My body was hauled all the way around the world over the course of about 30 hours and every single flight lined up beautifully. I left the farm in Illinois in the Sunday morning and arrived in Melbourne, Australia Tuesday morning. (Losing a day).
By then I was hanging in rags!
But we went to inspect my daughter’s new house after pick up. It is a lovely little home and today we begin the daunting task of packing up her existing rental for shifting in two days.
I slept the sleep of the dead last night – ten hours – I told you my superpower was sleep.
Oh and by the way it is my birthday today. So I will have a nice coffee and walk along the river before we begin.
Alice in Wonderland Chapter Three comes out in a few hours! Here is Chapter Two in case you missed it.
Good morning – it is 6.30 am here in Melbourne as I write.
Sad news.
Many of you know but on the weekend before I left the farm I discovered that a predator from the plains had come on to the property and killed all the ducks. There was nothing but feathers left. Even Quacker has gone. I suspect my local pack of coyotes. Boo and I heard nothing. The ducks would frequently roam right out into the empty fields and would have been easy to track. It broke my heart. Strange how all the awful things we read about leave me sad but the loss of five ducks can bring me to tears.
I am so sorry for all of us. We all loved the ducks.
Celi
PS I will be back in touch at random intervals over the next few days as I work. Then once I have set up my study in the new house you and I will begin the research and designs for The Compact Kitchens Garden.
The Kitchen's Garden 
44 responses to “In Melbourne, Australia”
I’m glad you arrived safely and many happy returns!
I was in Melbourne at this time of year, decades ago and it was quite chilly, but it is my favourite city in Australia.
I’m so sorry to hear about the ducks. No alien abduction this time!
no. No alien abduction. I don’t think I will be trying ducks again/ ☹️
Well how interesting. Happy birthday! It’s my birthday as well. But I got here first by a lot. We will just have to share it.
is your birthday today too?
Yes the10th. Unless I am getting lost in the time difference. Always a possibility for me.
Happy birthday and welcome to our side of the world, Celi
thank you Judith!
Happy Birthday C! Glad to hear all the flights did what they were supposed to for you. Best to you and your daughter as you switch out homes and gear up for the city garden. I’m sure it will be brilliant 🙂
even though this is a tiny house / there is so much to do!
I’m sick at heart to hear about the ducks. Quacker too. Brutal news. Some birthday! But happy for you that you are with your daughter and distracted from misery at the farm.
it is brutal. I am miserable
Happy birthday to you!
So sorry to hear about the poor ducks. 😦
thank you Grace. I just hated losing the ducks – never again I guess
Celi, our heart goes out to you and your beloved ducks. They had a great life because of your kind heart. We will miss your lovely stories about them, living their glorious life on your farm. You’re so right, we all sure did love those little ducks. Thank you for sharing the news.
Wishing you a beautiful birthday and many more. 🎂🎁💫
it was tough but that land can be brutal sometimes.
Glad you made it and happiest of birthdays to you!!!
thank you Beth! Glass of wine in the sun this afternoon.
nice!
Happy birthday, dear Celi! Glad you are there safe and sound, though I am sad to hear about the ducks. That’s never nice. I wondered if you ever write with Writers’ Hour – if you google it, you can learn more. They gather on Zoom at 8 am in London, New York, LA and Melbourne and write in silence – it’s good fun, and a lovely community. Hope to see you there 🙂
no. I have such a reluctant Internet connection! But I do write a lot in the silence of my own studio!
Wow, to have everything go smoothly flying to Australia, that’s amazing! And wonderful! No doubt your daughter is over the moon delighted to have you there! Happy Birthday and Happy Celebrations for you and your daughter during the month ahead! 🙂
I was very surprised when it all came together like that! Without a hitch!
Happy Birthday. Enjoy the coffee and summer weather.
Bloody bugger about the ducks. They had a good life and will be well remembered, quite the thing for humble ducks.
yes! They gave us all lots of smiles while they were here. Sad but – over now.
Very happy birthday. Flights all lining up for once, amazing. Such sad news. Those ducks have given us all such pleasure, especially Quacker’s story. Try not to work too hard…… ha ha!
Pantry is done and I am half way through the kitchens cupboards!!
Happy BIrthday….and glad you made the trip…..Long hauls are so exhausting, but as long as you slept – you will be fine. Sleep is one of my super powers. So sorry and sad to hear about the ducks….XX
all that sitting is awful! But no more travels for a month which is quite nice really!
Pre covid I travelled extensively….and know how exhausting it can be….
I was also so sorry to hear about those darling little ducks..especially Quacker. 💔 It was so fun to see them swimming around on their little icy pond just the day. Now I’m wondering if this could have been the fate of the last bunch that disappeared. Well good anyway that you can be away from the farm at this time for the distraction. Hope you had a lovely birthday in spite of everything. Enjoy the warm!
It is ironic that the last video was of them. Nice I guess. But honestly i cant think too deeply about losing them without being so sad. They were so perfectly beautiful/ I know worse things are happening all the time but / still. No more ducks now.
Happy Birthday, mine is in a week. We are Sagittarius’! Happy that you have arrived safely and caught up on sleep. Enjoy the time with your daughter. Very exciting moving into a new home. So sad to hear about the ducks, they are such sweet little creatures it’s awful to think of them being taken by a predator.
hello there fellow Saggo! Lots of work here to keep me distracted. Taking a little break now and feel like going back to bed!