Christmas is done and dusted and Boxing Day was just a blur with six loads of washing and a mammoth effort sucking prawn shells up off the floor with the vacuum cleaner. It’s eerily quiet without a baby in the house though I still tend to wake up at 2 am to check if he’s still breathing. Baby’s mother is 34 today. That about indicates the length of time between nappies and projectile vomiting in my home.
My other Christmas read has been an anthology of award-winning short stories submitted to the Stringybark Times Past Writing Competition where writers were asked to take a particular historical incident and weave a story around it. What’s not to enjoy? Australian historical fiction in short bursts which I could manage between food prep, fridge maintenance, and entertaining an 11 week old with healthy lungs. (It’s been a long time between screaming too.)
Perhaps the reason behind my enjoyment of these short stories is that several have piqued my interest enough to research further. There is a 1500 word story about WW2 Nurse Vivian Bullwinkel who survived the sinking of the SS Vyner Brooke by the Japanese and was only one of three (including two soldiers) who survived the Bangka Island Massacre. Fascinating reading.
Another covers a train crash in Victoria which I’de never heard of and Torres Strait At War introduces readers to a battalion formed during WW2 of up to 800 men, infantry and pioneers, from inhabitants of all the Torres Strait Islands and their subsequent treatment by the Government.
Golah Sing is great reading. Just wish retirement actually allowed for more research time.
Santa was particularly thoughtful this year with a face mask for the Pandemic with an Errol Flynn theme. Now ain’t that the way to a girls heart…..
Brizzy Mays Books and Bruschetta 
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Now this sounds more like my type of book. What thoughtful gift the mask was. Hopefully you will not need to use it for much longer.
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I love the Errol Flynn facemask.
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Every girl should have one 🙂
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Hi Brizzy! I had never seen a photo of you – in my mind you were a brunette! Now I see I was way off as you are very blonde! I think this was the “year of the mask” as we all gave and got masks this year. My sons both got masks with sharks and rays on them, my husband got a very “masculine” flannel khaki mask, and I got one with a bunny nose and mouth printed on it.
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The blonde is because the summer sun lightens my hair. In winter I darken considerably, so I go from Rat Blonde to Mousy Brown 🙂 Yes, masks have become big business, haven’t they?
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PS . The LOML reckons that silver threads are beginning to appear. He was nearly murdered.
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That book sounds interesting!
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Hope you enjoyed your Xmas and are slowing down now 🙂
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Thanks for the beaut review of “Golah Sing.” I reckon it’s the best historical fiction book we have yet produced and it has some really intriguing yarns within its pages. It really does prove that history need not be dull. Thank you for another enjoyable year of reading your posts. Have a wonderful new year with much writing!
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Thanks David. Keep up the great work promoting Australian writers and more importantly, their stories. Terrific stuff, and cheers🥂
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