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Finally we are getting some wonderful rain here on the South Coast! It has been steadily raining now for nealy 24 hours and it is just the kind of steady drizzle that soaks in nicely. I hope that everbody on the land who needs those tanks and dams filling before the New Year are getting some rain too. This is just what I needed on my farm and hope it can keep up for a few days more. Lovely and foggy too here at the top of the hill where my farm is - I love this weather!!

After finishing Uni last Friday I thought I would have myself a nice, leisurely week off. Yeah, right. I feel like I have been running around like a headless chook all week, trying to catch up with all the jobs I have been putting off because of study. And now I have realised that it is only 18 days until Christmas. Aaaaargh!!! Time to make some serious lists, do my Chrissie shopping and most importantly attend various Christmas parties  I do love Christmas. I love getting together with family and friends and especially love the joy it brings for the kids. For me Christmas is a special time of year - a time to celebrate and be thankful for all that I have, and to appreciate the relationships that I have with all those around me. This year I went to the World Vision web site and bought several gifts on behalf of my niece and nephew, for someone who really does need something. I thought that the kids were old enough now to start to appreciate the ethics behind such a present. They both want for nothing, so I thought it time they realise that they are very lucky, and there are many children out there who live in unimaginable conditions. So, if anyone is thinking of something different for Christmas for the person who has 'everything' then perhaps just doing a little something on your behalf with any of the many excellent organisations around might make all the difference for someone who could really use a hand. 

Well, I have sent off my final essay yesterday for my English unit, Shakespeare, and I am finished for this year. Hopefully I will pass these 2 units, which means I have complete my BA in Philosophy. I am looking forward to a lovely big break over Christmas and New year, and will be feeling quite refreshed when I start my next degree - a BA in History and Politics through Macquarie Uni (an excellent university by the way!) in late February 2009. It has been quite a journey these last 4 years. I made a huge step in leaving my old job to pursue a degree in Philosophy; and although I have not regretted that one minute, it has been a tough but rewarding path. My wonderful tutor in Shakespeare reminded me of the motto on the entrance to the Oracle at Delphi - "Know thyself". That pretty much sums up my path this last 4 years. I have gone through some tough times personally but have persevered. I now know that if I can get through what I have and still study, then I can do pretty much anything I set my mind to; and in the process I have learned a lot about myself and am pretty happy with where I'm at. I would encourage any of you out there who are contemplating changing things in your life to have a go and don't die wondering! It's damn scary but worth the chance. Now I'm going to celebrate this weekend, with family, friends, good food and great wine. What better way to celebrate a milestone  

I'm still busy writing my essay for my Shakespeare Uni subject but have decided to have a break this arvo and do some cooking and also make some Limoncello. I have a lovely big bag of lemons picked fresh off the tree at my work (we have a fruit orchard as well as a cellar door). So I'm going to use the lemons to make Limoncello, which is a wonderful drink for summer - great as an aperitif or equally good as an after dinner drink. It is wonderful in the hot weather straight from the freezer! Here is an easy recipe if you would like to have a go.

LIMONCELLO

PEEL 10 LEMONS (NO PITH), ADD 1 BOTTLE VODKA, STEEP FOR AT LEAST 4 DAYS (TRADITIONALLY IS ABOUT 40 DAYS), ADD SUGAR SYRUP (BOIL 3 1/2 CUPS WATER & 2 1/2 CUPS SUGAR), SIT OVERNIGHT THEN STRAIN AND POUR INTO A BOTTLE, CHILL IN FREEZER BEFORE SERVING.

Great served in tall shot glasses. Enjoy!

Took my 2 girls to the vet this morning for their very first free seniors checkup (they are both 8 and a half years old now). As usual my GSP carried on something shocking. She starts making a hideous noise as soon as she takes one look at the vet. So we get her in and out as quick as possible. She is somewhat justified though, as she has had both her cruciate ligaments reconstructed a few years back. Very common with GSP's as they do love to jump. GSP's are definitely high maintenance dogs. Don't ever get one unless you are prepared for a battle of wills, and a dog that needs heaps of exercise. Not really an urban breed. But they are so intelligent and with great character that they reward the effort you put in a hundred fold. My chocolate Labrador is the complete opposite. They must be the happiest creatures on the planet I reckon. She is just so easy and loves everyone and everything! I was pleased with the Vet's comments - both in tip top condition, shiny coats and good joints, especially the Lab, as they are hard to keep trim once they have been desexed and are getting on. Guess their diet of sardines, fresh meat, fish capsules and lots of exercise is working. Well, enough procrastinating. Back to my major essay for my Shakespeare unit - long hours and lots of coffee ahead!   

