ENTERTAINING VISITORS

Back in 2002 I attended a college reunion, the first in 40 years. We rekindled many old friendships. We have kept in contact with Peter and Margaret from the Hunter Vally, NSW and Ros and Dennis from north Brisbane. Peter and Margaret came to stay with us for a few days.The first day it rained so we went to the movies as they love the movies. We saw "Suffragette" It was a good show. Amazing what women went through in England to get the vote. I had no idea it was so brutal.

The next day it was very hot and humid so we went to the Gallery of Modern Art at the Cultural centre.

We had lunch at the State Library Cafe and then walked through the library to the Gallery. It is school holidays so there were many children enjoying the cultural activities provided for them.

This was one of my favourite installations. It is by Min Thein Sung from Myanmar.

I also liked this huge construction made from timber collected from demolition sites around Brisbane. It was created by Asim Waqif an architect. The installation is embedded with electronic sounds of building construction and encourages interaction.

The next day we went on a City cat ride up and down the Brisbane River, stopping at South Bank for lunch.

Historic Newstead House Gardens and Breakfast Creek 

Portside

Soon it was time to take Peter and Margaret to Ros and Dennis' house where they will stay for a few days too.

They have a beautiful house with a huge deck area and acres of land.

We all had a delicious lunch overlooking the geese on the pond.

It is great to keep in touch with old friends. Peter, Dennis and I were at college together in 1962/3

Bill, me, Peter, Margaret, Ros and Dennis.

BIRTHDAY BEAR GETS SOME CULTURE

As I am working on my birthday on Wednesday, we celebrated yesterday. We had lunch at the Foyer Bistro in the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) in the city. It is situated on the South Bank of the Brisbane River, together with the State Library, the Museum, the Art Gallery, the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (opera house), the Conservatorium and Convention Centre. This area is one big Cultural Centre on the banks of the river. It was my turn to receive Birthday Bear and I was quite excited trying to anticipate how she would be dressed this time.

Here she is dressed as a gardener. That's me! She has on her overalls, garden gloves and garden shoes. Of course she has a visor and sunnies.

She even has a little wheelbarrow full of lemons. She also has a watering can and fork and shovel, with froggy handles. I love frogs.

Ann and George (in front) did a wonderful job of dressing bear and making the props. Thank you. From left to right...Ann, Mary, Bill, Birthday Bear, Paul, me , Helen, George. We even booked a place for Bear, which the waitress thought was funny.

I had Pork Belly with apple and rhubarb sauce and side vegetables.

BB had Salmon and schwabi sauce with fries on the side.

Then Bear wanted to check out the view from the deck. The GoMA building at the side overlooking the new pedestrian bridge and the city on the other side of the river.

The city cat glides under the partially constructed pedestrian bridge connecting the cultural Centre with the CBD. We had a lively discussion about the aesthetics and cost of the bridge. Some of us liked it and others didn't.

The very old William Jolly Bridge a few metres down stream.

After lunch we went to have a look around the modern art gallery, which was featuring Chinese artists but Bear wasn't allowed to come she had to wait in the cloak room and look after our umbrellas. Yes it has been raining for 2 days now, which is very unusual or this time of the year, but it is better than the drought we've had over the last 5 years.

We went up to the other floors and saw some really way out art. Some was interesting and some was rediculous.

This huge lady in bed was interesting

Up close her skin was almost translucent and very life like.