Day of Sam's funeral

Well, when one believes that everything that happens day-to-day is for the good, it makes life much easier to live and one is able to enjoy it to the full. 

Last Saturday, when I discovered a day too late that my flight home to Wellington  was scheduled for Friday and not the Saturday that I had firmly fixed in my head, I knew there would be a reason for this   strange turn of events. After going quickly into emergency mode, that is singing the HU to be an absolute clear channel - everything worked perfectly. I rebooked a return flght for Tuesday and then I just took a bus back to my bemused brother's home and with him and his mates watched the demolition of the Wallabies by the All Blacks. 

Sunday was a lovely day of visiting another friend in Thirroul and returning to yet another unexpected meeting with good friends of my brother who happened to be staying the night. Then Monday was a visit to the city accidentally to witness Mass in a the chapel where my mother was married, and back that evening for a pub-dinner with more friends of my brother whom I rarely saw. 

Finally today I was able to attend the sad funeral of Mike's very good friend Sam who had died tragically the very week of his retirement. It took place in the Woollahra Synagogue and it was packed with besuited men in yamulkas. I knew no-one but the widow, and she was swamped by all the men. 

So after the funeral I had a light lunch with another friend, Annie, at Bondi Junction, emailed a congratulatory note to Michael Kirby on his excellent article on the postponed and much discussed Same Sex Plebiscite, and then made my way to the airport in good time for the same flight I missed on Friday at 6.45pm, albeit three days later.

All was good in my world, indeed it was better. My relationship with my brother has been firmed with all this unexpected connecting with his friends and my return to Gosford is now firmly secure for September 30.  

I now really know why I missed that flight on Friday, and my thanks to the HU for setting it all in motion.

The article by renowned former High Court Judge,

Michael Kirbyis a wake-up call to the Prime Minister.

Turkey in dire straits....

Even the Telegraph is signalling the stupidity ofpostponing this most divisive plebiscite.

Ladies who lunch at Bondi Junction...

The toll of a Gold-driven Olympics... ... the exhausted Chef de Mission!

Annie holding forth at lunch.....and generously offering to buy me lunch but we agreed to go 'Dutch'.

It will be nice to get back to my old bed tonight in Wellie and my accustomed things to do, although it will be with a new agenda for the next six weeks.

Outside the synagogue farewelling Sam, a somewhat sombre moment.