I'm back

I was taking a few days away from blogging then I decided I was not going to resume. I've had an interesting week with a few ups and downs but am feeling quite OK and Miss B has convinced me that I must blog.

My face and a footpath met last weekend and I really damaged myself. It has been awful. By the time I went to the Budget-in-reply dinner with my lovely Nats friends on Thursday night I was able to cover the worst of the damage with make-up and only my nearest and dearest quizzed me on the circumstances.

It was so lovely to see so many of my friends all at once and to meet new friends, particularly the ones who are working towards getting candidates elected at the next Federal election.

Sitting in the gallery watching the LOTO give the Budget-in-reply speech was unlike any other time I have been in Parliament. People in the galleries were clapping and cheering, even though protocol says you must not.

Today I had my second painting class. It took two hours for me to finally be "loose" with the brush. I have not painted anything seriously since school and I remember my major work was wrecked when some d***head kid kicked it when they were running around the art room.

Anyway, I have spent many years making pictures with my quilts but I have wanted to learn the techniques of painting so that I can pursue this over the next few decades.

Our teacher Margaret is generous with her knowledge and her praise but doesn't want any of us spending money until we really decide what we like. It is a nurturing environment and there are some other lovely people in the class. Some have had lessons before but that's OK. We are all there for our own reasons.

So there. I'm back. Loving writing. Loving having time and space to learn to paint.

As I told the teacher today I love a challenge and every day that you meet a challenge and learn something is a good day. And there have been plenty of challenges lately.

Sssshhh

Staying quiet until later in the week. It's all in the stars.

Dark Moon

It is a dark moon before an eclipse and if there is anything I have learnt from Mystic Medusa it is to keep quite during these times. So I am.

Incommunicado

Love that word. I'm taking the Fifth on the Fourth and the Fifth. Back Monday.

Art and other lovely things

I have a plan for the post-Canberra phase of my life. It's quite some years away but it involves art. Today I enrolled in art classes. I'm going to learn how to use watercolours, oil paints and pastels. Then I can choose which medium I want to pursue and keep learning that.

I'm so excited. Every day that you learn something is a good day and while I'm quite good at being self-taught, I think the discipline of showing up to class and being taught by someone who is good at their craft/art/discipline can only expand horizons.

That's how I learnt to sew. I refer often to my large collection of books, magazine and favourite websites and there is so much more for me to learn about fabric. But I really, really want to learn to paint and so on 11 May a new adventure begins.

In other news, today I spoke to two beautiful women who help guide me. They are incredibly impressed with my progress, both physically and mentally. How fabulous is that.

Beliefs and labels

Why is your personal philosophy and belief system of such importance to others? I met a nice young man today who thought I was a member of the Liberal Party. No, I told him, I've never been a member of any political party. If I was to be one at the moment it would be the Nationals.

This from a woman ... me... who in her youth handed out how-to-vote cards for the Nuclear Disarmament Party. It was the early 80s and nuclear obliteration of the planet was a very real threat, the same way climate change is a threat to a new generation, and we all know what happened to nuclear obliteration.

Then he told me he was a Christian. That's also fantastic. I was brought up in a Christian household. You don't have to attach a label to yourself to treat people with respect...

Luke 6:31

New International Version (NIV)

³¹ Do to others as you would have them do to you.

It's a no-brainer. Give out kindness, you will reap kindness. Buddhists call it Karma. 

Not always on the same day but overall, the ledger is balanced. Of course there are those you encounter who upset that applecart but as I said to my new friend today: the way you carry yourself and respond to the cr*p others dish out says more about you as a person than anything else. I guess that is what happens with age, maturity and the reluctance to take on cr*p.

I really do not treat anyone differently to how I have ever treated people and I am as surprised today when the favour is not returned as I was back in primary school. I was always astonished when people I thought were my friends turned against me. I wouldn't hurt a fly. But others would. It has taken many years to learn that lesson, but I still believe that ultimately all people are good. Even when for their own reasons they do not appear to be.

In Melbourne

At a conference in Melbourne. Catching up with colleagues, new and old. Interesting.

Nice to see familiar faces wherever I go.

Guess what? It rained today. Then the sun came out. Then it rained again. Gosh it was cold.

Got to love Melbourne.