Summer in the City
My back's been playing up again, so I haven't been able to be on-line much. However, I've had a rather nice few days, so I wanted to mention them.
As something of a holiday treat, I'd bought myself a ticket to the ballet The Three Musketeers. It was hardly the deepest thing I'd ever seen, the choreography was fun but empty, and the music a bit of a pastiche. But I had a wonderful time. I wasn't in the mood for anything heavy, and this fit the bill perfectly. Muskeeteers has been my favourite story for a very long time, and it was great to see it on stage. The matinee I went to was an additional one put on specially for the school holidays, and it was a lot of fun to see so many excited children. That's my one regret about my love of opera and ballet - that no-one in my family really shares it, and that I can't talk about my experiences with them. Mum tries, but it's all a bit foreign to her.
Anyway, the performance was on at the Opera House, and it was the most beautiful summer's day - blue skies, sun shining, not much wind. I walked back round to Circular Quay with a grin from ear to ear, taking photos madly and wondering why on earth I want to go and live in Europe when Sydney has so much magic to offer.
I always find myself feeling a bit more Jewish at this time of year - I think it's self-defence in the face of the overwhelming Christmas season. This year I was singing in the synagogue choir, and I had a surprising amount of fun, considering that I really don't know all that many people there.
On Thursday evening we sang for the residents of the Montefiore Home. It went very well, except that transport chaos made me twenty minutes late. Luckily things were running on Jewish Mean Time, so I didn't miss anything. And there was a dessert buffet to nibble at afterwards...delicious. There was a particular chocolate-nut-meringue-blueberry-strawberry concoction that tasted sublime - it'd be easy to live to a ripe old age on food like that!
On Friday we sang before the start of the service, and again at the congregation Shabbat/Hannukah dinner. Food wasn't *quite* as good, but they get bonus marks for the excellent latkes and the two types of salmon. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, even though it was boiling and the air-conditioner wasn't workinking. And I managed not to demolish an entire challah by myself, though it was tempting...
The only real hitch was, once again, the public transport - I got on the earlier bus which then got caught in terrible traffic and deposited me fifteen minutes late. I ran in the door about two seconds before we were supposed to start, but it's awfully hard to sing while you're huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf.
My parents went away for a break last week, so it was just me and my sister at home. Fine in theory, since we're both independent, and I've had a fair bit of experience living away from home (my health made me move back, but I'm a lot better now). Unfortunately, the practice was a disaster. This house doesn't have fly-screens, so we get besieged by creepy-crawlies at this time of year. (The entertainment last Monday evening was a spider the size of a tennis ball that decided to move into my bedroom.) As a result, I instituted The Reign of Cleaning Terror, whereby not a stray plate, crumb or glass was to be left out anywhere it might attract an insect. My sister ignored this, and left me to do everything for a week, including mopping the kitchen floor at midnight on Saturday. Although the joy with which my parents received the sparkling house when they returned almost made up for things...unfortunately, that whole 'being Jewish' thing means that I can't claim bonus Christmas presents. I think I deserve something for putting up with the hyperactive dog for a week - she belongs to my sister, and demands attention twenty-four hours a day. Most unpleasant (can you tell I'm hopeless with both animals and small children?) Luckily, everyone's home again now and I can escape the constant yowling.
Public Service Announcement: do not buy a small dog unless you've got a strange fondness for whining noises that closely resemble the sound of fingernails scraping down a blackboard.
Otherwise, life's going on more or less as normal - innumerable physiotherapy appointments, avoiding the Christmas chaos (I needed to buy new socks the other day, and the sales assistant asked me if they were for a present. No, they're for me. Is it that unusual to buy something for yourself at this time of year?) and trying to deal with the heat. I like doing the things that come with summer, like swimming and going to the cricket and having picnics on the beach, but I'm not too fond of the weather. Particularly because I get sunburnt at the drop of a hat.
Frohe Weihnachten, Buon Natale, Joyeaux Noel or Happy Hannukah to everyone.
As something of a holiday treat, I'd bought myself a ticket to the ballet The Three Musketeers. It was hardly the deepest thing I'd ever seen, the choreography was fun but empty, and the music a bit of a pastiche. But I had a wonderful time. I wasn't in the mood for anything heavy, and this fit the bill perfectly. Muskeeteers has been my favourite story for a very long time, and it was great to see it on stage. The matinee I went to was an additional one put on specially for the school holidays, and it was a lot of fun to see so many excited children. That's my one regret about my love of opera and ballet - that no-one in my family really shares it, and that I can't talk about my experiences with them. Mum tries, but it's all a bit foreign to her.
Anyway, the performance was on at the Opera House, and it was the most beautiful summer's day - blue skies, sun shining, not much wind. I walked back round to Circular Quay with a grin from ear to ear, taking photos madly and wondering why on earth I want to go and live in Europe when Sydney has so much magic to offer.
I always find myself feeling a bit more Jewish at this time of year - I think it's self-defence in the face of the overwhelming Christmas season. This year I was singing in the synagogue choir, and I had a surprising amount of fun, considering that I really don't know all that many people there.
On Thursday evening we sang for the residents of the Montefiore Home. It went very well, except that transport chaos made me twenty minutes late. Luckily things were running on Jewish Mean Time, so I didn't miss anything. And there was a dessert buffet to nibble at afterwards...delicious. There was a particular chocolate-nut-meringue-blueberry-strawberry concoction that tasted sublime - it'd be easy to live to a ripe old age on food like that!
On Friday we sang before the start of the service, and again at the congregation Shabbat/Hannukah dinner. Food wasn't *quite* as good, but they get bonus marks for the excellent latkes and the two types of salmon. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, even though it was boiling and the air-conditioner wasn't workinking. And I managed not to demolish an entire challah by myself, though it was tempting...
The only real hitch was, once again, the public transport - I got on the earlier bus which then got caught in terrible traffic and deposited me fifteen minutes late. I ran in the door about two seconds before we were supposed to start, but it's awfully hard to sing while you're huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf.
My parents went away for a break last week, so it was just me and my sister at home. Fine in theory, since we're both independent, and I've had a fair bit of experience living away from home (my health made me move back, but I'm a lot better now). Unfortunately, the practice was a disaster. This house doesn't have fly-screens, so we get besieged by creepy-crawlies at this time of year. (The entertainment last Monday evening was a spider the size of a tennis ball that decided to move into my bedroom.) As a result, I instituted The Reign of Cleaning Terror, whereby not a stray plate, crumb or glass was to be left out anywhere it might attract an insect. My sister ignored this, and left me to do everything for a week, including mopping the kitchen floor at midnight on Saturday. Although the joy with which my parents received the sparkling house when they returned almost made up for things...unfortunately, that whole 'being Jewish' thing means that I can't claim bonus Christmas presents. I think I deserve something for putting up with the hyperactive dog for a week - she belongs to my sister, and demands attention twenty-four hours a day. Most unpleasant (can you tell I'm hopeless with both animals and small children?) Luckily, everyone's home again now and I can escape the constant yowling.
Public Service Announcement: do not buy a small dog unless you've got a strange fondness for whining noises that closely resemble the sound of fingernails scraping down a blackboard.
Otherwise, life's going on more or less as normal - innumerable physiotherapy appointments, avoiding the Christmas chaos (I needed to buy new socks the other day, and the sales assistant asked me if they were for a present. No, they're for me. Is it that unusual to buy something for yourself at this time of year?) and trying to deal with the heat. I like doing the things that come with summer, like swimming and going to the cricket and having picnics on the beach, but I'm not too fond of the weather. Particularly because I get sunburnt at the drop of a hat.
Frohe Weihnachten, Buon Natale, Joyeaux Noel or Happy Hannukah to everyone.