…and the country. She’ll be back in three weeks.

It was a cold and rainy day when we ventured out to the gallery to peruse the latest blockbuster exhibition – ‘The Impressionists’.
It was a lovely afternoon of art, however, even if the paintings were viewed by dodging around all the other people who had also decided the gallery was the place to be when it was so vile outside.
The usual names that come to mind when you think of the impressionist school were featured.
A number of paintings by Berthe Morisot (she was also the subject of one) also formed a part of the exhibition.
Nice to think that the impressionist school was not solely a boys’ club. Although I must admit that I had never heard of this artist prior to seeing her paintings on the weekend.
It’s the usual story I guess – the women are always there, working alongside the men, but it’s the men who are remembered.
It was good to be reminded that women of talent are all around us – often just not in the spotlight.

So, now it’s one week to go.
This time next Thursday I’ll be on that plane!
Munching on a small bag of peanuts.
And sipping a minute orange juice.
Wondering just how bad the movies will be!
It’s hard, I know.

Outrage at work.
Huddled groups of employees whispering in corners.
Rumours abounding.
Accusations of retrograde steps.
Protestations.
Whinging.
General unrest.
And dissatisfaction.
What’s it all about?
The new chairs.

Two weeks today I’ll be on a plane.
Heading for places far away.
Underscoring my excitement is the knowledge that my tax return money has arrived.
Now I have some spending money!
Oooooh, fourteen sleeps to go.

It’s five to five and I’m packing up in preparation to leave for the day. The phone rings. Again. Arrgh. Perhaps I’ll leave it. It’s home time, after all.
Sigh.
Picks up phone. Phone spiel.
‘Hi, it’s me!’
‘Hi, you. Where are you?’
‘I’m sitting in a park.’
‘Really, where?’
‘Outside the Riga Castle. In Riga. Latvia. It’s ten minutes ’til the castle opens. Thought I’d give you a call.’
‘Wow.’
And then follows 15 minutes chatting with an old friend. Hope there wasn’t a queue when he finally got off the phone. Soooo, glad I answered that one!

Here is my dressing table.
Just the usual stuff with a sneaky part pic of the photographer in the reflection of the mirror.

There he was at Beth’s party a couple of weeks ago.
And there he was again on Saturday night at the party in honour of my friend, Liz.
He knows my friend Trish.
And my friend Natalie.
I don’t really know him but there are a lot of links.
PS. His name in NOT Daniel but he does seem to accompany me to a lot of social functions of late.

My colleague and friend Kylie has just entered the third trimester of her pregnancy. She has begun to dream. Vividly. Not just images, but sounds and smells as well. Yesterday she informed me that I had been in one of her dreams. We were in a hospital together. We both had a baby. She said it was kind of cool – nice to have a friendly face with her at a traumatic time. There were no further details but it was enough for me to run shrieking from the room, hands in the air, afraid … very afraid.

Have just been listening to the latest Deborah Conway CD, Summertown, for the nth time – you know, the one that I got signed (along with my precious Do Re Mi CD) by Deb herself in Tony and Rae’s loungeroom at the Tony and Rob (not that there’s anything wrong with that!) mini-concert – and, well, you know, it’s really very good. I’ve been humming along to Deb and Paul Kelly singing joyfully about putting together Ikea furniture. And idley looking at the lyrics and notes etc. And it occured to me that Deb Conway is not the only name on the CD. Willy Zygier, Deb’s musical collaborator and partner, is equally credited on the cover. And he, too, was in Tony and Rae’s lounge room last Friday night and he, too, contributed his music and vocals and humour to the evening. But did I think to have him sign my CD too? No. Didn’t even cross my mind. So I’m taking this opportunity to thank him too for the creation of a fabulous evening and for making two boys’ dreams come true!
PS. Tony – have you figured out which was Deb’s chair yet????