“Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind.” – Nathaniel Hawthorne

I don't know what has happened with this year - I seem to have already got behind in the commenting on the link ups. I'm barely able to keep up with the blogging. No writing at all is being done and in February, no reading was done!

I missed the Lunar New Year in Chinatown - though I was lucky enough to see the Thai Town decorations a little, only becuase I went to a show at the Capital theatre.

I completely missed Mardi Gras - I drove past Fair Day but that was it. I took these pictures on the way to the Belvoir, but other than the shop windows, they are normally there in our area, as a show of support rather than for Mardi Gras.

I am busy and happy but just not organised or on top of things. I just don't have enough time.

Time isn’t the main thing. It’s the only thing.” – Miles Davis

I am going to work harder this month to be focused. Less distraction and more purpose. 

Wish me luck!

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” – J.R.R. Tolkien

To all it is relevant to, Happy New Year and Happy Mardi Gras!

Linking with

February reading

 I've really struggled to sit down and read this month. Not entirely sure why. So a very short one!

Prophet Song. We did this for book club. I'd not heard great things about it. I normally don't like Booker Prize winners. This though, what a great book! I really loved it. In terms of writing - it has some really lovely phrasing and ideas. One inconsequential one that stuck with me (probably because it's where we are at) is the mother saying they used to be a family of five but were now 4 and would soon be only 3. I feel that shirnking and the little people lost (to the wonderful adults they've become). 

The book is a mother trying to keep a family together when their country is thrown into war under an authoritaian regieme, let's say. I loved at the start she's still thinking they've got a holiday in Canada booked and the disbelief of what was actually happening. I found it all very realistic.

It's written in the present tense (I think I read somewhere it's written in the tense of doom, and I thought that was perfect). It's urgent and uncomfortable a lot of the time. I thought it was such a brilliant and engrossing read.

It makes you re think your understanding (lack of) of Syria and other countries, of refugees and war when it hits a norm city like in Ukraine. I really enjoyed it intellectually. (I listened to the audio on Borrowbox).

"The world gives to chaos, the ground you walk on flies into the air and the sun shines dark on your head."

I mentioned in this post my questions on White Bread, so am currently listening to this on Audible. It is fascinating. History told by a food historian. Here are some of the things I've learnt:

It was women who stormed Versailles (and the now fabled ‘let them eat cake’ moment was because the women were from the markets and there was no bread to sell). It was the women’s march that forced the French Royalty into house arrest (more or less) in Paris. When lead to the guillotine the women put bread on sticks and waved them at the carriage as it went past. I had always been told it was farmers or ‘the people’…

Modern plant breeding (in part due to the requirements of industrial food processing) has increased the amount of gluten in wheat.

At the turn of last centurywomen's hemlines went up for reasons of hygiene and contagion- it was part of embracing science and medicine (as was the term Home economics, to focus on the science behind running a household, feeding a family and so on).

Sliced bread appeal was because of the symmetry - having each slice exactly the same; white bag bread was made so soft as it’s softness was associated with freshness (bags were not clear plastic but paper, so you couldn’t see but you could feel).

The move from home made bread to store bought was slightly before that (sliced) and in part because it took a lot of time to make bread everyday but also for hygiene. Having bread made without hands touching it, by machines, was viewed as healthier, less risk of contagions (& typhus? That was unproved but rumoured).

Then it became cheaper to buy bread than make it and that meant you could afford other foods, so bread went from being 80% of the diet to 20% (beer is a bread related product in dietary terms apparently).

There is a whole lot of purity and racism attached, the reason the vitamins got added was in part because a lot of the American population had night blindness and scurvy and other diseases from lack of adequate vitamin intake and that was no good for the people being called up for war to be soldiers. And that stuck.

I've still a little to go but it's fascinating, and also got me realising that history is just a story we are told and the details often tell a very different version. The reasons behind the event may be different to what you think it is. 

And yes, I didn't not read a single page this month! Must get back into the routine.

Linking with #StackingtheShelves #SundaySalon 

Share Four Somethings

something we loved: The Olympics! It was so exciting and I really loved the skill of all the athletes in events I watched, my loyalty shifting as my favourite ones went out of contention. I have to say the Men's Dual Moguls was my favourite event that I watched - it was so exciting and totally wild! What skill those guys have (as I'm sure the women do too but I didn't get to see that).

something that sustained us: Lots of fun dancing with friends. We had a big group at Sofi Tukker and on The Jackson which was nice, though I always have a lot of fun when I'm with the usual trio. 

