Sunday

The rain has started, bringing with it that rich, earthy smell. Fabulous. Unfortunately it's also brought a thunderstorm with much lightning and thunder - and it's almost directly overhead now. Pearl is in with S because she does get frightened, and Maggie, who had taken herself out when we came home, has just bolted back inside - and it took just one call - and a very huge crash of thunder, quite nearby, to get her in. But nothing much phases Tinka, as she was still sitting on her chair out the back, but allowed me to scoop her up and pop her on the bed with S - before she trotted out hoping (knowing?) I was somewhere near the special cookies jar!

Before then, the day had been fine - even though we were missing the Turkish contingent who returned home today. The Markets just isn't the same without them, especially Mü and Ze. We are going to miss their cheeky little faces and very lively and friendly personalities. But we had new/returned folk there today - Tr and her husband (Mi and Fl's friends), and N's sister, C, who is back over from France for a month. We are going to have to check if Sy is coming to Trivia tonight, because if she is (and if S doesn't stay home) we are going to be over the maximum number - and be docked points! But we will manage! Also at the Markets today, Ne, who is visiting from London. She had returned for a wedding and she'll be around until next Saturday so we're hoping we'll get to see her again. Word is that she is determined to go to Bingo with the girls on Wednesday ... something about wanting to win the $1,000 jackpot!

After the Markets, S and I took ourselves off in search of the Bear with the Bare Behind - one of the Koala sculptures currently dotting the coast. This one is showing off its knickers, and causing quite a stir, so we thought we'd see if we could find it - we couldn't - but we did have a lovely sit beachside ... taking in the cooling ocean breeze, the smell of sausages someone was sizzling on a nearby BBQ, and the sounds of children playing. Good fun. So much so that we decided to try our luck getting in to the Dune Cafe (near the Pirate Ship Playground) down near Currumbin ... and while it was a lovely drive, we still can't say that we've eaten there ... because almost everyone else on the Gold Coast must have had much the same idea and there wasn't a parking spot in sight, or even within sight of the horizon ... but not to be beaten, we moved on the Ambience, at Kirra, and had lunch there. We couldn't see the water, but we knew it was there because we could see the kiteboarders!

Then it was back home - just in time to batten down the hatches for the storm (which was here before we saw the Severe Storm Warnings!). Luckily there wasn't any hail in it ... but there was oddles of lightning and thunder ... but it's passed now, we've turned the power back on, and we're settling in for the afternoon (S and the furries are napping) and I'm catching up on some correspondence and job search!