Today, for the first time, I actually marketed, taking full responsibility for apples (three varieties including the last of this season's Pink Ladies), oranges, mandarins, bananas and strawberries. S continues to do the serious vegetable shopping to make sure we have what we need for the menu plan for the week. (I almost believed that myself!)
It was a decent crowd again, as the markets get busier and busier. F & M were there, a little late again - which is going to make train travel in Europe interesting! We have been trying to instil in M that if the timetable says the train leaves at 9:03, that's when it leaves and if you're there at 9:04 you will have to wait for the next one.
Debra was at one of the banana stalls but just rushing in and out as they were running late for a kid's party so she didn't come for coffee. But A (fresh from travels) and N did come before N went off to catch up with friends. A stayed to chat and fill us in about their Middle Eastern adventures - including date-picking at the side of the highway - and about the spinach which M planted before they left which now had leaves longer than her arm and wider than Prince. We went over to have a look - and it was both these things - truly the biggest spinach we have ever seen. We took photos which we'll post on FaceBook. Prince, home again, did not give me the welcome I expected - for which I am very grateful! His last week was reportedly not one of the best of his vacation - no O, no Sox, kids, confined to the garage and laundry - and a very upset tummy. Poor P but he seemed glad to be home although he had already been walkabout a number of times that morning!
Others at the Markets - N and daughter C. Not much French talk today but a few more laughs. They went for a walk at Binnaburra yesterday - 12km - something to do with M's chocolate cheesecake at Friday night dinner.
On the way home from the Markets we bought the kids their weight in dog and cat food from Bernie's. "Where is Bernie's?" I asked as we made our way down Upton Street. "It's the big yellow building down further." I hoped she meant JB Hi-Fi further down the road and not the competition pet people across the road - but she didn't. But we did make it to Bernie's - and wow, there is some wonderful stuff in there. I wasn't so keen on the "meaty treats" at the front counter but the real cat sitting near the door and being friendly did get me in - and the automatic pet feeders and the cat watering fountain. I can see the latter would have applications but not in our present set-up - the last thing I need to hear is watering running through the night!
When you wish upon a star - makes no difference who you are: so says the song - but does it matter what it is - as in, if you wish upon the evening star and it is indeed Venus (as S says and not Mars as I tried to say it was, as I would) are you wishing upon a star? And, if not, does your wish count? The stars and planets at Latimers continue to be amazing. City folk really have no idea what they are missing.
We took a rest from the news and politicians and such today. There will be an opportunity tomorrow though to meet the Wright and Moncrieff candidates at the local Bicentennial Hall. Could be fun - but we would have to watch out not to encourage them too much. Might be interesting to find out what local constituents want to ask of/them.
M gave S some plants from his garden when we visited - chilli and something else. She is fairly excited and it's good that she will be able to plant them now that I have rescued them from the rubbish bin. It was an honest mistake - I thought the bag with the mandarin skins was rubbish - and because the bag was green too, I didn't realise until much later, when S came looking for them, what I'd done.
The vegetable garden continues to thrive and S is looking to expand the crops to include cucumber. She is about to make way for it by moving some "purple stuff" - she didn't even bother trying to tell me its proper name but I know what she means.
The letterbox was full again today when we cleaned it out. The post office people aren't trying as hard as they could though because it was packed a bit sloppily and twice as much could have been stuffed in there if they'd really tried. At least there weren't any "more inside" slips there so S knows how much is there to process and attend to.
We keep meaning to get in touch with S to see how she's going with that hubby and the animals. The last time we talked was the day of the MC final when she rang to see who we were barracking for. But at least we are remembering to check the phone for messages now and have passed on our mobile numbers in case she needs/wants to get in contact.
So ... all the kids have had their supper cookies and are tucked in, S and I are having an early one, and it's time for all at Latimers to call it a night so we can do it all again tomorrow.
