Day 126 (Sunday)

We managed to get to two lots of markets today - the usual at Bundall and ones at Broadbeach as well. They were quite different and good fun - not least of all because they had a range of arts and crafts goodies. I was quite taken with a couple of "drink holders" which were made of neoprene or similar material and would keep your drinks cold with the added feature of allowing you to wear your wine glass around your neck or keep bugs out of your can or bottle. I was also intrigued with the wall clocks fashioned out of squashed-flat alcohol bottles. I had little problem picturing one of these on the wall of my brother's bar. The other thing that caught my eye was something I haven't seen for absolute ages - a chocolate-coated banana. The last time I had one of these was so long ago I can't actually remember but I know it must have been somewhere up here. We managed to resist the temptation this time but there are no guarantees should our paths cross again.

Their it was home again - bringing with us, all the way back to Latimers, the competition entries I had meant to post for Mouse. Tomorrow.

The rain held off long enough this afternoon for me to mow Hermes' bottom two paddocks and the round yard. I sometimes think it would be good to listen to music as I whiz up and down the paddocks but that isn't what it's about for me. I just love being out there, concentrating on mowing in almost-straight lines but letting my mind wander free (and watching out for snakes of course). Must talk with M about starting to do the bottom paddock with the tractor and the slasher (must check if R fixed the nut - if not, the ones M brought back from the Labera show might work).

Another job on the list which I'm planning to get to tomorrow is bringing the grape vine that is threatening to overgrow the trellis outside M's room into some type of check. I have a little experience with grapevines, having helped our friends Ben and Meredith with their vineyard in Orange. When I say "little", I do mean that - when we've visited for weekends at different times of the year, we've been able to help with various tasks including pruning the vines. Pruning for best fruit should bear some similarities to pruning so the plant doesn't take over the back of the house - like that old story about the geraniums!

It was lovely this afternoon sitting out the front with M and S listening to the radio - the ABC program called "The Spirit of Things". It took a while for us all to stop interrupting Rachel and her radio guest because she definitely had the talking stick. It was an interesting program about Sacred Activism.

Then, it was time to knuckle down and finish my Forecast for tomorrow's meeting. It took a couple of starts - okay, so I didn't really want to do it - but I put on my cap with "42" on the front and an autograph of a racing car driver on the bill - and sat down to get it done. Amazingly, by the time I was in to it, I quite enjoyed it but I did miss my 17" screen from work. (Why are screen sizes for computers still measured in inches when we've been metric since before computers were really popular in the consumer market?)

Then, tired but happy, Forecast emailed off, it was time for bed. All the cats were coaxed or carried in and lockdown was achieved on schedule. Night night Latimers.