Ugh ! Time for a new entry so that scary doll face isn’t staring at me from the top of the page every time I look at my site.

Today is one of those incredible Melbourne Summer days that starts off fresh and cool and clear and by afternoon words like “shimmering” and “thick” and “bloody parched mate” spring to mind (in fact close your eyes for a moment and imagine you’re on a Greek Island!). There was a cicada shell on Big-P’s car tire this morning. Watermelon tastes really good. Summer is rocking in.

Last night I went out to dinner and then to a bar (joy of joys!) with Small and Special-K. A sparkling vodka and tonic in the smokey, dim, groovy-retro style-lamp light was a sight to behold. We chinked glasses and talked about the kiddies and our careers and the potential futures for us all. We were ready for bed by 10pm but I was so impressed that I could go out and behave like a normal person that my heart was racing with excitement until 12 while I tried to get to sleep – sad but true. Still Being hyped by the experience this morning, I pitched the idea of a regular evening get together to the girls at Mother’s Group – sans babies – and was greeted with huge excitement, much more than the suggestion of the Harold Holt Swimming Pool or the Collingwood Children’s Farm ever got. Shouts of Wooohoo! and Whipeee! filled the playground.

Things I noted last night while trying to be young and hip; 1) a drinks bill now comes to the price of a small house in Camberwell, 2) Special-K is no longer the (only) cheap, can-can dancing drunk amongst us and 3) A bowl of Chicken Makhani followed by one drink and a short taxi ride home now rates as a “fabulous, big night out”.

How did it get to be almost the end of November already?? How is it that I am filling in my super new Eames 2004 engagement calendar with 2004 engagements already??

I have been slumping around for a couple of weeks wondering what the future has in store. So I have decided to go back and do that course that I applied for a couple of years ago – Screen Print Design. There’s no guarantee I will get accepted again but I thought it was worth giving a go. I want to only do a couple of subjects a semester but it will give me access to facilities and the knowledge that are otherwise out of reach. I read back over that 2001 entry and the list of subjects still inspire me and still make me go “oooooh how cool!” on the inside.

My main concern (which embarrasses me to admit but will be good to get out) is that I will have to drive across the city to get to the campus. As stupid as that sounds I am still a very nervous (sweaty palms, heart palpitations, out-of-control feeling) driver and I would rather sit in this dark study and continue to slog away at client illustration work rather than drive across town and experience LIGHT! JOY! INSPIRATION! and SOCIAL INTERACTION!

2004 will be full of study and house buying. It sounds like what we were aiming to do in 2002 and then I got pregnant!