The Labour day holiday has meant a long weekend and the onset of Daylight Savings, a firm sign that we are now in spring. Even though Sydney's weather hasn't been complying and today has seen cold, wind and rain.
The niece turned 3 recently and of course remains the apple of my eye. She had a small party today and was quite busy with her friends so we didn't get to play our silly games which consist of fake swimming, yelling in rooms to hear echoes and the like, very little can keep children amused. I find myself a little surprised to be entering these games but soon she will be a schoolgirl and rarely home so we all in fact make the most of her pre-school time. Though hearing the words "let's do it again" for the 25th time can strike a faint chill even in the fondest aunt's heart. As part of her gifts she got the sketch below which is by my cousin from a photograph taken when she was 1. The other picture is of a tee I dyed with tea (!) and then embellished with a few lace and bead bits I had. My niece is likely no hippie chick but right now she wears all that is given to her so I think the tee passes muster!
The niece turned 3 recently and of course remains the apple of my eye. She had a small party today and was quite busy with her friends so we didn't get to play our silly games which consist of fake swimming, yelling in rooms to hear echoes and the like, very little can keep children amused. I find myself a little surprised to be entering these games but soon she will be a schoolgirl and rarely home so we all in fact make the most of her pre-school time. Though hearing the words "let's do it again" for the 25th time can strike a faint chill even in the fondest aunt's heart. As part of her gifts she got the sketch below which is by my cousin from a photograph taken when she was 1. The other picture is of a tee I dyed with tea (!) and then embellished with a few lace and bead bits I had. My niece is likely no hippie chick but right now she wears all that is given to her so I think the tee passes muster!
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Last week my train reading consisted of The Believer. It had a fascinating account of the Radium Girls case, a landmark case for industrial health and workers compensation. The carelessness with which radioactive material was handled (the girls used it as nail polish), the precautions for scientists which didn't extend to workers, the selling of Undark or iridescent paint as safe, a legal case in which the workers were sought to be discredited by the company, all feel uncomfortably familiar. In spite of the outcome of the case and changes to the way occupational health is viewed, you are left with the feeling that it can recur again. The magazine also had an interesting interview with Robin Nagle, anthropologist with New York city's Department of Sanitation. Her take, every single thing you see is future trash, is a sobering reminder of how ephemeral everything in our life is. And yet Nagle also points out that the successive layers of trash on which cities are built also provide clues to what we were and how we lived. Nagle in fact wants a Museum of Sanitation and has had trouble getting it up though creating trash is a universal human activity.
Last week I also finally finished seeing a 6 part serialisation of Mansfield Park made in the 80s. Given the vast number of recent slicker Austen productions, it is a little hard to see past the stage like settings, the ordinary acting, the limited budget. And yet once you get past that, its leisurely literalness seemed far truer to the book than any recent adaptation. Mansfield Park isn't a very popular book and I often felt it was because it was boring, in fact it has more troubling overtones than the rest of Austen's work and had Austen not chosen an overtly moral tone is perhaps more interesting than the other books she wrote.
And on the subject of trash, its been a while since I bought anything new apart from office wear. This is because my local charity shop has an immense amount of vintage stuff at throwaway prices. The dress I recently bought is pictured below, its kind of Mad Men meets Madras plaid, I am planning to wear it for one of the Christmas parties that will be soon upon us.
Last week I also finally finished seeing a 6 part serialisation of Mansfield Park made in the 80s. Given the vast number of recent slicker Austen productions, it is a little hard to see past the stage like settings, the ordinary acting, the limited budget. And yet once you get past that, its leisurely literalness seemed far truer to the book than any recent adaptation. Mansfield Park isn't a very popular book and I often felt it was because it was boring, in fact it has more troubling overtones than the rest of Austen's work and had Austen not chosen an overtly moral tone is perhaps more interesting than the other books she wrote.
And on the subject of trash, its been a while since I bought anything new apart from office wear. This is because my local charity shop has an immense amount of vintage stuff at throwaway prices. The dress I recently bought is pictured below, its kind of Mad Men meets Madras plaid, I am planning to wear it for one of the Christmas parties that will be soon upon us.
And lastly a happy song for the weekend. I have been listening to this particular song from Noah and the Whale way too much recently (does this confirm my liking for twee folk/pop?!). Its cheery and young but also slightly wistful, and none of this is lessened by the fact that the guy and the girl broke up before reaching the 5 year mark.
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