Cass hosted her annual Book Club soiree on Friday night and it was the culmination of some weeks of some quite considerable planning and effort. As I mentioned last week, it's hard to believe that a relatively simple meal for six people could assume the logistics of the D Day landings in Normandy, yet somehow....!
Apparently the hottest topic of discussion was not their current book, but the staus of the world as we know it. We've been collectively shocked in the last week by DT winning the American presidential election, despite all predictions to the contrary. The guy himself seemed quite unprepared for the outcome, which made me question whether he was really seriously considering taking on the office. What does this mean, especially coming on the back of the BREXIT decision and the minor rise of ultra conservatives like Pauline Hanson in Australia?
There have been a myriad of articles written, debates fought and views espoused, some fair and reasoned while others have been vitriolic or hysterical, on both sides of the argument. I wouldn't like to weigh in with my relatively ill-informed world view, except to say that there appears to a genuine sense that established political machines are just not representative of the people in this age. To me, it looks like politicians round the world will have to reassess how they're connecting to their electorates, or run the risk of "people power" electing some maverick choices. These people may or may not be successful: time will tell!
The mood around our campus has been interesting. There are a few out and proud republicans who are quietly celebrating, yet the vast majority is a little hang dog at the moment. Some of them have articulated their feelings as exasperation or embarrassment. One of my colleagues even had the day off to lie in bed, unable to face work the day after the election! The departing president probably summed it up best by stating that the sun would still rise tomorrow morning, so let's just get on with it. Good advice!
After the big Friday night, we relished some glorious weather and real down time for the weekend. We got out to eat at Din Tai Feng and have a little retail window shop in a creamy lit Saturday afternoon down at the Sogo forecourt. My streaming app for the cricket worked well, but the Aussie cricketers didn't respond in kind, being slowly and surely strangled by the inexorably steady hand of the South Africans.
On Sunday we had a little wander in the neighbourhood, eschewing the rugged delights and cardio bursting appeal of the "steps". The bridge across "Sulfur Creek" is a great vantage point to check out our immediate area, as witnessed by the video above, or here. The sun was coursing through the parks and open areas as the water flowed strongly under the bridge and out to the Damshui River tributaries. The sky was padded by tiles of cloud, all trussed up like a leg of lamb bursting from its string cocoon. What a delight to stroll across to the shops on this route.
Photos: Cass working pavlova wonders in our little toaster oven, steam punk style artwork from the elementary kids, the moving seat addition to our stairwell for the elderly upstairs, DinTai Feng, lilies, glorious weather and the "girls".