There are my flight details for my business trip to Darwin in three weeks, and another with my accommodation details. I'm staying in a hotel next to the Darwin office. I've been given a one bedroom apartment which looks over the city. There are laundry facilities in the room. And a gym and pool on the premises.
I'm spending the better part of a week in Darwin at the end of the month.
I haven't been there for 20 years. The last time I was there my friend Mariah's son was about a year old. He's now 22. Hmmm. I remember loving it up there. Everybody who's stayed longer than a few days reckons it's wonderful.
I'm looking at this contract as a reset. A week a month in the top end until October. I'm looking forward to getting out of the Melbourne winter for a bit. I'm looking forward to new challenges and people (who, from the interview, all seem lovely). I'm looking forward to swimming daily in the warm over winter.
I'm looking forward to the change.
In the meantime, in my current role, I'm preparing everything for hand over. And finishing my stuff off, writing a big document telling people where things are and I'll be handing back everything on Friday.
Yay.
Also, I'm madly finishing a beanie for my colleague, who I will see tomorrow. \
Twice a year, March and June, I take myself off down the Great Ocean Road to a writer's retreat, hosted by Catherine Deveny at the marvellous Seacroft Estate.
Dev is the most honest, generous, straight-talking, fun, encouraging person I have ever had the privilege of meeting. Part mentor, part arse-kicker (spending time with her is known as Vitamin Dev - or having a Dev enema) I'm honoured to call her a friend. And she hosts a bloody good retreat. And she knows that when she hands out the chocolate bribes, at least a couple of the Turkish Delights come my way. (And yes, I am that person.) She helps people to get out from their preconceived shells.
There is more to the retreat than just writing. This time around I managed to cobble together a reasonable first draft of an article. 3000 words. Memoir style. With a publication in mind. There's a lot of work to do on it, but I got it done. For the most part, I sat and wrote this article rather than participate in the writing block prompts, but I got a few notes down for later reference.
Getting to hang around with 30 odd people with the same interests is a great thing. We're all writing something. There's the complete novices who want to give writing a go. There are people working on their novels, there's a couple of journalists and published writers who come along. It's wonderful to talk with people who have an understanding of the process. Writing can be an insular activity - these retreats make it less so.
Then there's the people - who are just awesome. In the five or six of these that I've been to there's barely been a bung one. There's a growing group of repeat offenders who come at certain times. There's the posse that come in March - brilliant people, who are becoming firm friends. June has a different crowd - some of the same people, and a lot of others who are just as wonderful. Most of us are professionals, in our middle aged, many have children, most lean to the political left. It's like I've found my tribe. This is a huge part of it all.
Also, these are people who I feel comfortable singing in the shower in front of. I think I was sprung on Sunday morning. I take a room in the chapel - an old confessional, refurbished with a very comfortable single bed and nightstand. The great thing about the chapel rooms is that the bathroom is inside. All other rooms have showers and toilets in an outside block - which are freezing in winter. After The Bathing of the Lunatics on Sunday morning I finally made it to the shower just as the writing block was starting. I sing in the shower. I should apologise for my half-hearted rendition of Three Dog Night's Joy to the World. It really is a great shower song.
Oh yes, The Bathing of the Lunatics. This happens first thing on Sunday morning. We gather, come rain or come shine at 7.15 a.m. We walk down to the beach. We get to the secluded swimming section. We strip off - most of us buck naked and throw ourselves into the Southern Ocean. In March, it's quite warm. In the middle of winter, it's freezing. It's enriching and cathartic. One of our number, a doctor, put it well. "Where else to you see a mob of naked, middle-aged women going into the ocean without a care in the world. It's beautiful. There should be more of it. "
One of the moments of the retreat happened at the beach on Sunday Morning. One of the crew quit her job on the way down to Seacroft, fed up with the conservative approach of the company. A repeat offender, she had never done the ritual bathing. She stripped off her clothes and ran screaming into the water, "FUCK THE LNP!" It was a joy to behold. She came back five minutes later, cleansed. I look forward to hearing about the next episode in her story. She'll be back next March. It's an honour to hang out with her.
