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Tuesday, 22 October 2013

How do you get rid of a backyard pool?

My kids had outgrown our fibreglass pool - not literally - they're not that big! But they weren't using it and while I loved it during a heatwave, I was sick of having to pay the power bills for it. And having to get the equipment fixed. Even the smallest part on the creepy vacuum thing - a tiny yellow bit of plastic for example - was outlandishly expensive.

And I wanted more garden-space, and room for some chooks - rescued battery hens, of course.

So I made a few calls and found John and co at Palm City Pools.

John came and had a look at the pool, which was in our backyard behind our tall house in a narrow street - and said if we could empty it and remove the capping and some of the bricks around it, he could get it out, crane it up over the house, give it a clean-up and sell it to another family.

Here are step-by-step pix of the process, which took a few weeks, but was well worth it. Another day I'll write a post about turning the sandpit into a garden.

The pool emptied, capping and bricks removed, viewed from our top deck

Crowbarring the pool out. It's attached to the crane already
Our pool, airborne!


Jenny, Jason and Nick -- job done and pool on trailer ready to be taken away


 
Barney the bobcat driver supervising the delivery of one of three loads of sand to fill the hole where the pool was


My grand-dogs enjoying having a sandpit in the backyard instead of a pool

Stay posted to see the transformation of the garden.

Monday, 21 October 2013

How do you find ideas for stories?


People often ask me,'where do your story ideas come from?'

The answer is 'just about anywhere'!

For me, a whole novel once grew out of a small personal ad in a community newspaper.



The lovely cover design for this enovel is by Erin Steenson


Originally titled China or Elsewhere then Peru or Elsewhere and now rebadged as a Kindle e-bookLove, Classified, this 200-page story evolved from this ad: Travel Companion: China or Elsewhere, lady 35-50 n/s, gsoh, with guy in next few weeks. Take it from there or move on. VMB 1111. Reply Box No 55.' (For those of you who aren't into personal ad lingo, n/s means non-smoking, gsoh is good sense of humour and VMB is voice mail box.)

My daughter Lucy was reading the personal ads column in the paper after coming home from the beach with her friends (a few years ago now). She was putting on a silly voice and making us all laugh. But when she came across this one, she said: "Mum, you should write a novel about this!"

"But I don't know anything about China," I said.

('Write what you know' is something I believe in!)

"They don't have to actually GO to China, they could just head in that direction," she said.

So I thought about it: what if a 30-something plus-size virgin read the ad and was intrigued? What if she found herself daydreaming of visiting exotic lands with a handsome stranger?

('What if...?' will be the subject of another blog!)

The story almost wrote itself. It was such fun for me to escape into it and many readers have enjoyed it too.

So look out for quirky little lines of text that make you smile - and let rip!

Saturday, 19 October 2013

Welcome to Scribblygum for writers, romance-readers, gardeners, animal-lovers, nature-lovers and anyone who treasures our planet

SCRIBBLYGUM








Scribblygum leaves


Welcome to Scribblygum - a blog for writers, readers and anyone who loves Mother Earth.

My name is Sally-Ann Jones and I'm the mother of five adult children - three daughters and two sons.
This is me, Sally-Ann

I also have lots of grand-dogs and cats who often come for play-dates with me and my two dogs, Harley (from Saving Animals from Euthanasia, or SAFE) and Max, a 10-week Pomeranian puppy. Soon I'm getting some chooks - I'm planning to get a few battery hens and give them a happy life in my backyard.
 Max, our newest family member


Soon we'll have some of these in our garden


As well as being a mum, I'm a writer. Last week my new novel Stella's Sea, by University of Western Australia Publishing, was launched at the Grove Library in Peppermint Grove.


My new novel

It was such a happy night, with lots of family, friends (including some Cottesloe Coastcarers), an inspirational beekeeper - and fabulous food including UWAP's Britt's star-shaped cookies.

Most of my family at the booklaunch. Two of my kids couldn't be there :( but most were!


Stella's Sea is about a woman whose only child is killed and who gradually learns to live without her, thanks to friendship and finding out about the beautiful Cottesloe beach environment with its whales and dolphins and fragile dune plants.

I also write sexy romance novels. You can find them on Amazon and buy them for the princely sum of US$2.99 via Kindle or a free Kindle app. I have a Facebook page for my sexy romances.

Professionally, I'm a tutor in creative writing and work in public affairs - as a speechwriter and media liaison. As a tutor, I help my students to come up with compelling stories - to flesh out believable characters, in a compelling setting, all knitted together in a page-turning plot.

Every so often on Scribblygum you'll find how-to tips on aspects of creative writing. And there'll be poems, stories, gardening ideas - and chook updates!





I hope you'll have fun with Scribblygum.