CURRA FRIENDS

 We drove three hours north of Brisbane to Curra. Our friends, Ben and Lyn have bought a new house in a new estate there. All the blocks are acreages which have been carved out of farmland. It is living in the country. We had a very relaxing few days with them. Ben and Bill migrated from Switzerland together in 1967 when they were in their early twenties. They came for two years to learn English and then go home. They both married Aussie girls and are still here. We have been friends ever since although sometimes long distant friends as we spent time in PNG and Ben and Lyn spent time in NT and then in many different places. We have had fun visiting them in all their different abodes. In the evenings we love playing a Swiss Card game called Jass.

When we arrived Lyn was feeding the Butcher Birds.  She shouldn't really feed wildlife  but sometimes you can't resist their begging.

The view from their back patio was pretty and calming.

The next morning it was even more pretty.

We had breakfast on the patio as Spring is in the air. The old boys enjoy catching up.

They took us for a drive through bushland to Tin Can Bay Yacht Club for lunch. I could see the fish from our table on the deck.

The view from our table.

An old relaxed couple. We had to take our dark glasses off.

Our fun loving friends, Ben and Lyn.

A LOVE STORY

Our monthly dinner at the village had a fun theme. It was a wedding reception, a real one and a pretend one. First I must tell a love story.

Some years ago a lovely lady called Margaret worked in the office of our village. She had to travel quite a distance to get here for work. As she and her husband, Ron, were over 55 they decided to move here so it would be easy to get to work and Ron had just retired. They soon became loved members of our community. 

Unfortunately, not long afterwards, Margaret became ill and was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Little could be done for her and after some time she succumbed and passed away. The funeral was held here in our community centre. Ron and Margaret's children were scattered around the globe. There were also some who lived close by. They all came to the funeral.

Ron's son, Brendan was working in Le Hague as a war crime investigator. He was divorced and stayed with his father here in the village. He helped the staff and Chiou See, the managing director, to set up the community centre for the funeral and wake. Naturally, the staff and Chiou See were very involved as Margaret had been a member of the staff.

Brendan stayed on for a few weeks holiday here. It wasn't long before we noticed that Brendan and Chiou See had become very close friends. Chiou See is also a divorcee. We all wondered how this was going to work out with him working on the other side of the world. But it did! 

After some amazing stories of travel and adventures Brendan resigned and returned to Australia and his love. Chiou See went to Le Hague to help him pack up his apartment and accompany him home. Then near disaster when Australia closed its borders at the beginning of Covid. Only very few planes were coming into the country. They had to try many different airlines before they managed to get one from Qatar costing them a fortune but they made it home and ended up in quarantine for 14 days.

So after two years they decided to marry. They organised their children to all meet in Croatia where they had planned to marry and honeymoon. Unfortunately, on the day planned for the ceremony, Chiou See's father died in Singapore. So she cancelled the ceremony but since the reception was booked for the whole family they stayed and had a holiday too.

So some months later they organised to be married here in our Zen Garden and have a reception at our monthly dinner in September. Chiou See's mother flew from Singapore and Brendan's father lives here.

Residents, friends and staff packed the community Centre. 

The entertainment was hilarious. It was a take on the play "Dimboola's Wedding."  The actors mingled in the crowd and encouraged audience participation. It was about a wedding and all the things that can go wrong.

Chiou See, Brendan and Mama

Brendan's dad, Ron and Mama. Just married.

Making it legal.

Everyone arriving.

Here's to another fun night.

Chiou See and Brendan welcome everyone. Our volunteer bar person, Nanette, makes the cocktails.

The actors mingle

The mother and father of the bride in the play

The bride and groom in the play

The best man got high and .........

The groom impersonated Elton John

This is Olivia, Chiou See's daughter, she is the village accountant chatting to Bill. She was given the naughty headwear by the actors.

Entree: Veal & Pistachio Terrine, roasted garlic & herbed tomato relish, cucumber & seeded mustard salad.

Mains: Loin of Pork Roulade, Diced apple and seeded mustard medley, Pork and apple jus, Roasted potato mille feuille, Sweet roasted potato puree, seasonal greens. Our chef Poz and the catering students from Rochedale High School cooked for and served 140 people all at the same time. They are amazing.

