Perth Writers Festival

I missed out on attending the Perth Writers Festival last February.  I yearned to go but it seemed so difficult.  I had been adding up a massive amount of overtime at work.  I was tired and I promised to put it on hold until this year.  Thus my plan to attend in 2014 began twelve months ago.  I began planning by paying extra funds into Merv's community services account.  The Writers Festival is held during the March long weekend to commemorate Labor Day in WA and runs over three days. 
Dustin is often away with friends, therefore I opted to have funds available for support workers to stay with Merv and keep him occupied.  I took Merv with me during the 2012 Writers Festival, but it was difficult for him to rush from one event to another.  Often a chair wasn't available if you arrived even on time.  Our strategy was to miss some of the events and roll up ten to fifteen minutes early at the venue to ensure a seat was snared.  The writers festival includes workshops run by local, interstate and international authors.  I have completed a number of workshops over the years.

Many of the events involve an audience with published authors.  They often inspire us with their books and encourage us who love to write.  It is a smorgasbord of literacy delights!
With great expectation I looked forward to the festival events for this year.  I received the newly released program in the mail and eagerly explored it from cover to cover.  My jaw dropped.  I cringed.  My three day smorgasbord expected on the long weekend is being held the weekend beforehand.  Yes the very same three days my family celebrates 50 years in Australia. 
There is no option here.  My heart is with my family, the writers festival will be come and go and reappear next year. 
On the other hand fifty years to celebrate as a family is a benchmark and a time to remember and reminisce. Oh well!