So, here it is. Not only my first attempt at blogging but the first blog I've ever seen! It could be said that I'm a blogging virgin. It's both scary and exciting to think that anyone will now be able to read my thoughts, my hopes, dreams, disappointments, wishes and regrets. I feel there should be some celebration, some fanfare. But no. I stumbled through the set-up on my own. I'm sitting alone at the kitchen table, wondering what to click on and what to leave well alone, while my husband is in the lounge room watching the State of Origin and all the kids have dispersed in five different directions. I have peace and space. That in itself is extremely rare. So I'm happy to forego the fanfare.

I have a specific hope for this blog. As the name suggests, I've lost something. Actually, in the past few years I've lost a lot of things. I'll concede that the latest, by many standards, was relatively trivial, but in the sequence of events, proved just as devastating, at least for a time.

I'm not sure where to start. I don't want this to sound like a journey of self-pity. In fact I would hope that it is a story of hope and triumph. But on the way to that there has definitely been a bucketload of grief.

Let me tell you first what I want. Over time I hope you will understand why.
I'd like you to embark on a kind of treasure hunt, a road trip, an opportunity to give, share and receive, a competition where there are many winners, no prizes, but I hope, many rewards.

So in a nutshell, here's the background.
Six weeks ago, I set out on road trip, a much needed holiday with family and friends. We left Tasmania on the Spirit, on 22nd May. Arriving in Melbourne, we headed north-west towards the Grampians, touching the edge of the Big Desert before heading north through the Mallee, onto Mildura and into NSW. Upward to Menindee, west to Broken Hill and Silverton, then north to Tibooburra, west to Cameron Corner and over the border into SA. Via the Strezleki Track we hit Innaminka then took a back road into Qld. Our Queensland travels took us via the Dig Tree, Thargominda, Quilpie, Charleville, Blackall, Adavale and Cunnamulla. South to Bourke before heading east as far as Inverell and good friends. A quick dash southwards saw us passing through Narrabri, the Warrumbungles, Narramine and Condoblin, almost doing a complete circle as we re-entered Victoria via Tocumwall and Shepparton. On Saturday 19th June we boarded the boat and headed home.
Naturally, throughout the journey I took lots of photos (over 1000, in fact. For many reasons I hope to explain, those photos were to be my memories. Literally, they were intended to help me remember, re-live, enjoy, a journey that at times was almost unbearable. They were the good times. The moments of peace, aloneness and joyful discovery.
On my return home, eager for a happy memory, I took the picture card from my camera and slipped it into the laptop. Four photos appeared.........then nothing.
The long and the short of it is that after several attempts at retrieval by myself and the photo lab, I was left with an empty card. Some of my photos weren't much. Some were beautiful. I know that because as we travelled, I often went over them, time and time again. Even on that tiny screen they brought me comfort and joy.
Now they are gone.
That is where you come in.
I want to share with you my journey. I want you to re-capture it for me in photos and stories.
From the ashes of my despair, I want us to create an album of shared memories, at times as close as possible to my own, at others new and better ones. I want us to create an album better than any I could create on my own.

We travelled at a very special time. After recent floods the desert was green! I may never see that again. No one will ever be in those places at the time I was to see exactly what I saw. But many will come close. Many will see and capture something better. Some of my photos can never be reproduced. They spoke of a moment in time, gone forever. That's okay now. There will be other moments, equally special, that someone else can share.
I'm happy to say that something was retrieved. My brother, Mark, and my son, Keygan, did take some photos. But theirs are a different kind. While mark tends to be more of a snapshot man, he did learn to follow me and pull out his camera when I did. By the end of the trip he was even taking photos of things I couldn't. So all is not lost. But I suppose you could say I'm a bit more "arty" with my photos (although by no means a brilliant artist). I like angles, shapes, patterns and designs. I especially love macro and I love simplicity and contrast.
Keygan is just learning to look in the same way i do. Some of his shots are great. Some great ones are unfortunately blurred. Between us we'd hoped for something very special.
So please help me to find my memories. Whether you live in these areas, have friends or family there, or (ideally) go out of your way to discover them for yourself, please pass this message on and help fill the album.
Now, I've survived this first phase, I'm off to bed. I'll let you know what I'm looking for as we go.
Thanks,
Net