Wishes and Wants

1. Build a house on the farm: a homestead for our family and friends to enjoy, that will be used by our next generation, with a:

• balcony on the second level to take in the views of the mountains, pastures and large dams
• mud room to house boots and coats
• screened-in porch with a double-side fireplace
• walk-in butler's pantry (minus the butler, I guess)

2. Join the family get-together planned for the end of the year in Mexico. Last time we luxuriated at the Gran Bahia Principe Tulum/Akumal on the Mayan Riviera.

Soiree at Crown

I was lucky to be invited to witness the launch of I.D Events at Crown Palladium Ballroom last night.

With the support of Crown's fantastic catering staff, service and exquisite food, I.D Events (a new, theme production house) wowed its audience with their designs of a Thai-style pagoda, the Forbidden City, a sphinx from the Egyptian desert, Indian elephants.

Entertainment was a fab Lady Ga Ga imitator and her dancers.

Fun night.

Leadership Lurch

Phenomenal stuff. Australia's first-term Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was last year termed the most popular Australian PM ever. Today he faced a leadership battle from the Deputy PM Julia Gillard.

On my way to a meeting at Channel 7's Docklands studio this morning, I was told by someone with media links that Labor Party factional leaders were calling around to seek support for a leadership change to win the next election. Who would have thought things would progress so quickly tonight. The next couple of days will be fascinating to watch via the media.

The leadership vote will happen tomorrow morning, on the eve of the G20 Summit in Canada. Will Rudd be leading the Australian delegation Friday?

Gillard ambled past me Monday afternoon at Melbourne's Treasury precinct looking relaxed and elegantly stylised, as she was to be photographed outside. On tonight's news bulletins, she looked tired and drawn.

Dance, Dance, Dance!

If my body did this, I would be seriously worried.

Bravo to the organisers, performers and winners of the 2010 Australian Dance Awards. M and I saw them with friends at Melbourne's Arts Centre Sunday night.

The girls breathlessly pointed out so and so from So You Think You Can Dance which meant, to their astonishment, absolutely nothing to me.

Some of the highlights:

• the comical dance routine of Untrained was the girls' favourite
• the confetti toss with participation of the whole audience and all the performers - fun!
• the Australian Ballet
• the powerful and emotive singing of Tripod in memory of those from the dance world who passed away over the previous year.

Dinner at La Camera with views over the twinkling lights of Melbourne mirrored in the Yarra River added to the magical night.

M looked great sporting her new leather jacket from Jay Jays and her cute, red patterned skirt. It was so lovely spending a night out with my girl.

Kids TV Shows

One of the sad things about my children growing up is that I don't get to watch early childhood TV programming anymore. I couldn't help but get totally engrossed in a few very special shows. And while my kids maintain they are past that stage of watching kiddie shows, I wanna watch them again.

I wanna be a part of Little Bill's family. Comforting voices that sound like they're talking with yummy toffees in their mouths, relaxing jazz music and happy solutions to simplistic problems. I blame Little Bill's gorgeous hamster Elephant for making me capitulate to my kids' pleas for guinea pigs.

I wanna marry Postman Pat. Yup. I have a thing for the postman. Maybe it was the enchanting song that pressed home: "Pat feels he's a really happy man!" He's just so lovely -- always helping people and coming to the rescue. Or maybe it's just that I secretly wanna live in a place like Pencaster or Glendale.

I wanna hang out with the cool, resourceful, adventurous Kipper. How adorable is Arnold? Who doesn't love Martin Clunes' voice?

I wanna live in Hanna Montana's house, right on the beach -- and who wouldn't love her closet? The kids still watch this, but it's been awhile since I've been home when it's been on. I have to say: this is a hilariously written show and the actor who plays Jackson is brilliant.

Maybe on a yucky, rainy Saturday morning one day soon I can relive my kids' early years by spending a few extra hours in my flannel pjs to watch some of these shows over a leisurely breakfast...

Daughterly Doings

At 12 years of age, she:

• Voluntarily helps her younger brother to clean and organise his room! What?!
• Is caring with healing hands.
• Bakes bundt cake, cookies and brownies.
• Prepares a leg of lamb.
• Crafts her own Halloween decorations for a party.
• Sings like an angel.
• Makes a scrapbook for her friend.
• Is not embarrassed by her Mom and jokes: That's MY mommy. That's my MOMMY.

That's MY girl. How blessed am I to have her in my life.

Titanic Exhibition

I was lucky to be a guest of the Herald Sun at its special event viewing of the Titanic exhibit last night, presented by promoter Michael Gudinski at the Melbourne Museum. It was interesting to hear Gudinski and the Herald & Weekly Times' Peter Blunden describe the huge success so far of this emotive exhibit.






The reconstruction of the ship's Grand Staircase, a two-tonne chunk of the hull and a glacial wall that you can touch are some of the fascinating elements to experience.


Spend a day at the marvellous, mesmerising Melbourne Museum with beaut dedicated volunteers and staff.


Especially if you are going with children, it's worth watching The Titanic movie and Night at the Museum and Night at the Museum 2 to set the scene before your visit.