My nose is staying inside today

So is the rest of me.  It is so cold that not so much as the tip of my nose has been poked outside, and yesterday was nearly as bad.  The wind is quite nasty and chilly.  Snow has fallen about 40 minutes away - we're in a valley, but the towns on higher ground not far from here see snow nearly every winter.  Our "feels like" hasn't gone over 3.1 C today, and as it's already 4 p.m. it won't get any higher.

Never mind.  It's good to finally have winter weather.

Stitches have been taken by machine in the sewing room, as well on the repro tumblers......they have become my TV project, as well as going many places with me.  Waiting for appointments can be very boring, and every stitch taken keeps me from snapping at whoever is playing loud music to turn it off.  If you come to our house you will get our taste in music, but that's our prerogative - I don't like being in places where the latest 'hits' are blasted at me so it's classical, folk, jazz here.

Several years ago when Kevin travelled around as a sales rep the car radio kept him entertained, and one day an interview on marketing was broadcast.  One statement made was, if you don't like the music being played in a store you are not their target customer.  Well, gee.......no store wants me!  A couple of years ago an excellent women's clothing store here closed, its owner played background jazz (she was a singer) which made it a fun place to shop.  The clothes were really nice, too.  It's difficult to even shop for knickers now without being assailed by noise, isn't it?

Some pics taken on holidays a few years ago, first a yellow-tailed black cockatoo, a very handsome bird.

 Isn't it gorgeous?  It lived in an aviary with several other parrots and other birds, and one young magpie quite fancied those beautiful yellow tail feathers......so much so that it chased poor Cocky around until it managed to pull one out!  Maggie walked away with a "how smart am I" look on its little feathery face and a yellow feather hanging from its beak, while Cocky shook itself and muttered something about "young people these days having no respect".  It was very funny. 

A sleepy Major Mitchell cockatoo, I would love to see these in the wild.

 A pheasant of some sort, not an Aussie native as the cockies are.  You can see why ladies of old liked to trim their hats with a pheasant feather or two, can't you?

Our local birds have been lying low somewhere in yesterday and today's cold wind, we haven't seem many at all.

Last weekend the choir had its time in the spotlight, fame and glory beckoned us.  Our choir director Bill celebrated 60 years since his first teenage role in a production by our local Musical Society (founded in 1888 and still going strong, the oldest in Australia) so the Society staged a celebratory concert and we were in the finale.  It was amazing to be part of such a wonderful tribute; when Bill was approached early last year he said he would like the choir to be in it, because we are his musical life now that he doesn't take roles on stage any more.  Looking out at a full theatre from on stage was awesome, people even came from interstate and from the Big Smoke.  Bill is held in very high esteem, and we are lucky to have him.

"The letter of friendship.

This should be of a more dignified tone, contain less trivialities than the family letter, and should embrace matters that will be of interest to both.  A letter of friendship should be answered in due time, according to the intimacy of the parties, but should not be delayed long enough to allow the friendship to cool, if there is a desire to keep it warm."

These days it is probably "the email of friendship"......not many of us write letters any more.

Enjoy your days!