Day 81 (Wednesday)

I'm sure things are happening in the world - the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games for instance - but for some reason I haven't seen or heard the news for days. When I did it was about more armed hold-ups on the Coast, the horrific road toll over the holiday weekend, tit-for-tat schoolyard goings-on in our Federal Parliament ... and the list goes on. All this seems very far removed from life at Latimers where the things of concern are more bucolic ... Has the farrier done a good job with Hermes' feet, how much water is in the tank, is there petrol for the ride-on mower, what are the names of the horses in the near paddocks, and how do you get small frog like creatures out of the house without them being pounced on by one of the animals? To say we are "knee-deep" in amphibians at the moment would be an exaggeration but there are a few. When Pearl goes outside to attend to those things a dog must do outside, she seems to be taking longer than usual and walks with her nose close to the ground, very much like she's looking for something - and it isn't truffles. I swear she was licking her lips on the way back in at one point and I wondered if she had taken the opportunity to just taste one of the little visitors. Not being an amphibian aficionado, I'm not sure what type they are but I don't think they are cane toads - otherwise we would be very concerned about Pearl tasting them, even a little, since their skin secretes an hallucinogenic substance - so we've heard ... or perhaps that's just for/to people.

Even though I tried not to be jealous of the others having seen whales yesterday, I admit I was a little so I was very pleased to have the opportunity today to visit their viewing vantage point and gaze far out to sea in search of them. There was plenty else to see including kite-boarders skudding up and down the beach in a very strong coastal gale, traffic banked up on the Gold Coast Highway and the complex that replaced Montego Motel. It was a wonderful interlude - nice food, a cold ale (ginger) and good company. All topped of with a whale sighting! I considered naming it "Wally" because I had spent so much time looking for it.

It was quite late by the time we arrived back at Latimers and the kids, even though they had been fed at the usual time, were wondering why their supper cookies were not in their bowls. It was a good try on their part but since it wasn't quite yet that time of the evening, they had to wait. But it did get them all in in time for an early "lock down".

It seems to get earlier each year but the Jacarandas are out already - some have even seen the better part of their full bloom and are already dropping blossoms into that wonderful under-tree purple carpet. The word "miasma" comes to mind but is totally inappropriate. It sounds as though it could mean something nice rather than quite the opposite.

So, what will the new theme for the Gold Coast be? It's about to be launched in the next couple of days and will replace "Very GC" which was an attempt to add a little (more) "sophistication" to the Coast's image. By all reports, it didn't work. The plan now is to portray the Coast as somewhere where you have "Fun". (Do you have to write "fun with a capital F" if you write "Fun"?) The "fun" tag should be relatively easy in the state "where Australia shines".

The sun favoured us with it's presence yet again today ... or rather, the rain clouds stayed away. It feels as though it's going to be a (long) hot Summer and talk has already started of how the relocated Southerners are going to keep their cool as the temperature rises. Will there be a plunge pool (aka kiddies wading pool) in Latimers' future? Air conditioning? Runs through the sprinkler? Early morning visits to the local pool? Lots of cold showers? As S said on the way home last night, it's a small price to pay ... (un)bearable heat for the joy it brings us and our loved ones to be living on the Coast - especially here at Latimers.