The Provincial

Big drive to Hobart Saturday before last to pick up Steve's Mum's pearls that had been languishing at a jeweler for some time.  Big mistake.

All the fault of this chap.

It was the Christmas Pageant.

For a woman on a mission, it made crossing the street very tricky.

I had to tiptoe over picnic rugs and schmooze between children, which is always a dangerous thing to do these days.  I have to say people were very obliging and the spirit of Christmas shone through.  Unfortunately the pageant ended before I could catch the bus.  No one seemed to know where the bus stops were and I was given 3 bum steers.  Eventually a lady told me to 'look for the man in orange', an unusual Christmas instruction.  I found him - a Metro Buses rep - and he kindly escorted me to the appropriate place.  What he didn't tell me was that all the buses heading for the Eastern Shore were leaving from there so waiting crowds grew larger and larger and bus arrivals were very slim.  Eventually a bus stopping at Rosny Park aka Eastlands pulled up to a surging mob.  It turned out to be a determined but polite mob and all was jolly as the Big Bus took tired children, exasperated parents and one old lady homeward.

It was all in aid of this.  Mel's cherished Mikimotos, repaired and restrung.

The rest of the week proceeded normally, though we had 16 people for Malcolm's lunch on Tuesday which may be a record.  Such is Malcolm's generosity that there was still delicious chowder and sourdough bread to take home for lunch the next day.  Thursday was a big day with my 5pm hair appointment in Hobart.  I bravely parked in a multistorey carpark.  I have such an aversion to these places - so bleak and soulless, and someone's always getting killed in one in detective shows.  My lovely hairdresser has RSI and tenosynovitis so she's pacing herself, which is fair enough, but my hair was getting wilder and wilder.  All tamed now though.  Looking highly presentable, I dropped into the Three Peaks Gallery in Sorell for their Open Evening.  Georgia has some of her work there - if you click on the link you can see her and the back of John's head in one of the Insta photos.

It was a good event, made even better by a phone call on the drive home to say I'd won 3rd prize in the raffle.  It was also special that a didj player dropped in (even though I don't think Tasmania / lutruwita traditionally had didjeridus).  He hasn't quite mastered circular breathing but he's working on it.

Friday I caught up with Penny Lane!!!  I hadn't seen Penny for I don't know how long.  We worked together at Workskills in the 1990s and I worked for her when she had a small gardening business.  We called ourselves The Palmy Girls because we're both a bit mad, and we were younger then!  We rendezvoused in a Rosny Park cafe that I had long wanted to visit - Moto Vecchio.  I had expected to see a scooter inside but, no, a line of old motorbikes.  My parents would have loved it!  Penny and I were disappointed with the panini but the French Earl Grey Tea and melting moments hit the spot (and will doubtless stay there).

Saturday, back down the Tasman Highway yet again for a one hour consultation with the optometrist and then at least a 1 hour wait for the blurry vision drops to wear off.  I had to don sunglasses to cope with the glare and hence looked very cool when I dropped into the 3 Peaks Gallery to pick up my Third Prize.  What a grab bag of treasures that turned out to be!  I indulged in Sorell sushi, because that is one of my favourite things, as I read Tokyo Vice.  I do have a thing for Japan.  I have watched the Tokyo Vice series on SBS On Demand.  Sometimes it was a bit tough for me but I did love the tattoos.

There are things I've forgotten to tell you:

another good night

I wore my red wig and a tiara.

'Go West' in the sound track reminded me of Mum's birthday in 2013.

We managed to set up the camera in her driveway to capture us singing 'Go West', presumably because that's how you get from Wentworth to Adelaide.

Last time I was in Adelaide, Heths and I went to an U3A lecture at which this book was recommended.  It is excellent, ie it supports my hypothesis about psychology and evolution!  I was a little reluctant to get it from the library because of the guy's name - images of Harvey the White Rabbit and Mary Whitehouse.

Somehow The Third Man had come up in a conversation.  I like Graham Greene so ordered the DVD and book from the library.  Both excellent, though the book is a bit difficult to get used to.  It's written from a strange perspective because it was written at the request of a film maker with the intention of it becoming a film.

Another side of my life.  Picking up rubbish at Vicary's Inlet with FoTRs Bruce and Malcolm.  I noticed this log festooned with native pig face.  Very surprised that this drought resistant plant was thriving in water.

