Well, that was a bizarre evening! After a day of tidying in preparation for Raeli’s birthday party tomorrow (her first ‘proper’ one at home instead of at a kids centre, with games and everything) I settled down with a baby on my lap to follow the Aurealis Awards via Twitter. It turned into a rollicking good time, with many of us playing along at home chatting away merrily. Scott Westerfeld and Donna Hanson vied for the role of star twitterer from the event itself – Donna was quicker off the mark with announcing the winners, but Scott provided fashion descriptions, which added immeasurably to the style of the whole affair.

I was especially pleased to see Jonathan Strahan take Best Anthology for Eclipse 3, which I really think was the top anthology of the year internationally, not just in the Australian scene, and was also pleased to be beaten in the Best YA short story category by Cat with “Seventeen,” which was my favourite of her stories from this year. Also cool to see Leviathan take YA novel, and Peter M Ball win one of his many nominated stories. Sad that Twelfth Planet Press won none of its 7 nominations, though I think it just earned 7 years worth of always-the-bridesmaid karma which should be good news for next year! I was very pleased to see Paul Haines win Best Horror Short Story with “Wives” though he had to share the prize with himself! I hope he doesn’t end up fighting with himself over custody of the trophy. Or will they give him two? They should totally give him two.

Congratulations and commiserations to everyone, in any case. Many worthy winners and many equally worthy not-winners. I was very pleased and touched to hear of the Kris Hembury Encouragment Award for Emerging Artists – what a lovely way to remember Kris! I dropped out a bit towards the end of the Twitter party, as my baby reached the end of her tether right around the time that my elder daughter was insisting on bedtime stories. Oh, and we iced cupcakes in the middle of the whole thing. Sadly I don’t think Twitter was able to convey them properly to Margo and Felicity, but it’s the thought that counts.

Once the Awards peeps had swanned off to their actual real party, and the girls were finally both asleep, I settled down to the vital task of filling lolly bags for tomorrow. Which might have been easier if I could remember how many children are coming. I may have lost track. Also, one of my packs of 10 party bags only had 9 in it! Rip off! Let’s hope however many kids come tomorrow, it is less than 19.

Then my honey and I settled down to make a pass the parcel. I had many things to put inside it. But round about ten layers, it started getting tricky, because the newspaper was getting too small (or rather the parcel too big) to go all the way around. “Ten is enough,” announced my honey. I stared at him in horror. “But every child has to have a turn! Even the babies!” He stared at me blankly.

Really, we should have got a bigger newspaper. The Australian would have gone around a few more times.

We finally managed a respectable 15 layers, the last being old Christmas wrapping, and which my honey only allowed me (newspaper only is the rule in his culture) because otherwise the parcel would have DEATH CAMP on its outermost layer.

This is my first pass the parcel. I have already learned many things, like that you should invest in big broadsheet newspapers beforehand, and should only put flat things inside the parcel, not chupa chups and bottles of bubble mix and toys with little bouncy balls attached. Parenting, it is an education.

Anyway, I am now ridiculously tired. Tomorrow, the party descends. If I survive, I will return.

Tags: aurealis awards, family, margo lanagan, mothering, raeli, scott westerfeld