Whew!

Now that the election is over, and we can leave the politicians to get on with their part of the job, I can get back to communicating with you in the world of cyberspace.

The highlight of the process for us was the organisation needed to run an art auction. Margaret was leading a fund-raising team, as part of the campaign committee, and the auction (and dinner) was one of their activities.

We ended up with a very attractive painting by our friend Brenda Fawkner of the donkeys at Santorini, which we bid for successfully. The fund-raising as a whole raised over $10,000 for the election campaign under Margaret's enthusiastic and careful leadership.

So I got involved in helping them and that was fun as well as some effort.

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As I type this I am listening to what is my favourite CD: Dick Hyman/Ralph Sutton. A performance of jazz piano standards by these two highly accomplished players. I first heard them on National Radio many years ago, enquired who they were and bought the record. Every so often I put it on the sound system and enjoy it again.

Best of all the tracks is their version of The world is waiting for the sunrise, which I heard that life-changing afternoon on the car radio.

Talking of music, we went to a performance by the Ars Nova Choir, New Plymouth's best choral group during the Arts Festival here a couple of weeks ago. They were accompanied by a small orchestra and conducted by the Community Music Director, Christopher Luke. We have several friends in the choir.

The performance was at lunchtime in a tent erected in the centre of town for the festival - seating around 250 people. The programme was modern arrangements of Gospel standards (spirituals) climaxed with When the Saints go Marching In.

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Now back to the theme I was on before the busyness of this year caught up with me: our South Island tour.