I love music. It breaks my heart that I can neither play an instrument nor carry a tune. Just the same when alone, I sing along loudly and dance without reservation.

Of all art forms, I find it the most evocative. Nothing stirs my memory like a song. Joni Mitchell will always remind of my youth, of Darlene and especially Linda Carvette. How often Linda would strum her guitar and we'd all sing along to "The Circle Game." ( ......this song is not meant for one lonely voice and "the more out of tune voices (that's me) the better." ) I can't listen to "What a Wonderful World" and not think about dancing with my father at my wedding. Steve Forbert's "You Cannot Win them All" - my anthem as a new mother juggling work, family, friends.

A favorite game of mine is the desert island disc challenge. You know, where you can only take 10 songs with you. (The BBC version only 8 songs (yikes), one book and one luxury item , plus complete works of Shakespeare and Bible). I'd actually thought it was albums, but learned, no, just songs. Anyway, my brother Mike sent me a contest link http://www.xpn.org/music-artist/885-countdown and I've finally decided to get these fuzzy thoughts down on paper.

First of all, the song exercise is much more challenging then the entire disc. Suspending all logic, I must ask myself how many times could I listen to this, which songs am I least likely to get sick of ? Should I add some classical music (even though I have limited knowledge)? Stefan Grappelli? Do I include a song because it's special to me like the "Franklet Family Theme Song" even though it's simple and repetitive (i.e Grandaddy's "Nature Anthem" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSer4wdHvm8 ). Do I choose a song from one of my desert island cds (Citizen Cope/ Citizen Cope) even though I don't have a particular favorite. And, then there are my favorite bands/musicians - Elvis Costello, Joan Armatrading, REM, Bowie, Lyle, Cat Power. The choices, 10 is just not enough!!!!!!


Anyway, I've worked on this about two days and imagine it may need some revision before it's just right. I picked songs that I have on occasion listened to over and over again on a sitting - particularly "The Bike" and "The Little Acorn." Louis Armstrong had to stay because the song's just too beautiful to exclude (even though it makes me cry) And, I decided, yes, must include Cope and definitely a Paul Simon song because I think he's a genius.

in no particular order
1.Fruit Bats - The Little Acorn
2. Amy Correia - The Bike
3. Louis Armstrong - Wonderful World
4. Little Feat - Dixie Chicken
5. John Gorka - I'm from New Jersey
6.Paul Simon - I can't decide Julio, America, American Tune, Homeward Bound?????
7.Beth Orton - Pass in Time
8. Joni Mitchell - You Turn Me On (I'm a Radio)
9. Citizen Cope - Mandy
10. Stefan Grappelli - Making Whoppee

honorable mentions - "Willow" Joan Armatrading, "If I had a Boat "Lyle Lovett, "I believe" REM (my personal anthem), "Teach your Children" CSNY, "Rebel, Rebel" Bowie, "Hallelujah" Jeff Buckley, "My OLd School " Steely Dan, "Watching the Detectives" Elvis, "These are the Days" 10,00 maniacs, "Bohemian Rhapsody" Queen, "Three Little Birds" Bob Marley

Living in the bubble.

I tend to think of myself as living "outside" the bubble. I don't get 24/7 cable tv any more. The community here is much smaller and much less virtual. I don't for example follow all the slings and arrows of the US healthcare struggle, though it certainly does and will affect me. Heck I don't even get to watch American Idol in realtime any more, though it is just as entertaining on delayed broadcast (almost).

But the other day a friend told me I was the one living in the bubble. That's exactly what he said. "You're living in a bubble." Which gave me pause to consider. I mean, I'm sure there are places in the USA that are not permeated by the celebrity culture, by nonstop Fox/CNN, pockets where the jargon of the "death panels" and the "birthers" doesn't even register (yes, my bubble is permeable).

I suppose it is fair to say I have swapped one bubble for another. That's the way it is, no? You're in one wherever you go. Now to important things . . .

