“This is a tapestry of every sunset and sunrise …It reminds me that if the sun comes up, the day has beautiful purpose." Amanda Dykes, All the Lost Places

 

We are missing the sunshine in Sydney at the moment. So I had to make do with a mere sunrise.

It's been awhile since I've caught a firey one. It sets the house aglow in orange.

It makes me smile, but more importantly, it sparks something positive within me. 

A defualt setting of anticipation - a type of joy perhaps?

A hope that there is sunshine for all of us ahead.

“The sunshine is nature planting a kiss on the face of the earth.”
― Michael Bassey Johnson, Night of a Thousand Thoughts

Linking with #SkyWatch #GaleriaHimmelsblich

Weather

 What season is this? It's meant to be autumn but it's raining constantly and cold and miserable. Or am I cold and miserable?

The issue with drying clothes that can't go in the dryer is doing my head in. I'm ironing things dry, I'm moving the drying rack around to spots of sunshine. Basically it's taking 4 days for things to dry. And they stink.

I was so excited to get a window of blue sky on our walk that I took a photo incase I forgot what it was like:

The excitement was this huge school of fish swimming very close to the surface and jumping all over themselves (literally).

Fingers crossed we get some brisk blue days to enjoy the changing leaves.

Linking the reflective Ibis for #WaterThursday #WildBirdWednesday

May the Fourth be with you!

Some of Melbourne's Star Wars themed street art.

Linking with #TheRandom #MuralMondays

#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

 

Wild Monkeys

 

One of the highlights in Bintan were the beautiful monkeys in the wild. Unlike those in Uluwatu that had learnt to open doors and steal phones and other possessions (we had to sign a waiver on check in that we would keep our doors locked, even when out by the pool!) these ones would only steal food and I never saw them near our villa anyway.

Beautiful glossy coats that shined in the sun.

Linking with #AwwMondays #NaturesNotes #SaturdayCritters

Do not trust your memory; it is a net full of holes; the most beautiful prizes slip through it. Georges Duhamel

There is a reason eye witness testimony is not always reliable, and it's not to do with attention or intent, but rather the slippery nature of memory.

Years ago, a friend and I went to see Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo and loved it. We were very excited when No pay? No Way! by the same playwrite was announced this year and a third friend got us all tickets. 

Prior to the show, we discussed how excited we were to see it. The third said she chose it because it had been on and she'd missed it. I told her that I thought it hadn't been on because it got cancelled in the lockdowns.

We walked in and I said  "Oh., that's the set from the other one! They must use it for 'Italy' "...but that was not the only familliar thing.

As the play openned, it began to feel very familliar. Then I realised I'd seen it! 10 minutes into the show, my friend whispered "We went to this!".

At interval, we couldn't stop laughing. I said 'But they've changed some of it. This bit didn't happen like that'. She countered 'No that was the same but this bit was different' mentioning a bit I clearly remembered.

So that was the strange part. Not that we both forgot we went to see it together but that what we remembered from it was different. What stood out to us varied. Hardly any of it was the same. Like flowers, insignificant memories bloom and fade.

It made me think about how family feuds start. At a non emotive event, with no importance, two of us forgot and remembered completely different bits clearly. So imagine if money or past hurts are involved? No wonder rifts start and become so heated and ingrained.

"The difference between false memories and true ones is the same as for jewels: It is always the false ones that look the most real, the most brilliant". Salvador Dali

The play was great, but I laughed most at 'comparing notes' with my friend. It was like a real life science experiment. I'd be more worried about the state of my brain but she forgot we went too so I don't think it's early alzheimers.

Ultimately, this faulty memory protects us on the more serious things. And for that I am thankful. Though this time, maybe it was just too full up?

"The heart’s memory eliminates the bad and magnifies the good; and thanks to this artifice we manage to endure the burdens of the past". Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Note the play at the Opera House ends on the 11th May if you want to go. Buy tickets here.

Linking with #TrafficJamReboot #WWWhimsy #SeniorSalonPitstop #FloralFridayFoto #GardenAffair 

Sydney Comedy Festival

I've written about the health benefits of laughter and how much I love the Comedy festival - for $20 you can spend an hour in an audience, sharing a laugh filled moment with strangers.

Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine. — Lord Byron

I've booked about 10 shows over the three week period, and have loved getting out and about over the city to see them.

If you haven't booked anything, why not give someone new a go? Or turn up at the Factory or Enmore and see what's available? Check out what's on here.

So this weeks #Allseasons is comedy season.

#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

April Reading

 This month I managed a few more books, though not as many as I thought on holiday - I packed three and only read one.

I really like Adam Kay. I've read his other books, watched the tv show and was very disappointed to miss both his gigs up the road for the comedy festival (I was away for one and had a play with friends on the other).

This book is funny and sad (with some difficult topics) and as always interesting.

If you haven't read any of his work, I'd start with This is going to hurt before this, though technically it doesn't matter.

This is a book club pick and I'm labouring thru it. There's nothing wrong and the different culture should make it more interesting than it is, but it's just a little long for what it is and that's making me not care enough, I think. I'm halfway though and I feel it needed to be shaved down a bit, though to be fair, it's not a book I would pick up at all normally....

When I travel, I like books set where I am visiting. This is a modern day Singapore setting, and is about African expats, predominately Nigerian. It adds an interesting twist in the story telling (in Singapore), and extra texture to an expat tale.

I had low expectations as I thought it would be basic chick lit and romance but it was enjoyable and more unexpected than I thought it would be.

It also visited a lot of Singapore that I knew and the restuarant we had booked even got a mention that gave me a buzz!

So while not a must read, if going to Singapore it's a fun and easy read to get you in the mood.

Just started this for bookclub, some great stories by authors and their expereince growing up. A lot of migrant stories, indigeneous stories and childhood memories. This series is a great way to taste writers work. There's a broad range of topics, the only other one I've read is Growing Up Queer in Australia. I do plan to read the Disability one.

That's what I've been reading - how about you?

Linking with #MonthlyBookWorms #WowonWednesday #SundaySalon #Bookdate #Seniorsalonpitstop #StakingtheShelves

Five Favourite Monthly Moments - April

April has been a sensational monrh with lots of travel, special events and catch ups with friends....so in no particular order, my favourites have been:

1. The week long music fest of Bluesfest artists - we had a gig every night catching up all the performances we missed by missing out on the Easter festival in Byron. My husband and I have very different taste in music but this week we're at concerts together every night. It's lovely to share it. The Dead South was my fav, probably because I didn't know them. The Tedeschi Trucks were amazing.  

2. We headed down to Melbourne so as not to miss the Blind Boys of Alabama! Having a night away with just my husband was the first in a long time. Years I think, long before COVID. I honestly can't remember. And Melbourne is always fantastic so there was lots to see as it had been over 12 months since I was last there. 

Linking with #WeekendReflection

3. I caught up with friends I hadn't seen for a few months, in a lovely easy evening at a cocktail bar, and another friend came out to visit from Japan - we hadn't seen him in over a year too. Life seems to be so busy, so these moments with friends are really special and most enjoyable. 

4. My Christmas present was to go to Melbourne to see Steve Aoki at Ultra. A friend came, and while we were on different flights (I had a credit I had to use) and only there for 24 hours so a tight schedule with not time for delays, it all went perfectly. I'd not travelled with her before but it was easy and fun (and I don't think I was too annoying...)

5. Last up, we went to celebrate our 25th Wedding anniversary at the Banyan Tree Bintan where we went on our honeymoon. This time we had our youngest with us, so a bigger villa with it's own pool but it was all sensational and we had some dinners alone and some all together (with 2 adult kids, dinners with the kids are as special as the once rare dinners as a couple). We also went to Burnt Ends, the Michelin restaurant in Singapore which has been on my list for years but I've never been able to get into...it did not disappoint!

So I've had a pretty wonderful month, with a few days to go. Aaron Chen tonight, to open my Comedy Festival. I can't wait!

What's been your favourite monthly moments? 

Linking with #MFFMM #SkyWatch #GaleriaHimmelsblich #WWWhimsy #HappyTuesday #ThruMyLens #TheRandom & #MuralMondays for the Adnate and the mosaic both in Melbourne.

Linking this photo with #WaterThursday.