Almost Over!

One more week and I am KF (Kid Free)! Don't get me wrong, I love the little buggers. But, hallejulah! I'll be free... When Sophie asked me tonight if I was really leaving next week and I said yes, she got slightly upset and whined, "But you make the best toast!" Jack didn't even bat an eye. Folks, I'm touched, but all the emotion is just too much to handle ;-) That's cool though, makes it easier for me to leave knowing they don't really care that I'll be gone.

The Sydney Writers' Festival is on now and last night, Matt accompanied me to the Spotlight on Sherman Alexie, a Native American writer whose book, "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven," I read in college. To be honest, he was the only writer I recognized on the program for the Festival. Except for Maya Angelou but she doesn't count because she only appeared via satellite. It was an enjoyable evening. Sherman was quite funny, it was almost like watching a stand-up comedy routine. He talked a lot about indigenous culture and the differences between the treatment of the Aborigines and the Native Americans--mainly that the Aborigines were treated to government-sponsored genocide whereas the Native Americans were just kind of pushed aside by the government and persecuted by everyone else. He was pretty interesting. During the Q&A, I asked him his opinion on the state of indigenous writing--is it progressing or remaining stagnant? He answered that it is definitely stagnating, that there are only about 20 Native American writers who are getting published and a lot of them have been around for 30 years or so. Crazy.

So the plan for the rest of the week is to try not to get irritated by the kids as much and not yell at them, take advantage of having my own bed, shower and computer as much as I can, and see as much of my remaining friends as I possibly can. Sarah goes back to Liverpool Monday week so we're going to hit Star City casino (god help me) on Saturday since neither of us have been yet. And of course, there is the last Friday with Kate at the Mercantile! Sadness... Then, on Sunday or Monday, I go up to the central coast with Matt to visit his hometown and possibly a side trip to the Hunter Valley. Oh boy, lots to look forward to. I just hope everything works out...