LIGHTHOUSE LUNCH

Our village Social Director organised a lunch for those interested at the Lighthouse Seafood Restaurant at Cleveland Point. Thirty-nine of us put our hand up to go. We filled our two buses and some of us carpooled the extras. We filled three long tables on the deck overlooking Moreton Bay. Unfortunately it was low tide and it is not so pretty. It was lovely in the fresh air, which was fairly cool in the shade but very warm in the sun. Such is Queensland's winter. The meals were all brought out together which is a plus and they were very tasty.

The view from the deck of Moreton Bay.

The deck

Our crowd.

My friend had lobster mornay.

Bill and I had crab and lobster risotto.

Our table, I have a navy jacket on.

GOING TO GOMA

Every second Friday I attend the village Art Group. Last Friday we didn’t dabble in paint but went on an excursion to GOMA  (Galley of Modern Art) to see the exhibition by Chiharu Shiota called ‘The Soul Trembles’. ‘The Soul Trembles’ highlights twenty-five years of Chiharu Shiota’s artistic practice. She’s renowned internationally for her transformative, large-scale installations constructed from millions of fine threads that cluster in space or form complex webs that spill from wall to floor to ceiling. Shiota’s beautiful and disquieting works express the intangible: memories, dreams, anxiety and silence.(Taken from GOMA’s web page.)

I think the key word here is disquieting. In my opinion some of her work was beautiful and complex in construction but some of her work was a bit weird and off putting. One of our members, Louise, organised the trip. She booked us in for a guided tour and lunch. We carpooled to Springwood bus station and caught the bus to the gallery. We had a great day even though it was sometimes like herding cats to find everyone for lunch and catching the bus home. 

'Uncertain Journey.' There are some black wire boats with red wool woven up to the ceiling.

'A Question of Perspective.' Hundreds of A4 sheets suspended amongst a forest of dangling black ropes. A desk and chair.

'Accumulation: Searching for the Destination.' A collection of old suitcases suspended on red ropes. Some of the cases had a motor inside which made the cases move up and down and side to side.

'In Silence' burnt piano and chair covered in black thread woven all over the room . It represents a fire the artist experienced.(photo from GOMA web site)

Oops didn't get the name of this one but it is a collection of window frames. She was inspired by the architecture in East Germany.

This was one of my favourites lots of boats suspended from the ceiling going on a journey with black threads hanging from the ceiling. Ooops didn't get the title.

An interesting window in the gallery.

There was so much to see, too much to include here. Then we walked outside to the cafe and had lunch with a view of the river and our beautiful city. It is winter but the day time temps are quite warm.

WALK AROUND THE VILLAGE

 Although it is cold today there is a glimmer of spring coming in the gardens of our village. Unfortunately I'm hopeless at remembering or even learning the names of flowers sorry about that.

Poinsettia

Lavender with bee

Rose

cactus

orchid

Our pool has the cover on because it is too cold for swimming even though it is a heated pool.

Most people in our street have a bird on their mailbox. Mine got faded in the weather but one of our artistic residents repainted it for me.

A GATSBY NIGHT

I haven't blogged for over a month but I'm back. I am okay but I have been scanning more photos and writing another book on my life story. It sort of took up all my spare time in between other activities that I participate in the village: yoga, lunches, exercise class, lunches, art class, lunches, forest walks, barbecues and newsletter committee.

For this month's village dinner the theme was The Great Gatsby Night. It was a Birthday Party for our Managing Director, Chiou See. She hired a Jazz Band and a dance floor to put onto the carpet in the community centre. She asked people to dress up in 1920 outfits. Everyone did so and it was a very colourful night. It was also two other residents birthdays so they had a good celebration as well. The lights were down low for ambiance but it was hard to get good photos.

Our Managing Director Chiou See and our Residents Chairperson, Ian. 

Mary and Karen also celebrated their birthdays.

We had a good night.

We sat with our friends, Eddie and Karen.

Another Diane and Bill live in our village.

My gorgeous neighbour, Louise.

Margaret is our volunteer Social Director.

Chiou See ended the night on a roll.