Tea for One

My sister, visiting from Hong Kong recently, berated me for not owning a teapot. My protests that I usually had tea for one, in a hurry, fell on deaf ears. Apparently it just tastes better, even if you happen to put teabags in the pot. I have owned teapots in the past, but they've all come to a sad end, losing handles or spouts or lids. Soon I began seeing teapots everywhere - do you have any idea of the variety of design and range of cost in teapots? I saw Wedgewood pots (too expensive and too genteel) metal pots (too cold and utilitarian) Japanese pots (too small) a funky red, blue, yellow and aqua pottery pot (too clunky) then - at last - in a Chinese supermarket, the perfect pot for me. Simple, elegant, enough for two or three people and only $7!!- and Anne is right - it not only tastes better, it forces me to linger longer over my Saturday morning cuppa. Thanks, Annie!

Changes...

This cute little cottage is across the road from my place, and backs straight on to the river. My dream home? Well, it was - but now the little cottages on either side have been sold, and demolished; huge new brick buildings are being erected as we speak. Progress? I don't think so!

The footbridge is also new - the rustic older one was deemed "unsafe". I'm pleased to say that the local kids climb over the guardrails and fish from the rather dangerous side supports. The more things change..................

Tick,Tock...

Our local Greens organised a public screening of the documentary "CRUDE" last night. For those who missed it on the ABC, it is a chilling and informative look at peak oil - how much we are using, how it is running out and how it affects every part of our lives. Take a look around your house - pretty much everything in it used oil at some point or is made from petroleoum. Pretty scary - I'm trying to stay positive but we need some big changes from our governments to cut the carbon we are sending into the atmosphere.

But, hey, it's Saturday! It's raining! I've been for a jog with the doggies, had poached eggs, avocado and mushrooms for breakfast, and now I'm going out for a cappucino. In my car. Using oil. Bugger!

A musical weekend

Music is an important part of my life - maybe because I love movies I need a soundtrack! Listening to my favourite CD, loud, on Saturday and Sunday mornings is one of my "simple pleasures". I paint to music, do yoga to music, do housework to music..........you get the picture. This weekend was particularly musical - I went to see a 1980's pub rock band, Noiseworks, with some people from work on Saturday night; on Sunday afternoon Eliza and I went to see the Irish film "Once" which is almost a musical. It was a gentle, understated story which nevertheless made me cry at the end - it was so much like real life. Then straight to Fish Records to buy the soundtrack, which I'm listening to right now............

What A Wonderful World......

Check this out: http://play.blogger.com/
Photos being uploaded to blogs in real time.......amazing and strangely watchable......

Stay on Course...

I made myself late for a meeting by stopping to take a photo of these lime green leaves through the flyscreen - they looked so good! I guess it comes under the adage of "stop and smell the roses". We rush around and don't really notice the little things. I'm always tolerant of the absent-minded kids in my class, because I realise that they are probably thinking of a million interesting things at once. It's my challenge to make my lessons interesting enough to engage their minds. The most absent-minded of all are the gifted and/or creative thinkers- if you are one of those people, be sure to give yourself time to think. Real life will wait for you to return!

Make Mistakes...please!

I finished the "beginners" painting course last week, and I miss it...it was so nice to have four hours messing about with paints. Gina is a wonderful teacher, supportive but with high expectations. She would gently push, suggest, cajole or have a laugh with us. My very first, a still life, is standing in a corner with its back to the room, but my second, inspired by some photos I took near the river, has been "hung". Family and friends have given mixed reviews and interpretations, but, hey, isn't that what art is all about?

I've now bravely started a triptych - it's to become an abstract, impressionistic version of sunset over the river, all pinky bluey purples. Thanks to having George Bush and all the APEC leaders in town, we were given a public holiday, so I've had time to mess about. I've primed the canvasses with a mixed up burnt sienna, just as Gina taught us - now I'm procrastinating. I'm sure procrastination is a very important part of the creative process - and the best thing about acrylics? You can easily paint over your mistakes! So here we go...........

Pay Attention...

About a month ago I woke up one morning and realised that a diamond was missing from the setting of my favourite ring - it has four small diamonds set individually. I bought this "right hand" ring over 25 years ago (!) It was to mark a turning point in my life, and I've worn it almost every day since. I have a (weird!) habit of turning it towards the light to watch it flash, so I knew pretty much when the diamond had disappeared - between after school coffee and waking up the next morning. I searched the bed, the floor, the kitchen sink, didn't vacuum for a few days, then vacuumed and checked the dustbag, but NEVER gave up! That little rock had not de-materialised, so it had to be somewhere.......last night, after moving a sheepskin rug in my bedroom slightly, I noticed something shining on the floor - there it was, my little sparkly diamond. Some days really ARE diamonds - moral to the story - NEVER GIVE UP!

Stay on Course

Another sunny Sydney Sunday, make that sunny spring Sydney Sunday. The 1st September is known as "Wattle Day" in Australia and wattle is blooming everywhere. It is also Fathers Day so the park was teeming with families. Fathers Day always makes me a little sad because our Dad's birthday was September 2nd also. Even though he would be 84 if he was still alive, I still miss the family celebration.

The dogs were very frisky this morning, trying to rip my arms off by sniffing in different places at once and doing sudden stops. I couldn't wait to let them off leash and go for a run without them! I was getting quite tetchy with them when I remembered the saying doing the rounds at the moment: "Be the person your dog thinks you are". Yep, they'll forgive me and greet me with a doggy smile and wagging tails because they think I'm the greatest!!