Christmas is coming...

I've been trying to pretend that Christmas isn't coming. Elliot and I have made a list of all the things we want to accomplish here before we go back to Townsville and Christmas shopping has very low priority compared with finishing preparing our recycled windows and doors for the builder, or finishing the dry stone steps we've started... or finishing my book!!!

But I have bought one lovely present from a local potter and I've found the most gorgeous cards that I'm going to use as Christmas cards. They're painted by a North Queensland artist called Daryl Dickson and you really should check out her website.

She paints the most gorgeous, cute images of northern Australia's tropical wildlife -- tree kangaroos, mahogany gliders, orphaned possums and baby kangaroos (joeys)...

On the reading front, I've just finished Kelly Hunter's fabulous debut novel Wife for a Week and am now reading Phillipa Ashley's debut, Decent Exposure. Both of the books are very warm and funny and sexy. Terrific holiday reads. Should be the start to great careers for both these talented women.

I especially love the settings of these books. Kelly's is in Hong Kong -- a place I find particularly exciting. My eldest daughter and I spent a fabulous week there in her final year at school. Such an adventurre we had together.
And Phillipa's book is set in England's Lakes District -- one of my favourite places in the world. I'll never forget the wonderful walks we took in the hills around Ambleside -- almost as lovely as the Atherton Tablelands. (grin)