Day 52 (Tuesday)

Labor wins! It's a decision that was a long time coming - even more so as the nation waited - with bated breath - for the last undeclared independent, Rob Oakeshott, to go through his reasons, point by point, for deciding the way he did. Unkindly, 17 minutes later with no clues given, this has led to suggestions that he not be nominated as the Speaker of the House as he will take it as an invitation to do just that! In the end, the independents' decision seems to have come down to equity - finally a chance for Regional folk to be a little more like their City cousins or at least to start to have access to similar things. Broadband was very high on the list, together with climate change action, and regional education opportunities. (Hopefully they linked a no-internet-filter strategy to the Broadband as this would just undo the benefit of faster speeds.)

So ... much popping of Champagne corks throughout the land - and by offshore Australians and expats - to mark the election of our first female Prime Minister. For those of us who don't drink, it was off to the local to celebrate! And either Tuesday night is family night or lots of people had the same idea. Or could it have had something to do with the poker tournament that was on there?

We were a little excited thinking it might also be meat tray night but that raffle has been discontinued due to falling patronage. But they haven't canned it completely - it's actually on a Wednesday night and there's now a cash prize of $100.

It's a big month up there with events including the Annual Sportsman's Lunch with none other as a guest - with star billing - than our very own L. The whole event has a racing theme and is for charity - $100 a seat or a table of ten for $1000. And speaking of L, I'm not sure why but I went looking for images of him on the internet and found some very good ones of him from his jockey days. I didn't realise that he'd ridden winners in both the Melbourne Cup and the Golden Slipper!

It's still very quiet in the office - even more so as everyone is starting to congregate in one "pod" now. Rod obviously thinks we all need a morale boost ... I turned around this afternoon to find him wearing a bow tie ... that his son had made for him at school out of cardboard and rubber stars. It was truly amazing - larger than life - about a foot across, and I wouldn't have been at all surprised if Rob had pressed a button and it had started twirling and flashing. It appears we are still no closer to a decision - but then, we really aren't expecting a formal yay or nay until the Board meets at the end of the month but it would be nice to get an indication.

We're trying to decide whether to go to the Carnival of Flowers in Toowoomba in a couple of weeks' time. I've just seen something about a steam train trip from Brisbane to there so that might be quite interesting. I will need to do some research and find out how long it takes and what time we would need to be in Brisbane to catch it. Maybe we could stay overnight with S and A - and take them with us!

There has still been no word from D from the south (or the Great Kafoops as I call him) and I am trying to work out whether we should wrest Maggie from her position on his good white shirt before or after we hear from him. (Reminds me, I'd better go out and turn the car over again.) She seems to be enjoying it very much and know that while it is no substitute for her mother, she seems to be happy on it. S washed the rest of the "furry" things from around the house today, in preparation for the weekend visitors and their cat allergies. Seems that more people have them these days - but still keep their cats!

Pearl was very pleased to see me home in daylight today and even though S had only played with her a while before, she raced out, ball in mouth, to have a play with me as well. She is incredibly fair! I did a mix of long and short throws for her, knowing that as soon as she had had enough, she would, on that last one, keep going past me into the house rather than dropping the ball at my feet for another one. I'm always sure to do the "finished" no-deal-arm-gesture with her, just so she knows that we won't be playing again and that we certainly won't, repeat won't, be playing ball in the house! Tink and Beaz also came out to play tonight ... but Maggie didn't - because she's getting as much fur onto that white shirt as she possibly can ... I'll have to take a photo of it because there's so much there you'd think she would be bald by now.

Pearl has finished her steroids and antibiotics and seems to not be worrying those areas any more so that's a good result. Well done sit-on-the-floor vet and also to S who has diligently been doing the tablet feeding and finding new and exciting ways to make sure Pearl takes them.

Which reminds me, I must remember to remind S (so she can get used to the idea that she may need to change out of those MWC that she loves so much) that we have that Dam barbeque tomorrow!