BACK IN OZ

october 14

i woke up an hour ago at my friend denise’s and didn’t know where i was. couldn’t figure out why my hands were cold and then remembered i was back in australia.

last day in bali yesterday and one of those great flights into australia where i saw the sun come up, that amazing red strip of horizon with the moon and venus hovering over it.

back in victoria, from the air

I had a wonderful long balinese massage before the flight This is the view through the hole in the massage table - so balinese to think of this small detail 

back in melbourne – confirmation that my move from the city to the river was a good idea, driving through the CBD to get to the westgate took two hours from northcote to the yarra.   i realised too late it was the melbourne marathon, i could’ve walked in less time.  on the plus side, there was an opportunity in russell street to admire the gorgeous forum theatre, for at least ten minutes.

OCTOBER 14

it’s a month to the day since i moved to the murray and i’ve only spent two weeks there. I won’t get back till the end of the week but i’ll have time here in melbourne and pt lonsdale to get some printing done.

MONDAY oct 15

Had a field day at the Restorers Barn in geelong yesterday –there are so many things i want to get for the house – i picked up two good chairs to go with my dining set, and there are masses of old 50s light fittings, bamboo blinds,

bathroom basins, taps, drawer pulls, garden pavers  -  stuff everywhere, i bought a huge winged mirror at the op shop, probably for the new bathroom i’m designing.  and i’ll go back for all the bamboo blinds i think, i’ll need a lot of shade inside and on the deck during the hot wentworth summer – the temperature will get up into the ‘40’s.

i’m here at gails in torquay, she’s got potted cuttings for me, can’t wait to get back to the house and get stuck into the house and garden. i’m putting in a circular drive, so far it’s a hole in the middle of the big parking area, waiting for a tree   :0)   

 good start though  

                                                                                        

i

gails garden is looking wonderful,

the wisteria is a curtain of lacy

lavender flowers, and the crab

apple is flourishing. the whole garden

is bursting with blooms

bloomin' mahvellous as peter cundell

would say 

October 17

i’m in melbourne – printing today for the australian print workshop’s big biennial ‘impressions’ exhibition – my first print based on my river home – a beautiful egret which sits on the fallen trees in the river in front of the house, he’s there every day from about 7 till 5, a good working day.  he sits and sits and one or twice dives for a fish, a decent result i guess, but it’s a pretty uneventful life. he’s just beautiful though – i’m privileged to have him at my place.

drawing for my print, the egret in his usual spot

my plate - has to be aquatinted, but i like it so far.