Spring Days

Yes, spring has finally arrived. Early this morning (I always go shopping on Sunday morning - Coles and Harris Farms are both open from 7am I think) I went to Broadway to do my shopping and for the first time in what seems like ages a t-shirt was enough - yeh! I don't mind winter, but I love the warmth and particularly love the afternoon storms when there's this wondeful heaviness to everything. Am thinking about going for a walk at some point today, but thought I'd make something for lunch at home then head off after that. Have to have lunch for tomorrow!

Have been seeing quite a few films over the past few days. Yesterday Judith (pictured with her son Ben) and I went to see 'Mad Hot Ballroom', which we've been meaning to see for a few weeks. It was an audience favourite at the Sydney Film Festival earlier this year and I can see why. Basically the film follows students from 3 different elementary schools in various parts of New York City as they prepare for a ball room dancing competition. It's a lot of fun and the kids are fantastic, but at the same time there's a serious side to the film, which looks at how learning something like ball room dancing can really make a difference to kids who have nothing and who would otherwise end up falling through the cracks.

Thursday and Friday evening I went to see two films at the Italian Film Festival. Unfortunately I can't make my mind up about either of them, although both films had very interesting points to make. On Thursday I saw a film called 'Il Vento, di Sera (The Wind, in the Evening)', which was about a gay man whose partner is killed when he accidentally witnesses an assassination and how he deals with his his grief. There were some interesting elements to the film, but I found it really difficult to connect with any of the characters and it seemed quite laboured in many ways.

On Friday I went to see 'Cuore Sacro (Sacred Heart)' by Ferzan Ozpetek, a Turkish director who works in Italy. I really liked his previous films, 'Le Fate Ignoranti (Ignorant Fairies)' and 'La Finestre di Fronte (Facing Windows)', but I found this one a bit difficult. It's beautifully filmed and there were some amazing scenes - particularly the scene where the protagonist, Irene, is walking through the metro station in Roma giving away her clothing to passersby - but I found it difficult to follow and again found it difficult to connect with the characters. Still it was one of those films where I walked out of the cinema feeling completely disconnected from the world outside.

I suppose I should start thinking about making some lunch if I want to go somewhere this afternoon. I love cooking, but the whole process of shopping, cooking and cleaning up seems never ending.

By the way everyone has to think good thoughts this afternoon. Judith's man in Iran has his final interview for his visa today and we're all praying that this is the last step in what's been a very long and drawn out process and that he'll soon be here.