FEBRUARY DIARY

February was a delight. I really feel like I am settling into my new job, such things take a few months. We have made a few changes, the customers love them. My team are lovely, the customers are lovely, we have commenced our programming and whilst we are flat chat, it is fun. My health has been great, my love life is wonderful. (the cynic in me is waiting to fall over, but the Pollyanna in me is reveling in it all).

I have enrolled in an online course to complete Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. I have wanted to study something new in terms of work for a while now but between my health and work restructure it has been a bit difficult. I am sure it will take a while to get into the groove of study again, but I do a lot of training and I feel it will be a good skill-set to formally have.

Andrew and I met friends for dinner at Saigon Feast, one of my favourite restaurants. It is low key in decor but high quality in food. I haven't been there in a long time, cause COVID, and felt the quality had slipped a little, but still, it was pretty good. We all then headed to The Civic Theatre to see We Can Be Heroes: Bowie Orchestrated with the George Ellis Symphony Orchestra. The Orchestra were young and brilliant, with a fab Sax soloist. They all looked like they were having so much fun. The vocalists were well matched to various Bowie songs. Jeff Duff, Iota, Steve Kilbey and Chris Cooke. Iota, in particular killed! Robyn Loau was their back up singer and guest vocalist on Under Pressure, what a stunning voice and presence. We just loved the show, it was a great mix of Bowie's greatest hits, we danced in our seats and sang along. Such joy!

I headed back to choir for the year. We are still singing outdoors at the foreshore, which adds the chill and meditative atmosphere that is choir. Such a delight!

We also had the pleasure of seeing Julia Gillard in conversation with Rosemarie Milsom at NEX. What an amazing woman, so poised, so intelligent, so funny. She told stories of politics and feminism and had the huge audience in the palm of her hand. If you missed out, you can listen to the podcast here. After a group of us headed to The Edwards for supper, drinks, and chats and a great time was had by all.

I celebrated Valentine's Day for the first time in a long long time with a lovely lunch with my love at Emilios at Warners Bay. The long time Newcastle establishment moved to WB just before Christmas and I have been busting to try it out. We had the most amazing lunch, and we'll be back.

I caught up with a lovely friend I have not seen in ages for a mid week meal at the Lambton Park Hotel, always a great meal there we enjoyed ourselves with much catching up and chatter.

I headed into Civic Park mid month as part of the New Annual festival. The brilliant Catapult dance group had a new show called Acquist, which is basically the group dancing on water in the Civic Park Fountain! This was just as amazing as you can imagine, and then some. The park was buzzing on this balmy Friday night and we watched the show on sunset. Sadly we were not allowed to take photos, but I snuck a few in on the end. The grace and agility these dancers showed was awe inspiring, and the entire audience was mesmerised at the athleticism and beauty of the show. You can see a preview video from the group at this link.

My bookclub commenced it's 2021 season towards the end of the month, at The Edwards, we had a great turn out and wonderful conversation.

As usual I headed to my beloved markets, and did a few Book reviewing gigs at 1233 ABC with Craig Hamilton.

Here are my reviews for the month. 

And a little bit of photography.

DECEMBER DIARY

 Well December, you were the best of times and the worst of times.

I was on tender-hooks those first few weeks of December, and I was not in a good way. I was waiting to hear if I still had a job after having to apply for my own job during another part of this long long restructure. AND I had to head into hospital for 2 small procedures, nothing too major and all routine stuff, but when you've had the health problems I have had over the past few years anything health related sends my anxiety sky high, so add in the work stuff and well, you can imagine.

Also my 50th and Christmas was looming, and with my life in such a mess that last thing I felt like was celebrating. Which is really wrong, because as a friend so beautifully told me, Cathy, you are here and alive, and you have been through so much, you HAVE to celebrate. 

And so, like those movies from the 40s that I love so much, my life turned around just with a few weeks to spare. I kept my job, transferring permanently to our Belmont Branch, and procedures went well. It was crazy, I had a day to clear out of Windale and then commenced at Belmont mid month. I work with a wonderful team, and the community are lovely, and there is much to do. It was awfully bittersweet as so many colleagues are no longer with us. But all I can do is move forward and enjoy myself and do my very best, which I will.

Things went fast once I commenced at Belmont, it was busy and there was much to do. We had some amazing displays put up mid month too, so come on down and check them out!

During this I did manage to do a little bit of out and about. I had my final radio gig of the year at ABC, doing the book reviews. And for the first time in the studio, as Covid restrictions had lifted.

Chrissie headed up from Sydney and we had a lovely picnic in King Edward Park, and a night out at the Junction Inn Hotel.

I also caught up with some ALIA friends at The Kent.

We also celebrated Dad's birthday with a huge surprise of my sister from Melbourne coming home earlier than expected. So wonderful, and another Christmas miracle, it would not have been the same without her.

We also headed to the pub on Dad's actual birthday for more celebrations.

And Choir headed back to Wednesday nights, but outdoors. What joy to sing with others again, if only once! It was a stunning evening at the foreshore.

I even fitted in a hair cut and colour, and went a bit short and red!

Jayne was a super star at a special event at Lizottes, so I headed along to this evening for women. It was great and Jayne was exceptional, talking about her specialty, sexuality. So was professional and knowledgeable, cute and sexy. The rest of the evening was fun too.

I caught up with my gals for Christmas at Son of a Gun Diner.

Because I had been largely ignoring Christmas, I then had to squeeze in some decorating of Club Cathy along with shopping and wrapping, but I got there!

Christmas was wonderful, spending Christmas Eve and Day at my sister's property with the entire family.

And I turned 50 and it felt fabulous. I had a lovely lunch at the Newcastle Yacht Club with the family and Thai and Wonder Woman 1984 with friends that night. I am planning more celebrations for 2021, the year of 50 lol...COVID pending!!

I caught up with Jayne twice, once for Breakfast at the Autumn Rooms - amazing and highly recommend - and lunch at Hippos.

The time in between Christmas and New Year was very quiet which was great. Plenty of rest time, reading, catching up on little projects and I finally finished cataloguing my vinyl.

I of course continued to read, listen, watch etc, my reviews for December are here.

And the usual markets.

And photography.