Welcome to my inaugural blog – a great opportunity to share thoughts and words. Recently, my husband and I had the most amazing get-away. At the beginning of our July school winter holidays, we travelled down to Mollymook on the NSW South Coast where the days were bright and sunny and the nights, frosty. Our sea-view room on the point was spectacular. Mornings, we saw dolphins off the rocks, nosing around for their brunch, the sun-path a clear ladder across the sea, while north-bound humpback whales spurted out to sea around the headland. Night-time blessed us with its music of roar and snore of waves on rocks and sand, the deep-breath of sea and earth. It struck me that here we were staring through binoculars for whales, when eighty years ago the coast watchers were using similar equipment find the enemy not far from our coast. Many merchant ships were lost in Australian waters with hundreds of deaths, largely unreported at the time to prevent panic. Wandering around in the beautiful bush and beaches of the area reminded me of The Lucy Rock, a short story I wrote some time ago about the courage of our Merchant Navy and their families. I’d love to share a copy of The Lucy Rock with you. Just fill in a form with your email and I will get it to you. And if you’re looking for a lovely winter holiday – try the NSW South Coast – and take a warm jacket.