The place was like a shell with gold tickle of toi-toi around its edges and grass and weeds growing in green fur over mounds of rubbish.

- Janet Frame: Owls do cry

The above describes "the site of the Cross St rubbish dump, situated behind the present Red Kettle Youth Hostel. Symbolically, the dump is central to (her book) "Owls do cry".

Watched an incredible movie tonight by Jane Campion, director of The Piano. About another incredible woman, New Zealand author, Janet Frame. The movie was her autobiography, An Angel At My Table. There's actually mroe to the title as it was done in three parts as was her book, but I don't remember all of it.

Being a writer, sometimes full of the kind of angst one hopes will inspire great inspiration, I felt a kinship with her, thanking my lucky stars I didn't go through some of the particular hells she was forced did, including 8 years in a mental hospital and over 200 electric shock *treatments*. That she survived those, intact enough to produce great literature and best sellers is phenomenal, IMHO.

The music for the movie was well-researched and really exquisite, esp. a Robbie Burns one, which, you are going to hate me, I cannot remember the name of and didn't have a pen handy. When I have more time, I will go find a website and look it up from the movie.

kat