Sunday/Monday

We were more than a full complement at the Markets this morning - even D (aka The Great K) came (he has been staying with Mouse for the last week as he is between university residences). It was Nu's birthday during the week so there was cake for him today - I think it caught him a little offguard that.we remembered but I think he was pleased that we had. The new Markets bump-out folk did not try to move us off early so, as is usually the case, we were about the last to leave. S and I had some errands to run before going home for a quiet afternoon so she can get her things together and pack for her trip to the Sunshine Coast.

M had just arrived home later this afternoon when she let us know that FI and Mi were on their way out - to bring the trailer back - and to bring M's bicycle out. I think they had a good visit - I put myself down for a quick nap before they arrived, and they were still here when I woke up; by that time they had moved on to discussions of Louise Hay (I often get that wrong so that might not be exactly right) and what different body aches/pains/afflictions represent to/for the psyche. It was an interesting discussion.

(And here's something for a trivia night at some point - who was Christobal Colon ... and the answer is ... Christopher Columbus. )

Monday ... and another lovely day at Latimers - one of those fine warm Autumn days where it's great to be alive!

M took her bicycle out for a ride this morning - and Pearl (a little puzzled and perplexed to be sure) ran along with her to see what was going on. A call to the bicycle shop is in order - to find out how the gears work: as M said, her other bikes haven't had gears! But she (and Pearl) did seem to enjoy the ride/run down to B's shed and back.

Meanwhile there's trouble afoot in the library world ... which appears to have become the subject of some criminal interest!

The fine print tells the story!

Up towards the main road, there were a couple of deceased cockatoos on the lane. I know we did do a little bit of a threaten of the cockatoos who attacked the Latimer's fruit trees last week but we didn't want anything like this to happen. I suspect it may have something to do with the additional traffic on the lane now that the Vet practice has opened down near the stables.

We had trivia tonight but without S who is currently away on the Sunshine Coast on "assignment"! It was a good night - we came first thanks to the Categories on offer - incredibly "Ossie, Ossie, Ossie" was one and we managed a decent score for that too! Fl hadn't arrived by the time we needed to select our bonus rounds and we went without him - picking "Science and Nature" (for Ni) and the very general "This and That" in the first half. Yes, that could have gone either way but it didn't and we won the first half and then the game! St couldn't wait to phone S to let her know of the victory - and I did point out that had S been with us, we would have had a couple of extra points - QWERTYUIOP - but, alas, not enough to better our best score to date.

Tinka's taken over her half of the bed!

Meanwhile, elsewhere, M and Mi were out to dinner and then on to see the movie based on the Cirque de Soleil. She gave it a good review ... and, probably not surprisingly, knew about the Trivia win before she arrived home - from FI who she saw when she dropped Mi home. Mouse had been invited to dinner and the movies too but couldn't make it as she was making dinner for D - who is still staying with her even though he was due to leave on Sunday but decided to stay another night (at least).

There has been no further word from Ashley about the bore pump fix but hopefully there will be soon that he has been able to find a trencher to help with the job. At this rate, M has started taking some of her laundry in to Mouse's to conserve water here ... and I'm definitely hoping for some rain before I take some more loads to the laundromat (just to be on the safe side) ... and no ... depleting water supplies is no reason not to keep having showers!

 

Saturday

M was up and out early to Deep Water Running and although she says she made a racket and a clatter, it wasn't enough to wake S up so she would go with her ... but we did meet her and Mouse for breakfast at Caffe Republic afterwards. There is no doubt that S's memory is amazing! She had remembered we had been to a different Caffe Republic some time ago - and she could tell this from the colour of the walls and the Star insignia.

There is another coffee shop that M wants to try - Cafe Alfinso - but that that was full up this morning so it will need to be another day - one where we remember to book in advance - and have teed it up with Sy and An because they want to go as well.

After breakfast, we were off to see Iron Man 3 and despite less than glowing reviews from Fl and D last night, all four of us who went to see it today enjoyed it very much ... possibly because, as well as liberal doses of action, there was also a story and some humour ... and the good guys winning is always a bonus!

