From Sunday to Sunday

1. Two weeks ago we were still in Melbourne for the Easter holidays. Last Sunday we were in Summer Hill (Sydney) for Siobhan’s Fundraising Concert. Siobhan Patrick is a friend of our daughter Caroline. She holds a Graduate Diploma of Music (Opera) from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.  In December 2011 she made her oratorio debut as soprano soloist in Handel’s Messiah at Wollongong Town Hall. Caroline, Matthew, Peter and I loved this performance. I mentioned it in one of my blogs in December.  Concert Pictures

‘Next month Siobhan will travel to London and Berlin for operatic couching and professional development, thanks to a grant from the Australia Council. Following this, she will spend a month in Italy and a month and a half in Austria, attending two prestigious opera summer schools. At these programs, Siobhan will work extensively on her languages, rehearse with top European opera coaches and directors and meet with international opera agents.’

This is what it said in the program of the fundraising concert. The program included French, German and American songs. In the second half of the program Siobhan was supported by two excellent guest artists singing songs from La Traviata, Rusalka, Die Fledermaus and La Boheme.

Associate Artist Sharolyn Kimmorley was accompanying on the piano throughout the program. Siobhan has a beautiful voice and we wish her all the best for her stay in Europe!

When I wrote about all our activities over Easter in Melbourne I did not mention that I actually did not make it to church over Easter. Last Sunday the concert was in the afternoon. We travelled to Summer Hill by train. Because of this, again I did not make it to Sunday Mass.

Well, I made up for it yesterday. It was a warm, sunny Sunday again. I walked to church for the 9,30 Mass. Father Francis, the new priest, is young and enthusiastic. Yesterday he talked about it that if some-one says he loves God but does not love his neighbour, then he is  lying: For you cannot love God if you do not love your neighbour! I like it that what he says is always accompanied by a bit of humour.

Here in Australia it is supposed to be autumn now. However since it was rather warm and sunny yesterday, it felt once more like a late summer  day. Walking home from church and meeting  Peter on the way ( he always loves to meet me after church half way to walk home with me) I suggested we could go to Bulli Beach: Enjoy the beach for a while and then have lunch at the Bulli Beach Cafe!

Unfortunately by the time we arrived at the beach, the skys had clouded over again. But we still had a lovely couple of hours at the beach. At first I took a few pictures. Then Peter started taking pictures also. After we had been in the water we did not feel like taking any more pictures. There should have been some photos of our fish of the day lunch (grilled salmon with chips and salad as well as fruit salad and a glass of water). On the way home we bought some cake for afternoon coffee. Sorry, no pictures of the cake either. We had a yummy piece of leamington cake each and added to this some delicious cherry jam and custard. Later on we played a few games of Rummikcub. We play this with tiles. It is a very relaxing game.

Another Sunday gone. This coming Wednesday is a public holiday in Australia, namely ANZAC DAY.

I think I’m going to publish the pictures we made yesterday in another blog, so that I can publish this writing straight away.