Guilty is as guilty does.

I am feeling more relaxed right now than I have in a long, long time. It helps that I’m listening to the Debussy preludes – I’m yawning my head off right now.

Well the ordeal is over – sort of. My sister’s ex entered a plea bargain which she took. He pleaded guilty to the rape charge, and all of the indecent assault charges bar one. The story, briefly as it is my sister’s story to tell – my sister and her ex separated in December 2005. Since then he’s been a sick fucker who has stalked her and done things we never thought he was capable of. In June last year he raped her, and tried to choke/smother her to death. She was left with some pretty nasty injuries – though none that were visible. They charged him with the sexual assault but couldn’t get him on “attempted murder”. There were a number of indecent assault charges as well. The plea bargain meant that one of the indecent assault charges was dropped – being the one from previous to the night of the rape where he used to drug her and ‘take advantage of her’ when she was totally unconscious.

In accepting the plea bargain it meant we didn’t have to sit through a trial and she didn’t have to get up on the stand and face that ordeal. It also ensured that he pay for what he did. We were told by the Crown Prosecutor that rape cases hardly ever get a conviction, and here in this town … never. Believe it or not, the worst jurors to have on a rape case (for the victim anyway) are women. Women side more with the defendant than males do. Figure that one out. This sickened us. So hence accepting the bargain.

So now … we wait for sentencing which won’t happen for another five weeks (sigh). And he is still out on bail. We have been told that all he might get is weekend detention which SUCKS but I’m refusing to let that get to me at least until we find out.

We celebrated quietly afterwards. I took her to the art gallery to see the Archibald Exhibition as I had promised as it leaves this weekend … she was blown away by it and said it was the perfect distraction. Afterwards I took her to lunch at a local cafe which is the best around – it has won a tonne of NSW tourism awards. The food there is beyond delicious and they make the best coffee.

Balancing out the shitty stuff with beauty, and I’ve really had a day of it so far … ironically 🙂

Lovely David always bringing new beauty into my life …

We’ve been discussing Poe. As in Edgar Allan Poe not the band Poe 🙂 We were talking about his ability to paint pictures with words – his landscape descriptions are wondrous. David was telling me of one particular story I haven’t read that is describing a scene which is actually a scene in a painting. The painting is by a fellow by the name of Thomas Cole, who was the founder of the Hudson River School (which is an art movement, not a school). I had heard of it, I had barely looked at that style of art but this morning I did and so I’ve found yet more art to love. I’ve barely touched the surface at looking at his work and work of other artists in this movement but what I’ve found so far is fantastic – landscapes which are so very detailed. Cole did a number of allegorical landscapes as well. Two series in particular … The Voyage of Life, and The Course of Empire. I also looked at one of his students – Frederic Edwin Church – whose work makes more use of colour and I think I like him even more. I have absolutely fallen in love with his painting “The Icebergs”. Of course … pictures following 🙂

Thinking about Poe painting pictures with words reminds me of that quote about musicians painting pictures on silence. One reason I love the French Impressionists so much – Debussy shows us boats on calm seas, raging oceans, rippling water, autumn leaves, fog, fireworks … all number of beautiful things.

I still haven’t finished Harry Potter (sigh). Not even half way through it. Although I’m enjoying it mightily so far. It’s just a matter of time, and the fact that I fall asleep the minute Liam goes to bed lately lol! But I’m determined to finish as fast as I can because two other books arrived yesterday which I’m DYING to get to. They’d been on my wishlist for so long and now I finally have them. “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin – an old classic – a pre-runner to Anais Nin in the woman and sensuality stakes. And … the first volume of Anais Nin’s diaries. I cannot wait. But I will not let myself start until I finish HP.

Enjoy these…

The Voyage of Life Childhood – an allegorical painting by Thomas Cole

The Course of Empire Desolation – Thomas Cole

The Icebergs – Frederic Edwin Church

Morning In The Tropics  – Frederic Edwin Church

Currently listening : Debussy & Ravel: Piano Works – Samson Francois (6 CD’s) By Samson Francois Release date: 02 November, 2004