A visit to Cairns…

I have admired and enjoyed years of friendship with well-known Australian artist Barbara McGuire. If you so desire, I’ll tell you more about how we met in another post. When it’s winter here, it’s the opposite down under, so I loved her recent email and photos. Enjoy!

(Daughter) ‘Paula is now teaching in Cairns, a 20-minute drive from her new home, a “Queenslander” built of wood on stilts with a ground and upper floor. The walls are louvred to allow air through as Cairns is very humid.

‘Cairns, in Northern Queensland, is surrounded by beaches and mountains. It’s well-known for its tropical rain forests, beautiful plants, waterfalls, bays, and bird life.

‘The city is at the beginning of the Great Barrier Reef and popular with tourists. The fish I saw in their aquarium are absolutely amazing. Despite visiting all this during my week there my favourite place was the Botanic Gardens.

‘The place is renowned for its beautiful gardens, walkways, creeks and jungle-like trees. One section contained water plants and creepers, and as we walked through these, butterflies of various colours flew around us with one landing on (granddaughter) Lottie’s arm. What a beautiful experience. I hope you enjoy these photos I took.

`

As an artist I love painting beautiful things. On entering the gardens I noticed signs saying “Art Gallery” and nearly hidden in the trees, flowers, bushes and cliffs were enormous oil tanks from WWII. Inside these were beautifully lit spaces and spacious rooms with sculptures and art. (Note: Art work above left.) It was air conditioned and relaxing to wander through. I was inspired.

‘My love to you as always,
Barbara’

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Look Ma, I’m an actor…

A COMMUNITY THEATRE PROJECT

When I was in second grade, my mom paid for me to participate in a Saturday class. We put on a play. I enjoyed it thoroughly and was looked up to by the other kids because I’d done well. When I grew up, I put those things aside.

THAT’S ME KNEELING SECOND FROM LEFT

The Goddesses of the Universe gave me the gift of a long life and way after those early days, with no one dependent on me, I became braver and able to take risks.

When I moved to this city, I noticed an ad in a local newspaper about auditions for a play. No one knew me. What did I have to lose. I got a role in ‘The Bride of Brackenloch!’ and had a ball.

In 2003 there was a role as a grandmother in ‘Love Ruins Everything’ at the Arts Club Revue, after which I auditioned for a role in ‘Tony and Tina’s Wedding’, the popular dinner/theatre show for which I actually got paid! A full year after having to leave to quit due to severe attacks of vertigo, I had a call from another cast member, Georgina. She’d auditioned for a role in a film, knew she wouldn’t get it, but thought I would. Nice…

STEVE ROSENBERG, UPPER LEFT

LOOKING OLDER FOR ‘VANNICA’

I auditioned and obtained the co-starring role in ‘Vannica’. I didn’t look old enough and the makeup artist worked for a full hour each time I performed to make me look older. That was fascinating.
Steve Rosenberg, who wrote and directed the film, was impressed enough with my work to arrange for a REAL agent to represent me which led to roles on TV, commercials, and films. Only when my old knees objected to all the stairs one has to climb for auditions at the studios did I reluctantly quit.
What great memories!

LOOK MA, I’M AN ACTOR…

The end of the story???

I carefully unwrap my jacket

I say goodbye to my old purple jacket

I know you’re dying to know the end of ‘My old purple jacket…’ story. Sean, the young man who was willing to buy it called. Originally I wasn’t ready to let it go because I don’t go to stores during this pandemic. He’d found a jacket of his own to trade with me so I agreed to let him have mine.

You can’t give a DIRTY jacket to someone, so I decided to wash it. I’d carelessly tossed it into the washing machine again and again through the years where it was mercilessly tossed about without mercy. After serving me so well, the poor thing deserved a proper goodbye.

I felt guilty about that mistreatment so I soaked it in soapy water. It gurgled with pleasure as I gently massaged its sleeves and neck, careful not to remove any more of its words printed in white. When it had had enough of a relaxing bath, I transferred it to my tub filled with almost enough lukewarm water to bathe in. Then I hung it carefully above to drip-dry. Only after drying was it ready to go on to explore a new world.

We were meeting at 10 a.m. on Sunday. I carefully folded my old friend with tissue paper and slipped it into a sleek-looking blue bag to pass it on to its third owner. Yes, that’s true. I never bought the old jacket. A friend in L.A. purchased it, decided she didn’t like it, and gave it to me. I have a feeling my old purple jacket will be treated with more respect with its new owner than I ever gave it.

I think I got the better deal. Don’t you?

The highs and lows of life. Sean and me.

Sean’s gift of his home-made bread

Not only did Sean give me a jacket of his own, (Frankly in much better shape than my old purple one.) he also brought another gift — a lovely round loaf of bread he’d made himself! (Forget it. I’m not sharing.)

Sean is a well-known, respected athlete and Volleyball coach who has some teams playing at a beach right near where I live. Perhaps my friend Garth is right and I WILL show up to watch some games in the future. He is also a nice enough guy to have gone along with my wanting all these silly photos about our meeting so I could share them with you on this post.

Will we get together again? I hope so!