this morning i walked around newtown and loved every moment of it. it is sunny today. in contrast to how last night was freezing and how i got hailed on. there were shops. and i went in to almost every one of them. i nearly bought a desk. because i'm sick of using my kitchen as a home office. and i ate brunch and drank fair trade coffee.

but even though i was hearting newtown big time i still bought myself this awesome badge today. it is awesome because it is true. i heart island bay. it is my hood. where i grew up. where i spent 1985.

i learnt to ride a bike and to drive in island bay. i don't do the former very well, but i rule at the latter. in island bay i cried at the thought of going to intermediate and i danced in the band rotunda at helena's 16th (?) birthday party. i walked in the rain to the supermarket to buy the RTR countdown magazine when rick astley was on the cover. and i lied to my cousin about island bay (when i was about eight or nine) telling her that tiffany played a concert there. she was so jealous.

for years i caught the island bay bus. the number one. i think this is symbolic. the number one route for the number one suburb. i bought sweet valley twins books from the bookshop and clothes for my cabbage patch doll from woolly valley. and i dreamed of having my photo taken at chopsticks takeaways. this never happened but helena is on the wall there TWICE. how did that happen?

and the beach! so it is a bit cold - even at the height of summer - but it is beautiful to look at with the island and everything. and the pirate ship in the park. god that is good. the first time i climbed up to the top i lost my balance and fell down. the same thing happened to my brother. and later to my sister. i think it is a rite of passage. i am sure the more daring kids used it for more exciting things other than playing pirates.

enough of this. i need to get ready. another party of the century tonight and i still haven't decided what to wear.