nice china

I have recently had a friend staying with me while she had some renovations done.  She gave me a Wedgewood tea set to say thanks - tea really does taste better out of lovely fine china!

Friends

I have been giving some thought to what friends really are.  Are they people you meet and like for a while (until they either don't like you or you don't like them) or are they a mixture of the assortment of people you meet and like in a lifetime.  Once a friend, always a friend is the solution I have arrived at.
Each friend fits into a special place - some may have been close for only a short time but are still remembered, whilst others stay with you for the rest of your life - sometimes playing a major role in your life and at others just being there somewhere, ready to come out when the moment comes.

This weekend I met up with some friends that I have not seen for about 38 years!  We all shared some time in another world in the early 70's and have since then gone on our own paths.  Two of them were really good friends and I was amazed to find that they were still as I expected and still part of my life.  Our profiles are still the same (maybe a bit larger) and the grey hair and wrinkles are definitely there but the feeling of comfort in being with them is the major thing.  Ten of us met up for drinks, dinner and lunch the next day.  We didn't try to catch up and tell everyone what we had been doing for the past lifetime - rather, we just slipped back into the friendship routine - some teasing and some serious talking, general touching and happy conversation.

A stolen day

I went to Sydney last week to meet up with some old friends and by mistake I booked my flight to arrive a day earlier than they were due.  Decided not to change it but to see it as a sign that I could have a special day all to myself in Sydney!  I arrived down there about 11am and caught the train into the city.  It was very easy - just go in the lift from the airport and arrive on the platform.  Unfortunately the station I got off at did not have a lift but I only had a small case to haul up the stairs......after carting 20kgs around Europe a couple of years ago and encountering some very steep stairs, I am learning!!  At least in Italy, there were chivalrous gentlemen around to help, whereas I think your standard Aussie is not quite so helpful!
I stayed at the Castlereagh Boutique Hotel which is right in the centre of the shopping part of town - it's also the Masonic Club - all a bit quaint and not a lot of space in my single room but all I needed.  There is a multi story building going up next door and I wsas pleased not to be given a room on that side.
Lovely afternoon shopping - bought a few essentials and then went to Aveda and had a neck and shoulder massage with some wonderful herbal lotion, followed by a cup of herbal tea, a shampoo, haircut and blowdry!  All very nice, except that they insisted on straightening my unruly hair which makes my head look a bit strange.  For years, people have known me by my full head of hair.

In the evening, I got the bus to central quay and then walked to the Opera House where I had dinner in an outdoor cafe and then enjoyed Shakespeare's Twelfth night.  It was very funny and well done - set in a modern setting with homeless people and a large mound of abandoned clothing.  Walked home and fell into bed exhausted by happy at midnight when I slept like a log for 7 hours for the first time in about 4 years!

garden's doing it right

 it might look as though I'm obsessed by my garden which is not the case.  However, I am delighted to see that after the first year with a decent rainfall in about 8 years, it is now looking like I expected to when I planted it. 

 The hedges have hedged and the little trees are growing.  the day lillies that I thought had all died have suddenly sprung to life and are looking wonderful.

 I actually had to go out and fill the birdbath up this afternoon so I hope we get some more rain soon.

Gardenia perfume

I have two gardenia hedges in flower at the moment - both different types of gardenias but each with a beautiful perfume. This one has sort of star shaped flowers and looks so healthy.  I went for a walk this morning at Kalinga Park  There were signs of recent flooding there with debris caught on trees at the height of the path.  Otherwise it was just as always with the smell of barbqs and boys in the creek finding tadpoles.
When I got back home I had a swim...........

 the house next door continues to grow and is certainly taking away a lot of light from my dining room.  At least the bricks have been rendered.......  Can you see the "portico"?  they must be rich!!!!!

visiting friends

I recently caught up with some of the girls I went to school with.  There's no point in going to reunions at school as the only people I liked there were the ones I have kept in contact.  I really have little interest in finding out what happened to the others (I'm sure they feel the same).  Here we are, looking like nearly 50 years has gone by but still looking happy!  Tall ones in the back, short in the front - never grown up!

We are very lucky to all still have our health and happiness and I hope that we can all be standing around having our photos taken when we're 80