More Recent Activity 240923 to 151023

 Hi there again! This time I'm reporting on 4 major experiences I've had over the last three weeks or so up to mid-October 2023. Firstly, I'll show some images of Armidale's old courthouse which was open to the public on 24 September. This building has been vacant for years while Council tries to think of ways of using the premises.

Next, I'll show you the meet-up with friends that occurs every thursday at 10.30 am at a popular local cafe called the Goldfish Bowl (GFB for short).

Then, on October 1, Dot and I attended a brilliant Jazz concert in a local theatre. It stunned us.

And, finally, I travelled to Sydney to attend Cousin David's 80th birthday party and catch up family members I now rarely see.

The courthouse is quite an imposing building in the main shopping centre. And the image on the right shows it maybe 70 years ago.

Today, one of the impediments to broader public use is the furnishing of the large courtroom as shown in the 2 pictures below.

At this moment in time, we're not close to finding a use for the premises.

The GFB is the meeting place of maybe 10 blokes on Thursday mornings ... even through the winter months ... and we usually sit outside in the adjacent courtyard. On most days we get somewhere between 4 and 6 of us talking on a wide range of national and international issues. The chatting is lively and often provocative!

On Sunday October 1st, Dot and I headed to the Armidale Playhouse wondering what sort of Jazz music we would receive. The experience was amazing. The main participants were a mother and daughter, with the former a pianist and the latter singing great songs. Amazingly, the mother was a great pianist and works at our conservatorium of music. Even more amazingly, the daughter lives and works in London (UK) where she is a highly regarded musician!

She, also, could beautifully strum a guitar.

Here they are together on the stage.

Mother and daughter were also, however, accomanied occasionally by usual Jazz musicians.

All up it was a great evening. Let's now turn ro David's birthday celebration. I flew to Sydney on 6th October and David kindly picked me up at the airport. He took me home for lunch and, later in the day, I partnered his wife Shlomith in a bridge game on-line. However, I slept for all 3 nights while in Sydney at his daughter, Sharon's home fairly close by not to far from the famous Bondi beach. This picture ... if I get things right (!!) was taken at Sharon's home and shows from left to right Harry - her son, Sharon herself,  mother Shlomith, and then her sister Shelley who had flown in from Melbourne.

  

On Saturday the 7th, David and I didquite a lot of walking around various parts of Sydney's rather posh Eastern Suburbs. But it was Sunday the 8th that was the focus of the weekend - David's 80th - and Sharon hosted the event in her lovely apartment. Of course, there were the usual recognition items like a balloon and a cake.

There was heaps of delivious food for the c. 16 or 17 of us invited guests - family and friends. I'm not good at counting numbers on such occasion so I just hope I'm correct - or close to!

We sat outside to celebrate the occasion - Sharon's lovely home has a covered balcony as well as, believe it or not, an outside garden.

And, here at last, is a picture of the gentleman in question - David seated on the left and greatly enjoying the occasion.

I can't resist showing the picture below, which I saw - as far as I can remember - for the first time. I  hope I'm not wrong in claiming to be in the picture which must have been taken something like 65 or 70 years ago in the UK. I hope David can work out the names of everyone there!

That's enough for now. Even at my age ... 78 ... life can be very interesting and diverse. And our little town is amazingly rich in things to do. Right now I'm wondering if I should attend a highly unusual musical event. Have you ever been to a performance of Japanese drumming!?

Catching Up After A Busy Season

It's a while since I made a post to my Blog, which partly reflects my ageing but the wide range of experiences one can have even for someone aged 78. This particular post reflects on 5 experiences I had during the first half of September. The first concerns a farewell party to a former bridge partner of mine - Manfred Junge. The second looks at an early surge in Spring flowers around our garden. Thirdly let's look at Armidale's transition to an elecrtic scooter hub!! After that, I'll report on my invitation to attend a National Summit in Canberra!! And, immediately after returning from that I attended a brilliant performance of our local orchestra playing a range of music.

Let's start with our sad gathering to remeber Manfred.

It was at the Bowling Club and was attended by heaps of friends and relatives who gathered to discuss their memories of him. Of course, given his name, you would be correct in guessing his birthplace - Germany

Secondly, Spring arrived early because of an extremely mild late winter when temperatures even reached 20 C.

 

About the 10th September, Armidale awoke to a big surprise. Something like 300 + electric scooters appeared out of nowhere and were deposited all over town including the entrance to our street. Our local council acquired them from a company called REAM and slowly they're attracting a lot of attention and use by our younger residents. I'm going to have a go at riding one shortly! Apparently they can travel quite fast.

Next comes the national summit I attended in Canberra. The entry fee was A$1,000, but the Regional Australia Institute with which I have been associated for over 20 years allowed me in for nothing, though I did have to apy to fly to Canberra and back. Fortunately, Rebecca put me up at her home and I was driven to and from the event in town by her over the two days.

Maybe 70 or 80 people from all over the country and working for all 3 tiers of government - national, state and local, or for business interests, or people engaged in research like me, attended this excellent meeting.

Here's the leader of ther oppsoition, Peter Dutton organising a session.

And another politician is here leading another discussed theme.

Here's some of the audience listening to the proceedings attentively.

Most of the time however, the audience was seated aroung circular tables in the posh hotel near Parliament House.

We were served great food for 2 days! All up, I was very pleased to attend.

And the fifth theme I mentioned previously was my attendance at a marvellous musical performance of, surprisingly dance music by some of the great composers of the last 3 centuries. The excellent orchestra performed in our old town hall to an enthusiastic local audience. The two pictures show the performers on stage and a selfie of yours truly and the rivetted audience.

So, I am having  a great retirement with lots of interesting things to. That's the way things should be.

AS