It always feels like December is the time to tie ends together and frantically bring the full year to a close. Why I always feel hurried at the end of the year I’m not so sure, it’s not like I haven’t had 11 months to prepare for it.

December however, has come and gone, and now we sit firmly in January. January to me is all about the catch up bits, the pause, the catch your breath before the year inevitably tumbles forward at a cracking speed.

So that’s what this post is about, a few catch ups.

First up, you may have heard of Artist As Family. If you have you might also know they’ve been on a three month bicycle peddled book tour for their last year released book, The Art of Free Travel. I was lucky enough to get to their talk at Florilegium in Glebe, Sydney where I had my book signed, my thoughts expanded (and also some most excellent coffee at Brewristas.)

Two pages into the book this is what I had written…

“I feel soft, I feel middle class comfortable, and ridiculously indulged. I’m questioning everything I have. Everything I want, and every thing I thought I needed.”

Have you read the book? What are your thoughts?

Now what else?…Goats. Yep goats.

If you ever thought your school would benefit from a couple of goats, well than I think you are onto a cracking idea. For this post I’m over at the honourable Milkwood talking about how you can convince your school to get a goat (or two!) like we did.

And while you are over at Milkwood, I’ve got a holiday bread recipe that you might like to tear a chunk out of, take for a picnic or freeze for later when the inevitable school lunch boxes return…and yes, they will come around again.

And that’s all for the moment people, catch ups are now caught up, and attention is now turned towards my very soggy backyard. 200mls in two days or something like that, rather wet on the toes any way.

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How about you? Has it been raining? Do you have a post I should have read and anything you really should be catching up on?