I've discovered podcasts. My friend, Melbourne Jenny, and I have regularly given each other tips about various podcasts we've been listening to. It all started towards the end of last year when my Tram Buddy, Suzanne, told me about This American Life's podcast, Serial. If you haven't already heard of it, all 12 episodes are still available and I'm not going to spoil it. Just binge and enjoy. Google a bit about Serial if you want to get the background and there's a lot of detail to get your head around to start with. I found it completely absorbing and compelling listening, especially coming from a legal background in my past life! And there's a whole lot happening post Serial which is incredible but I don't want to spoil the ending!

And then Melbourne Jenny and I discovered the podcast On Being with Krista Tippett - The Big Questions of Meaning, and in particular, her interview with the late John O'Donohue.

More recently, I've binged on all 19 episodes of Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb's podcasts at Chat 10 Looks 3 . They're an amusing, entertaining and informative pair who are obviously crazily good friends, and about as hopeless with technology as I am. Their conversations are amazingly similar to lots of my catch ups with Melbourne Jenny; often in a rush, crammed full of books, cooking, digressions, laughing, commenting on current topics, a bit of TV and a few movies and covering a huge amount in quite a short time. And who knew that Leigh Sales sang show tunes (and does so far too often according to Annabel)! Their website is a great way of catching up with notes from their podcasts and links to things they've referred to.

A visit to the Yarra Ranges

I've just visited my beautiful Melbourne Daughter and her husband and their newborn baby boy - my first grandson. The miracle of new life is just amazing and the depths of that love conquers all pain and sleep deprivation and fills me with awe and wonder. They have the most beautiful weeping cherry tree in full bloom to gaze upon from their living room window. I was standing under it and there is a pink glow all around creating a truly magical world. King Parrots (I think that's what they are?) visit regularly to feed and tiny wrens flit about, darting in and around the incredibly beautiful blossom.