here is my selfie for #BFCr2. Our local lighthouse is only open on Sundays so Stew and I walked up the hill yesterday then stopped in at the surf club for a very cheap drink. It was a very windy day. I only wear makeup when I am out at night so it‘s easy to find a picture of me with no make up on.