Another dusty morning, only grey with a touch of lilac rather than blood red like before. Didn't stop me from aqua aerobics. I haven't been all week because no car and other commitments. I needed the exercise.
My car is a big bottomed gal and now her backside is all shiny and new. Now...if only I could get the rest of her as sleek and spotless. There are a few other bumps and scrapes that have been hanging around for a few years.
Had a great library meeting on Saturday spruiking Better than Chocolate with three of my writing buddies. Sold a good number of books so life still flickers in it.
Am going to audition for reading for the blind next week. It is a community organisation where volunteers read the news on the radio for sight impaired people. Watch this space....
Will have a break from writing and concentrate on movie making. Got a few projects to complete, and it's a nice change from writing. Christmas parties start week after next so creativity time is limited until well into January, plus the heat saps one's energy. I think it is going to cool down tomorrow and rain....nice, unlike the torrents falling in the UK yesterday.
All Australian eyes will be on the Opposition party next week, with the prospect of blood on the floor, and a new leader, all because they don't want to sanction an emissions trading scheme. Stupid!!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
waiting for the southerly
We're on 40 degrees. The meteorologists have promised a southerly buster this evening. I can't wait. I've blown (literally) one month's electricity bill on my little power-guzzling fan to keep me sane today. Have watched TV, done NY Times crosswords, napped and read my book, Vikram Seth's memoir Two Lives which I'm enjoying very much.
Yesterday the kiddywinks came over while the parents frolicked. We had an hour in the park between 5 and 6pm. Thought the activity would de-energise Mathew. WRONG. He is a constantly moving turbo. I had to have a cold shower after they left. Annika's pretty smile now has a gap in it and, by the way she kept trying to excavate the next tooth out with one of my Stimudents the gap will be very big very soon.
My car is being repaired after backing into a concrete pillar on Aug 26. I remember the date because it was Krista's birthday. I am without it for a week. Thank heavens for the subsidised transport ticket. I can go anywhere in Sydney on that. It just takes so much time and planning. But the metroline website is very helpful in that regard.
Time is not a problem. After hanging out for some more work with the Suicide Study I learned this week that it is no more. I am not going to rush around looking for something else however. I seem to be managing, and writing keeps me occupied. I'm just getting to the final year in S. Africa, hope to get that done tomorrow. I would have done some today but it's too hot!!!!
We are following the progress of conjoined twins who were separated in a marathon operation in Melbourne last week. Apparently the little girls are both awake now, and the MRIs of the brains look okay. It will be a surgical miracle if they've succeeded. I hope so.
Our prime minister apologised to the 'forgotten children,' those sent to childrens' homes, hundreds of them from England, to endure hardship and abuse. I understand Gordon Brown is going to do the same next year. Why does that man seem to be always behind the eight ball?
Thanks to the Women's Weekly cook book, I finally succeeded in making fish cakes, something I've lost the knack of over the years. Also found a new sausage outlet thanks to my friend Kit. I agree with her they are better than DJ's. They take longer to cook because they are so tightly packed with meat.
It's going to be salad tonight. Too hot for anything else. Come on Southerly buster start blowing!!!
Yesterday the kiddywinks came over while the parents frolicked. We had an hour in the park between 5 and 6pm. Thought the activity would de-energise Mathew. WRONG. He is a constantly moving turbo. I had to have a cold shower after they left. Annika's pretty smile now has a gap in it and, by the way she kept trying to excavate the next tooth out with one of my Stimudents the gap will be very big very soon.
My car is being repaired after backing into a concrete pillar on Aug 26. I remember the date because it was Krista's birthday. I am without it for a week. Thank heavens for the subsidised transport ticket. I can go anywhere in Sydney on that. It just takes so much time and planning. But the metroline website is very helpful in that regard.
Time is not a problem. After hanging out for some more work with the Suicide Study I learned this week that it is no more. I am not going to rush around looking for something else however. I seem to be managing, and writing keeps me occupied. I'm just getting to the final year in S. Africa, hope to get that done tomorrow. I would have done some today but it's too hot!!!!
We are following the progress of conjoined twins who were separated in a marathon operation in Melbourne last week. Apparently the little girls are both awake now, and the MRIs of the brains look okay. It will be a surgical miracle if they've succeeded. I hope so.
Our prime minister apologised to the 'forgotten children,' those sent to childrens' homes, hundreds of them from England, to endure hardship and abuse. I understand Gordon Brown is going to do the same next year. Why does that man seem to be always behind the eight ball?
