Little Wandering Wren …. chats!

Easter in Melbourne is a glorious four day holiday weekend.  Amidst  the hot cross buns and Easter eggs, it's hard to escape two big events in our city: the start of the Australian Football League AFL season... Go Hawks! AND  our Good Friday Appeal. Across the city, fundraisers are out in force collecting for our Royal Children's hospital. Last year the  Good Friday Appeal  raised over 16 Million  a staggering amount that they are hoping to exceed this year. Having raised three children in Melbourne  I am very happy to say  I had never visited the Royal Children's Hospital until this week,  when I visited for coffee with a friend who was working there.  For me, arriving on foot from across the parkland,  and not in an ambulance with a sick child,   I was able to appreciate the  architectural  beauty of the buildings ...

I can't tell you how excited I was to be  painting lotus leaves in Bangkok! Yes, moi who looks  enviously at all my arty friends  with a 'I wish I could paint!' longing,  has found my inner creative! With a little help from my new found friends at Himapan Gallery here I am about to 'show and tell' with you my latest artwork,  and anyone can do this! Let's backtrack just a little. I'm in Bangkok,  my husband is busy with work  morning, noon and night.  So having visited Bangkok many times, I was looking for something different to fill my days. A quick internet search and I found the Himapan Gallery. Who are doing a roaring trade to mostly expats  with lotus leaf painting workshops. The lotus leaves were an almost perfect match for what I needed at home. I'd had had an interior decorator  suggest that  I bring the garden indoors by throwing open the bi-fold doors  and adding  some...

DH: "So how was your day?" Me: "Eventful" DH: "Why, what happened?" Me to Mr I've been in a meeting all day:  " I nearly drowned" DH:"Don't  exaggerate..." So it appears that not only did the Bangkok rain today go largely unnoticed by those in meetings... but it was totally unexpected! Within minutes the roads turned into rivers... Apparently the rainy season doesn't start until May! The flash floods came out of nowhere ruining shoes and lunch plans... Dare I mention Global Warming? It didn't take long for cars and lorries to grind to a halt.  I did admire both the Thai inability to let a little bit of rain stop their travel plans  and secondly the way they willingly helped each other out  thigh deep in grotty water! After an extended lunch break it seemed I either made a dash for it ie run no-where very fast or bunker down to stay for breakfast......

Outside my front door is a rather ugly bench  covering the electricity meter. It had a cushion on it made in Shenzhen, China. However, even on a Melbourne porch, away from direct sunlight, things don't last long in Australia,  especially when the fabric was  Made in China ! So it was time to pimp my cushion This is the Tale of Two Cities;  of my Jim Thompson Thai cushions  made in China!  Oops sorry, should have turned the cushions round so the zipper is hidden! I am writing this from Bangkok where on my last visit  I found the fabric at  the Jim Thompson factory outlet. Jim Thompson was an American businessman  who made  Thai silk famous to the west.  His mysterious disappearance in 1967 remains unsolved... Jim Thompson Factory Outlet is a Soi 93, Bangkok The JT outlet store is floor upon floor,  and  roll upon roll, of stunningly gorgeous Thai silks. Choosing which colour was the hard...

I saw this on a car in Melbourne this week and loved the reflections in the bonnet... and seeing the first of the autumn leaves trapped in the grill around the word  ESCAPE! ....writing this from Bangkok! Linking with thanks to the following: My Sunday Photo Weekend Reflections

This week we're celebrating thirty years  of our local Melbourne TV show, Neighbours. But how true to Aussie life is Neighbours?! " Neighbours   is set in Ramsay Street,  a residential cul-de-sac in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough.  Exploring the trials and tribulations of families and friends,  Neighbours  brings the perfect blend of soap and sunshine  to audiences in Australia and beyond". For more See Here "Neighbours, everybody needs good neighbours With a little understanding, you can find the perfect blend Neighbours, should be there for one another That's when good neighbours become good friends..." If you're from  one of the 50 countries that broadcasts the show  then chances are you'll be familiar with the  Neighbours  theme tune music (shown here in blue) and can sing-a-long! 'Neighbours, everybody needs good neighbours Just a friendly wave each morning, helps to m...