I think it was the fourth of July....

Once upon a time when I was very young and very impressionable, I went out on a date with a boy to a party somewhere in Essendon.
He took along a record...yes a 331/3 rpm record that he had bought, and played it at said party.
Two things came to me that night that have remained with me forever.
Firstly, and the most impressionable, were the magical sounds that I heard when he was able to play his record. I had not heard that music before, having been brought up on Slim Dusty and Mario Lanza interspersed with 'A walk in the Black Forest'. Am sure you get the drift!
The music transported me to a new world.... A world of trumpets, guitars, piano and a burgeoning rock sound that was literally to me out of this world. The album cover didn't give away much as it only depicted an insignia which was new to me. No pictures, no descriptions of the band inside....just lots of writing which I read in between allowing the music to reach my very depths of soul.
The second impression of the night was that I realised that night that it was not to everyone's taste as there were so many groans and complaints as the music played on and on. The boy I was with and I had to stand and defend the music playing as older members of the party wanted to stop it and play Led Zeppelin or Steppenwolf or Cream or someone else anything but what was playing.

Following that night, I began to hear the music on the radio when I was supposed to be studying and each time it thrilled me more and more.

I had begun working that year in a full-time capacity so not before too long I was able to go out and purchase my very own version of this wondrous music as the boy had long departed and I had some little money of my own.
Much to my joy, the band that created this music churned out a number of records, each with their distinctive sound and rhythm over time and I progressively purchased these records when I could and created quite a collection.

A day in a life.

Yesterday was the climactic result of a few months preparation for something I, with the help of colleagues and friends, planned as a surprise.

Joe is a G.P./obstetrician I have worked with for a number of years and recently he was made to step away from his obstetric practice and focus purely on his GP work because of hospital politics. I might add at this point that Joe has always had an excellent work ethic and has always loved working with pregnant/birthing women and many of us have experienced working with him in a team capacity with great joy.

Yesterday gave us the opportunity to thank him in the form of a celebratory party in a local hall and party we did.

Great music was provided by Dean, who shared his love of 70's, 80,s, 90's and 2000+ music with us all. There was the nut bush, the bus stop, even the chicken dance to be done with wonderful participation...

There was a number of people who came to share their thanks to this great man. There was food galore, lovely sausage rolls and vol au vents, pizzas and dips.... Enough food for a feast, and that was just the savouries.

Dessert comprised of slices and trifle and little cakes and one big big big cake for Joe to cut. He will be well and truly sick of chocolate mousse cake by the time it's done.

I just want to thank everyone for their participation, their food and their fun. Am I right in thinking the kids had a great time too?

At the end of the night we had to clean the hall and restore it back to its former pristine cleanliness and there were many hands to make light work of it all.

Thank you thank you thank you everyone for making Joe's night such a special one.

A Friday Story.

I'm having a lunch break right now and have the urge to blog, to tell my tale (not that its very inspiring). So, for what it's worth, here it is.

Every month nowadays, I begin by making a solemn promise to myself (and to Chantelle), that I will complete the FMS photoaday incentive.

I usually begin with great guns as I have today, but somewhere along the lines of "oh so much happening in my life" (you know the story) I fall by the wayside and forget for a few days, a week even, and before you know it, the month has gone and it's time to start over yet again.

What I want to attempt this month is to blog with my photo, to explain my little touch of supposed creativity so that I can verbalise what I see pertaining to the day.

I suspect I will run out of time as usual but while this burst from my inner brain lasts, I will do what I can to write daily until I become distracted yet again.

I love to blog and I love to take pictures of my life so why not combine the two!

The photo I have posted for today for some reason will not come up yet on my phone. Whats the bet as soon as I close this it'll appear but for all good intents and purposes I shall upload another only for the sake of including a photo I have taken with today's words.

L= Light for me on this day 1st. March.

When my light photo for today is really accessible, I will swap pictures but for now, this photo demonstrates what it was like a couple of weeks ago up north in not so sunny, but very warm Porepunkah when bush fires were not that far away around Harrietville.

So, there you have it reader. A smoky sunlight it is!