Then there is the food. Our caterer, Ash, from Taylor Made Events serves us up hearty, tasty, sometimes downright decadent food. His poke bowls are amazing. We have the best roast potatoes with grilled salmon on the Saturday night. I love that I'm saved the crunchy bits from the cauliflower cheese (the only way I eat cauliflower) We are looked after royally. The staff, mostly Dev's family members, are just wonderful to us all. I come out of this feeling spoiled.
I mean, why would I not treat myself to this twice a year?
Do I really have to drive back to Melbourne? I like it down here. It's fabulous. The Gunnas Retreat at the Seacroft Estate has been delightful, as always, I've had a ball.
Anyway, on with weekly questions, supplied, as always, by Bev at Sunday Stealing.
1. What are your plans for March?
Well, I'm starting a new job in ten days. That's something. And my first trip to Darwin, with work, is happening on the last week of the month. There's also a theatre tickets, some movies to be seen and a couple of Comedy Festival performances.
2. Did you ever have or go to sleepovers as a kid?
No, not that I remember.
3. Which books would you pick for a book binge?
Oh, you can give me the back catalogue of Louis de Bernieres' novels any day. He's awesome.
4. What features do you love most about your home?
Here are a few things I love about my flat:
It's close to public transport.
It now has wooden floor boards and they are easy to keep clean.
I love that it's up two flights of stairs and the carport is below.
I love that it has instant hot water.
I love that it's got a locable screen door at the front.
My flat is nothing special, but it is mine.
5. Favorite songs from tv, movies, and video games
Anything on my Harvey Spector playlist. You have to hand it to Suits. The music was fabulous.
6. What group games do you like to play with others
I'm not one for playing games. I don't mind Cards Against Humanity and Trivial Pursuit, but I don't play them often. I'm a gun at pub quizzes.
7. How often do you try something new?
Far too often. Mind you, at this retreat, I came home with a few new pieces of secondhand clothes.
8. What type of sushi is your favorite?
I love most sushi. Katsu prawn sushi is great, in fact, any type of seafood that isn't cooked tuna is wonderful. I love the seafood salads the sushi shop does too.
9. Do you prefer to relax or go on adventures during vacation?
A bit of both. I'm not an adventurous person, in that I don't ski or walk, but let me snaffle around an old city and I'm in heaven.
10. How do you prevent burn out?
Take a lot of breaks and say no when required. I got burnout from my last job, so I'm very mindful not to let myself get too burnt out. Coming back from burnout is awful, and hard.
11. Which colors look best on you?
Bright colours. Bold red, blue and green look great on me.
12. Do you like brunch?
Of course - it's a bit of a tradition here in Australia weekend brunch. Some version of Eggs Benedict always goes down well.
13. Trends you showed up late for
I'm normally an early adopter, but there are some techno bands I'm just getting into now who are great. O\I'm also a bit of a post-punk even though I'm in my fifties. Ah well.
14. What’s your favorite drink order?
Gin and tonic. My standard coffee order is an almond decaf latte. If I'm drinking non-alcoholic beverages, I love a good ginger ale or real lemon lemonade.
15. Which clothes or accessories make you feel most confident?
Motorcycle boots. Actually, any heavy boots. I wear bovver boots to work when I need to get shit done.
The phone began to pulsate at 6.30, it's syncopated rattle waking me from a decent sleep. I should have not set it, but it's morning at the retreat and it's my desire to watch the sun come up when I'm on retreat.
I never see the sun rise in the city. This is my one chance.
Managing expectations can be hard. This morning was no different.
I was hoping for a brightly coloured, ever-changing scenario. I wanted to see the first glimmer of the sun peak over the horizon from the depths of the Southern Ocean. I wanted the peace and quiet of standing on the verandah taking in this scene with my cup of coffee in hand, breathing in the sea air, listing to the roll of the sea.
This is what I got.
Grey.
Along with one of the smokers wanting a chat and another of the group doing their morning yoga practice. Not quite the solitude I was looking for.
Some of the cloud has burned away now. There's a chance for a colourful sunset.
It's sticky down here, the mist playing havoc to anybody with curly hair. This is not adding to my mood. But this too is okay. We have to keep the windows closed as the place is teeming with locusts. I found on in the bathtub as I went to have a shower this morning.
