Vilnius, Lithuania

I was just listening to a BBC radio 4 program about the European Humanities University in Vilnius, so my curiosity got the better of me and I had a look at Vilnius on Google Maps.  What a beautiful city!  My idea of eastern Europe is one of dismal places, but I couldn't have been more wrong!

Check it out for yourself.  Take the little yellow man into the streets and have a look around or go into Google Images.

From harbour bridge

I took a friend to brunch for her birthday on Monday, then we walked across the bridge to an art gallery that was closed.  The story of my life!  I know galleries are closed on Mondays, but the trouble is I never know what day it is!

I went swimming in our pool yesterday and the water felt like ice, but once I was frozen there was no point in getting out, so I was very proud of myself for staying there and I actually enjoyed the swim.  Wonder how much longer I'll keep it up!

Sydney skyline

I took this pic last Sunday, at Circular Quay, waiting for a friend to catch a ferry up the river to Parramatta.  The built part of the CBD isn't the most attractive, but one can say some of the buildings have an unusual shape.  For attractiveness, look in the opposite direction at the harbour.  You can't beat nature (which doesn't go in for straight lines).

Sudden storm over Brisbane

I got this from a tweet and it's just like the storm that blew up over Hornsby yesterday.  There was a sudden downpour and we all flew out to get the washing off the line, getting drenched ourselves.

C'est la vie

In spite of trying my hardest, I cannot resist buying books and this morning I found a beautiful one with pictures of France and lovely sayings by famous French writers, called 'C'est la vie' (Affirmations Publishing House 2012, ISBN 978-0-9872577-3-4).  The above postcard was in it and I amazed myself by scanning it and getting it into the blog for you!  Buy it for yourself or a friend if you can get hold of it.

I needed a pickup as yesterday Hugo fell about 2 metres out of a window, landing on his head on a brick path (after somersaulting on the way down).  Needless to say, we were all shocked by the experience, and very grateful to the hospital staff who cared for him and observed him for three hours before allowing him home.  It's hard to believe, but he has nothing more than a small cut on his forehead and a huge swelling forcing one eye closed.  I think that the somersault must have slowed him down and softened the fall, so that he wasn't projected heavily into the bricks.

Frank, I thought Radio 3 was the same as the classic station.  I've taken to listening to it more often than Radio 4.  Beautiful.

Fagan Park

This is one of our favourite places.  It's only a few kilometres away and Philip takes the family there at least once a week.

One thing I find absolutely fascinating is Google maps and I've just followed the route Frank took yesterday, from his home in the north east of England to a local town.  It's the next best thing to being there.  If you type in Fagan Park and go into Maps, you'll be able to see the extent of this beautiful park from the comfort of your own home in the northern hemisphere.

And while I'm doing this at the computer, I'm listening to BBC radio 3 - a Beethoven concert at the proms in 2012.  Mind-boggling...

Another day...

On Sunday I did my volunteer stint at Lisgar Gardens again.  It really is a beautiful oasis, a lovely place to relax.  (This time I picked up three leeches, which wasn't so nice!  It's my own fault - I should have looked more carefully where I was treading.)

Olga, you'll have to come down one day soon and spend the day with me and I'll take you to the gardens.

Yesterday 'The GOD Argument' by A C Grayling arrived in the mail.  I'm up to chapter 6 and it's excellent.  Trouble is, do I read, learn Japanese, play the piano, catch up on emails, do ancestry, have a swim????  Too many choices!

Yes, Lina, you're probably safer sticking to fiction!  I'm not going to finish Niall Ferguson's book (though I think I read it ages ago as there are corners turned down here and there).  I've dumped him!  Read some dreadful stuff on Daily Mail about his divorce.  He thinks he's god!!!!!  What a pain.  Ayaan deserves a rotter like him and I hope he dumps her as he dumped his wife.  She's gone right down in my estimation, too.

Sunset

It was raining softly when I took this pic yesterday from outside my living room.  I'd never seen such a beautiful sunset.

If you're interested in doing a free online course, go here:  https://www.coursera.org/

Oh dear, not another unfaithful husband

The book I'm currently reading, 'Empire', by Niall Ferguson, of course led my curiosity to check him out on Google, only to find he had an affair with Ayaan Hirsi Ali (a woman I admired tremendously after reading her book, 'Infidel') and dumped his wife and three children.  Niall and Ayaan are now married and have a son, Thomas.  The dumped wife is heartbroken.

In my googling, I allowed myself to be sidetracked by an interesting YouTube video on codpieces, then Andre Rieu - no connection :-)).  If ever I hear of Andre being unfaithful to his wife, Marjorie, my faith in mankind will be completely destroyed.

How a man can deceive his wife is beyond me and how a woman can do that to another woman completely mystifies me.  Is there no decency, no integrity, in the world???  You can't have all the money in the bank, no matter how much you might want it.  Talk about instant gratification...

Coursera

I just signed up to do two free short online university courses - An Intro to Classical Music through Uni of Michigan and

A Brief History of Humankind through Uni of Jerusalem.

Can't wait to get started!

A bit of nostalgia

Looking through some old photos on Picasa, I came across this one of my home in Mayfield East. I stopped counting when I got to 32 moves, and thought this would be my last, but now find myself back in Sydney!  I really envy people who never move.  Just think of all the effort involved in changing houses - the packing, the cleaning, the re-establishing and the garden.  I've spent thousands on plants over the years and that was always the hardest thing to lose when I moved on.

Yesterday I joined Ancestry.com and am now heavily into family research.  I came across a long-lost cousin and emailed her and am waiting for a reply.  Today I plan to read some old diaries, of which I have two huge containers full, and refresh some old memories.

I agree, Olga, the cat and mouse bedclothes are lovely - they were a gift from friends, years ago.

Always beside me

At long last I seem able to ignore the nastiness and violence of the world and lead a peaceful life with my family and Muffy.  A few moments ago I came to the computer (at which I still stand) so Muffy installed herself on the ironing board, then, to be more comfortable, curled up on the bed beside me.  When I play the piano she sometimes hops onto my lap.