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A Night out In Paris

No regrets

I am a retired man in my 60's.I live with my partner of ten years and we are very content. We live in Sydney, Australia ,but like to travel.I spent my life in Theatre as an Opera Singer and my partner was in the Travel Industry.
We love going to our country house when we can as well..I have always been fortunate enough to make my life work for me even although others often said no. I just went ahead and did it anyway.As a result.I have had some great times and some "bum times" but I'm still here and enjoying it.That's me on the right of the picture.
These days I like to spend my time passing on what I have learnt to younger people. and producing shows for fund-raising purposes that give young performers a chance to do something.

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My partner made this leadlight window

Retirement

I had a stroke a few years ago.That left me with something called Progressive Multi-Focal Leucoencephalopathy.This is a disease of the braincells and you are supposed to die, at least thats what the specialists said.I didn't. However I couldn't sing anymore and so I stopped performing which was a bit hard because I hadn't done much else in my life. However I went into production for a few years and came up with a caberet -opera show called Opera Afloat.I did this in restaurants and cruise ships for about seven years and then called it quits. Life is just full of change and surprise. I cant wait to see what the next 30/40 years bring to me. Anyone else feel the same?
I just love it all>

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Our view fromthe front verandah

Langunyah

Our country retreat is called"Langunyah".Thats an aborigional word meaning Bark Hut.That is the nearest we could come up with to a log cabin which is what we have on our property. 152 acres of Australian Native Bush complete with Kangaroos, Wallabies, Emus, Lyre-Birds,Wombats and hundreds of native parrots of all kinds.The picture is of the view from our verandah, where we sit and have drinks at sunset.
I love the fact that when we are down here, we can relax, just be as one with nature and live accordingly.Watching the different animal and plant behaviour as the seasons pass each year is quite wonderful.I sometimes wish I coulld live here permanently but unfortunately , because it is so isolated, my health wont allow it. We are 90kil. from the nearest Doctor and I dont drive and it is all dirt roads.
In the early mornings ,not that I get up early as a regular thing, sometimes, the valley floor in front of the house is covered inmist. With just the tips of the tallest trees showing through.Then as the sun rises, it all slowly dissappears.
It makes you so appreciative of nature to witness these things.As well when the sun sets and we sit on the verandah with a glass of champagne (or Beer) .Kangaroos will come and drink out of the Billabong,or maybe, a Wombat will make his way slowly to the water,pausing and looking around, as if he knows this is his place and we are only temporary intruders. Then we sit and stop talking ,just watching the real world happening in front of our eyes and Sydney seems as though it belongs in another place and Time.
we are so lucky to be able to enjoy this place.

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inside The Fig-Tree Cave at Wombeyan

Wombeyan Caves

Our country retreat is in an area of New South Wales called the Southern Highlands.We are in the very southwest of this area,almost where the Southern Tablelands start.
Very close to our place is a wonderful group of caves called the Wombeyan Caves.They were discovered by Europeans around 1820 /5. To get to them, and Langunyah, you travel down a dirt road that was origionally carved out by convicts and worked on again during the Great Depression of the 1930's. The sceneary is awesome as you travel through the mountains of the great dividing range. In New South Wales they are called The Blue Mountains because of the eucalypt gas that comes off the trees.
Every State calls the mountains a differnt name but they are all part of the Great Dividing Range.It runs down almost the entire length of the east coast of Australia.
Declan and I, organize a music festival; in the Victoria Arch of The Caves every year. The purpose of this is to raise funds for our rural fire service.In NSW, the rural fire service is manned by volunteers and as we have quite extensive bush fires almost every year,they are a very important part of our community.
Dec and I organise Opera Singers, Instrumentalists, Country and Western Singers and R&B bands as well as choir, and others to come and perform to raise money for this cause. This year it is to be held on Saturday November 26.
The Photograph is of part of the interior of the Fig-Tree cave.When people come to stay at our Country retreat we take them on a tour of this cave if they wish

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I'm on the right ,holding Tara........

Our Dog. Tara

My partner and I have a dog. A beautiful ridgeback/boxer cross ,called. Tara. She wasn't named for "Gone With The Wind" but because my partner is Irish and in Irlend, that is where the High Kings of Celtic Ireland were crowned.
We obtained her from the Sydney Pound when she was eight months
old. The home page photo was taken when she was a puppy.
Afunny story. One day , as a puppy,i had just taken delivery of some very expensive Feather Boas for our show.I put them on the tableand went upstairs. Dec came downstairs to find the whol ground floor of the houses covered with feathers and one very puzzled looking pup with multi coloured feathers in her mouth. all we could do was laugh and then go out & spend anothere $1500:00 on some more ,but not put them on the table.
She is an excellent guard dog and loves children and people. Unfortunately ,the same cant be said for other dogs.We took her to puppy school and she was fine there, but, as soon as she came home she just forgot all the social skills with dogs she had been taught.
So now, we can only let her off the lead when no-one else is around or when we go to Langunyah.She loves it there and runs for hours.
She is now nearly nine years old and we love her. You can see she is a bit spoilt by the photograph. Cheers

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The Park and the sandstone wall

I love GOOD Graffiti

Declan and I were just out walking our dog in a big park near us in Newtown. There is a big sandstone wall and someone has just written,
Wouldn't it be great if Governments gave our schools all the funding they need and the defense department had to have a cake stall to raise funds.
Just thought I would share this with you all.

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Last Years Poster

Come to The Wombeyan Caves

As I mentioned earlier,I organize a Music Festival in The Wombeyan Caves . This year it is on the 26th Nov. The purpose of this is to raise funds for The Rural Fire Service.
All artists donate their time and talents for the cause.This year, we have The Sydney Male Voice Choir,Madd- Marion, The Krells, The Southern Belles, Robert Wilson, Tenor, Sheeley Hayton, Mezzo-soprano, Robert Horn, Baritone,.Megan Evans, OAM Pianist, Clara Blazer, cellist and others.
for further in fo click on www.jenolancaves.org.au

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Opera Afloat

". DONT PUT YOUR OWN MONEY IN A SHOW""The Producer

I guess there is something true about showbusiness that once bitten you cant leave even if you want to. After two years of retirement from the theatre and swearing to anyone who will listen that I will never go back, I"m Back.
I have been begged andf cajoled andotherwised blackmailed by all my friends to start producing my "Opera in Caberet" shows again.
Our first one is on the 21st Sept. in Sydney at a popular restaurant in a RSL Club. This is sort of like a working mens club in the North of England.
I adapt Operatic favourites such as The Pearlfishers Duet, Lakme Flower Duet, Nessun Dorma, Ah Forse Lui, ets. and have them sung by professional opera singers in a venue whilst people are having dinner.
This format was suggested to me ,whilst working in New York a few years ago, where I saw something similar.
When I had my stroke, I re-invented myself as a director and started this in Sydney, as Opera in The Pub, then restaurants, and its final reincarnation as Opera Afloat. With it we won tourism awards and provided a lot of people witha lot of work. So here I am doing it again.
Out with the Boas, and fans, dust off the Tail-suits and on with the show.