Well I arrived home last night after a few days down in Brisbane.
While I was in Brisbane, it poured and poured and when I spoke to Papa on the telephone he was most disappointed because the rain had not reached Toowoomba. As there are no clouds on the horizon for the next ten days or so, he has hauled out the hoses and is beginning to water the trees and shrubs before they decide that no-one cares for them and start to feel a bit low.
As you can imagine, when I arrived home, the dogs went berserk. They were very happy to see their Mama home. I had to drop my bags, take off my glasses and sit down on the couch with each of them on either side of me and give them good scratches along with lots of words of how much I had missed them. Molly especially was quite beside herself making lots of 'crying' type noises. Oh dear!
Papa has been working in his shed while I have been away. He has been doing lots of jobs to make his shed nice and tidy and organised. I think I sent a photograph a while back showing the new workbench he had made. Roger up at Cabarlah gave him some sheets of 'stuff' which he is using to line some of the walls. Then I think the plan is to put some shelves and hooks up to take his tools. Once he's all set up, he's going to make me a couple of coffee tables to go beside the couches here in the kitchen. There's a little table between the two couches but I think we also need a table on the other side of the couches too. I downloaded a photograph from the Internet giving Papa an idea of what I am looking for. I would like to paint the tables too in a nice 'Porter's' colour. Forget grey in this house! It's all Colour with a capital 'C".
While I was in Brisbane, Emma, Fergus and I went to visit the Art Gallery where there were a few installations set up especially for children. I think the Gallery is preparing for the onslaught of children when they break up for their end of semester break today.
Wee Fergus had a wonderful time with one of the installations which was made up of heaps of really large blue bricks, hoses, and rope.
I've asked Auntie Emma to forward some photographs. When I receive them I'll send on.
There was another installation which Fergus liked. It was to do with all things Antarctica.
The folk who had created the installation had done a wonderful job. From the ceiling they had hung grey/blue nets to symbolize the sky. They had also made gorgeous clouds which hung from the ceiling. They had been made with beautiful material which had stiff metal edges around the edge. I wish I had taken a photograph for you - they were beautiful and would look great in any bedroom :) I've had a look on the Internet but can't find any images. As the installation was set up for young children, there were Antarctic-type soft toys everywhere; puffins, seals, polar bears, penguins, more penguins and even a gorgeous otter. I'm not sure if otters live in Antarctica but this one looked quite happy as it wasn't too cold in the Brisbane Art Gallery.
There was also a fantastic drawing/painting exhibition of works created by children around Australia. These were obviously inspired by the artist and Antarctic explorer Alison Lester. As you can see from the article below, Alison kept in touch with the schoolchildren of Australia by email, detailing all that she was up to while she was in Antarctica.
CURRENT EXHIBITION: ANTARCTICA - ALISON LESTER AND FRIENDS
From June 24 - July 12, this remarkable series of works is a collaboration between artist and Antarctic adventurer Lester and the schoolchildren of Australia.
Children's author, Alison Lester, travelled to Antarctica in 2005 as an Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) Arts Fellow. Her regular reports back via email to the schoolchildren of Australia resulted in a unique collaboration of imagination, inspiration and innocence.
She has created a series of paintings inspired by her experience, and is working on developing a children's book from the series. Created in collaboration with the schoolchildren of Australia, the resulting works are both poignant and charming, a blend of childlike naivete and the deft hand of an illustrative master. The outcome of this creative dialogue is unlike anything most of us have seen, both because of the subject matter, and the process of the art that created it. The product of many imaginations, many months, and many surprises...
I could have spent all day looking at these drawings/paintings but Fergus let us know that it was "...time to move on."
Girls, would you tell Mummy that I've just finished a great book called A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD by Jennifer Egan. She might like to put it on her 'holiday reading' list. Here's a photograph of the cover and a link to Wikipedia.
Love Nanxxx
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