Time and Birthdays

Hi there,

Yesterday was the longest birthday I've ever had. It consisted of 12 hours in New Zealand, 8 hours on a plane and a further 8 hours in Perth.Time is a weird beast; just can't quite get my head around it. Definitely a subject worthy of further consideration.

Having dinner with the family in Perth was superb. We shared an italian meal in Northbridge (not far from the city). My father, brothers and sisters, and their respective partners, are so lovely and caring of Nadine and I that we always wish to stay much longer than planned. Three of my sisters are pregnant, which adds an excitement to everything. The weather also helps - today was like a summers day in Wellington, simply perfect!

Perth is booming. The signs of progress are everywhere - houses and buildings going up all over the place. I hope the city planners manage to keep some of the native bush and wetlands scattered around the city and throughout the surrounding region. 

I feel compelled to mention today's golf match because my brother Tim simply rocked. Singlehandedly he beat my father and I, shooting an 83 off the back tees of a very tough course (ACR 73). His swing and ball striking were pure. With some regular practice (and a few lessons on his short game), he could achieve a very low handicap, perhaps even scratch. But he loves his music too much (see his website http://www.onetigerdown.com/) and is therefore likely to stay within reach of his competitive older brother! Unfortuantely, my poor form continued, although I managed to knock one stiff (i.e., very close) on the par 3 195m 12th hole. There is a golfer in there somewhere.

Nadine and I are at the airport waiting to board the plane for Singapore. Nadine is doing puzzles - she is the brains of the family! I have been reading "On mysticism" by Jorge Luis Borges. Talk about deep - I fell alseep after two sentences. There is a lovely quote in the introduction, written by his wife, Maria Kodama, which touched a chord:

"The rose is without an explanation;
she blooms because she blooms."
(Angelus Silesius)

Til next time...

Botticelli