Monday, February 15, 2010

WHAT IS IT ........

that's making the driveway so shiny? Blessed, lifegiving, wonderful RAIN.


Over the weekend we had 36 hours of non-stop rain - well over 100mm (4 inches). Gentle, steady, soaking rain - the plants are singing, I'm sure. Our first good rain since Christmas.

Overflowing tanks


It's such a long time since I last posted that I'm sure you've given up looking. So what have I been doing? Not a lot really - staying inside when it's been hot because the house stays cool - and watching the tennis, of course.


I've sewn and knitted a few things for Evelynne, whom we will see for a few days next week before she and her mother return to Belgium, where I'm sure Russell has missed them both very much for the past five weeks.





In mid-January we spent 3 days at Beechworth in north east Victoria. The main purpose for the visit was for 'Opera in the Alps' in the grounds of La Trobe University Campus.


Some of the 5000 audience who enjoyed the balmy evening and the beautiful music.

We were lucky enough to attend the rehearsal on the Friday night ...

plus the actual performance on the Saturday night. I'm sorry I don't have any decent photos - the light not being conducive to good shots.

We also visited the very picturesque town of Bright, and caught up with some relatives who were enjoying their holiday there.


Talk about 'gadding about' .... at the end of January I flew to Sydney for a free 'Opera in the Domain (part of the Sydney Botanic Gardens)'. The opera was Leonard Bernstein's 'Candide' ......Based on Voltaire's satirical novel of 1759, 'Candide' is a hilarious, harsh and hedonistic adventure....... Blindly following the advice of his tutor Pangloss (Paul McDermott), the relentlessly optimistic Candide (David Hobson) careers through a series of wild experiences and astonishing coincidences to return home to his beloved Cunegonde (Emma Matthews) enlightened by a new, more realistic philosophy of life.

Some of the crowd of 30,000 who enjoyed a very amusing performance, on another lovely evening for sitting outdoors listening to beautiful music.

David Hobson (Candide) and Emma Matthews (Cunegonde)

Paul McDermott, well-known TV presenter, writer, painter, dancer, singer, in centre of photo. This was Paul's first foray into opera and I was very impressed, although his role didn't actually require an operatic voice.

(Last two photos are from Opera Australia).
But we can never stay home too long and on Wednesday we'll head off to Brisbane to help Michelle celebrate her ??th Birthday on Saturday (?? - let's just say she was born somewhere between the Mexico and the Munich Olympics....lol)
We'll be away for just over a week, and with the recent rain we expect to come home to a jungle. What fun!!!