Also the family playing at Hijinks was great. Laughing with the kids, hearing all their stories, stealing looks with my husband sharing how much we love and are proud of our people - literally our people we made together.

something we're carrying forward from this month to the next: This month has been huge - so many things on...it will be hard to beat...BUT...next month I have so much to look forward to with friends. Starting with Alok, which I now realise must be a Mardi Gras recovery thing, is a great way to open the month. I have some great restaurant meals booked, some dancing planned and theatre. So I guess I carrying forward that feeling of joy and bonhomie that I felt a lot this month. 

something we're making space for: Singing. The first choir I'm in is finally getting back together after a few months off and I've signed my husband and I up to a one off at the Opera House, as he likes to sing too. At Maverick Sabre, he kept asking his 'Sydney Choir' to sing, and we all belted out the songs. It was such a lovely feeling. I think we need to sing more, even if we aren't that good, it feels so good. I've been singing loudly in the car ever since and it really is elating.

Linking with #ShareFourSomethings.

Sharing also with #MuralMondays - there's some new outlines on the walls in Newtown and I'm wondering if they're completed or will be painted in. I sort of like them as they are. Very olde timey!

The Little Things - Feb

February has flown - back to school, back to work, and visitors from interstate and overseas. We've been busy being tourists in our own town. Not to mention birthdays, Lunar New Year, Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras...it's all happening this month!

Read A lot about Solar Batteries. It's overwhelmingly complicated but we finally narrowed it down and booked an installation. Use Choice magazine to find out what you need to know, ask about and what you should be looking for. Use Solar Quotes to get the ball rolling (they've partnered with Choice so the installers are prevetted). Get at least three quotes (or more) and work backwards eliminating who is a definite NO. Anyway, I hope we went with the right one. (Oh, and the contract is long and I read that too....). I guess stay tuned on if we made the right decision....

I also read that platypus don't have nipples and the new mothers sweat milk so to speak , and the puggles or nestlings lap it up off her fur. Wild! How did we grow up learning so little about these wildly different creatures? Biology is so fascinating - difference IS the norm, it appears. It's only what we are taught that is lacking.

Watched I went to The Great Gatsby Ballet - as someone who loves Gatsby, it was gorgeous. Especially the scene with the green light on West Egg. As I've mentioned, that is burnt into my head so it was really magical and mesmerising. I don't know anything about Ballet but I feel serious ballet people may not enjoy it so much. People dressed up in 1920s style. It's great fun. (Odd music choices I thought though, it must be said). I'm also very curious if you don't know the story, could you understand it? Anyway, I really enjoyed it and it made my mum want to reread the book - I just read it last year but I too feel I could visit it again...

Heard Went to Maverick Sabre this week - he kept asking his Sydney Choir to take over, and it was a huge singalong. It was such a nice vibe. At one point he said "Everything out there divides us, but in here, we're united" and it was true. We all smiled at each other, nodding in agreement. There is something so special about live music and the shared feeling of community. If you are going to the Hilltop Hoods, make sure you catch him in support - he's wonderful. 

Made The most of all the delicious oysters!

Wore I got this outfit for a wedding last year but wore it out to lunch at Lumi. I wore my Valentine's Day dress on the obvious day while boating with friends. Do you have celebration dresses (or clothing)?

My Top Three Moments from the Month Gone By Getting together as a family to play at Hijinks. Watching the kids mucking around together makes me so, so happy. I miss my school holidays entourage. We used to have so much fun. It's nice to recapture it briefly. 

Dreamstate was a corker - Ely Oaks is so fabulous (as he always is!). A bundle of energy - but it was so hot! It really took it out of me!

 

A gaggle of friends and I went on The Jackson (a fancy boat for you OS) on the harbour for a seafood lunch, Veuve and dancing. It was surprisingly a great afternoon and we all left happy and elated. Wonderful setting, many oysters and laughs with friends and strangers. Which is where most of the photos are from!

Linking with #TheLittleThings #TrafficJamReboot  #MonthlyWrapUp and #Stylewithasmile for the dresses (and gold clogs!) and #WeekendReflections for the street images in the Gatsby posters.