Practically perfect in every way

Things have been a bit tough in the thoughts that we hold dear household. Nowhere near the kind of toughness that other people all over the world (and in New Zealand) face everyday, but tough, nevertheless.

And then it's been that dragging dull early spring time, when one's thoughts lightly turn to love (and BBQs and asparagus and sandals) but the weather doesn't actually play along. I was bemoaning my mood on the phone to my lovely dad the other day, and he wisely reminded me that this is, in fact, the hardest time of the year - the promise of spring while we struggle with winter light in the mornings pre-Daylight Savings, the wild weather, the waning stores of Vitamin D in our bodies.

So we all need a little sunshine, a sense of a lingering summer evening, a glistening promise of asparagus and strawberries and salty skin and caramelised meat.

So last night, in a blustery gale, I set off, intrepidly I thought, clad only in a silk cocktail frock and silver heels (no jacket, no tights!) for the Auckland premiere of Mary Poppins, accompanied by my lovely daughter - that's us above, a quick instagram before jumping in the car.

What a show! Glorious breath-taking stagecraft, beautiful performances, amazing sets - like an Edwardian doll's house, bright costumes. The dancing! The songs! Oh it was heavenly to be there, seated up in the gods, looking down on the Civic's beauty while lights played against the old walls and Bella smiled and smiled next to me.

We dashed to the car across Aotea Square, while our fellow Mary Poppins-goers spilled out into the street, mingling with the many international triathalon teams in town, and joining up with the crowds exiting the Town Hall (another marvellous venue) after the Auckland Philharmonic's performance of Bach's Mass in B Minor. Bella was momentarily perturbed by a group (what is the correct collective noun here?) of nuns - but was pleased to learn they'd been at something nun-appropriate.

The mixing crowds made me so eager for the 2013 season - the Auckland Arts Festival 6-24 March,  the launch of the Royal New Zealand Ballet's 60th anniversary season in the premiere of three short ballets Made to Move, on February 27th; New Zealand Opera's season of Madame Butterfly, which opens in Auckland in April.

But I'm not wishing this year away, despite its toughness. There's Giselle - one of my all-time favourite ballets - in November; GLOW - a carol concert my kids have sung in since 2009, on December 16; before then there's Halloween, and Guy Fawkes, and Thanksgiving - times to eat and spend time with family and friends. When things are tough, sitting around a table with people you love is pretty much the best thing to do.