Nature + creativity = :)

Like I said, I'm in Sydney. It's strange revisting places you've lived - strange and not-strange, which makes it more strange. Anyway, as usual I'm thinking about sense of place and the character of different cities. This is something I always like to think about, but now it actually has significance, as I'm going to have to decide where in Latin America I should go. For some reason I can't quite identify (the Spirit's nudging?) I've always imagined myself living in a big city. And yet I adore the intimacy of Hobart's population. But I would die inside if I were to end up in an ugly, workaday small city.

I was thinking about these things as I made my way to Croydon in yesterday's peak hour. The sky was grey, the air humid and the people sullen and hard. But today I had dumplings in Ashfield with the lovely Grace and afterwards wandered around getting my fringe cut and buying jumbo chalk with joy in my heart. I love all the busy people intent on their errands and all the crowded shopfronts.

Later still that generous, big-dropped, sweet-smelling Sydney rain poured down and I stood on the front porch watching the cars plough past.