Saturday

There's nothing quite like waking up and being able to look out the window to see the ocean. Although just saying that reminds me of the time we were holidaying at Burleigh Heads (some years before moving to Latimers) in a high rise unit across the road from the beach and the phone rang, waking us. I think we had already been up - I took a lot of sunrise photographs that year - and gone back to bed. It was M on the phone, asking if we had heard about the tsunami heading our way. Tsunami!!?!! Yes, there had been an underwater earthquake somewhere to the north of Australia which had sparked a tsunami warning across parts of the Pacific coastline. My brother, also holidaying on the Gold Coast, in the apartment just down the hall from us (we were all en route to Mum and Dad's 50th wedding anniversary) had heard and had set up his tripod and camera, aiming it towards Surfers Paradise, and he was settling in to wait for the tsunami shot. He figured there was nowhere to go - we would be safe where we were - and if there were to be an evacuation, the authorities would organise it in good time. And besides, we had our own business with the ocean that day ... a camera, champagne flutes, hibiscus flowers, an anniversary message writ in large letters in the sand - and all the time we were doing it - even though the tsunami alert had been long cancelled - we kept checking out to sea to see if the tide was going out a long long way! I think the tsunami did happen but not in a dramatic way ... it was only a couple of centimetres high and therefore presented no hazard to life and limb.

But today there were no tsunami warnings (the day dawned fine and sunny) and S and I enjoyed a light but nourishing breakfast in the Executive Lounge (thanks M) before meeting M downstairs for a cup of coffee and some plan-making. We decided to meet she and Mouse at Robina to offer some assistance with present buying, then Yum Cha (very nice) before they went off looking for more presents.

Then S and I returned to Latimers - which seems to be a tad colder than other parts of the Coast. I know Lars isn't a thermometer but before we turned into the Crossing road it was 20 degrees, and by the time we made it to Latimers a minute or two later, it was down to 18. It's beginning to feel a lot like ... Winter! M was saying that Pearl and Maggie slept either side of her last night, right up close ... and no wonder - it had been 8 degrees overnight! They're going to miss her while she's away - and I think the two of them (who have permission to sleep in her room in her absence) may very well spend some nights snuggled up together. We'll have to check with M if the heater gets left on for them!

As we drove in this afternoon all of L's horses were standing by their paddock fences hopeful for an early dinner; Ebony the dog was over by the paddock fence as well but she was barking at a cow that had dared to come too close to the boundary - and it must have been a fairly obstinate cow - or had been joined by friends - because she was still barking when I finally succumbed to bedtime just after 11 - but not before putting on flanny PJs and bedsocks!