24th April, the Day before Anzac Day
I was walking the island today shopping for Anzac Day and our large Australian breakfast, and for our ministerial visit. Bob is in Libya with the Minister and his party at the moment, and they will spend Anzac Day in Tobruk, a five hour drive from Benghazi, which is itself a two hour flight from Tripoli. I guess I am trying to say that it seems a very long way away. It is almost four weeks since I saw my husband – I was away for three weeks, and he has been away since two days before I returned.
I bought flowers – and fifty dollars worth filled the house and provided a spectacular arrangement in the front hall. I added a tall vase of stunning white lilies – the kind that features in Annunciation paintings between the Angel and Mary.
They have a really heavenly scent, and the whole house smells delicious.
Then there was another somewhat unexpected trip, when the cook who is going to help to prepare the breakfast on the outside barbecue insisted that he wanted three very small non-stick pans to prepare the eggs. We only had one, and that was obviously not nearly enough. I am still not convinced that it will work, but I set off through the streets to another shopping area to find small fry pans.
In the process I bought some little biscuit jars for homemade biscuits for the guest rooms for our visit, and some woven baskets to hold apples also for the guest rooms.
I left – very loaded with bags – and walked out to the gamut of the flower and peach sellers.
With a houseful of flowers I was somehow talked into a huge – monumental – armful of larkspurs. I have always loved these. It doesn’t seem to matter what you do with them, they look graceful arranged in any thing and in any way. They must be the most forgiving flower. These dance – every shade of purple and blue and lilac and white and the softest blush of pink. Somehow they evoke wildflowers in jam jars even when in tall vases.
Four large bunches cost all of four dollars Australian.
I filled six large vases (not all shown) and four small ones, and just for good measure (and because I had run out of places to put them) I also gave a large bunch to the first secretary who dropped in with paperwork and stayed for a gin and tonic.
The car will come at 4.20 am to take us to the Dawn Service.
I just wish dawn wasn't quite so early!
I bought flowers – and fifty dollars worth filled the house and provided a spectacular arrangement in the front hall. I added a tall vase of stunning white lilies – the kind that features in Annunciation paintings between the Angel and Mary.
They have a really heavenly scent, and the whole house smells delicious.
Then there was another somewhat unexpected trip, when the cook who is going to help to prepare the breakfast on the outside barbecue insisted that he wanted three very small non-stick pans to prepare the eggs. We only had one, and that was obviously not nearly enough. I am still not convinced that it will work, but I set off through the streets to another shopping area to find small fry pans.
In the process I bought some little biscuit jars for homemade biscuits for the guest rooms for our visit, and some woven baskets to hold apples also for the guest rooms.
I left – very loaded with bags – and walked out to the gamut of the flower and peach sellers.
With a houseful of flowers I was somehow talked into a huge – monumental – armful of larkspurs. I have always loved these. It doesn’t seem to matter what you do with them, they look graceful arranged in any thing and in any way. They must be the most forgiving flower. These dance – every shade of purple and blue and lilac and white and the softest blush of pink. Somehow they evoke wildflowers in jam jars even when in tall vases.
Four large bunches cost all of four dollars Australian.
I filled six large vases (not all shown) and four small ones, and just for good measure (and because I had run out of places to put them) I also gave a large bunch to the first secretary who dropped in with paperwork and stayed for a gin and tonic.
The car will come at 4.20 am to take us to the Dawn Service.
I just wish dawn wasn't quite so early!
2 Comments:
Hi Jenny,
I agree larkspurs are beautiful. Are the flowers grown locally?
I thought it was good that there was a service at Tobruk. It has had some coverage in the Melbourne papers.
Here we are having a glorious autumn, although of course we should really be praying for rain, but it is hard not to just revel in the idyllic days.
Regards
Kate I
Jenny. I read your comment about wishing dawn wasn't so early to my husband and he said to tell you that you shouldn't wait for Dawn, but to wait for Mary as she comes later. Ho, hum! Regards, Dorothy in Canberra.
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