Well some of my 1999 predictions didn’t exactly come true – the front yard is still a disaster area !!
I spent NYE 99/00 in the village of Delegate, birthplace of many relatives on my father’s side. The great hall was decorated as it has never been before with hundreds and hundreds of glittering stars hanging from the ceiling. A band kept us up on the dance floor for the entire night and I sat and watched the first sunrise from my Aunts verandah – what an amazing view it was on a freezing icey morning. The first day of the year was spent viewing the historical display in Delegate and watching the entombing of the time capsual. Much catching up was done with many family members as well as Carina & Hanne from Sweden who just happened to be on their way thru town !
I was glad to be in freezing almost snowing Delegate because Perth was suffering a very nasty heatwave. January continued to be strange with heatwave one day and 100mm of rain in one night which is just unheard of.
Socially it has been a very quiet year – mainly due to continual ill health – a liver that has never quite recovered from surgery last year, and so I apologise now and forever to all those who I didn’t write to or phone or visit. It was a year of self evaluation and self healing. One of the benefits of being at home more than usual was the opportunity to get to know a certain group of friends on the internet even more. My weekends spent chatting to them via a headset have been most rewarding. I have also spent a lot of the year teaching myself how to build web pages – I hope you visit mine one day soon.
In March I commenced yet another contract with the Tax Office and in April I applied for a permanent position there.
In June I was pleased to discover I had rated 4th out of several hundred and was offered a permanent position in the new debt collection team. I commenced my new job in July.
Also in July I was to be found standing in my front yard for half the night watching a spectacular total lunar eclipse.
The months since July have been spent learning my new role as a Small Business Debt Collector. So much intensive training and so much legal knowledge to gain. I have also been putting the new earnings to good use around the house getting little jobs done that were put off for many years.
September was Olympic month. I did my best not to fall for all the hype – but was sucked in from the first 30 seconds of the opening ceremony as hundreds of stockmen rode across the stadium to the best piece of Aussie music ever composed – the theme to The Man From Snowy River.
The entire ceremony made me cry – it was so powerful and moving. Then to see Cathy Freeman light an extraordinary and unusual flame was an awesome sight. I cant say I enjoyed the closing ceremony as much – I found it all a wee bit embarrassing ! The updates from Dad every few nights were fun – he was enjoying his work as a security guard at the stadium.
So all in all it has been a quiet reflective year. I hope yours was an enjoyable one. To all the birthdays, engagements, weddings, births that I missed – please take this as one big hearty congratulations for them all.
Have a fabulous 2001. Luv from Karina xxx
Big Nights Out.
In March Lisa and I went to see the fabulous Todd McKinney in Boy From Oz – the Musical of Peter Allens Life. Our third row seats gave us a great vantage point to view Todds amazing moves and mannerisms as he recreated Peters highs and lows of his life and career. A truly amazing show that had me laughing one moment and crying the next.
May bought a flashback to the 80’s to town in the form of FAME the Musical with an international guest star Thelma Houston. All the cast were superb and Thelma’s solo These Are My Children brought the audience to tears.
In October I was fortunate to see 3 of my favourite stars of the UK police drama The Bill perform in a play called Lonestar.
They were Russell Boulter (John Boulton), Tom Butcher (Steve Loxton) and Huw Higginson (George Garfield).
It was directed by yet another cast member of The Bill, Mark Wingett who has played Jim Carver for 17 years.
After the show I had the opportunity to meet all the guys and have some photos taken. These can be seen on my website.
A very very quiet year at the movies !!!
Three To Tango: **
Saw this on the flight home from the east – so I have only seen the small version – it was your standard love triangle comedy with a few classic moments in it.
Erin Brokovich: ****
This was a truly amazing movie and was based on a true story. A career performance by Julie Roberts that will hopefully see her rewarded with an Oscar in 2001.
RIP & MILESTONES
Many of the old greats were lost to us this year. Many were my all time favourites in their field. In May Sir John Gielgud died at the age of 96. I know he hated the role – but I adored him as Hobson the Butler in Arthur.
In July we lost the great comedian Walter Matthau. I couldn’t tell you my favourite movie as there have been so many over the years.
Also in July Nacy Cato passed away – she was a truly inspiring Australian author whose historical novels made me want to learn more about my country. All The Rivers Run was made into a fabulous mini series in the 80’s.
In August the wonderful Obi Wan Kenobi – Sir Alec Guiness died aged 86. Again my favourite role in Star wars is his least liked role !!
In September an innocent child was made an orphan when Paula Yates died from an overdose.
In August the Queen Mother celebrated her 100th birthday – woken in the morning by a band playing Cliff Richard’s “Congratulations”.
And in October Cliff himself celebrated an amazing milestone when he turned 60 and scored yet another top 10 album in the UK after a mere 42 years in the music industry.