And, cruelly, it made me think of Bruce untangling this pennant thing for the Mental Health Week screenings.  Only Bruce and I would be daft enough to attempt that!

A love story

My friend Mel died in March of this year.  It was at the time I was going to Wales so I didn't make much mention of it and I was unable to attend her funeral.  On Thursday the Tasmanian Keep Australia Beautiful Organisation recognised Mel for the incredible person she was.

Another friend, also called Mel, let the world know the goodness of Mel K and her far reaching legacy.

You may remember that I have mentioned Mel and The Fonz in the past.  Mel championed the use of dogs as weed detectors, and started the ball rolling by training Fonzy.  When Mel was contracted to work with Enviro-dynamics , Fonzy was part of the contract.

waiting in the wings at the event,

 on stage with his new owner to receive his award.

Mel received an award posthumously.

Mel's partner, Matt, takes photos during the slide presentation

We chosen ones trooped up on stage to receive Mel's award, and blubbed our eyes out.

Matt captures the award

Fonzy relaxes

then basks in a bit of well deserved glory

Mel's very proud father, Rob, says goodbye to The Fonz.  It's a long time since I've had such an emotionally draining day.  But we're all so proud to have known and loved Mel and Fonzy.

It was also Steve's birthday.  But that's another story.

More churchy culture

Going back in time a bit here.

the lure

I knew it was a beautiful (decommissioned) church

we were watching

and they played

And they played well.  Great fun.  But oh so difficult to sit there and not dance.  It should have been set up like a bar, bubbly cooling in the font.  It was also a bit disturbing - I fell in  love with the bass player who looks like my grandson Kit, but the violinist looked like the murderer in  The Sixth Commandment

The next day was Remembrance Day.

the lovely bugle player, David, strolls from the Last Post

 

Maria Voices were amazing as usual.  Amongst more traditional numbers, they sang a thought provoking song written by guitarist Andrew called, I think, The Call.

And local historian, Kath, did it right with poppies.

Sunday brought an early birthday and Christmas celebration for Soiree Anne, who will be away for both.

we graced the EastCoaster - the usual eatery of choice

Anne, sitting next to me at the end, had given me a red, flouncy top, so I whipped up a skirt to go with it.  Anne was impressed but reprimanded me for not going to the hairdresser (who has a wrist injury, in case you're wondering).

gratuitous garden shot

Sunday drive plus mental health week sundries

 Being a Van Diemen's Band groupie, I couldn't resist the chance of a recital at Richmond.

We all politely queued up outside the doors of St Luke's Church and were most impressed when they opened sharp at 10.30am, just as the promo said they would.

There are many things I like about attending events on my own.

No compromises!  I worked out where I wanted to sit, ie first row behind the reserved pews.

Harpsichord, violin and organ - 2/3 my not favourite instruments but these are all Baroque originals and sounded All Right!   It also wasn't my favourite VDB concert.  A bit long.  Even the organist stood up and bowed 2 segments before the end of a Papa Bach piece.  The harpsichord player soon put him right.  However it is always a delight to hear Julia Fredersdorff, VDB Artistic Director.  She is a virtuosic player and really good fun.

Parking around the church was at a premium.  These clever people avoided the teeming Richmond streets and parked downhill of the church - a good trick to remember if you don't mind dirt roads.  I had parked some distance away, on the residential side of the famous Richmond Bridge.

Strolling back to my car, I enjoyed the ye olde worlde ambience and had the opportunity to visit the Peppercorn Gallery which is currently holding some of Georgia's work.

looking over The Bridge towards where I'd parked

I also had the opportunity to drop into the Brinktop Winery which opens only at the weekend.  It was absolutely jumping and warrants further investigation.

Briefly returning to wrap up Mental Health Week:

the Weily Fox was nearly as useless as me gunwise

not that we're laughing at her

This was actually taken by The Fox as we packed up after the event.  Cheryl, our mayor and former Australian representative in Olympic Shooting events, sports her Dangerous Woman carry-all.

We were all given an orange clay target as a keepsake.  I carelessly put mine above the wood heater,

discovering it blown to pieces in the morning - something I'd failed to achieve while shooting.

happy memory of Maria Voices belting out sea shanties during the intermission of Fisherman's Friend movie

I was sent to report on the Sleep Workshop - even The Weily Fox can't be everywhere.  Tash, the presenter, was very good as was the PowerPoint Presentation(!).

And we all got a Trauma Teddy to take home with us.  There are good people in the world.