Thanks to the Women's Weekly cook book, I finally succeeded in making fish cakes, something I've lost the knack of over the years. Also found a new sausage outlet thanks to my friend Kit. I agree with her they are better than DJ's. They take longer to cook because they are so tightly packed with meat.
It's going to be salad tonight. Too hot for anything else. Come on Southerly buster start blowing!!!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Not much to report this week, things rather sedate. A lot of writing going on. I even gave up going to writing group to concentrate on it. 60,000 words and I haven't left South Africa yet. I have come to the difficult years in S. A. and it's sometimes difficult to write. Some of the old feelings of bitterness resurface, not attractive and no one's going to enjoy reading it if I give full rein. So I won't.
I've been helped by letters my sister Maxine found and gave me last year. What a gold mine for chronology and getting the facts right. What is interesting is what I did NOT report in those letters. The month before I left John I'm reporting everything is hunky dory! Airmail letters over thousands of miles are not conducive to letting it all hang out. Besides she was busy enough without my worries.
Kit and I are going to the cricket today, NSW vs Tasmania (I think) We have high hopes for our state side this season. It is a one-dayer so we know the results by the end of the day unlike the test match that starts on Tuesday. Might go to that one day next week too. The weather forecast is good but must remember the old slip, slop, slap, in other words, shirt, sunscreen, and hat.
I made spinach feta triangles for the first time. Only I didn't make triangles and I didn't use Filo pastry. I used frozen sheets of puff pastry, one on which I slapped the mixture, and one to cover it. Thank you Betty for the idea. It was delicious but I was eating the damn stuff all week. One thing I discovered, spinach is a great aperient. I feel sooo clean inside!!!!
I've been helped by letters my sister Maxine found and gave me last year. What a gold mine for chronology and getting the facts right. What is interesting is what I did NOT report in those letters. The month before I left John I'm reporting everything is hunky dory! Airmail letters over thousands of miles are not conducive to letting it all hang out. Besides she was busy enough without my worries.
Kit and I are going to the cricket today, NSW vs Tasmania (I think) We have high hopes for our state side this season. It is a one-dayer so we know the results by the end of the day unlike the test match that starts on Tuesday. Might go to that one day next week too. The weather forecast is good but must remember the old slip, slop, slap, in other words, shirt, sunscreen, and hat.
I made spinach feta triangles for the first time. Only I didn't make triangles and I didn't use Filo pastry. I used frozen sheets of puff pastry, one on which I slapped the mixture, and one to cover it. Thank you Betty for the idea. It was delicious but I was eating the damn stuff all week. One thing I discovered, spinach is a great aperient. I feel sooo clean inside!!!!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
a day of rest
At last. I don't have to go out anywhere today, it's just me, the computer and cricket from India, lovely with a cup of chai tea.
The week was crazy. Monday night heard Raymond Gaita, author of 'Romulus my Father' speak at the State Library, thanks to an invitation from my friend Helen. He was talking about 'truth' in Biography. Took an hour to tell us to make every effort to give only the facts. Doesn't put much dialogue in his non fiction, just when I've been putting more in my biography to liven it up after I read Obama's and thought it was alright to do so! It's in keeping with the spirit of the action so it's staying in.
Tuesday did Aqua then lunched with Kit and went to her house to watch the BIG RACE on her BIG SCREEN. She backed the winner 'Shocked' I didn't. Enuf said.
Wed night it felt a bit risque going out at 9. 30pm for an assignation in a hotel. Maybe 20 years ago it would have been but not now. I went to meet an old school friend's brother who was in town over night. Considering we had never met it was fun.
Thursday went to a fund raiser for Room to Read, the charity the sales of our book supports. Marcus Zusak, author of the international best seller 'The Book Thief' spoke very engagingly about the influences in his life that got him writing. He looks very young so I suspect he has a lot of books in him.
Fri night went to Mancini's to celebrate Cristina's birthday. Because there were fifteen of us we qualified for their Limo, not all could get in of course. Melissa drove her new car, a nice secondhand Audi with leather seats. The limo was a hit with the kids. In fact half way through dinner Mathew went outside to look for it, he was ready for another ride. It took quite a while to 'talk him down' sitting at the bus stop outside the restaurant.
Saturday, Betty and I went to the Older Women's Network for a concert by their theatre group and others from surrounding areas. The performances were not as sharp as they used to be, and not as politically satirical either. A little disappointing, but it was nice catching up with some people I hadn't seen for a few years, although some are getting quite decrepit. It was like looking at my future!!! Ah well, better keep my exercise going.
Watched 'Marley and Me' on the computer this morning. Liked it more than I thought I would and cried buckets at the end. I seem to be doing that a lot more these days. I used to be able to keep the stiff upper lip going but now it seems to have lost its tone like the rest of me!
