Saturday

Not that there was ever any doubt about it but it looks like M is right and there is more activity in the nest - it looks as though there is a swallow sitting on eggs again - and not that long after the last ones left.

We did a late breakfast at Sisters - without Pearl again because it had been raining this morning and it wouldn't have worked for her. Alas, who knew that it would be a lovely day in at Broadbeach, so it would have been okay. But Mouse did join us for coffee - she had already been out and about and had dropped N at the station where she was met up with three of her friends. I think the plan was that they go to Brisbane for the day in hunt of suitable bridesmaid dresses for one if their number's wedding in April.

We had planned to go to Masters, the new giant homemaker and trade store in Nerang, but it was their Grand Opening (Who knew? There seemed to be nothing in the local paper!) and they were full - the car park was chockers with cars and witches hats - M rang us to let us know before we got there. So what else could we do but have coffee at Zarraffas before she headed off and S and I headed home?

It was just as well we had that second coffee too because there were no hot drinks back at Latimers once the storm hit - knocking out trees, damaging the stables down the road, and taking out the power for the next seven hours.

It is amazing how much we rely on electricity here at Latimers - for water (fresh, grey and waste) as well as lights. Luckily M has lots of artificial light on hand so that, together with my head-light and the torches meant we were my in the dark - and having the various iDevices meant we had portable media to keep us entertained for the duration of the blackout - S read and I watched "videos".

C, next door, was home alone when the storm hit and after making sure that all the windows were closed (I wish I had done that - who knew the French doors would blow open?) she spent some time watching the storm - and could report that at one point is was like a large whirlwind or small tornado.