Mists, Music and sixteen years
- Christine Collister
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Bog Post No. 2 – February 2026
Sweet reader,
I hope you are well — finding comfort in one another, in the small everyday things that hold us together, and solace in the natural world. The outer world is… disturbing, to say the least. I hope you’ll allow me, here, to bring a little light into the darkness.
Before I get too far ahead of myself, let me remind you that we spent most of February in Bali, at the most gorgeous little hideaway retreat. Puri Arsa is tucked into the heart of a small village on Jalan Tegal Temu, near Tanah Lot on Bali’s western coast. The owner, Made Arsa, is a delightful, kind and generous man, and the two young women who cared for us during our stay couldn’t have been more gracious.
We spent much of our time simply resting in this beautiful place. I continued my funny little art pieces, edited a book I wrote over twelve years ago, kept up my daily writing practice, and read — a lot. We ventured out twice with two fellow guests, Sabine and Andreas from Germany. Sharing a taxi, we explored Lake Batur, the volcanic crater lake in Kintamani. Though the nearby volcano hid behind low cloud, it was beautiful nonetheless. We also visited a water temple and later enjoyed a fabulous meal at Liap Liap Folk in Ubud — a gem Bob and I discovered last year.
REEL HERE !
A week later, the four of us returned to Ubud simply for the atmosphere. On both visits, the rain was our almost constant companion. It hardly mattered. The air was warm, the scenery lush, and the swirling mists lent everything an added layer of mystery.
Bob and I celebrated our sixteenth wedding anniversary on February 13th. We marked the day with a special brunch at Lily By The Sea, a gorgeous beachside restaurant a few kilometres from Puri Arsa. Naturally, I revisited the infamous fifty-five seconds of wedding hilarity that still makes us laugh out loud. Sixteen years married, twenty-six
together — laughter is the glue that makes even the hardest times bearable.
Our time in Bali was deeply restorative, but eventually it was time to re-enter our usual — still delightful — lives. We flew into Sydney on February 22nd, stayed overnight near the airport, and picked up a rental car the next morning. After visiting Jo for a gorgeous hug in Dee Why, we colletced CDs and stage clothes for the tour, and headed ninety minutes north to Woy Woy.
Ina and Michael Fine have run The Troubadour Folk Club on the Central Coast for many years. They are generous, enthusiastic music lovers and community builders par excellence. We stayed in their little cottage at the top of their garden while we reacclimatised, enjoying good food and even better company until Michael Fix arrived the day before our first show on February 26th.
It had been about ten months since Michael and I last played together, but you wouldn’t have known it. We slipped straight back into that sweet performance space where everything flows. Our first show, at the Everglades Club — promoted by The Troubadour Folk Club — was a roaring success. With over a hundred people in attendance, including some of our favourite faces and the rest of Hat Trick (the fabulous Aussie band Michael has long played with), it was a memorable night. Mary Mahony joined us on fiddle for Paul Simon’s Late in the Evening — always a joy when fellow musicians add their magic. Thank you, Mary!
Our heartfelt thanks, too, to Ina and Michael for their beautiful hosting and for creating such a special evening for everyone. Until next time!
Our second show took us to a new venue: the Prince’s Opera House Theatre in Gulgong, NSW. It was a four-hour drive from Woy Woy (thank you, Bob — you’re the best!), and we arrived with just enough time for a quick S.C.A.N. — Senior Citizens After Nap!
This concert was lovingly organised by our dear friends Pu-Yu and Craig, who moved to Gulgong from Tuggerah a few years ago. Once again, we were reminded how fortunate we are to be surrounded by such capable, generous community builders. We were looked after royally and welcomed by a wonderful crowd in that beautiful old theatre, their enthusiasm infectious from the first note.
Pu-Yu is an exceptional flautist and pianist, and Craig a wonderful drummer. In Tuggerah they ran the highly successful Intuition School of Music and hope to recreate it in Gulgong. We were thrilled to have them join us on Forever Autumn— what an honour.
I think it’s safe to say we’ll be returning as soon as possible. Thank you, Pu-Yu and Craig — and to all those gorgeous audience members who expressed their appreciation so warmly. We are very blessed.
After dropping Michael at Sydney Airport yesterday — March 1st already! — Bob and I are now heading to Victoria to spend time with friends before returning to the NSW coast for our next run of shows in Lansdowne, Gloucester and Harrington on March 13th, 14th and 15th. Perhaps we’ll see you there?
Between now and the next blog post, there will be a plethora of Collister & Fix shows to share.
Until then, dear sweet reader — stay well, be curious and keep rising above the turbulence. And remember, keep hope alive and peace in your heart. Know that you are loved and appreciated.
With love and gratitude, as always,
Christine x
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