I watched the Andre Rieu concert last night. It was telecast live from Telstra Dome on Austar. I must admit that I was reluctant to watch it as I guess the Rieu phenomenom had kind of passed me by, but my mum wanted to watch it so I booked it for her and we all settled in to watch (and I surreptitiously thought I would sneak in a read of a bit of Shakespeare at the same time - homework!) As I had been at work all day I didn't really think I would last the almost 4 hour concert but I was wrong. I was absolutely knocked out by it, and my text lay on the coffee table unread. It was just brilliant and if you get a chance to see it, go for it. The music was well chosen, the tenors and sopranos perfect, ballet, ice dancers, waltzing, horse carriages, all set to the backdrop to the most amazing set of a European castle. Rieu is the consummate professional, and as mum pointed out "do you notice he is the only one playing without sheet music?" My parents both played musical instruments, piano and violin, so as mum said, that is quite amazing. So, a bit bleary-eyed this morning, but I think I will have to watch the repeat of the concert this afternoon with a nice glass of red just to experience it all over again   

I watched Laurence Olivier's Richard III film last night. Even though it has been around for a while it is still an excellent work. Olivier was superb as Richard, managing to be simultaneously suave, amusing and quite repulsive . A lot of dialogue was jettisoned, but that seems to be the case with many film adaptations of Shakespear's plays, otherwise they would tend to run 3 to 4 hours! Anyway, I don't think Olivier chose this play for it's historical, social or political themes, but rather because the character of Richard is such an excellent one for an actor to have a go at: and he does so with relish and gusto. He has pared the plot down and removed some characters, but this was probably necessary to produce a film that would be palatable to a wider audience. Olivier is arresting, with his prevalently dark costumes against a light background, his direct gaze into the camera, and his smirking sly asides - he defintely has a charismatic presence on screen. He also uses shadows rather symbolically, especially his own deformed one. The scene where he pretends to refuse the crown was a tour deforce for me! Such great theatrics, with Olivier enjoying the pretence of religious devotion (he even is holding his prayer book upside down). The final scenes of Richard's defeat and death were particularly powerful, with Richard being brought down and virtually torn apart by a mass of opposing soldiers, like a wild boar being killed by a pack of dogs, thus resonating the imagery of Richard's emblem of the boar. So, for me, a great film, with Olivier brilliant as a self-aware parodist and evil genius - a monster incarnate, but so compelling a character to watch. Perhaps Richard is not as psychologically deep or complex, like Iago or Macbeth, but rather a full-blown stage villain in the stamp of the Vice character in medieval morality plays, that pulls the audience in as co-conspirators. Basically, Shakespeare wrote an eminently watchable and enjoyable play, something he was pretty darn good at!

My other unit for this study period of university is Shakespeare and we are currently studying Richard III. What a great villain! I watched Ian McKellen's version of Richard last night and really enjoyed it. Despite many obvious changes, he still managed his own take on the character that conveyed the concepts of Shakespeare’s play. I thought the changing of the context and time worked well, setting it in an imaginary England of the 1930's. I particularly liked certain themes explored, such as the evolution of the uniforms from traditional British looking ones to more neo-nazi/fascist black ones. Even the cars progress from dull grey to shiny black. The use of Battersea power station as a setting for some of the scenes certainly worked really well I thought. I also liked the way the director, Loncraine, shifted the colours of the film, starting off with warm hues, then as Richard's plots for power marched onward, the colours almost leached out of the film, until we were left looking at stark and almost monochromatic scenes (rain was used to good effect also). I really liked the scene where Richard is proclaimed king - the setting is so like Hitler's Nuremberg rally’s, as filmed by Leni Riefenstahl – pure propaganda. The only detracting thing was the American actors, which I suppose is part of trying to make the film acceptable to US audiences as well. However, I did read an interview with Ian McKellen, and the reason he gave for making the characters American was not so cynical, but rather aiming for a 20th century equivalent of outsiders; that is, as Americans they are outside the British aristocracy, no matter who they marry etc, For me, though, I just didn’t feel as if they worked. Perhaps it is just a prejudice regarding hearing Americans versus English actors speak Shakespeare. Some of Annette Bening’s lines sounded so forced. However, the whole effect was very reminiscent of classical film noir and basically a great film to watch and I really enjoyed it. Although I must admit I haven’t watched Olivier’s version for some time (that will be tonight’s homework) I now look forward to watching Olivier and comparing the films. I had a quick look online and found this web page with some good info about this film, and an excellent interview with Ian McKellen. What an erudite fellow he is, and a darn good actor too. Check out:
http://www.r3.org/onstage/FILM/homepage.html