Change is in the air

Well, I've just spent a few busy days catering for a community development seminar at my neighbourhood centre. Three days spent out in the community, watching on the side lines as a group of about 25 social workers and youth workers met to exchange ideas and to be motivated to continue their work. It was the last big event I'll help at as co-ordinator of the Centre because I'm beginning to slow down and transition towards handing over the reins to someone else. Last Thursday, I helped shortlist ten excellent applicants for my job. All the while I've been working there I've hoped that when I walked away, I would be leaving behind a strong and efficient Centre and a paid job for a local person. I'm happy to say that job will be a paid one when I leave; I don't want to stay, paid or unpaid, because I feel I've done as much as I can do there and now my priorities are here, at home ... again. I will stay to get the new co-ordinator happily settled and then just go in to do my frugal home workshops and to develop the series of life skills workshops I've just started.

Those of you who listened to my last radio interview will know that I'm working towards a book publishing deal with Penguin Australia. I am so excited! Not only to have the deal but to be working with Penguin. If anyone had asked me who I would like to publish my book, in a spit second I would have said "Penguin". They are a company who have supported great authors, and writing in general, for longer than I care to remember. I grew up reading Penguin books and now, here I am. It's amazing. The proposed publication date is February 2012 and although that is a while away, I've got a lot of work to do to deliver the best book I can. I want to put my name to something that encourages people towards change, that teaches and inspires and I want a book that you can go back to again and again to find information, recipes and motivation. There will be days in the coming months when I won't be able to write here because my concentration will be focused on the book. But I will write as much as I can and I'll also visit the forum every day.

As usual, other things are happening here that I haven't yet told you about. The most important being that Hanno has been in Germany these past few weeks. The kids, my sister and I bought him the ticket for his 70th birthday. He's been enjoying catching up with his family and visiting places he knew in his youth, and, of course, eating all that German food he misses when he's here. I'm missing him a lot but he'll return in another week or so and in the meantime, my sister Tricia, is here now; she came up on Wednesday. She has been helping me with the catering and hand quilting a beautiful red quilt. It's been interesting watching the evolution of this quilt. She brought it will her in her on several visits but now it's nearing completion and has turned into an absolute beauty.

Today I'll be catching up on housework; there is laundry to be done, cleaning and a bit of cooking, but overall I'll be resting and preparing myself for the book. I have to organise my notes and workout a schedule for myself that is realistic and workable. I also have to apologise to the many people who have written emails that I haven't had time to respond to. I love getting your emails, and when I have a few minutes, I do reply to some, but there are so many, most go unanswered. Please be assured though, they are read and many put a smile on my face.

I hope you're having a peaceful weekend and that the week ahead is a great one for all of us.