Musical notes

I know this is a total cliche of a title but there you go. Sunday was the day that Nic had been practicing for for many days and the first time I had felt nervous in a very long time. Nic was part of his music teacher's students recital. As the newest and possibly youngest of the performers, he was up pretty early in the piece and he did a great performance. Like most of the children he made a little mistake in his first piece but settled in for the second and third and did a fantastic job.

Julie was suitably excited to have her students playing on a brand new Steinway grand piano...worth more than our house...no toilet though. Anyway, 'The Music Centre' needed people to run the piano in so was happy to rent the piano to our little group. All of the children played beautifully with each on being more accomplished than the one before. It was a lovely experience and I was so proud of Nic getting up on stage and performing, although obviously excruciatingly embarrassed and nervous, he did so well. Jonty took some pictures but in deference to his son, he didn't use the flash so they are fuzzy.

splish'n and a splash'n

We had a lovely mother and kids picnic lunch in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens today. It was supposed to be warm but I didn't think it was. The water was frigid but the children were very happy to splash about and play in the pools. It was a lovely relaxed time with friends and the children had a blast.

three day weekend

There is nothing like Show Weekend in Christchurch. It can be the best of times or the worst of times. This weekend was fantastic. The ingredients to make it so...friends, family, beach, sunshine, socialising and yummy food. Show Weekend at its worst is all about the weather. This is primarily driven by our expectation that IS going to be hot nor westery weather. Nine years ago we were relying on the weather being fantastically warm as we planned our wedding. But alas, it was freezing cold the day before with rain non stop pelting down. Considering we had planned an outdoor wedding with no alternative venue, it was a tense time. However, the milky sun did appear and we had a lovely day but it was touch and go and very cold. Luckily, as Jonty often says, 'we have our love to keep us warm' oooh.

Although it is only nine years - not an anniversary of significance, I am poking about looking for the remnant's of our special day. Here is our wine list I found the other day. We also had a large amount of bubbly too. 75 bottles of still wine in all and we had quite a lot left over. I wonder what we would choose today.

Riesling
Giesen 1997
Villa Maria Private Bin 1998
Robard and Butler Dry Riesling $10.95
Chardonnay
Robard and Butler Gisborne Mendoza 1998
Lindemans Bin 65 1998
Sauvigon Blanc
Corbans Hawkes Bay 1998
Longridge Hawkes Bay Oak aged 1998
Matua Valley Hawkes Bay 1999
Cabernet Sauvigon
Rosemont Estate Shiraz Grenache

Robard and Butler Cab. Sav. 1995

Jonty has also started scanning the photos and here is one of all of our families joined together for a great photo. Only one has passed away since then which is pretty good going. Jasmine looks so young here...don't we all?!

Hats off

A friend thought I might like to see this and I thought you might too. I hope I am this lively when I am 90. Think I might have to start dance lessons soon.


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Artist as self

Over the past week I have been thinking about art and artists. Several things have sparked this train of thought. Firstly, having the pleasure of listening to Emma Perkins talk and read from her work at conference last week (fantastic) and secondly, coming across my old photography teacher's website and blog (thistonybridge).

This is a photo off Tony's website and is has a copyright and so all credits to him. Don't want to breach anything here so being very careful...

The key to being an artist as I see it and I am sure this is not a new thought by any stretch of the imagination, is the liberal helpings of 'self' that make up the work. Well of course I hear you say, who else? Listening to and reading the words of these two artists is becoming part of an undressing of the heart and soul and knowing more than you might know about yourself or people you love. So this got me thinking about what it takes to be an artist and whether these random traits I have come up with are the pre-requisite or the product of being an artist mmmm...

So to be an artist you need to be...

• talented


• self absorbed/aware (in a good way)


• in touch with yourself and your demons


• a show off (in a good way)


• really clever


• brave - prepared to let the world into your inner self


• growing and evolving


• hard working

Thank goodness for artists and writers...

Relating those thoughts to the world of blogging which for some people is an opportunity to write and express themselves and for others it is a diary/journal exercise and for others it is the long afternoon talking about shit while drinking red wine....a bit like this post. I wonder how much people really reveal in their writing in the blog format. As a blogger I leave lots of stuff out and just do some surfing on the surface of my life, others I read reveal almost everything including intimate thoughts and feelings. (No matter how much you leave out I am sure that in itself is revealing.) Others, as I am sure you are aware, use the Internet to reveal every bloody thing they have - if you know what I mean? I guess I am wondering if the Internet has turned a whole of people into show offs and the rest of us into voyeurs? Just a thought.

Back to earth

Here I am back again, no longer having my food and domestic needs catered for by others. Sitting in my messy little house with the smell of fresh cupcakes, listening to the radio, reading stories to Nic and contemplating the result of our general election.
Living in a democracy is a great thing. The people have spoken and the National party has won the election. Most of my friends and family will be delighted as they are National supporters. I am not. My values stem from a different place and do not sit well with those of the National party. However, they do sit well with those of my friends. So, I am thinking is it about interpretation of values? And when push comes to shove I am thinking that in this country we all feel pretty much want the same thing and it is the interpretation and the delivery that differs. In saying this I wonder what the differences will actually be and who will really notice and what the real impact will be. I wonder and look on with much interest. It is good to have change so perhaps this will be good for all of us.
On a totally different subject, I have been checking out the Feedjit application on my blog and love looking at who is visiting my blog. I can see there are people lured by the promise of an interesting story about Dan Carter and must be horribly disappointed when the read the real story. There are also quiet repeat visitors who come regularly and read and leave. I wonder who these people are and why they return. This being a blog set up for friends and family I am delighted to know there are people out there in the world who enjoy popping in for a wee look. I am a blog reader too and silently partake in others lives, feeling their pain and celebrating their joys from a very long way away. It is all very interesting.
The pictures accompanying this post are of some of my library friends

Not a missing person

Tomorrow morning I am off on another work trip. This time a week in Auckland attending the LIANZA conference and then tacking on two days to visit some libraries and meet with some colleagues from the Auckland area. I could really do with not going and at the tired end of the day feel like staying at home and hanging out in the garden. It is looking stunning right now and I can see there are going to be beautiful rose blooms bursting forth while I am away.

Thinking about being away I think about missing my family, and I don't really while I am away as long as I am busy ALL of the time. This means company from dawn till dusk and beyond. As soon as I am on my own, I do 'miss' and that is when I pick up the phone. Every night I ring home and chat for a few minutes. Once I have my fix, I can then carry on. If I am traveling by myself I am a basket case. Can't stand being on my own.I don't feel like I miss my friends and family who I don't see for various reasons. In saying that I miss them DESPERATELY when I am with them because it is when I am having just the loveliest time I realise how much I love being in their company and what has been missing in my life, if you know what I mean.? My theory is that I have developed a zone in my head where I put the hard stuff....it could be called the 'missing' part of my brain.

So I do really miss people but only when I see them. I have never really been an 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' girl. I try to enjoy the place I am and not pine the place I am not. I just love the company of the people I am with and hope that that is lots of my friends and family as often as possible.