It's that time of the year.

The weather is getting hot.
People are driving like bloody idiots.
Town is getting crowded with kids on school holidays.
It's mental.
But I'm still excited.
Even though I'm completely skint and have no money for presents (and that's what skint means Jaan), it's still gonna be great fun.

Yes, I'm a bit overdue for an update, so I'll try and remember everything that's been going on.

First, Muffin ran away. :( We had kept him inside for a few weeks after we moved, and then I decided to let him out since he was getting really antsy and it wasn't nice to see him so bored inside. He seemed to be doing quite fine for an hour or so, and then he was just gone. It's all been a bit sad really. However, Alice and I have decided that instead of getting presents for each other this year, we'll just save our money and go to the shelter and get a new kitten. So that's something to look forward to. And if Muffin decides to come back, well, he'll just have to get along with his new housemate.

Health is still going awesomely. I had a clinic a couple weeks ago (the first one since my admission earlier this year) and my lung function is back up to the best it's been in the last couple of years. So I'm pretty much the healthiest since before I went overseas, so I'm really happy about that. Although my sinuses are starting to play up again, so I'm gonna have to go and get them checked out. I can't remember if I said last time that I'm doing yoga now, but I am. It's great fun. So that.

The album is coming along really nicely (well, so I'm told since I haven't heard any of it since that first weekend). So far vocals, guitars, drums, piano and bass have been recorded. There are still the strings, backing vocals and random sounds to be done, but if the rehearsals are anything to go by, this album is gonna be fricken sweet. Due to the recording, there hasn't been many gigs to talk about. We did one at the Gov with the drummer and bass player which was SO much fun. Those guys are just amazing. Hopefully we'll do more with them in the future. Next year looks like it's going to be quite full on with music, so I'm just trying to take it as easy as possible when I'm not needed. But we have one more gig for the year, so if you're looking for something to do between Christmas and New Years, head on down to the Wheatsheaf Hotel on Friday the 28th to see Cookie Baker play with Brillig. Gonna be lotsa fun.

That's about it I think. Seen a few gigs, most notably the John Woods Band at the Gov. Those guys really are gonna go far me thinks. It's awesome. And they're playing at the Big Day Out, so that's just amazing. And even more so that I'm actually going now. :D

Rating: 8

What I'm listening to: Wallis Bird - Spoons. I can't get enough of these kids at the moment. They are a group from Ireland and they are bloody outstanding!!!!

Sorry...

I know how long it's been, and quite a few things have gone on, but since I'm not in the best mood, this isn't going to contain all the little bits and pieces that have gone on.

So the recording is going REALLY well. The drums have been recorded, and it's amazing how much they lift the songs up and give them an awesome flow. I'm probably biased, but I really think this is going to be an awesome album when it's finished. There are still a few things that need to be done - strings, bass and random noises/backing vocals. I'll still keep everyone up to date when it looks like it will be out and available.

We moved house! The mould in The Fortress was the last straw, and since the landlord wouldn't fix it, we thought it wasn't worth risking health just to be in a cheap house in an awesome area. So we looked for a few weeks before we found this house, and we're very happy with it. It's got floorboards throughout, ducted AC and heating (which needs to be fixed as it's not working), 3 bedrooms, HUGE backyard and it's all very neat and tidy. We're very happy to be in a nice, proper home where we can entertain people now. Although we are paying pretty much double what we were paying before. Oh well...

The other main piece of news is that Muffin has gone awol. I decided let him out of the house after a few weeks of being indoors as he was getting VERY antsy. Things seemed to be quite fine - he was going around the yard, going into the neighbours houses, and then popping back home. But when I went to get him inside in the evening, I couldn't find him. That was Friday night - it's now Tuesday. Part of me is really trying to remain positive and thinking that he's either partying it up with the other cats in the area (it's cat city around our house), he's curled up on some old woman's lap since the weather has been so shit all weekend, or he's wandered back to our old house. But the other part of me just can't help but think something's happened to him. So, while I really don't like asking for things like this, I was wondering if you could all do what you do so well, and say a prayer, send some good vibes, or just think positive thoughts that he will be found safe and sound.

Healthwise things have been going really nicely. I'm still really clear in my lungs, and even though I haven't done alot of exercise lately since my ipod has broken, I'm feeling really good. I've also started yoga, so maybe that has something else to do with it.

Anyway, that's about it. Hope everyone's well.

Recording, dinners and gigs.

