Washed out...

Oh dear, I am indeed feeling washed out today after hearing of the discovery of the raped and murdered body of a young Melbourne woman who went missing on her way home the other night.  The news is always appalling and I can barely listen to it.  Steven Pinker reckons the world is a better place than it's ever been.  That may be so, but it's still pretty awful.  Even talk about the cruel treatment of Australian sheep in Pakistan makes me ill.

You young women, do take care.  NEVER walk home alone in the early hours of the morning.  It's a stupid risk to take.

I took this photo just now as hanging out the washing is actually my favourite household chore. I love the feel of clean sheets and towels straight from the line.  I do wish everybody could enjoy the simple pleasures of life, and not feel the need to rape, murder, rob, bash, kill, etc.

Local street

Had a Newcastle friend visit yesterday and I took her to this street nearby to admire the spring blossoms.  We chatted to a friendly woman who lives in one of the beautiful houses.

The weather was sunny and 24 degrees, which was perfect.

Was it 2003 when I discovered Andre Rieu, Frank?  Yes, it's the very same man!  At that time he was unknown in Australia so that's why I got you to send me the video.  Now he's probably the most famous person in the country and his DVDs and CDs are everywhere, even the post office!  (And even young folk like Infogenium really adore him, though it's not cool to say so!!!!!!)

Olga, what a coincidence that we've both splashed out on expensive tablecloths lately!

This is so amusing...

First of all, Infogenium - you can't possibly deny you don't think Andre Rieu is a talented, charming, handsome, gorgeous man of integrity!  Don't try to wriggle out of it by saying you merely came to see him in the flesh out of friendship for me!

Oooohhh, every time I see the photo from my last entry I go weak at the knees....

I bought this little book of treasures at the Art Gallery yesterday and laughed out loud when I read this page on the train coming home.  (I deliberately didn't crop the photo as I want to show you my new French provincial tablecloth underneath.  It was a huge extravagance at a recent fete I went to, but I've always wanted something like this, so couldn't resist.)

Frank, I'll email the new address.  You can still use the old one, but it will eventually peter out.  

Naughty woman!

Wash your mouth immediately out, Infogenium!!!!!  To suggest such a wicked thing of MY PERFECT MAN!!!!!!

And which security person are you referring to????  I can't see one on the right, but if you mean the curly-headed one on his right, it is indeed his real child, Pierre.

The above pic is from the day you were with me, when we BOTH saw Andre in Sydney!!!!!!!! Swoon, swoon...

Good to see you've figured out how to comment, Frank.  Thanks for the tip, Olga.

I'm off to buy the DVD of Andre's performance I saw at the cinema.

By the way, I want 'The March of the Hebrew Slaves' from this DVD at my funeral - so keep this in mind and issue the instruction at the relevant time, please.

Even better!

Or immer besser as the Miele commercials tell us, though we're not talking about the same thing!  Yesterday I saw Andre Rieu at the cinema, Maastricht 2012.  Oh, it was simply wonderful on the big screen!!!!

The young British woman presenting the show, Charlotte Hawkins, is an absolute stunner!  Don't think I've ever laid eyes on such a gorgeous creature.  Google her.

You can take the girl out of the country...

...but you can't take the country out of the girl.

A farm out of Denman, a town where I lived many years ago.

Last night I went to a lecture on reading at Macquarie Uni.  It took me 30 minutes to get there by car, then 50 minutes to find somewhere to park.  Yes, there appear to be plenty of parking areas, but not ones where a casual visitor can go!!!  When I did find a suitable one, I needed a ticket, even though it was free parking.  Really logical, that is!  I couldn't see a ticket machine anywhere as the place was so vast, so had to ask somebody, then, when I got to it, it was just on dark and I couldn't see which button to press, so had to ask somebody else.  Then, of course, I had to walk miles back to the car to display the ticket on the dash.  I was 20 minutes late and very, very, cross!

Modern life drives me mad!  Yesterday both my computers were off as often as they were on, and my phone, VOIP (whatever that is!) through Philip's computer, hasn't been working for days!!!!!!!  I reported the problem via email, then later got an email reply telling me they'd tried to ring but couldn't get through!!!!!!!!!  Well spotted!  I frequently feel like getting rid of phone, computers and even the telly and maybe one day I will.

Learn something new every day...

Thanks, Winifred, for your lovely picture of rose hips.  Not only did I not know what rose hips were, and I had to look it up, but your new way of sending the pics proved a bit of a challenge and I had to figure out how to get them into Picasa so I could get this one here.  But I've succeeded!  Always gives me a lot of satisfaction when I figure something out, and lots and lots of frustration when I can't, which is usually the case.

My reading scheme on an iPad app!

For a couple of years now, one of my young friends has been busy putting my reading scheme, Sounds of Reading, into app form for iPads and yesterday the first one went into the appstore. It's called Oz Phonics.  The first one is a 'taster' and the others will follow.  It's great for good and struggling readers, especially dyslexics, from 4 years up to adults.  

Here's the link:
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/introtoreading/id556500708?mt=8

Do please tell all your friends and family!!!

Stop complaining!

The other night at some unearthly hour I undozed - is there such a word? - and found myself listening to a play on BBC radio 4.  After just a few minutes I realised it was unmistakably 'The Grapes of Wrath', which I had read at high school, about 53 years ago.  

I was astonished that I recognised it so quickly after all this time, and sure enough, at the end, the announcer confirmed it.

Made me think just how lucky we are nowadays, yet most people still complain and will never be satisfied.

It really is spring!

Olga and I went to see this year's flowers at David Jones today and once again were very impressed.  Not only did the whole ground floor look gorgeous, but smelled beautiful, too.
Profits were down last financial year, so it was less extravagant than previous years, but still wonderful.  Outside it was freezing and it's been snowing down south.