Back to the cricket: Australia is killing India, five batsmen out and they're only in the tenth over. Could be a short match.
The week was crazy. Monday night heard Raymond Gaita, author of 'Romulus my Father' speak at the State Library, thanks to an invitation from my friend Helen. He was talking about 'truth' in Biography. Took an hour to tell us to make every effort to give only the facts. Doesn't put much dialogue in his non fiction, just when I've been putting more in my biography to liven it up after I read Obama's and thought it was alright to do so! It's in keeping with the spirit of the action so it's staying in.
Tuesday did Aqua then lunched with Kit and went to her house to watch the BIG RACE on her BIG SCREEN. She backed the winner 'Shocked' I didn't. Enuf said.
Wed night it felt a bit risque going out at 9. 30pm for an assignation in a hotel. Maybe 20 years ago it would have been but not now. I went to meet an old school friend's brother who was in town over night. Considering we had never met it was fun.
Thursday went to a fund raiser for Room to Read, the charity the sales of our book supports. Marcus Zusak, author of the international best seller 'The Book Thief' spoke very engagingly about the influences in his life that got him writing. He looks very young so I suspect he has a lot of books in him.
Fri night went to Mancini's to celebrate Cristina's birthday. Because there were fifteen of us we qualified for their Limo, not all could get in of course. Melissa drove her new car, a nice secondhand Audi with leather seats. The limo was a hit with the kids. In fact half way through dinner Mathew went outside to look for it, he was ready for another ride. It took quite a while to 'talk him down' sitting at the bus stop outside the restaurant.
Saturday, Betty and I went to the Older Women's Network for a concert by their theatre group and others from surrounding areas. The performances were not as sharp as they used to be, and not as politically satirical either. A little disappointing, but it was nice catching up with some people I hadn't seen for a few years, although some are getting quite decrepit. It was like looking at my future!!! Ah well, better keep my exercise going.
Watched 'Marley and Me' on the computer this morning. Liked it more than I thought I would and cried buckets at the end. I seem to be doing that a lot more these days. I used to be able to keep the stiff upper lip going but now it seems to have lost its tone like the rest of me!
Back to the cricket: Australia is killing India, five batsmen out and they're only in the tenth over. Could be a short match.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
songbirds from across the sea
As the SBS ad used to say, 'The world is an amazing place.' There's my friend Frank sending a songbird's song over the ether, a songbird he's been trying to identify for forty two years. Thank you Frank. It made my day.
Mind you the weather is also making my day. Enjoyed aqua aerobics in the sunshine this morning, suitably lathered up with 30+ sunscreen and sun visor. Had to have a power nap after that session!
Got a busy week ahead, all social, not a doctor's appt amongst them, two of them literary. Aint life grand. Can't remember the last time I went out 3 nights in one week. Will report back later.
Saw the movie Departures with Maxine and Dirk yesterday. I was much more impressed than they were. It's set in Japan, about a man who becomes a casketeer. i.e prepares people for the flames of the crematorium. The ritual and beauty of the ceremony of washing the body, done in front of loved ones with the utmost discretion is a sight to behold. Yes it was overdone in places and the main character, though gorgeous, tended to overact. But overall I was thoroughly engaged with it.
Listened to a radio program about Flannery O' Connor, the southern writer who died early. Her short stories sound like something I'd like to read. I just checked the library and they have a copy. I can add it to the growing pile of books at my bedside. Have just started the memoir by the guy who wrote Marley and Me.
The cricket and the recliner are calling.
Mind you the weather is also making my day. Enjoyed aqua aerobics in the sunshine this morning, suitably lathered up with 30+ sunscreen and sun visor. Had to have a power nap after that session!
Got a busy week ahead, all social, not a doctor's appt amongst them, two of them literary. Aint life grand. Can't remember the last time I went out 3 nights in one week. Will report back later.
Saw the movie Departures with Maxine and Dirk yesterday. I was much more impressed than they were. It's set in Japan, about a man who becomes a casketeer. i.e prepares people for the flames of the crematorium. The ritual and beauty of the ceremony of washing the body, done in front of loved ones with the utmost discretion is a sight to behold. Yes it was overdone in places and the main character, though gorgeous, tended to overact. But overall I was thoroughly engaged with it.
Listened to a radio program about Flannery O' Connor, the southern writer who died early. Her short stories sound like something I'd like to read. I just checked the library and they have a copy. I can add it to the growing pile of books at my bedside. Have just started the memoir by the guy who wrote Marley and Me.
The cricket and the recliner are calling.
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