Homesick for the outback: Phillip Island

We've being back on the island for four days: everything is unpacked, washed and organised for the summer. So what's next?

After all the hype of packing up our Mitchell home, travelling south to Phillip Island, and setting up our island home, I feel a strange sense of lethargy settling upon me. Why? I ask myself.

My guitar is out on the back verandah where we get morning sun, and I've played, having not touched it for seven months. I'm surprised I can still remember the notes and tunes, even though a bit rusty. Del and Major have their beds on the verandah and seem to enjoy hearing me play music. While in Mitchell our weekly marimba lesson and daily practice kept my musical needs fully satisfied. So now it's my guitar.

Regarding my writing, I've e-mailed a publisher regarding my latest children's story The Warning; and my adult memoir Robin's Double Life. It's a waiting game getting published, and it's also a case of being persistent and never giving up!

My daily blog keeps me focused on the here and now and lets me share with you, my loyal readers, life as I see it.

The sea view from our living room is blue and sunny today, yet I feel a strange tug of homesickness for outback Queensland with its space, warmth and community. On the other hand, we've heard that the power's been off for two nights running in Mitchell and there's been over 6 inches of rain in the last 3 days.

Today's maximum temperature on the island is 20°C and for me that feels cold after Mitchell's 35°C. Hopefully I'll acclimatise soon and settle back into life on this beautiful island, so rich in wildlife.