What made you smile today?

[Gilly Goodness]

Hope all you folks in the UK and Europe hunker down from the heat, drink water or the cold brown fizzy stuff.



Was once in Fiji on our honeymoon where it was so hot, even for this Aussie that durin' the day we found a small cinema that had delicious air conditionin'. So we coincidentally watched an all singin' Othello starring ' Ken Branagh and Larry Fishburne. Then we saw it all over again. The nights hardly cooled down at all. All the farm's frogs hung out at the outdoor shower block in the moonlight.
But that's another story.

[Susanne]

A walk through the shade of the woods, in fantastic weather, listening to Moon Safari (on shuffle).

[Susanne]

Sounds like a wonderful trip to London! Really glad to hear that you recovered enough, in time.

[Ash Armstrong]

One of the many good things about the Courtauld is that you can get right up to the paintings. No barriers keeping you back like at most galleries.

[Ash Armstrong]

Overlooking Covent Garden from the rooftop terrace of the Royal Opera House during the interval. It's about 9.00pm. Also another shot of the Paul Hamlyn Hall, the champagne bar, formerly Floral Hall, the original Covent Garden flower market of Eliza Doolittle fame.

[Ash Armstrong]

Midweek I wasn't sure if I'd be well enough to go, but thankfully, happily, by yesterday I was improved sufficiently to travel to London for my triumphant return to live opera at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, to see Verdi's Otello. It's an opera I love, and that I've seen several times over the last 40 years, most recently this same production in 2017. Magnificent, moving, exhilarating experience which I'm reliving this Saturday morning. My feet hurt, it was a late night, not getting home till 2.00am, so I'm tired, but by 'eck it's worth every blister.
I also spent the afternoon at the Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House on the Strand, and it was my first time back there since 2017. It's undergone a 3-year refurbishment since then. I very much enjoyed the Edvard Munch exhibition there; if all one knows of Munch's art is The Scream, seeing this exhibition is a revelation! And of course, it was great to see all the paintings in the permanent collection again: Renoir, Manet, Suerat, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Monet, Modigliani, Rubens, Gainsborough, Reynolds, Degas, et al.
In addition I was able to meet up with my good friend and fellow Yesfan Jonathan, whom I also hadn't seen since 2018 for coffee, cake and a wander round London's West End.
Here's some pics, and more to follow..

[Grey Wolf]

Happy 4th! Throw some Aussie lamb on the barbie! 🍻

Don't think I can get Aussie lamb around here, so I made some good old American hamburgers on the grill. YUM.

[Ash Armstrong]

Edgbaston test: England v India.

[Gilly Goodness]

When I went out to put up my flag, it was an insanely gorgeous day. Mid 70s F, light breeze, birds singing, just had to look around and enjoy the moment.

Happy 4th! Throw some Aussie lamb on the barbie! 🍻

[Grey Wolf]

When I went out to put up my flag, it was an insanely gorgeous day. Mid 70s F, light breeze, birds singing, just had to look around and enjoy the moment.

[Susanne]

Nothing, yet
But it's still quite early - there's plenty of time left, today.

[Gilly Goodness]

Olivia Rodrigo and Lily Allen live in Glastonbury...

.

....in a marsh mallow house. Saucy!

[pjt]

Olivia Rodrigo and Lily Allen live in Glastonbury.

[Gilly Goodness]

And here he is....





Go you good thing ! 🤪

[Gilly Goodness]

Mr Happy Face.