Lawrie's 2005 Annual Letter

Hi, I hope this year has treated you well, and that you've been having fun! For me its been another years with things much the same. I'm tired of work and frustrated by the bureacracy, but am still doing a fair bit of dancing, getting to festivals and enjoying folk concerts, and managing to get out and enjoy the mountains and coastline - my favorite environs. So here's my years highlights in pictures ....

Starting late last year with my Christmas visit to Melbourne & Geelong, are a picture of my Auntie Pat & Uncle Hans at Point Roadnight near Aireys Inlet, and my bother David with the Kayak he built at Mt Martha beach. Next is a photo of Warren & Lynne at Cabrita Beach in far north NSW from when I visited the Gold Coast for the AusCERT conference in May.

Point_Roadnight-26Dec04 Kayak_MtMartha-9Jan05 Gold_Coast-21May05
I got out into the countryside a bit either walking or driving. First here is a picture of the post-bushfire devestation at Mt Stromlo observatory, sadly still in a battle with insurers. Then views from the top of Mt Franklin back east towards Canberra in April, and from Square Rock in Namadgi south-west towards the Brindabellas in Oct.
Mt_Stromlo_Observatory-19Dec04 Mt_Franklin-10Apr05 Namadgi_Square_Rock-3Oct05
I managed a few days skiing this year, which I greatly enjoyed. The photos are of me at the top of Karels downhill skiing at Thredbo in Aug, and cross-country skiing above Charlotte Pass in Oct with David V. Then of course Floriade was in full bloom Sept-Oct, the photo shows the Don Quixote sculpture garden.
Ski_Thredbo-25Aug05 XC_Charlotte_Pass-13Oct05 Floriade-15Oct05
Next page, the wooden frog was by Lake Guyatt in Sale, where I had lunch on the way home in Feb. I got to the Conflux2 SF con in Canberra in April, caught up with friends, & admired Bob Eggleton painting a dragon. I got to a number of folk festivals, and my pick of the new acts this year was "Fellowship of the Strings" - shown with 150+ strings on stage at Majors Creek!

Then there is my own very modest courtyard garden floral display in Oct. The aquaphonium was at the National Folk Festival at Easter, an amazing water driven sound sculpture! Likewise the awesome Tibetian sand mandala, which the monks so briefly created as an offering for peace.

Lake_Guyatt_Sale-27Jan05 Conflux2-24Apr05 Majors_Creek_Folk_Fest2-12Nov05
Chisholm_Garden-11Oct05 NFF-24Mar05 NFF-28Mar05 Earthly_Delights_MidWinter-16Jul05 Earthly_Delights_Pride2-15Oct05
As always, dancing was a major social activity. I enjoyed many of the regular monthly Earthly Delights dances. Above I'm with Madelaine at the Mid-Winter dance, and with Trish at the Pride and Prejudice Ball in Oct. Below I'm dancing Dargeson with Linda at the Trans-Pacific Ball in Feb. I also did a lot of ceroc, and danced in the GDS competition in July. The team routine Amelia & I designed won which was great. We also dancing ceroc freestyle (photo). And I got to a couple of the GALA Events social ballroom dances, including the Star Wars theme dance shown.
ED_Trans_Pacific-20Feb05 GDS_Comp_Ball-9Jul05 GALA_Star_Wars_Dance-11Jun05
I danced a number of display with the Monaro Colonial Dancers, as seen in these photos from Cobargo in Feb, the Tulip Farm in Sept, and Majors Creek in Nov. We're off to Tasmania next Jan to dance at the Cygnet and Tamar festivals there, and even got an artsACT grant to help out which was a real buzz!
Cobargo_Folk_Fest-26Feb05 Tulip_Farm_MCD_Display-25Sep05 Majors_Creek_Folk_Fest-12Nov05

Thats about it for now, hope it gives some idea of my many and various activities. I hope you're keeping well, and look forward to hearing your news. May your life be filled with peace and joy this Christmas and New Year Lawrie - 14 Dec 2005.

The latest copy of this letter is at:   http://www.canb.auug.org.au/~lpb/diary/xmas05.html
on my web site:   http://www.canb.auug.org.au/~lpb/; or send email:   Lawrie.Brown@canb.auug.org.au

And a few more photos that I didn't get room to squeeze into the printed letter.

From the same day trip with my Auntie Pat & Uncle Hans is a photo from the headland at Aireys Inlet (which I've used on my eCard this year). And a couple more photos of Floriade from the lookout up at the entry gate, and of the "Rock Around the Clock" entry at Gnomestock!

Aireys_Inlet-26Dec04 Floriade-30Sep05 Floriade2-30Sep05
Then a couple more Earthly Delights ball photos - the costumes at the Pride and Prejudice Ball, and lots of Alices, playing cards & Rabbit Amy from the Mad Hatters Ball. And below is a photo of the Dread Pirate Will spiriting away maid Amy from the Pirates Ball! And there is the view out from the top of the Majors Creek Falls, where I spent a very pleasant few hours admiring the view on the Monday after the folk festival in Nov.
Earthly_Delights_Pride-15Oct05 ED_Mad_Hatters_Ball-19Nov05 Majors_Creek_Falls-14Nov05
Also catching up with friends, see Jim William singing the Blues with friends at his 50th birthday party, and Ingrid raising a glass in the courtyard at Jill Gordan's 10 years there party. Lastly, but never the least is an orcish Martin Pearson at his Tolkien show at the Muse in July.
Earthly_Delights_Pirates-17Sep05 Jim_Williams_50th-8Aug05 Jill_Gordon_10yr_party-25Nov05 Merry_Muse_Bolkien-24Jul05

Thats really it - I had fun selecting these out, hope you liked them!

Cheers Lawrie.