We Can Be Royals

Waiting for the Anzac Day March

The Royals

Servicemen and Women

The Turks in the march

The ceremony 

Peter Fitzsimons, PM Tony Abbott and Darren Chester MP

Wills on his way to plant a Lone Pine 

Catherine helps to plant the Lone Pine

If they're good enough for Royal bottoms, these seats are good enough for Miss Bliss and me

Today is ANZAC Day in Australia and New Zealand. People in towns, cities and outback places attended Dawn services and morning marches to commemorate the 99th landing of Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli and to remember all those who have died at war.

Miss Bliss and I attended the morning service at the Australian War Memorial to show our respect and to do a spot of Royal watching.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been visiting Canberra this week and while we have seen lots of police on traffic duty it wasn't until today that we finally saw the young Royals.

Here is a selection of photos from the War Memorial. It's days like today that fighting for our freedom ring true. How many nations in the world allow their citizens to attend such dignified occasions with no overt security measures in place. There was the Governor-General, the Prime Minister, the Third in line to the British throne and assorted others and thousands of ordinary people were invited to be there as well.

Thanks to Emma who handed out Anzac biscuits to everyone on the bus back to our cars. They were the biscuits the Royals rejected.

Hope everyone who could get to an ANZAC ceremony did. Lest We Forget.

Art, art, art

I've set myself a challenge. I'm going to have an art exhibition.

Today I went to see an exhibition by one of Margaret Hadfield's students Andrew Smith.

Andrew painted his first picture six years ago and even though he sold it he knew he needed art lessons so he found Margaret and has been learning from her ever since. For Christmas his daughters gave him an exhibition space so he could have his first show.

What a brilliant idea.

Colour and Light  is on at the M16 Artspace in the Canberra suburb of Griffith until 13 April. Andrew's exhibition is entirely wonderful and he has inspired me to work towards having my own exhibition. I'm gradually developing my style and will work hard to paint some glorious pictures.

Margaret: www.hadfieldgallery.com/

Andrew www.artbyandrew.net

M16 Artspace: www.m16artspace.com

Me: http://artxmargot.blogspot.com.au

Art and the Birthday Eve

It is the eve of my son's 17th birthday and I was reflecting this morning to my colleagues on his birth.

It was a long and complicated experience, with me being induced because the baby was two weeks overdue. I should have known my baby was going to miss its due date which would have meant I had a Pisces child.  I had made red curtains for the baby's room and bought loads of red clothes.

So I had a headstrong Aries boy born on 4/4/97. The doctor said it would be a good birthdate as I wouldn't forget it. Do mother's often forget their children's birthdays I asked him. Yes, his own mother had.

My lovely boy is still as headstrong as he was on the day he was born and I love him for it.

My latest project in life is a labour of love: my painting classes. I knew after three lessons that I had found where I should be. As the lessons have progressed my skills are improving and the 2.5 hours at class every Saturday is one of my favourite times of the week.

Check out my art here: http://artxmargot.blogspot.com.au/