Hello and welcome back to neXtDRAFT.

After a whole month spent changing location from an out-of-the-way rural setting to an international city, Jerry and I are excited to be back into a real living routine.​​​​​​​

This is a quick little newsletter to get me back into the swing of it. It's amazing how important momentum is to a writing practice (or any routine really) but I do feel better for the break.

Don't you love the picture of Jerry's best friend Nonoy and his little brother? I found a heap of photos on the cellphone a few days after we arrived here in Iloilo City; apparently Jerry and his friends had quite a time while the rest of us were loading the truck with our stuff.

After arriving and unpacking we encountered Easter and Philippine Holy Week -- we didn't have WIFI at all for almost 3 weeks. The first week I spent marching off to shopping centres that had WIFI. With Jerry in tow and in the heat every day, eventually I emailed all my clients and asked them would they mind waiting just a bit longer for their jobs.

I must be the luckiest girl in the world to have such understanding clients who've been so patient and even put their own projects on hold to wait for me to come back online.

Thank you.

So as much as I'd love write more, I've got loads of work to catch up on and clients to help. I'll be back blogging again this week and you can look forward to plenty of photos, stories and more WritingBiz tips in neXtDRAFT 22.

Till next week.

Mel and Jerry xx

PS: I also want to pay a special mention to my father Robert Irvine who insisted I have an air conditioner. Him and mum sent me some money (and along with some donations from my Great Aunt Pauline, my Uncle Richard in Inverell, and loads of you who have been sending cans and bottles to dad for recycling) I was able to have a split cycle air-con installed in my room/office and smaller window style unit for Jerry's room. We had all the powerpoints checked and tested and got our WIFI setup too. So thanks everyone I'm truly blessed to have you all out there supporting Jerry and me in everything we do.

PSS: and for all you animal lovers out there, Maxine survived saying goodbye to her kittens and being transported in a rice sack and plastic bucket with holes in it. She's already defending her new territory and loves nothing more than to get inside my new office and go to sleep on my music mixer.