A special day

All family, including Sarah, assembled for Dick's 100th run on his 70th birthday. Lee and Em had a busy working bee late Friday afternoon making about 70 cup cakes which they iced at 6am with hundreds and thousands on top. It was very windy so we parked the car near the finish to protect the cakes, ready to serve. We ran in our milestone shirts.
The family stats read out included 400 parkruns, at ? locations, in 8 countries, and ? vollies.
We then headed to Urban Cup for coffee and were joined by Owen Wheatley from Tuesday walkers and Indian philosophers.
Home with leftover cupcakes for more breakfast and pizza and ? salad for lunch.
Jim and Sarah headed off to Daisy Kratzings Christmas party in the afternoon and we tried out the new 24 km western section of the TSRC which opened at 4pm, from Mort Street to Athol on the Gore Highway and return.
Sunday morning  after we all went for a swim, Lee Em and I took the new road from Warrego Hwy at Charlton to Cecil Plains road for our trip to the tip shop where we dumped Margaret Vineys metal table and chairs [rusting and not prepared to do them up a second time] and got a tumbler composter and 2 jigsaws.

Glorious

A play based on Florence Foster Jenkins, the queen of the sliding scale. Directed by Mark Phythian with Elaine Coates as Florence and Brett Fahey as Cosme McMoon. They did a wonderful job of both roles. It was worth seeing the original footage on UTube - would have been better if we had seen it before the show as Elaine really did her homework well. She agreed that she put a lot of work into it and said Brett was amazing how he stayed with her despite her never doing it the same.
Also Kerrie Edwards as Maria the spanish speaking maid was special. Other actors were Ken Morrissey as St Clair Byfield, Beth Geoghegan as Dorothy and Robbie Campbell as Mrs Verrinder-Gedge.
We were listed in the program in the production team - props- as we made the trolley that the dog was pulled across the stage in. A good working bee morning.
Emily came with us.

Don Quixote

 Teatro alla Scala ballet Lyric Theatre QPAC simulcast to regions

Carnival Plays

Inconceivable by Hugh O'Brien is a drama about a journalist's search for the reason of a dropping birth rate in a South East Queensland town.

At first the cause is thought to be a fungicide used by local grape growers but as she digs deeper a far more sinister reason raises its head.

Directed by Lynette Hodgson

Cat Ardi Brennan, Robyn Campbell, Peter Bevan, Mark Phythian, Helen Holmes

Fireflies is a drama/comedy by Bruce Clark about a career farmer living on the Darling Downs and the lengths he must go to to save the family farm despite his only son seeing his future elsewhere.

Directed by Mike Taylor

Ken Morrissey, Bev Irwin-Taylor, Adam Goldfinch, Alaina Macdonald, Kylie Zadow, Fiona Quinn

Winter Nocturne

Our winter concert held at Choral Hall on Saturday night at 7pm, featuring works depicting the peace and tranquility of the night.
Not as full as we had hoped but Barry and Donna, Ian Harding and Carlene came.

Femme Vocale

A classical vocal recital by Toowoomba born and educated Griffith University Conservatorium graduating students Georgia Carter, granddaughter of Leona, and Nina Wildman.
Held at St Lukes on Sunday afternoon, it was well worth going to. I sat behind Leona and next to Ann Thomas.

Plaza Suite

Plaza Suite by Neil Simon

Sat, 14 Jul 2018 to Sat, 28 Jul 2018

Directed by Adrian Smith

Christine Anderson, Helen Holmes Alan Richardson, Shara Gampe, Alli Purtill

Mark Phythian/Peter Devey, Kieran Phythian

Three acts - Three separate couples staying at different times in 1973 in Suite 719 of New York's City Plaza Hotel [overlooking Central park ?]

The play is a comedy with a quite sad undercurrent, and is a wonderful display of Neil Simon's genius for creating humour from the lives and troubles of ordinary people.

Steel Magnolias

Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling

Sat, 28 Apr 2018 to Sat, 12 May 2018

Directed by Mike Taylor
Alli Purtill, Angela Ponting, Jennifer Langton, Julia winning, Beth Geoghegan, Bev Irwin-Taylor

Set in Truvy's beauty shop, six southern spitfires gather to gossip and support each other through thick and thin.

Great Houses of Ipswich

Another 3 houses in this series. How many years and how many houses is it now?
This year Brighton Cottage in Waghorn street, just down from the water tank on Denmark Hill. A lovely garden and a house full of collections including french furniture and antique lace in frames. The owners have an artistic eye and although very crowded with things, it was very nice. The underlying cottage layout/renovation and also the garden was very pleasing.
Rossili - a large house on Brisbane road near the girls grammar. Entrance is now from the rear. Interesting but disappointing in the mix of furniture in an era when antique furniture is hard to sell. More money spent on this and a bit less on renovation and modern features. Views across to Mt Cootha. We had a nice walk across Queens Park to see it, returning through the Japanese garden.
After lunch we walked up Thorn street to Dougleen - a 1920s stone and brick house with interesting features including a marble arch from entry hall to dining room. It is a compact house and the owners have done it up nicely although there were a lot of steps- to the added lounge and in the garden. 

The Ladies Foursome

The Ladies Foursome by Norm Foster

Sat, 17 Feb 2018 to Sat, 3 Mar 2018

Our members and patrons might be interested to read the Stage Whispers review of this production. Congratulations to Peter Devey (director) and his cast and production team on a terrific show.
For more information, see:	www.stagewhispers.com.au/reviews/ladies-foursome Directed by peter Devey Anneke Shea, Helen Holmes, Elaine Coates, Beth Geoghegan

Rep AGM

Once again we turned up for the AGM in case they were short of numbers and because it is a bit like a play with familiar characters and we are gradually becoming part of it.