Most people find a way to celebrate the Melbourne Cup. At work we had a Melbourne Cup lunch and then watched the race on the televisions in the kitchens - with us split very much into "upstairs" and "downstairs" which had nothing to do with the English class system but was based on where you happened to be when the race started - and where you thought you would get the best view of a television.
I was able to make a small contribution to the economy myself, but S did better having a bet on the winner - her choice based on the fact that it was a French jockey, a French name and the horse was number 8. There may have been other reasons for her choice but just good that she made it.
She and M and Mouse went to the Melbourne Cup Day Lunch at Jupiters Casino and even though there was some lovely food, some great prizes (they didn't win any) and a Calcutta Sweep (they didn't get a horse), and they had a good time, it was fairly noisy - and they weren't able to get the iPhone photos they took while they were there out on the mobile network. I'm looking forward to seeing them.
Road safety is always an issue, especially when trucks were involved. I saw one today which didn't have the usual "do not overtake turning truck" sign on its rear. Instead it had two signs - one on either side: on the right - PASSING SIDE; on the left - SUICIDE. I thought it was pretty effective and it would have been even more so if I hadn't been driving at my "most careful" setting based on Tinker having seemingly barred my exit from Latimers not once but twice this morning. The first time was when she barricaded me into the bathroom, the second when she took up her "afternoon" position in the driveway meaning she is just where you would normally drive - which is all right when you have parked the car - not so much when you want to take it out.
I was home again early this afternoon but Uncle R had been earlier and beat me to the mowing. But it does look as though he fixed the slasher on the tractor and I am looking forward to having more than a practice run on that.
It was all calm in the swallow's nest this afternoon - I sat out there for a while as Tink and Beazley kept me (and them) company. So hopefully the territorial dispute is over and the resident swallows have won - I hope so because the chicks are still in the nest. It always amazing me how interested the cats are in the droppings from the nest - and I can't help wonder if their investigation of it means they are actually searching for someone who might have accidentally tumbled - or been pushed (it is fairly crowded in there) - out. I've still only been able to count four of them but the nest is so small and they're getting so big that it's possible they're all taking turns on the bottom. Can't imagine what it will be like in there as they continue to grow. Squash anyone?
