THE SIMPLE WOMAN'S JOURNAL
AUGUST 2011
I start with the Simple Woman's format and continue on as a journal.
Outside my window...there are signs of Spring; it's a beautiful day and we have three months of pleasant weather ahead of us before it gets too hot!
I am thinking...I'm very happy to have had my old computer replaced but I wish I were cleverer at learning all the new bells and whistles!.
I am thankful...wearing heeled shoes has enabled me to stride out without getting sore muscles in my legs.
In the kitchen...there is not much going on! There will be cold pork and salad for supper tonight.
I am wearing...black slacks and jumper with a blue sleeveless jacket.
I am creating...havoc! My melodramas have refused to move from the old computer to the new and I'm wrestling with possible losses and re-writings!
I am going... to the local markets on Saturday. They're on every month but they're particularly enticing this time of the year. Then I'm due for a busy week.
I am wondering...if my New York friend's apartment suffered at all in the big storm. She's away in England.
I am reading...this month's book group book, 'Beyond Fear'. It's been written by a friend's daughter and she's coming to the next meeting to discuss it.
I am hoping...I see some nice new Spring clothes soon. The shops are bulging because there's a turn-down in trade, but I just can't see what I want. I need to be 16 again!.
I am looking forward to...Malcolm completing the screen he's making for my melodrama group. We sometimes need to 'disappear'!
I am hearing...doves and tinnitus .
Around the house...things don't look too bad, but my study is a tip as I turned things out madly searching for melodramas that had, possibly, disappeared!
I am pondering...what to give the Book Group to eat this month. I'm not the world's best cook and I tend to stress about entertaining.
One of my favorite things...is my Blog. I've been at it for three years now and I'm still hooked on daily writing. My poetry blog is
http://rinklyrimes.blogspot.com
A few plans for the rest of the week....... to make a tape for my guitarist friend, Suzie. She's going to join the accompaniment of our Family and Friends play so she wants to work on the music.
Now to August
Spring arrived quite early in the month and the Walking Group had a terrific walk right round the suburb and back to the beach. On the way we passed early spring flowers so I've included a shot which shows them.
We also viewed the new Surf House on the way. Opinions are divided about it. It's going to be a very large glass building, and so many locals like Merewether the way it is....slightly behind the times.
Of course, no month is complete without some melodrama performances. The one below was performed at Panthers, a local Club. In this picture the Vicar is reading the telegrams at the Bush Wedding. They were a bit 'naughty' so he didn't understand them!
Then we did the same play (called 'Tiddly Pom') at an evening club. Here is Betty, the MC, rounding-off the evening.
Sometimes I go out on my own to perform my poetry. One evening I performed at the Exchange Hotel. I felt rather out of place as I was very conservatively dressed, but the poems went down well.
One day we had lunch at The Brewery, on the Waterfront.It was a lovely day and the place was bustling.
Even when we were inside, having our meal, we were able to look out on a lovely river vista.
On another occasion we had a drive into inland New South Wales to visit an area with English names, two being Windsor and Richmond. In an earlier era this was an area much loved by painters and our tour took us around to see the views and to compare them with the paintings. Now it is an area of wealthy homes, because it's very rural and yet within commuting distance of Sydney.
We were delighted to see blossoms on the fruit trees. I think they said these were nectarines.
Some dwellings were not mansions. This was an old inn from bushranging days.
Shortly after this trip Malcolm fell in love with an old MG and bought it! Here he is sitting in the driver's seat for the first time! You can't see the grin, but it was there!
We were treated like swells at our next melodrama venue! There was even a dressing-room with Artists written on the door and lights round the mirrors! We usually have to change in the toilets!
This is my favourite shot from the Melodrama 'Tiddly Pom' at the brand new Charlestown Bowling Club. Nigel (Loretta) and Belinda (Joy) are receiving post wedding congratulations. The wedding guests drank virtual champagne!
That was Wednesday. On Thursday we had another show. This time it was a shorter, sillier one called 'Pirate Pie' and we performed this at a place called Argenton. I didn't take any photos because the 'girls' were acting with their backs to the light. The next day we acted again, this time at an old folks club called The Coffee Pot. As you can see, the audience was quite docile, but they joined in the fun and we had a lovely lunch afterwards.
Of course, there were other un-photographed events during the month. We didn't see much of the family. Rebecca is so busy with the Income Tax season, and Greg never seems to draw breath! But we had the boys every Thursday and tha's always fun. There were Choir Practices each week and one Choir Performance, and we enjoyed our monthly Scrabble session too.
I only hope everyone else enjoyed August as much as I did!