For me, it's enough to listen to the waves. And relax.
I'm down the Great Ocean Road at a place called Seacroft. It about ten kilometres Melbourne side of Apollo Bay.
It took myself, and another of the tribe at this retreat, four hours to get here. Yes, we had to drop off Lucifer at Aunty Blarneys, but he was good about this. Blarney has said that all is well. She went into visit him. He hissed at her.
It was the getting out of Melbourne that was hard. Once the other side of Werribee things settled down, and it was great to have somebody to talk to on the way. We had on my dodgy play list and sang along to a number of great songs. I think they were impressed with my vocal stylings of Doctor Worm.
I'm now exhausted, but happy to be here.
I'm currently sitting in the chapel, on my own, writing this, to gather back a bit of me time - quiet time.
Everybody here is lovely, but they are quite noisy.
It's good to just get away for a bit.
My gin and tonic is in my sippy cup. Best way to have a gin and tonic if you ask me.
But now is writing time I best get on with it.
My challenge for this retreat - writing about growing up as neurodiverse. I'm not diagnosed as being neurodiverse, but the odds are on that I'm on some sort of spectrum or other. And because of this, I'm going to give this a stab.
And yes, I'm writing like an automaton because I'm buggered.
This must be what school kids feel like when they go off to camp.
It's writer's retreat weekend and after half a day at work I'll be driving down the Great Ocean Road once I drop off the cat at Blarney's place. Everything needs to be in the car by midday, so not to spook the cat.
It's a big thing packing, especially for this weekend.
In the backpack, I've already put in my travel computer and mouse.
Then there's the brick of almond milk. I'm well-trained when it comes to plant-based mylks. I don't like soy that much (and it makes your boobs grow). Oat milk is fine as well, but I prefer almond milk. So, I take my own.
There's also the decaffeinated coffee pods and bags. Again, I'm not expecting anybody to pander to my strange tastes - and I drink a lot of decaf coffee on these things.
A yoga mat. This is handy on retreat. Sometimes we do things on the grass. Sometimes you just want to lie down and look at the stars. It's a good thing to have in the boot.
The grog. Gin. A couple of bottles of tonic, but what gin? Bombay Sapphire is a good quaffer. Maybe the small bottle of Four Pillars Olive Leaf Gin. Or the bottle of Bandesh gin, made by asylum seekers. Considering throwing in some Mr Black's Coffee Liqueur for good measure too. It would be so much easier if I drank wine.
Sunscreen and bathers are in the suitcase already. Sure, there is a bathers options swim on Sunday morning, but there is talk that a pool has been installed at the retreat place. You never know - may use them. May not.
I've thrown in my tarot cards. I rarely travel without them. Then there's my space clearing kit. Bell, broom, black candle and lighter. I'm teaching somebody the rudiments of space clearing over the retreat, so I need the witch shit.
And of course, there's the clothes, a pair of thongs, a pair of pyjamas and a hoodie in case it gets cold at night.
I'm going to have to get used to this packing thing. I'll be doing enough of it over the next 8 months.
I used to do goals every month. Give myself something to work towards. Have it down in writing to I remain accountable. Well, I'm bringing this back. It's good for me.
Here are my goals for March:
1. An hour of exercise every day.
Doesn't matter what the exercise is, it just needs to be done. Today I went for a 20-minute walk and had a session with Cleo. I have to get back to this. I've been slack. Exercise can be yoga or pilates as well. Just move, Pandora.
2. Read four books over the month.
This should be doable. I do this most months, but the book group book is a monster this month.
3. Save $2000.
I want to go to Paris in October. Needs to be done.
4. No ice cream.
I've given it up for Lent so there is absolutely no excuse for this one.
5. Write some fiction at least 20 days over the months.
Something else I want to get back to. I feel like such a fraud when I say I'm a writer.
6. Get to bed by midnight.
I've been going to be later and later - like 2 a.m. late. I need to curb this and get myself back in synch.
That will do. This is going to be a huge month. I'm starting a new job week after next and things might be a bit bonkers.
