40. Miles and Milestones Before We Sleep
The Case of the Latest Life Lessons
Hello, friend! Hope you’ve had a good week.
A little bird told me that despite some challenges, you still showed up, gave it your best and wowed the crowd again. Is there anything you can’t do? No, there’s not. Shut your beautiful mouth.
Anyway, as the famous saying goes - warm heart, kind eyes, sharp claws, can’t lose.
Fishbird Catch of the Week
We post articles twice a week on the Fishbird Central website - usually every Wednesday and Saturday! This week’s included:
Gisborne Peak Winery - Accommodation Review!
In this post we cast our minds and our road-trip time machines back to March of 2024, when we stayed 3 nights at the Gisborne Peak Winery in Victoria, Australia! While we’ve decided we’re not really ‘eco-tourists’, the winery was good to us & was a welcome stop on the tour. Did the water smell funny? Yes. We also introduce you to Greg the Ghost Grape!
Check out the latest post here - Gisborne Peak Winery - Accommodation Review!
Sketch Each Day! February 2025, Week 2!
In this post we meet Alan Toastardis, a sentient toaster loose in Brisbane City! Can Brenda Bookersley read to the end of her troublesome tome? How will One-Eye McClaws function in a human body? So many adventures, so many characters that exist only for you! Let us know who you’d follow in a further tale. Careful though … some might follow you out.
Check out the latest post here - Sketch Each Day! February 2025, Week 2!
Levelling Up Your Avatar
Our home loan pre-approval went through this week! A few humans we don’t know, got together and agreed that we’re worth one house if we agree to work until we’re 80. Yay! Jokes on them, I plan to be independently wealthy and mortgage free by the time I’m 79!
For those playing along at home, I’m currently 45 yrs cool. I’ve previously jotted down some of my accumulated wisdom in the post linked below if you’re interested. I’m pretty wise.
Regardless, the promise of another impending life-upgrade has me reminiscing over other milestones I’ve hit so far. Here are 8 that immediately leap to mind:
When I was not much higher than a goose, I met one - beak to knees. Didn’t get bitten or chased into a lake. I’m still pretty proud of that. Geese are mean. In hindsight … it may have been a duck.
I was a painfully shy but hilarious youth who luckily fell in with a core group of friends that loved Monty Python, Janet Jackson and making up stories - not necessarily in that order. Love them to this day, although not enough of them have signed up to my free weekly newsletter. Looking at you, Janet Jackson.
I went to Uni and finished most of it. Young me decided to put the final 2 units of a 4 year Arts degree in my top pocket and say … ‘No’. Just stopped going. I have a stubborn streak that has yet to meet its match. Family lore holds that once when I was still in short pants, I held my breath til I turned blue. I’ve stubbornly blocked that out.
Married my best friend 10 years later (sucker didn’t even ask to see my degree) and held a chicken at my wedding. Everyone came out alive. Don’t check up on the chicken.
Travelled over the seas and sniffed the breeze at Lands End in Cornwall. Still tickles me that I’ve stood on Paris and rambled in the Scottish highlands.
I’ve burned a lot of things. I figure this counts as a milestone, because with every Hinterland fire I light, I get more and more powerful (I assume). I mean I don’t want trees to fear me, but I do want to be master of the flames.
I learned how to drive in my 30’s and have road-tripped through countless small towns (I didn’t count them). Who knew driving would be so cool?! It has 8000% changed my life. I’ve seen some stuff. Good stuff. Still can’t parallel park though.
And eighthly, I taught myself how to “draw” or whatever it is I do. Toby Meatball started a creative revolution in my heart that has yet to stop.
Anyway, that’s enough remembering for today. Remind me to tell you about that time I met Mandy Patinkin from ‘The Princess Bride’ and cooked in Maggie Beer’s kitchen.
Quick Fire Wrap Up
Currently Reading: ‘One Poison Pie’ by Lynn Cahoon. Mia Malone has started a gourmet dinner delivery business with a touch of magic. Her first catering job takes a distasteful turn though when her client’s body is found, stabbed and stuffed under the head table.
Currently Watching: ‘Ted Lasso’ on AppleTV. American college football coach Ted Lasso heads to London to manage AFC Richmond, a struggling English Premier League soccer team. Ted is sooooo sweet. I’m obsessed.
Books We Bought This Week When We Could Have Been Saving For A Home: ‘Woodworm’ by Layla Martinez; ‘Crypt of the Moon Spider’ by Nathan Ballingrud; ‘The Hotel’ by Daisy Johnson.
Wishes for the Week
Did you know that there’s a grizzled old sea captain version of me that’s battling mythical sea monsters behind the scenes, to ensure that you have a great week?
Well there is. Here’s a sketch from 2022 that proves it. I’ve got the matching hat and chiseled jaw and everything. Don’t look at my hands.
I said don’t look at my hands. Gee, it’s lucky you’re cute.
Stay cool, punks.
‘A woman who burns many Hinterland fires, will forge a heart stubborn like a volcano.’ - Bob Frost (probably)
Jen x