What a wonderful day and night!

We spent several hours this morning checking out some more dress shops.
I am getting totally frustrated.
The fashions at the moment are so shapeless& drapey and such boring safe colours.
I haven’t been able to find anything that I would be happy to wear.
I had a browse around the Merivale Mall while Christine took Madeline to the dental clinic.
Then we drove out to South Brighton and spent a delightful few hours with 4 of Christine’s school friends from Villa Maria.
They were really lovely ladies.
Interesting, fun and one especially was a real character.
Lunch was delicious.
I really enjoyed the fresh salads.

We left there just before 3 and made our way back into the city.
Took Christine’s new laptop into Magnum Mac to get a minor issue sorted and while there they updated so we had a few moments to browse the shop.
It sure has changed since I was last in it.
Not just the location but the stock.
They used to have heaps of computer games but now they hardly have any.
The guys said it because everybody just buys off the internet as it is cheaper.
Once the computer was all updated we headed across town and caught up with Charlotte and her wee girls back at the house.
Matilda & Arabella were in their ballet slippers looking very much the part of wee princesses.
They were very pleased to see Grandma come home and enjoyed the ice cream she dished up for them both, they were then followed about with clothes to prevent messes on her furniture.

I had time to give Christine a few tips on her computer and set her up with an email account before I had to get myself changed and ready to go out again.
Christine drove me over to the TSB Arena.
I joined in the queue of dozens/hundreds of people waiting to get in to be entertained by Leonard Cohen.
I was there early enough to get some hot chips and jaffas and make myself comfortable in my seat and have plenty of time to read through the programme.
The show was sposed to begin at 7pm.
But the arena was only half full by that time.
People were dribbling in.
Finally at 7:30 the lights went out and Bic Runga entertained us for half an hour.
People were still pouring in and wandering about in the dark trying to find their seats.
It was really annoying as they were very distracting.
When Bic finished they had an intermission and I was chatting to the lady next to me who had come in late.
Apparently there was a huge traffic block from the central city out to the venue and people just couldn’t get in on time.
Anyway, by the time the lights went out the next time most folk were seated and ready for the show.
I have enjoyed Leonard Cohen since I first ‘met’ him in the ’70’s.
But, tonight I was totally enraptured by him.
It would have to be one of the best shows I have ever been to.
He was amazing.
His voice is incredible.
Deep, gravelly, unmistakeably Cohen.
The music was wonderful.
He had the most talented backing musicians and vocalists and they all got the spotlight.
He sang songs I knew and many I didn’t but am going to get to know now
The concert was surprising too.
Most folk think of his music as slow and sleepy.
Well, tonight there was no show of going to sleep.
The music was gripping, we were all toe tapping & clapping, swaying and singing along with some, mesmerised by others.
He has just turned 76 but he is vibrant, energetic, a real gentleman with a delightful sense of humour.

Anna & Kevin were also at the show and they met me afterwards.
We walked quite a ways back to their car and they took me back to Christine and Les’s.
It was close on midnight.
I was getting some dinner out of the fridge when all of a sudden we got a real good jolt.
The first earthquake I have felt so far during my time here.
They did have 3 on Tues but I never felt them.
I would have preferred not to have felt this one too
It was a 4.2 and only 3km deep!

Now it is way past time for me to mellow off with those wonderful lyrics and melodies lulling me off to sleep