I THOUGHT I'd drift back through to wish 2010 a jolly good riddance and cheer in 2011. Not that 2010 was bad, I just like fresh starts, clean slates, blank pages, new beginnings. Don't you?

So, chink-chink and cheers.

The cocktails are courtesy of my new favourite online magazine Sweet Paul. I've been hoovering up new online finds and bookmarking old favourites for later. I've even bookmarked Christmas bits and bobs, like these no-sew decorations, for next year. Yup, I'm thinking way, way ahead.

What have you found?

I've checked out the shows I'd like to go to over summer. Martha Wainwright and Cat Power are playing the Opera House and Cyndi Lauper's coming to the State Theatre and I don't know where Lanie Lane is going to be but I'd like to see her too.

I don't watch telly much but if Thrift America was to launch an Aussie version, I'd be front and centre.

I did watch the Doctor Who Christmas special? It was good. Are you a fan?

Hmmm, what else? I can recommend stopping at the Super Strawberry outside Glen Innes. The folk there make a mean strawberry milkshake. Just the thing to revive one on an interstate Christmas road trip.

Ooh, ooh, ooh, speaking of road trips, I have booked a little trip to Melbourne with my sister in March (and will be visiting another new discovery, Milly Sleeping). Then I'll be travelling solo to Hobart soon after. Advice on what to see and do at either destination would be most welcome.

See you next year. ; )

I HAVE a week off and start my new job at the end of next week. I had so many plans for this week and already the sun has set on Wednesday - hump day. So gee, let's see what have I been doing with the past few days.

• I saw Deborah Conway and Willy Zygier perform this time last week.
• My folks came to visit and we went for a short bushwalk, had coffee overlooking the water and fishing boats, ate fish and chips at the fishing co-op and ate way too much jam slice.
• I've been wearing this new-to-me T-shirt handed down to me by Ping.
• I've said my goodbyes and received flowers, lovely words and trinkets from the folk here and here.
• I saw the new Sex and the City 2 movie. Can't say I will spend any time raving about it here. Disappointing? One big ad? Too right it was.
• I've watched Bright Star and have The Edge of Love ready to watch tomorrow. 
• I bought the new series of Mad Men. Not sure how soon I'll get to it, I feel my quota, and tolerance, for movie-watching has expired.
• I am reading The People of Paper for my book club.
• I visited an artist whose work I've admired for the past two years and bought one of her paintings. I just emailed her and asked if I could. It seemed bold at the time but I'm glad I did.
• I've abandoned cooking sweet treats and brushed off the bike and hand weights instead.
• I've been op-shopping. Der!
• I've divided iris, moved plants and struck new ones for the garden and now the winter solstice is behind us, I am dreaming of spring plantings.

Love to you and yours. Hope there are good people, good music, good movies, good books and good food at your house too.