Not happy Jan!

Third Daughter by John Brack (1954) drypoint National Gallery of Australia purchased 1977 copyright Helen Brack 

Look at this gorgeous card sent to me by my colleagues in Sydney on the day of my departure!

It was a perfect choice and I appreciate the effort that went into finding just the right card, don't you?  I do like a good card and this is an excellent one.

I love John Brack's work though I must confess I did not recognise this piece.  I am probably more familiar with works like Collins Street et al. I will enjoy hunting it down in the National Gallery next time I am in Canberra.

My last day at work was a bit frantic...colleagues from Sydney flew up to help me complete paperwork and tidy up odds and sods.  There were lots of drop in visitors and banking and re-direction of mail and quick orientations for those left behind.  Former colleagues and industry members met me for a drink after work at the very pleasant Merthyr Bowls Club.  We used to use this as a venue for Christmas parties and other occasions when our office was in New Farm.  There were shrieks of joy as I placed the box of old photos on the table and I was spoiled rotten with fine food, drink, pressies and companionship.  People very sweetly listened to my five page speech (I kid you not!).  I have, as they say, closure :)

And so it's on to new and interesting stuff....a librarianship course through University of Canberra which I hope will make me a better researcher.  I am frightened, and excited, by how much I don't know, if that makes sense. 

So stand by for some no doubt tedious discursives on information seeking behaviour and collection management...sprinkled with the odd bit of knitting, sewing and book reviews.

I will miss my friends at AFTRS more than I can say...it is a special special place, that's for sure.  The good thing though is that there is life after AFTRS and I can still keep in touch.

Everlasting Cupcake

One of my more tedious tasks is to fetch the mail from the post box every day. 

I try and do it first up in the morning to get it out of the way...the walk to the post office can be quite a challenge at lunchtime - past the buskers, the bewildered and the desperate in the Valley. 

In the morning business is a bit brisker but can be depressing where I park around the back.  Broken bottles and evidence of homeless people sleeping in the alley the night before.

It's been a bit of a challenging week.  I've made the decision to leave somewhere I've worked for a long time.  I feel a bit like I'm standing on the edge of a precipice.

So what a delight to find a wee giftie from a colleague way way down south in the Apple Isle.  An everlasting cupcake to make my day.  It's really a very useful pincushion beautifully made by some very clever embroiderer.  And such a beautifully designed and hand made card from the house of Little Snoring. 

Dear Edwina, what a fabulous colleague and friend you are.  We only got to meet in the flesh a couple of times on rare, feel good, love-in sessions in Melbourne or Sydney.  What fun we had and what stories we shared.  Thank you for your beautiful gift and most importantly the gift of your friendship.