Retirees on the Gold Coast have been hard-hit by the GFC (is that still on here - by some reports we're over it) as evidenced in the downturn in eyes down .... yes, bingo is not as popular and/or folk are spending less. This appears to be a wider trend than just three folk missing from Broadbeach over the last couple of weeks. Not news people want to hear any more than Kylie Minogue wants to hear that she is "still No. 2" having failed to budge Eminem off the top of the Australian album charts. Not even a week of TV appearances here has helped album sales enough to give her the coveted No. 1 position - although it has given her occasion to tell the story of her first visit to Danni and the new baby - and being embarrassed at Ethan's bathtime to realise that it was she who was to hand the little one to brother-in-law Chris in the tub - and this only dawning as she realised Chris was standing there in a towel and his birthday suit waiting for her to be ready.
Optus has emailed to advise they will have the new iPhone 4 at 11.59pm this Thursday 29 July. Wonder if S was thinking there would be an iPhone for her that quickly? (Just kiddng - really!) They make no mention of the availability of an 8GB 3GS iPhone - which was launched at the same time as the iPhone 4 in the US.
S was cooking dinner when I arrived home but she did take time out to change out of her MWC. They have had a fair amount of wear in the last week and a half so it's good that she has another chance to "dress up".
It turns out that everone was right about the weather - it was fine but it did also pour down when Joan, from work, and I headed to Mermaid Waters to pick up the work car which has been de-dinged. Our trek took us past The Big House and it was noted that there is not yet a large billboard out the front with images of missing patrons and the plea "Have you seen this person?" I was tempted to visit on your behalf and may another day when I have more time and S is with me. Today I was content to go back to work and the timesheets.
The personal attacks on our would-be Prime Minister Elect continue. It will be good when one or both parties, and The Greens as well, start trotting out some policies for people to think about -
infinitely more interesting that the size of someone's nose! And K Rudd assures us that it is not he who is leaking information to the press about JG's personal policy preferences.
I do not know how Pearl manages to play fetch in the gathering gloom after I get home - especially if I have called into Aldi on the way as I did tonight. I throw the ball and she races
off after it but I cannot see her once she gets up near the shed - but come back with the ball she does. I can only imagine what kind of hunter she would be if she wasn't so fond of avocadoes - if she could get some. Mind you the lot of them seemed to be champing at the bit the other night when it was raining to go in search of ... frogs! Makes a change from the garage mouse (who has not recently been sighted).
Did you know that the GC is bidding for a Games. Someone mentioned it in passing the other day and I thought they were joking until I saw it in The Bully today. Wouldn't that be exciting - and a fillip for local employment. Who knew that there was such a differential - supposedly 10% on the northern end of the Coast, 5% elsewhere. Or that Redcliffe is being fast-tracked for a rail line in the election promises. This was one of the promises made by Miss JG when she visited the Gold Coast today. The visit itself seems to have taken people by surprise but surely someone must have known she was coming.
C+ isn't the kind of mark I'm used to but that was what Rachel received for her "area" homework. She didn't have any feedback besides that - which was a shame, especially as there was science homework this evening. What happened to the population over the course of the two years? Population? Biotic? Abiotic? D+?
James Bond (Daniel Craig) as Mikael Blomkvist. Can't see it myself but that's who slated to play the part in the US production of Dragon Tattoo Girl. Lisbeth deliberations continue with three women I've never heard of rumoured to be on the short list. Back with the book: the halfway point has been reached. T has informed me that there is a forensic error coming up - which is kind of her, given I had only asked her to tell me about impending sightings of two new characters in the book.
Canungra is about to get its first supermarket - an IGA which beat out both Coles and Woolworths for the gig. The new development, recently okayed by the Scenic Rim Council, will be built behind the Last Outpost Cafe. Just won't be the same. But there may be a bit of a wait - a condition of the permit is there have to be 1800 occupied dwellings in the "catchment area" before construction may start - which could be as far away as 2019.
And lastly, they talk about things being bigger than Ben Hur - and that's what they saying about "Ben Hur" a lavish two-performance production with a cast of 700 and narrated by Russell Crowe planned for Sydney in October At this point it's unknown whether the newly signed-up RC will do it live, pre-record it, or phone it in.
