Sunny Sunday afternoon

It's a windy but sunny Sunday afternoon in my patch of inner suburbia. My neighbours decided it would be nice to spread manure over their garden today and I'm thankful the wind is blowing in a favourable direction. Still, it's pretty potent on the balcony, so I'm staying inside. Had a lovely relaxing day yesterday, largely spent curled up reading. I read the entirety of "Mao's Last Dancer", the autobiography of Chinese ballet dancer, communist defector and Australian father of three, Li Cunxin. I am fascinated by stories of China and life during the Cultural Revolution.

I'm currently in the process of attempting my first ever lemon tart. I've made the dough and rolled it into the tin and am waiting for it to settle before popping it in the oven. Rather an annoying recipe: do something, sit around waiting for a while, do something else, wait even longer. Not a big issue ($2, Big Issue $2!), but I really want to do some re-potting and cooking doesn't mix too well with gardening, especially not for a grub like me. Gareth, knowing your liking of tarts, I promise I'll take pictures of the finished product ;-) dabutton and Ailsa will be over for coffee and a catch up later today, so hopefully the tart business will be under control by then. And at some point I really must finish cleaning the fish tank. The poor critters have started to look at me as mournfully as fish can, begging for me to finish the water change and rescue them from swimming in their own filth.

Next weekend Alex and I are off to Stanthorpe for the wedding of one of my mates from uni. I'll be playing photographer, which will be an interesting experience! I'm very new to any sort of portraiture, so I'll really be feeling my way, but they happy couple have no real concept of the kind of photos they want, which gives me plenty of scope for creativity. I'll take both the digi-cam and the old T70 with an assortment of film. The SLR is in for servicing at the moment in preparation - $130 to remove some fungus from inside the view-finder. Will make it a damn sight easier to focus at least. Must remember to book accommodation for Stanthorpe. Must also book accomodation/friends floors & vehicles for Melbourne - can't believe it's under 3 weeks away!

The flower below is in my fish tank. A random plant I chose because its leaves were pretty sent up this huge flower spike. I had to bend it over as it grew well above the hood for the tank. It has had new flowers every day for weeks now, though each flower only lasts about half a day. They are so delicate and pretty and quite the surprise for this neglectful hobby-aquarist. Comically uncomfortable situation of the day: the middle-aged, married man down stairs catching me hanging out my rather smalls after hand washing and commenting that he wishes his wife would wear ones like that o_O Best go get tarting up now!