etc etc etc

Yes, I've just watched The King and I - a lot of cringing and a lot of marveling at Yul Brynner's body. I've also watched From Here to Eternity.  I despair of US culture, the adoration of the white man in uniform.  The rolling in the surf bit is the best bit and should have taken up at least half the film.  I also have to report on Daphne du Maurier's Rule Britannia.   Admittedly when I picked up this book from a book cupboard aka Street Library, I was confusing du Maurier with Josephine Tey...  I read this book incredulously.  It was du Maurier's last novel, written in 1972.  She writes of a joint government agreement to merge the UK and the USA to create one economic and military entity of English speaking nations, USUK, with Australia to join later.  Given I've always considered AUKUS to be better named USUKA this was right up my alley.  As were those Celts fighting against  the installation of American culture and control in Cornwall.  There are grating aspects to this novel but, gosh, I enjoyed reading it on New Year's Day.

I didn't make plans for NYE.  I thought I'd just wait to see what happens in Bellerive.  Would it be more than the two toots of a car horn that welcomed the year in Triabunna?  Around 9pm Jilly and I strolled to the bike path above the beach thinking we may be able to see the Hobart fireworks from there.  A number  of families had the same idea with many enjoying glow sticks and sparklers on the beach.  The fireworks started promptly at 9.30pm.  It was  joyous to watch them surrounded by children.

We walked home catching up with neighbours Fiona and Hudson en route.  Fiona bedecked us with glow sticks and invited us to toast marshmallows over a candle in her small courtyard.  We left before midnight, and then watched the Hobart midnight fireworks from my bedroom window and, simultaneously, the Sydney fireworks on iview.  Then a glass of bubbly to celebrate the most social NYE I've had in a long time.

midnight fireworks from the bedroom window

After such a grand start to 2026, I'm sharing other good omens:

the moon through my bedroom window, with curious reflections

 

double rainbows

red skies at night after glorious summer days

Georgia and Miya at Malcolm's dam near Triabunna

Jilly showing the way in best Aunty mode

Tonight's dinner - gnocchi with pesto made today thanks to the pot of basil  Her Majesty gave me for Christmas.  (I have no idea how I got that split half effect.)  The wine is a NZ sauvignon blanc.  Not my usual beverage but I was re-creating a meal The Easterers had on our first reunion at Lady Bay in 2009.  Bronny's PA had organised the accommodation, Corinne was into NZ wines, Heather loved Lady Bay, and I had a garden full of basil in Wentworth.  With age comes nostalgia.