I have found my plot of land!

It's got a north-easterly aspect with a good slope, and a bit of a hill, the front retaining wall is sandstone and there are some sandstone-y rocks around, so they could possibly be used for steps and such. There isn't a house on it at all - it looks like there might have been before it got pulled down, and it backs out onto bushland - there might even be a stormwater runoff out the back!

Neighbours can't spy on you, there's a nice screen of trees between you and them, and the plot as a whole is quite green for Sydney in summer! I think there may even be banana trees out the back of the house!

In location, it's on a street that runs parallel to a main arterial road in the suburb, is within walking distance of the station, bus, and a quiet locale. The mum and the stepfam live about two streets away, which means being able to see them fairly often but being far away so they won't be nipping in every couple of seconds.

Then I'd see if I could get one of those Earthworks houses put in - where most of it sits below ground and the whole thing is energy efficient. If not, then I'd build a nice house on it - decently designed, no McHouses for me, thank you!

And the house would be big enough for me and the cat...but not the sisters! BWAH! (Okay, so in order to be able to sell it someday, I'd need a four bedder because that's what people want...but it was a fun thought...)

So now that I've found my plot of land on which to build my house, I shall buy it and start building as soon as I win a million dollars in the lottery...

Went cycling this morning. Downhill on the outward run and uphill on the inward really sucks. Really.

I *heart* amilyn

I love amilyn because you are a wonderful person who's been and is going through a lot and yet has also been encouraging me over the last twelve months.

You let me stay with you and your family (and particularly your adorable kids, even if Elf did OD on 'Hercules' while I was there) and you cooked me pumpkin pie (as well as way more food than even a house full of Stargate fans could eat!) and took me sightseeing and tried to addict me to Forever Knight....

I love the conversations we have when we're both in a talking mood, be they about anything and everything - and it's always so lovely to get online and have a message popup: "Hi Sel, dear!" I wish I could be around more and help more practically with the stuff that causes you trouble - smack a few people around for you...that kind of thing. *g*

*hugs* You're awesome. Truly you are. And you must never ever forget it.

MOMMY! (a.k.a. ellory1)

ellory1, you are an amazement.

I can't imagine how hard it must be to manage a family of four boys (DH counts as a boy - all men do!) and yet you do. The last year and a half has been difficult for you and I know you've been trying hard to keep everything going in your family, but you've prevailed and held on through the tough time and I really admire that.

You're so very organised - family and work at the temple, mailing lists, chat, bulletin boards... There's always so much happening in your life that I'm way, way behind on what's going on, and how you keep it all straight, I don't know. And it was cool to finally meet you (after only 3 years of chatting)!

the pinkness that is sharim!

When I first started talking to you, for some reason I was under the impression you were small and dark. Boy, was I wrong!

'Pink' is your favourite colour - or was, anyway - and 'pink' is a good way to describe you. Not necessarily in physical appearance (although you are a very fair-ish pink colour), but in the sheer zest and verve and bounce you have! I really enjoyed that week I spent down in Tasmania the summer before last. All the cwayzee and the fun and the teasing mebfeather... You claim you don't have a creative gift, but I think you do - I love your stories and your icons and your wallpapers - so pretty!

I hardly see you online anymore - partly because I'm never online and you're never online - but I miss you! I do envy you your passion for diving, though - and hope you'll have a chance to visit some time this summer. The harbour's not great, but the weather will probably be better (and the travelling easier) than it was last time you were in Sydney!

...and remember how I said you hadn't failed your subjects? Toldja so! *g*

conversations with muses: the Christmas Eve version

( oh, come all ye writers blocked, joyful and triumphant...? )