Nights out

Two years, five months and 11 days after arriving here, I have finally joined the local library! It's amazing though that even with the obvious delay, once I had made up my mind to join (yesterday) it only took one day to actually get there. And Chris, my assistant in signing up, showed me how to reserve a book (Jincy Willett's The Writers' Club) from another branch and have it delivered to the local. They will SMS me when it arrives - probably within the next 48 hours. I was pleasantly surprised to see that as well as books they have a large selection of CDS and DVDs and Chris was even saying that ebooks are available online! Libraries have come a long way! l'd say "swings and roundabouts" but some people might say that was making horse racing too attractive to youngsters (I realise I'm noting that because both of the folk who "liked" my status/photo on Facebook are teenagers - one only just!!!)

Closer to home, there has been some gardening - with M putting soil and mulch around the citrus trees ... and some citrus food as well. I was able to help by pushing the barrow for a couple of the loads - and Pearl helped too! That happened on Monday afternoon and M had wanted to do it then because it looked as though there was going to be rain ... which would have been great for the garden. That didn't eventuate then but I did notice there was some moisture around this morning so it looks as though it rained overnight. I haven't been back in the garden since but I think M has done a little out there, including watering S's plants to make sure they survive her absence.

On the way back from Spiderman 3D at The Big House on Monday night (the gardening reward?) M had slowed down in time to not hit the possum which was ambling across the bridge over the creek. It did look a bit like Bill - the fluffy toy possum belonging to one of the engineers at work who we've been taking turns to take out - the possum, not the engineer.

M and I had dinner with Sy last night. She's staying down in Southport at the moment, and commuting up to Brisbane each day. She has both dogs and both cats with her - because none of them are allowed in the Brisbane house - which is currently on the market and very open for inspection! They have had some interest but not the right offer yet. We ate at Saffron, an Indian restaurant at Broadbeach (M's procured takeaway from there before) and while it was good, it would have been better if the waiter had understood that yes we did want a doggie bag. If we'd got it, Sy and I would have been able to arm wrestle to see who would get what!

Trying to walk Pearl has been a little problematic. Ebony is no longer behind that little electric fence and will come running out to "play" with Pearl - and I'm sure it is "play" even though she rushes out with her teeth bared! Spot joined in yesterday and because M had Pearl on the lead, both the other dogs were nipping at her. I haven't wanted to take her because I don't have enough authority over Pearl to be able to get her to come away but I am thinking that I could just drive her up the lane a bit - away from the others - and walk her from there. People laugh when I tell them that but I still think it's worth a go - especially if it means I get to walk Pearl. And it worked fairly well on the way out ... not a peep from Ebony or Spot ... but it wasn't so good on the way back - Ebony came all the way out of the yard up past where the car was! I managed to keep Pearl on the lead and they didn't connect but no amount of telling Ebony to go home worked; finally someone from L's place called her in - and she did go, but not until they had called a good few times. How far up the lane am I going to have to park to make it work? Or was this the first and last time? I wondered about getting a squirter bottle to use on her - so I could hit Ebony with a jet of water when she came out. Might work. Where's Dr Harry (the vet) when you need him?