Well, that was the holidays

While I know intellectually I’ve achieved a fair bit these holidays, at the same time it feels like the two weeks have absolutely flown by and I can’t quite believe I have to go back to work tomorrow. Luckily I love my job, so it’s not actually a huge hardship, but boyoboy, I needed that break!

So what HAVE we done? Well the holidays started out with a very social weekend thanks to the Aurealis Awards (I storified them here) and lots of catching up with visitors to town surrounding that. We then spent a lovely few hours on the first Monday having a barbecue with friends out at the Cotter Reserve, which we’d never been to before. But after that, other than (twice) daily swimming for the kids, I spent several days decompressing. For a while there, I just couldn’t focus on anything – I couldn’t finish a book, or even an episode of a tv show! I feel like it was a ridiculously busy term, and even though I enjoyed the work I was doing, what with finishing two books to bring out in March and April on top of everything else, plus Swancon over Easter (and a weekend work conference the week before that), I was just fried. I did very little during the first week but read books and hang out with the kids. I had really hoped to meet up with a few people for drinks, but I had trouble even dealing with emails for a few days, let alone real human interaction.

However, by the beginning of the second week, I started feeling a bit more normal. I went to see Cinderella with Miss 9 (it was, hmm, nice. Yep, that’s about it) on the Monday when husband was (far to briefly) home. Master 2 was at daycare each day still, and Master 5 had daily swimming lessons for the holidays, which got us out of the house nice and early each day. He had a teacher to himself too, which was great! M9 had regular squad the first week each afternoon, but three half day stroke clinics Tues/Wed/Thurs of the second week, so we spent a fair bit of time shuttling back and forth to the pool.

I had some goals for the break, and I’m actually pretty pleased with what I got done.

• cleaned bathroom ceiling (took about half an hour after I put it off for several months!)
• cleaned bathrooms
• cleaned out and sorted all the kids’ cupboards
• cleaned up kids’ bedrooms
• sorted out bookcases and displayed pewter and crystal at last
• completely finished washing/folding/ironing AND putting everything away
• organised 2013-2014 tax for accountant (at LAST)
• sent out a bunch of books to purchasers and reviewers etc
• set the ball rolling for some new publishing projects
• facilitated playdates for children
• watched an AWFUL lot of “television”
• saw Avengers: Age of Ultron (with the bigger kids)
• rebuilt the FableCroft website
• read a bunch of books
• started the process to call for judges for the 2015 Aurealis Awards, and worked on a few things behind the scenes
• spend an awful lot of time on Twitter and Facebook
• hung out with the kids

There was probably more, but that’s what I can remember!

And now I’m back to work for what will probably be another busy term (they always are!) but should be lots of fun too. I have a staff retreat the second week back, which will hopefully keep my batteries charged. Once more unto the breach!

My NAFF Journey to Swancon 40 (Natcon 54)

I was very excited to win the NAFF race this year, which allowed me to attend Natcon 54 (Swancon 40). I’d thrown my hat in the ring for the 2014 race but lost by one vote to Matt Lindus, who came over from Perth to the Melbourne Natcon at Continuum. This year it was a bigger race, with four great candidates (you can find more information here, and I was very chuffed to be declared the winner. While I had been to Swancon before, of course (I was even on the organising committee in 2011!), I hadn’t been back since we left Western Australia the following year.

Due to work and family commitments, I could only attend the convention Friday through to Sunday night, leaving Canberra very early on Good Friday to catch my first flight. While I had reading material and my own viewing on my device, I somehow got sucked into watching Orange is the New Black on my flight from Melbourne to Perth – compelling and engaging and just a bit confronting. I can see why it’s so popular!