Being on holiday and sticking to your diet – sorry, “Healthy Life-Style Plan” – is dead-set BORING! Especially when it’s winter. Oh for a hot meat pie, or flaky pasty for lunch. Oh for a block of fruit and nut chocolate to nibble on (okay, to wolf down) in the evening. Oh for a gooey vanilla slice or yeasty fruit bun with a cappucino for afternoon tea. Hmmm…I’m beginning to see how I got in this state in the first place! I think it’s because it’s so cold. My internal bear wants to bulk up and then go hibernate until the spring.

Rex the Wonder Dog is adjusting to the new place. He had a nocturnal encounter with a kangaroo the other night. The Old Boy was out with him (I was in by the fire). He said you couldn’t see it – fair enough, it was night time – but it must have been close. There was a sudden, distinctive THUD THUD as the beastie bounded away. Scared the dickens out of the mutt. Poor thing must have thought: Blinkin’ heck, that’s got to be the world’s biggest rabbit!

The Old Boy has already had a day out “hunting”, but that gold nugget remains elusive. Mind you, if there’s ever a sudden global demand for rusty old metal we’ll be rich. I stayed in and wrote my submission for an anthology with the theme: Valentine’s Day. You’ll be able to read it here next Feb, unless something unexpectedly romantic happens in time to inspire something new. (Don’t hold your breath.)

We’re off now to explore the bush with an occasional stop off at an old cemetery. I always find those places inspiring. In the old days they used to write really interesting things on tombstones; little snippets of history. Last time we were out this way I got the inspiration for a short story from one such headstone. I’m always inspired by the courage and hardiness of the pioneers. And, of course, there’s always the encouraging thought that they’re dead and I’m not.

At least out there in the bush there’s nothing to tempt me to cheat on the “Healthy Life-Style Plan”. Darn it!