A quiet Sunday morning, cool after a blustery hot Saturday spent at Banksia Park celebrating a young friend’s fortieth birthday. I amazed myself for having survived, or rather persevered in the 34 degree heat and hot north wind. Despite sitting in the shade and drinking water constantly, I was exhausted and collapsed in a heap after I drove home.

The cloudy sky, although threatening rain, was welcome this morning.

Perhaps cool, but not cold, so with the joy of no pressure of a Sunday morning I took my breakfast on a tray out onto my patio and enjoyed eating it looking out onto the courtyard garden and listening to the coo-ing of the local doves.

Recently reading books on mindfulness I have been challenged to really savour what I am doing. The food really does taste better and I find I eat less as it takes me longer giving my body a chance to send it’s “I’m full” message. A win win.

Breakfasted, I am back writing while listening to Russell Torrance on Classic FM who plays a piece by a Brenton Langbein. A composer previously unknown to me. With the second joy of internet and Google, I distract myself from writing and track him down discovering he was born in South Australia before travelling overseas to study, play and compose beautiful music, like his String Quartet I Moderato that I was listening to.

Of course, just discovering who he is doesn’t satisfy this little black duck. I search further and in the South Australian archives a listing of his papers.

Scanning these I note a letter listed written to Langbein from a Ninette Dutton. Intrigued and I find another Ninette was an enamel artist, also born in South Australia, who expanded into writing and broadcasting.

I knew there was an explanation as to how I ended up with my eclectic collection of books and reading matter. This time my favourite library, the City of Melbourne library, fails me but I track it down at the State Library. So, when I have time, I can drop in and read it there. I note it down. Hopefully I will remember why I wanted to read it when I finally get there.

Not today which is set aside for a trip with my adventurous friend Jill, a return to Heide Gallery, next door to Banksia Park, to see an exhibition of the work of three women artists, Georgie O’Keeffe, Grace Cossington Smith and Margaret Preston. Being adventurous we could ride our bicycles there. Having driven there yesterday for my friend’s fortieth birthday party I know how pretty the surrounds are, and we will ride past a nursery. A real temptation for both Jill and me and the restrictive bike baskets will keep our purchasing in check.

However, good sense prevails, there are hills between East Melbourne and Heidelberg. There is a train and the bike ride from Heidelberg Railway Station to Heide only 8 minutes and 2.1kms.  Maybe another day.