pert on the topic but I do love it. Matt had never been to one so we decided to go to her Majesty's Theatre to see The Love Of The Nightingale. The libretto (lyrics or book) was written by English playwright Timberlake Wertenbaker and the music was composed by Australian Richard Mills. I was so excited to go with Matt to his first opera and thought how wonderful that this was an Australian work. I read a tiny bit about the show and it seemed pretty typical...3000 year old tale, Greek tragedy, inspired Shakespeare and the like, all standard stuff really. So off we went! About fifteen minutes before the end of the first act I started laughing. My laughing had little to do with the man sitting next to me who kept hacking up phlegm and lots to do with how horrible this opera was. I was trying to stifle myself and I made the mistake of looking at Matt's face which sent me off again. The libretto was simple. I don't mean simple in that sweet, classically simple but perfect way. I mean simple in the most derogatory way possible. I was dying for an aria of any sort. I can get into minimal staging if the lighting is interesting but it wasn't. The c
ostumes weren't doing anything for me either. They were boring at best and absolutely nonsensical at worst. Maybe modern opera is like modern art. Someone throws a pile of toilet seat covers on the floor and can talk it up so other people say it is astounding, groundbreaking art. Blech!!! I asked Matt how he felt about staying for the second act. Needless to say we left and went to the pub where we met a lovely couple, Maddy and Alex, who were just about to start University. Maddy asked if this was the opera that was advertised with "adult themes". I hadn't heard or seen anything too adult so just kind of brushed it off. We had a great time talking to these two about history and things to see in Australia. We went over to Fitzroy Gardens afterwards to feed the possu
ms. The gardens are full of the Brushtail variety and they are pretty used to the tourists. One of the little guys even hopped up on the park bench right next to us and let me pet him. I did a little reading up on this opera and it seems I am the only one who didn't like it. Loved by critics and award givers The Love Of The Nightingale is heralded as Australia's best opera ever. Matt says its more like a bunch of screaming cats.I was even happier we left when I read on to discover the second act consisted of a graphic rape scene. Must be those "adult themes" Maddy was asking about. I don't like to watch movies with scenes like that so I am surely happy I was spared that operatic experience. I was much happier feeding possums.
On Sunda
y we went with Alan and Cheryl (she is such a trooper being 7 months pregnant and all) on a nature hike in Sunbury. Alan and his dog Knarkle take this route almost everyday around 5am. We, luckily, decided to go a little bit later. There were Rosellas out and some Galahs. We unfortunately didn't see any Cockatoos. There were many Milk Thistle plants that had gone to seed. Thistles are my favorite flowers but the plants still looked pretty to me in their dried out state. Yes, I love weeds. Alan thought they may have been imported to Australia but according to The Medical Journal of Australia they grow naturally here. We kept hiking along looking for some Roos. Alan pointed out what looked like either a sheep or goat up on a paddock but mentioned that was odd since there were never any sheep in that specific field. As we got closer we realized it wasn't either but an incredibly rare albino kangaroo. Alan had seen hi
m before but told me they were hardly ever seen out in nature. We couldn't get close enough for me to take a decent picture but it was amazing to see him with my own eyes and not in captivity. When I was looking for a picture to use here the only albinos were in zoos and reserves. I borrowed this one from Australian photographer Simone Byrne. I wanted to get a picture of my own so I took off up this insanely steep hill determined to get closer to the illusive white roo. I started running but that lasted all of 30 seconds. By the time I got to the top I was painting like a dog in the dessert and could have easily thrown up. Of course the albino roo had kindly decided to hop off DOWN the hill. I was still so excited that I was lucky enough to see him. The climb was worth it anyway for the beautiful view of the hills and I could even see the city off in the distance. When we were climbing down the hills there was a ri
dge that Cheryl got to first. She called me over and there were tons of roos. They all started hopping down thru the hills. It was magnificent to watch these awesome animals cover the same amount of terrain it had taken me at least a half hour to cover in seconds. Knarkle bounded on down the hill in true doggy fashion after the Roos. Because of my little detour up the big hill we had t
o cross the creek at a different point which was something of an old car graveyard. Some of the cars had been in the bottom of the creek bed so long trees were growing thru them. I, of course, was the only one who slipped around and got my feet covered with mud. Alan wrapped up our fantastic day with a traditional Sunday Australian roast with leg of lamb, potatoes, pumpkin and other veggies. Alan is quite the cook I must say!! And lots of thanks to Knarkle 
for being the best tour guide dog ever!!!
y we went with Alan and Cheryl (she is such a trooper being 7 months pregnant and all) on a nature hike in Sunbury. Alan and his dog Knarkle take this route almost everyday around 5am. We, luckily, decided to go a little bit later. There were Rosellas out and some Galahs. We unfortunately didn't see any Cockatoos. There were many Milk Thistle plants that had gone to seed. Thistles are my favorite flowers but the plants still looked pretty to me in their dried out state. Yes, I love weeds. Alan thought they may have been imported to Australia but according to The Medical Journal of Australia they grow naturally here. We kept hiking along looking for some Roos. Alan pointed out what looked like either a sheep or goat up on a paddock but mentioned that was odd since there were never any sheep in that specific field. As we got closer we realized it wasn't either but an incredibly rare albino kangaroo. Alan had seen hi
m before but told me they were hardly ever seen out in nature. We couldn't get close enough for me to take a decent picture but it was amazing to see him with my own eyes and not in captivity. When I was looking for a picture to use here the only albinos were in zoos and reserves. I borrowed this one from Australian photographer Simone Byrne. I wanted to get a picture of my own so I took off up this insanely steep hill determined to get closer to the illusive white roo. I started running but that lasted all of 30 seconds. By the time I got to the top I was painting like a dog in the dessert and could have easily thrown up. Of course the albino roo had kindly decided to hop off DOWN the hill. I was still so excited that I was lucky enough to see him. The climb was worth it anyway for the beautiful view of the hills and I could even see the city off in the distance. When we were climbing down the hills there was a ri
dge that Cheryl got to first. She called me over and there were tons of roos. They all started hopping down thru the hills. It was magnificent to watch these awesome animals cover the same amount of terrain it had taken me at least a half hour to cover in seconds. Knarkle bounded on down the hill in true doggy fashion after the Roos. Because of my little detour up the big hill we had t
o cross the creek at a different point which was something of an old car graveyard. Some of the cars had been in the bottom of the creek bed so long trees were growing thru them. I, of course, was the only one who slipped around and got my feet covered with mud. Alan wrapped up our fantastic day with a traditional Sunday Australian roast with leg of lamb, potatoes, pumpkin and other veggies. Alan is quite the cook I must say!! And lots of thanks to Knarkle 
for being the best tour guide dog ever!!!