Last night was Saturday movie night, and Andrew and I went to suss out a rental. I tried a different video store but it's always the same. I can walk the aisles of the drama, comedy, thriller sections and not spy a single appropriate thing. I often spiral my way into the classics - amongst a certain age set, have they made a better family movie since Swiss Family Robinson? We eventually settled on the original Hercules, and we wound up having a double feature of the old and the new. As it turned out, the most recent Indiana Jones offering was being broadcast by NZ TV, and we had not seen it.

It's the one with the bizarre crystal alien heads, the roomful of space creatures that eventually blasts off in a mind-numbing swirl of special effects gone mad. Even Andrew - who is 8 years old and ought to be a part of the demographic for this - asked what all that alien stuff was about. That's crazy, he says (shakes head). That's not gonna happen.

I guess you could say the same thing about the reunification of old Henry Jones with the Karen Allen character at curtain close, and the jovial walking down the aisle into happily ever after. A celebration of the enduring bonds of love and family? Nah, I'm thinking if you suddenly "discover" that you have a son aged twenty or so, what that's called is kind of the opposite.

Better I think the battle with the flesh and blood minotaur. And that funky dinosaur thing that pops up under the golden fleece. For all its funkiness the hideous beast can still be slayed by Jason with the chuck of a single spear.

Wellington Zoo

These dogs are very ferocious little noobs. My dad thought they were hyenas but they weren't. I didn't cause I'm smart. I knew they weren't hyenas cause hyenas are only yellow and black. But these were yellow WHITE and black.

We got to see them eat a goat. It was a dead goat.
They eat everything in a goat except for the bones, which they probably chew on. Once they are finished eating they are little lumps in the grass until they get wild again.

But they let the alpha dog eat first, then if there's any pups they get to eat, then the adults eat. I think the pups should get to eat first, even before the alpha dog. The alpha dog should have to eat last.

- Andrew

You can take the boy out of the city...




Last weekend we did make it back to the hustle and bustle. What, ten people on the street corner waiting to cross? It's a mob I tell you.

Barbara drove with her artwork and the boys all flew over after school on Friday. That's the boat's eye view of Wellington. The rest are the boys clowning around by the beehive. B has some more pics on her facebook.

We did a day of mountain biking on the Queen Charlotte track. This is something I have really been wanting to do. The weather cooperated, we met our friendly biking drop off helpers from Sea Kayak and hit the trail. That's Matt and Alex -- still not knowing what they are in for -- at drop off at the Torea Saddle.




Cherie has her game face on. And that's still on pavement.

Yup, it was beautiful. So walking your bike uphill ;-) is not nearly so bad as you might think. That's me on the trail down, during a nice safe bit.

OK we're done. Or at least this is as far as we made it. We bailed at Te Mahia bay, after we all came of our bikes at least once, and our trek was taking about twice the optimistic predictions we started out with. At least we're all smiles and no broken bones, no? It's not that visible but there are toothmarks in my left shin from the sprocket, the pedal, lord knows what, when I hit a patch of mud and flew off into the bush.

We took two bike repair kits but what we will take next time is a people repair kit. And there will be a next time.

Scrabble and a pint of Black Mac, that's about as good as a pub outing gets. This was pre-flight speed Scrabble with our favorite tasty wedges from the Honest Lawyer. Erin, Tom and Liam touched down after island-hopping across the Pacific - great to see friends from the old world. Dean and Liam are hanging on the challenge course.

OK we've got a lot to blog about. Two sets of visitors and a trip to Wellington. So in order to get caught up I am going to try for a post a day for the next week. Nothing glamorous just the facts. First off, chopping wood with the Klinkes. Much fun was had by all, and we put my new log splitter to good use. And no one chopped off a foot. That wood stacked on the ground below our chopping stump? Yeah, that's so when the axe head deflects toward your leg you hit something else instead. And we got nice firewood.