Tuesday 31 October 2023

And just like that - pouf - it's over...

By the time the kids get home from school, all the decorations will be gone. 

Any sign of spooky fun has disappeared for another year...

My favs were these two - the Pacman (the binky turned to ghosts in the wind) 

and the Eyes. It's not clear but there's a lady also dressed with a big eye and thee was smoke and noises which I didn't catch.

“There is a child in every one of us who is still a trick-or-treater looking for a brightly-lit front porch.”

— Robert Brault







There's something so joyous and magical about Halloween, and there's a bittersweet edge as the evening draws to a close. 



For we know "The world turned upside down — in a good way — for one black velvet night." and it is 11 more months until the celebrations begin again....
(Quote by Karen Fortunati)

I hope you had happy hauntings and were met with gleeful delight by those that roamed the streets.

And now it's just 8 weeks until Christmas so prepare for that onslaught....
Linking with #WordlessWednesday #WWOT #WWOAT #RubyTuesdayToo and BuleMonday #SundayBest #TrafficJamReboot and #AwwMondays because Halloween with all it's fun does make me go Awww
RachelSwirl

(As an aside, I saw a tweet about autistic kids needing a blue bucket because they can't say trick or treat or something - don't be that jerk. You are giving away free lollies. Don't care if the kids aren't dressed up, don't care if they're bussed in from another suburb, don't care if they're 'too old' and don't care if they don't say anything...you're giving it away, so give it away with no strings...just read the room a bit.)





Thursday 26 October 2023

Share Four Somethings - October

Linking with #FloralFridayFoto

Something I'm loving:  With the news of the world and the Australian referendum outcome I'd be lying if I said it wasn't difficult for me to answer this one. But I had a great time at a magic show with friends (I really recommend this - a few nights left and only $25), have Paul McCartney lined up this weekend and dinner with all my kids tonight (and husband) so there's a lot to love in my small circle of this world.


Also counting down the days until I see Meduza - and love this clip filmed in Singapore. It's funny when you recognise all the places.

Something I'm learning: Women in Ancient Egypt had equality. Rights were based on class and not gender. They could marry, divorce and remarry - they held positions of power, they had legal rights of land ownership and contractual matters. 

Interestingly, there was a leaflet going round the internet of Reasons to Vote No on Women Suffrage. These included "Because it means competition with women, not co-operation"  and "Because 80% of women eligible to vote are married and can only double or annul their husband's vote". The cost outweighs any benefit was also a reason. However, the last one really nailed the fear, and people voting against human rights or helping other humans are usually disguising fear in their 'reason'. "Because in some States more voting women than voting men will place the Government under petticoat rule". 

Somewhere between Ancient Egypt and 1900s, women lost all their power and became mere property of their husbands. And yet the men remembered and feared that women might regain that power. 




Something I'm reading: The Straits Times especially on Insta. I am trying to get my SM feed a more positive place and I find the Singapore reporting (even of world events) just a little more wholesome and cheery. I started getting in the vibe for Singapore F1 weekend and I haven't been able to ditch it.

In a weird Twitter conversation, that started as a sort of joke, I ended up having to research Mortsafes. What's that you ask? The reason some graves have a cage around them - also known as Mortcages. It appears in the 1800s there was a market in stealing bodies for medical students because the government only gave them corpses of executed criminals, and that wasn't enough. The cages were kept on the graves usually for 6 weeks, and after that the body was sufficiently decomposed to be useless to the medical schools. Rich people had their own but usually the parish church had ones they shared around. I love this story, and that it wasn't thieving for jewels (though obviously money was involved). As someone who wants to give my body to science, in part to avoid the wasteful costs of funeral (my friends/kids can just have a big party, because I have no interest in anyone being sad. Remember me as a good time gal until the end), mainly as a final attempt to better humanity. So I've also been reading all sorts of interesting articles on Night Doctors and Resurrectionists and other historic burial traditions.

Note the oyster shells are part of a community exhibition. They'll be eventually relocated off a QLD island to rebuild aquatic ecoshelters for marine life.



Something I'm eating: I went to Lotus with friends and had sensational dumplings and duck pancakes. Went to East Village roof to bar and had dumplings with friends.









Linking with #ShareFourSomethings  #MCoW #TheRandom and #WeekendCoffeeShare #ThruMyLensMy Random Musings

Wednesday 25 October 2023

A tale of lost children

I took these photos on different days - the abandoned toy leaving dance class and the tree and building leaving the 7 Bridges walk, but when I put them together, I see a Halloween story of a child taken by evil and now haunting the abandon building nestled among wicked trees. 

And all that's left behind is his toy.

Happy Halloween everyone.

(I know it's child not children but that sounds better in the title)

Linking with 












 










Tuesday 24 October 2023

“The wind outside nested in each tree, prowled the sidewalks in invisible treads like unseen cats.” Ray Bradbury



My computer keeps telling me Halloween is when the veil between reality and darkness is at it's thinnest.

Little by little the streets and shops are transforming.








It amused me greatly the pet food shop seems to be going all out for our four legged friends enjoyment.

So it is most definitely the Halloween season.


"When witches go riding, and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers, 'tis near Halloween." Unknown



#Allseasons linky runs from Thursday to Wednesday each week.

Link one post that shows something seasonal. Traditional weather wise, a seasonal nature marker or a seasonal celebration. 

Make sure you link back to this  #AllSeasons post. 

Please comment on the post before yours and the host. Don't dump and run






You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter











Monday 23 October 2023

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks" .John Muir


I did my first 7 Bridges walk back in 2015, and it even made the Torshlusspanik list as I was worried I'd struggle with the distance. Fast forward to now and I know I can do it with ease (and still walk the dog afterwards, albeit slowly). I even followed it up walking to the Magic show in the city the next day, with ease. 


The path has changed a little with all the endless road work around the city, but it's still a stunning way to spend the day with friends, walking and talking and taking in the sights.










For those out of Sydney, it's an annual charity walk for the Cancer Council. You cross 7 bridges in a 28 km loop around the harbour. This year they raised over $2 million with 11 thousand walkers. Because you can start at any of the 7 'villages', there's never too big a crowd.








So it kept me off the booze on Saturday night, and got me plenty of exercise and 5 hours with friends in the sunshine. So plenty of wins, not just for cancer research and support.










One thing I really like about it is it reminds me of beautiful parts of the city that I rarely visit. 





Sydney is such a varied landscape. Note to self to keep exploring it.











“Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.” 
― Steven Wright

If you wish to donate to the Cancer Council, click here.


Note the sunrise pics are from when I walked to my friend's house to get a lift to the start...I ended up doing 32km after the evening dog walk and extra bits....









Linking with #GardenAffair (Nature) #KeithsRamblings #BlueMonday for the harbour and sky #ThruMyLens #WeekendCoffeeShare  #WBOYC #TravelTuesday #MCoW RachelSwirl

#WednesdayAroudntheWorld