From Ox to Oz (bypassing 'Y') & back again....

Allow me to say up front that I dislike beginnings - they're tricky things. A good beginning is probably not to be underestimated and, I come to realise, not to be put off either. They have a tendency otherwise to stagnate and start developing their own miniature eco-systems from which all manner of strange and sometimes unpleasant things grow. Before you know it it is entirely possible that some kind of mutant dinosaur has flopped its way onto the shore and begun rampaging through the forest with a previously unheard of ferousity. Either way it probably means a whole lot of terrified, uniformed and irritated natives; and a too delayed messy beginning later on down the track. (Spot the tautology).

That being said: a bit has happened since last I wrote. Not least of which is the passing of nearly a year, a few marriages (none of them my own), one or two children being born (again - none of them my own), two trips to Australia and Christmas.

Most recently I've been in Australia for around 7 weeks working & taking a short holiday - and so I thought that whilst I was suffering from jet-lag and feeling like the inside of an unwashed sock I would begin. Again.

I'm not entirely sure how one begins again when a story has already begun - I imagine it's why people write sequels or cleverly sculpted plot twists. Unfortunately I have neither. In any case - this is a beginning. Coincidentally however it's also an end.