Another two weeks, another update. The first thing I want to mention is that we have started recording Cookie Baker's debut album, which has already been an amazing experience. We were locked in the studio for a whole weekend, which let us get 8 of the 10 tracks down (acoustic guitars and vocals only). But already, the songs are sounding awesome and it's only going to get better. The other musicians are still to record their parts (strings, percussion, bass, backing vocals, random noises) and if all goes to plan, the cd should be out by the end of the year. I still have one song to record with Holly, and since it's going to be a bitch to get down correctly, we're setting aside a whole day for the one song. Hopefully it all goes well, and we won't have to worry about that one any more.

Last week a friend from school was back in Adelaide after being overseas for the last 3 years, so a whole bunch of us from school caught up with dinner and a few bevy's. It was so awsomely strange to see so many people from school in the same place, 7 years after we had all graduated and all doing pretty much what we love to do. We had engineers, actors, singers, musicians, and architects. Who would have thought back in school we would all be where we are today? It was a great night, and hopefully it won't be that long before we all catch up again (but most probably will be).

Since the big Festival Centre gig happened, not a whole lot of music has been going on for me (apart from the studio weekend). I'm still working 6 days a week, but it's so nice to have my nights back again, so I can spend some quality time with Alice (which usually involves us eating dinner while watching Heroes). But it's been great. And I think it's much needed as the last week or so I've noticed that my lungs are starting to be a little more gunked up, so I'm tossing up whether to go to the clinic to see how bad they are. I figured if things don't really improve in the next couple of weeks, I'll try and go in to get a tune-up, so that it (hopefully) won't take me so long to recover and get back to my best. We'll see anyways...

We have a gig tonight at the Prince Albert Hotel (on Wright St) which is going to be fantastic! The owners have sold the pub, so I'm not sure what's going to become of it, but in the past it's been host to some friggen awesome gigs. One of them being Ekoostika, the monthly acoustic night which was started by musos Cookie Baker, LeighStarDust and Tom Barnes. The first Thursday of every month this night would happen, and basically anyone who could strum an acoustic guitar and belt out a few notes would be welcome to play, and it happened to be the starting point of the brilliant Mr. John Woods. So to celebrate the end of an era with the pub changing hands, all 3 of the acts who started up Ekoostika are going to be playing tonight. It's sure gonna be lovely!

Well, I think that about brings you all up to speed. I may see you tonight, I may not.

Rating: 7.2

What I'm listening to: Rodrigo y Gabriela

Spring is here!

As much as I love the warmer weather, I am a bit worried about how bad this summer is going to be. We need more water badly! But since it doesn't look like we're going to get it, I guess there's nothing more to do but sit back, enjoy not having to have the heater on 24/7, and being able to dry our clothes on the line rather than go to the laundromat!

First, I just wanted to say a huge thanks to all those who made it to Cookie's Piano Bar gig on Sunday. It was a perfect day! The weather was absolutely stunning, the crowd was completely packed and so enthusiastic, and without a doubt the most enjoyable gig I've had the pleasure to play.

As soon as we finished playing, we popped over to Elder Park to catch the rest of The Audrey's gig as part of the ABC's 75th Anniversary, and they were outstanding as always. I wish I could have stayed a bit longer and sat on the grass listening to them, but we had to pack all the gear away. Had a little scare on the way home when Eliza-Jane decided to stop running halfway down King William St, but luckily it was just a bit of dirt on the points, so after not too long she was back and running sweetly. That night we went to FADBar to have some birthday drinks for Holly, which was a brilliant night. A few people got messy, but all in all there was lots of laughs and funky dance moves.

Since there have been no rehearsals this week, I have made the most of enjoying nights at home with Alice. It feels like forever since we have hung out, so it's been fantastic to have some home cooked meals and watch some Foxtel.

This weekend we go into the studio to start recording Cookie's debut album, which I'm really looking forward to. It's gonna have some sweet arse tunes, as well as some bloody talented people working on it. All guitars and vocals are going to be done this weekend, and the rest of the musicians will pop in over the next two months to record their parts. If all goes to plan, it should be out at the end of this year.

I had a little bit of a health scare last weekend when I felt my throat getting a bit raw and had quite a bad headache that lasted a while, but this past week of rest seems to have done it's trick, and I feel absolutely fine again. Not sure when I'll get time to get to clinic, but I should do that soon.

Not much else to tell. I'll let you all know how the recording went when we get back from the studio next week.

Rating: 7.9