trains, poetry and birthdays

It's been a crazy few days and there are too many birthdays in July.

After a productive Thursday, I treated myself on Friday by going to the Quilt and Craft Fair at Jeff's Shed. A free ticket tempted me to spend dollars on the train, lunch, coffee, the odd pattern or three and a smidge of fabric. Although maybe the main motivation was knowing that, stuck on a train for longer than two hours in total, I would make a good dent in the page seventeen story submissions I need to read.

On Saturday, I spent almost two more hours on trains to get to the Eltham new voices festival, and I still have stories to read.

But the festival was great. I caught up with a friend for lunch (although I was unable to hang around to see her presented with her poetry prize) and attended two sessions, the second being a poetry panel featuring Friendly Street Poets from SA and an open mic section. I grabbed a copy of Friendly Street New Poets 14, and then, given my kids had been screaming 'mummy' through the window for the last ten minutes of the session, rushed off with my family to my brother's 40th. Although we left his present at home :(

After yet another birthday yesterday, I'm hoping for a quiet few days to start the week. And good naps by the baby.