Sunday

There was no show for us today - but it was good that S had remembered - I hadn't - rather than realising after it was over. It's always good to have choices.
So after breakfast at The Big House, morning tea at the Markets, and lunch at the Groper and His Missus, rather than going off to the Mudgeeraba Show to have a Dagwood dog, fairy floss and/or CWA Devonshire tea (do they do that up here?) we made our way back to Latimers - and while we knew M had dropped Pearl around to Nana (aka Mouse), it still came as a bit of a surprise not to find her at home and for her not to run out, ball in mouth, to greet us!
The Markets were good this morning, although not quite the same without M who was delayed as she was going a phone intervention with S! It doesn't appear that much has changed in S-land although there is the suggestion that she will be able to join us for Saturday lunch (as opposed to breakfast) one weekend in the near future.
This evening, M and S listened to an interview with, and a talk by, the Dalai Lama. Both were recorded during his recent visit to Australia to speak (amongst other things) at the Happiness and its Causes conference in Brisbane (as attended by S). Judging by their laughter, he is a very entertaining speaker.
"Technical difficulties" appears to be the theme of the week. One of my hard drives has decided to be difficult and has stopped working. It's telling me that if I want to access information on it, I need to format it - which is a bit strange because formatting it will wipe any data there is on it. Hmmmmm. (Now who thinks I'm overcautious because I had backed that drive up - not recently enough but at least I haven't lost everything!)
M, S and I were all home last night - the only one missing was Pearl - so she's the only furry person who is not suspected of foul play. M found that one of the animals had had a chew on a bird (unfortunately it didn't make it). Suspicion is currently focussed on Beasley - because M doesn't believe that Maggie couldn't catch a bird although she would probably definitely chase one, and ... I'm not exactly sure why Tink was excluded from the suspect list.
MasterChef tonight was set on Matt Moran's father's lamb farm where the challenge was to feed a horde of hungry bush folk - who then had to decide, by putting small toy chickens in cans representing each of the contestants, who had prepared the best dishes on the day ... and by "best" they meant the ones they liked the "best" rather than the "best" prepared, most considered, well-thought out and presented offerings. Those not "best in show" - meaning the three scoring the fewest chickens - because of poor gnochi, potatoes not cooked through and not bush tucker food - will face an elimination round tomorrow night. (I am still waiting for the expulsion of Mat - reported in the media some time ago now - for having a smart phone in the house - not a particularly smart move if the reports are true - and they could be because they have now been reported in the gossip mags!