"Can I have a note?"

"Miss, Miss ... can I go to the ...." toilets, office, clinic, canteen, Deputy, here, there, everywhere. "Can I have a note?" "Can I?" "A note, Miss, please". "Can I have a note?" A what? "A note!"

So I gave him a high-C. At least, that's what I attempted. Sounded pretty good too, at least to me :-)

76 Trombones in the Grand Parade?

The Street Parade for Blacktown City Festival was inspirational, in many unimagined ways. As each of the 'floats' and groups went past, an overwhelming desire to sign up with the Scouts was quickly followed by wanting to learn the bagpipes, join the Emergency Service volunteer brigades, take up gymnastics, and - I swear this was true albeit only for a few fleeting moments - learn Punjabi.

Mind you, I don't know why each and every vehicle with claxton and/or sirens had to give full voice only when at the closest possible distance from my ears. And why every human tank had to make sure they were walking at inverse warp speed in front of me. Or maybe it only seemed that way? Nah. There must have been a huge meeting somewhere last night, where my photo was distributed and an orchestrated complex set of maneuvers was planned and executed with great precision. Those of you who are thinking that it's just the nicco withdrawal talking better not let me hear you.

Highlight of the day was most probably having a 'chat' with our state Premier (sort of like the US equivalent of governor, but with less visible security). Particularly since I was able to provide my personal gratitude for his kind donation to our school library last year. Mind you, he did seem a little lost for words when I casually dropped the fact that the library budget was once again completely depleted, and less than half way through the year ...

"Clever conversations"?

Billy Joel has done some very pleasant music; "I like you just the way you are" was on the radio as I was driving home from work. Maybe because the kids weren't in the car and I could actually hear something else other than "can we ..." and "but you said", I actually got to hear the lyrics.

"I don't want clever conversation ... I just want someone that I can talk to ..."

Time to bring the lyrics up to date with something more caring and sensitive, Billy. How about something along the lines of:

“Among men and women, those in love do not always announce themselves with declarations and vows. But they are the ones who weep when you're gone. Who miss you every single night, especially when the sky is so deep and beautiful, and the ground so very cold.” [Alice Hoffman]

OK, it doesn't scan well or even rhyme. But isn't the language lovely? And the sentiment deep? It almost makes the reader want to paint red roses on black velvet, or pen poetry with a quill. In extreme cases, it might even make one feel like having a cup of coffee and an immoderate piece of medicinal chocolate ...

!