All the bests

By Meredith

The best Christmas post I've read so far is at Eddy Currents. Justine is a beautiful writer, a swimming teacher, and a book seller from the South of London. Her blog deserves more readers so please go and have a look.

The best one year old boy I've been spending time with:

The best New Year's Eve resolution ever (because it's achievable so long as I don't lose my job): buy good quality, nice underwear, when I need it (ie don't wait until all the elastic is gone and bits of body are wandering free).

The best day on holidays so far: in the city of Melbourne with my mum, including lunch at Ca De Vin, one of the many Italian-inspired cafes that pop up in the laneways and arcades that web the CBD.

The best bargain: we had a wander through all the little shops in Degraves St where I got a HUGE bargain at Shag. Imagine finding a Chloe jacket that you love, and it fits you perfectly, and, because it's a sample, it's only $195.00, but then, for some crazy reason, it's reduced in the post-Christmas sale to $15.00!! The excitement was almost more than I could bear.

The best sales purchase overall though, is these gold shoes - they're for my dear friend Tracy's wedding where I'll be bridesmaid; I'll wear them with a long vintage apricot beaded dress (the bride is wearing tangerine).

The best plan to get Christmas cake:

lie quite still, pretending to be asleep, but crawl slowly towards the fruity, nutty goodness;

get excitingly close before you're discovered & told off. Oh well.

Update - Various

Ok, I know I've been neglecting Marrickvillia a little lately. But I have a good excuse - the manuscript for my book about cosmetic surgery is due in on December 1 (actually I'm aiming for the end of next week) . So, a few updates, without photos I'm afraid.

Hugh recovered well physically from the attack but did suffer some anxiety about seeing the kids wot done it on the street. I can't write the details here but let's just say that one of them was picked up by the police and after a lengthy process "has been brought to Justice". There was also a completely unexpected and spontaneous apology - I think that was what finally put Hugh's mind at rest. We took him to a martial arts class & he did seem to be into it, but then wasn't keen to go back. I don't think the vocalising and bowing were really him. We thought a skateboard would give him a bit of speed and confidence in the streets of Marrickville so my brother sent him skateboard wheels (and something called a truck?) and we took him to Fox Studios to get the board (it's called a deck)... It was interesting for me to witness the very blokey business of choosing the design (some of them are amazing works of art).

Vegie patch - lettuces have gone to seed, cabbages got attacked by snails (the insides are still ok) and we have tomatoes galore. We put in a "Black Russian" which will be beautiful I think. Corm and sunflowers should be tall soon.

Beer!! The second batch was a huge success and we're planning the 3rd.

Chooks!! We're on a waiting list for 2 chooks and a portable chook house. This is necessary for protein as Ruby and I no longer eat meat or bought eggs (I wrote about it at Sarsaparilla).

Fish!! The sad and lonely goldfish has a friend at last. They swim about next to each other.

Ratties!! Getting tamer by the day. They come out of their penthouse & sit in my hands. Their long delicate whiskers twiddle around all the time. They have lovely round dark eyes.

Sailor!! Snoring.

Comment-a-no-go?

Since I "upgraded" to beta blogger, not realising that "beta" means I'm a kind of guinea pig, people are having trouble commenting here. Is the problem that only beta people can communicate with other betas? Will the world be divided forever into betas and non-betas? Why can't I go back to being a non-beta? Oh oh oh. If you want to make a comment but can't, email me on meredith.r.jones@gmail.com & I'll post it for you.

Here's Sailor's take on the situation:

Dogs of Marrickville - Sailor

Sailor's full name is "Sailor the Wonderdog". She is a puppyish seven year old and quite blonde for a pug. Sailor's first couple of years were filled with surgical procedures to fix her breathing (she had her soft palate shortened and her nostrils enlarged) and also to mend a front-leg problem (she had fat taken from her butt & inserted in her wrists so she wouldn't end up bandy-legged & arthritic). To this day she hates the vet but otherwise enjoys life immensely. Despite the operation to improve breathing she is still a loud snorer even while awake. Some people find Sailor very attractive, others are grossed out by her goldfish-style eyes. Extremely food-focused, Sailor has an ongoing weight problem that is nowadays managed with a strict diet of two raw chicken wings a day. She is always on the lookout for crumbs and quickly hones in on unknowing visitors who are taken in by her woeful starved expressions. A veteran of the Cooks River circuit from Illawarra Rd to Tempe Station, Sailor meets-n-sniffs many Marrickville moggies who will be featured here in future. She is already famous because of a photo her friend Daniel took.




Baths are a terrible torture.









But rediscovering a smelly old bone makes it all better.