New year's day, 2013, saw me on a bike ride down on the seafront where I took this picture. It looked like a summer's day, an oasis amid the gloom we have endured these past months - though I am thankful we don't have Canberra's 40 degree fire alert. One stray spark could see an entire city go poof, in a puff of smoke. But yesterday I got the best of emails from an old friend in Ilkley, Yorkshire. She put two of my songs on her album a few years back but has just sent me this, "I just found a tape and some lyrics of your songs that I would like to sing... we have been a bit dry of new songs, I seem to have a hit a long term block on that so finding your tapes and words etc., was like a breathe of fresh air musically. And if you have any other material we would love to hear it... Would be good to have a catch up. Speak soon, Mairead." What a nice start to the year. So I am inspired to finish lots of things I started. And indeed I have already begun with a theme which seems to be working - one long standing song already coming together - ain't it just the case. I like the new album by Lori McKenna, called Lorraine:
