Woo Hoo! Time to travel again.

I think this is the longest blog entry I have ever made!!! I usually do a quick post everyday while I am travelling but so much happened in May and June I thought I should use my time on the plane from Sydney to HCMC  to blog the Crazy month of May!

I'm sure the universal law of the Universe is, that right before I start to pack a bag, life decides to turn the tempo up to a ridiculous level. This year May and June didn't just feel busy they stormed through like a symphonic hurricane!  It was a glorious whirlwind of community art and connection.

The Blockbuster was the Poulenc and Duruffle performance at the Opera House. Five stars!!!! Here is a quick run through of some of the events.  I didn't get a chance to do collages for all the festivals Manly Writers, Sydney Writers, Rise and more... but you get the idea it was an amazing two months!

May! 

The first day of the month was Open Mic. We never know what to expect.  It started as usual with the tone deaf singer with his untuned guitar but unfolded into a spectacular night of storytelling and music. Great to see Laurie, Vivien, Helen, Bea, Roger, Patricia and Carol there… dinner at the Ivanhoe later.

Next day we were off to Raymond Terrace for the day…. Freaked out by car on fire on motorway which exploded just after we passed.  

 First time I had seen the new archway at Kangaroo House - very impressive.  

Lunch at the Terrace restaurant and then armed with a box full of cumquats home to make marmalade! We returned again in June and picked 6kg just from the lower branches! That is one hell of a cumquat tree!

Roger started back at sketching YaY!  

I was busy with rehearsals Duruflé tricky but gorgeous – Poulenc pure joy! As for Vine!!!!

Rehearsals moved from the Inner City to Ascham and then to the House.  It is always so goosebumpy when we get to the Opera House.  It sounds so different to anywhere else.  It’s like you are the only person singing even though you are surrounded by people and of course when you get the audience in there, its different again… just LOVE it!

Wendy flew down from Brisbane and so we had a great party for the concert - Astley, Rosie, Anne and of course Roger.  It really was one of the best concerts ever- especially as we got 5 star reviews from the critics... always a relief. 

The post-concert adrenaline hadn't even faded by the time we hit the Everleigh Pub the next day. We caught up with Phil, a friend of ours since our 1976 (Wollongong Uni days) and Sue and Uti, who became part of the Gong crowd too. Wendy, became my partner-in-crime when we went back to uni in 2000 We've had a few adventures since then meeting up in London and around Oz. Crazily by chance Wendy met up with Phil on the Gold Coast and found out that he knew us!  Wendy introduced us toYanni and Lorraine and so we became a group of Jazz fans!

The Eveleigh is a great venue and the band especially Kate was fab.  Lots of storytelling and funky jazz beats.

So we are halfway through May at this point and I am starting to panic that we have a two month trip coming up.... Eek! NO time to panic because we had a U3A workshop coming up... Great to have so many BeanZ writers there and co-presenting with Laurie was terrific. Some great reviews too. 

Time to head off to Concord to film Lynne Vertannes who was the winner of our Society of Women Wrtiers Prize.  A great way to spend a Saturday morning!

Reconciliation Week brought a great opportunity to join Sydney Dance Company to sing Midnight Oil's Beds Are Burning.  

Peter Garrett talked about composing the song ...   "I always felt that this song was like an 'executive summary' of the injustices perpetrated on the First Peoples of this continent. But it is more than that, it is a call for action. It belongs to them, let's give it back! The song is a call for all Australians to be all in for truth, land rights and reconciliation. I encourage all choirs to sing it with power and passion for change."

Finally May drew to an end with Northern Beaches Volunteer Awards.  Bravo! to Judy Elias and HUGE thanks to her for stepping in to cover me while I take a break!