Friday

Talk about an early start ... because it was! It's been a while since I had a pre-6 am start and I don't think I have missed them. The mission: go to the laundromat with the washing. I made it there in good time in that there were still multiload machines available - even though one was non-operational (COIN SLOT JAMMED). The two loads I had ended up taking only half-an-hour - just enough time for a coffee and to check the mail. Then it was back to Latimers to hang out the washing with S before driving up the Motorway to have breakfast with J. It's been a while and it was great to catch up with her!

Then it was back down the Motorway to pick up S for a run over to Robina before coming back to Latimers for a rest before going in to Mouse's for Family & Friends Dinner ... Cabbage Rolls and a Mi Bread and Butter pudding; the cooks really had excelled and outdone themselves. I think D enjoyed it - he seemed to although it wasn't the usual Borscht and Vereneke he's there for! He has been staying with Mouse the last few days and it seems to be very good for the both of them. Soxie seems to be okay too which is good given he had to stay outside while the family was staying with Mouse.

And the great news is that there are leftovers!

 

Hump day plus one

We managed to fit even more into yesterday! S and M did their usual Wednesday afternoon aquarobics before we all joined Sy and An at The Noodle House on Chevron Island for dinner: their kitchen is still "under construction" and they had the installation company's rep and the benchtop people there to try to get just a couple of steps closer to a satisfactory conclusion. Sy seemed a bit happier with progress by the time they met us - but she wasn't looking forward to cleaning all the grinding detritus out of the house today. An's hand has still not healed and even though she is well on the way to recovery there is still a way to go before she can take on cleaning duties without risking re-damaging it.

Meanwhile, back at Latimers, A hasn't found the problem with the bore pump. That's a pity! He did try though - and he did find the junction in the wall near the back door and he's due back today to patch the holes in the wall - and he did turn up and he did a great job of wall-fixing.

M was off with Mouse at an Anzac Day Brunch this morning and hadn't made it home by the time S and I took ourselves off to the Arts Centre to see ''Song for Marion" - which we both very much enjoyed even though it did have us pulling out the tissues - and luckily S had thought to bring extras because I needed them (she did too!). The only one having more trouble with their eyes was the koala!

Those naughty cockatoos have been around again - attacking the lemon tree again and also having a go at the grapefruit tree this time. At least they took multiple bites out of some of the fruit rather than that very annoying and incredibly wasteful one bite per piece.

S had the evening in while M and I visited the CSP table at The Big House. A 10% has gone off since I saw it on the weekend - but M hadn't heard about it - but then I suppose unless you were there at the time it could be just one of those things that retreats back into the walls of the Casino. There was a draw on tonight and the woman who won seemed very happy indeed by all reports - alas it wasn't M but it would have been fantastic if she had been the winner - especially since there's still the bore pump "fix" to be done. In the meantime, there's washing to be done so I'll take some off to the laundromat in the morning (to conserve water on the farm) - hopefully it won't be to busy if I go early enough! And hopefully that red sky on the way there this morning (shepherds' warning) means there's rain on the way - even though there has been.none forecast!

 

Hump day (aka Wednesday)

"It would help if I got into the right car'' proclaimed S and a moment later I heard our car door close and S make her way over to where M was backing her car out of the garage. It was an easy enough mistake to make especially as it had only just gone 7am - M had another early appointment - hence the earlier than usual Wednesday morning leave for she and S. But even at that hour there was still a bit happening: it's a bit cooler this morning so there was a mist hanging or the Valley; and a couple of paddocks over there was some horse commotion - which M identified as a foal newly separated from its mare. There will be another soon - since it was only a week or so between the births of the foals ... was that really last year?

There was a fair amount of bird activity over Latimers last night - including a great flock of (?) geese plus the usual crows and cockatoos. The moon, although not yet full, was very pretty - and the grand plan was to photograph birds flying across the face of the Moon. I didn't get the shot but it was nice to sit out the back with Tinka, and S and M - until the mosquitos became so bad, they chased us inside. There nothing quite like Latimers at sunset to make you appreciate how glorious nature can be.

A the electrician is due back today. He came yesterday to check out the bore pump - it looks like we need it up and running again now the rain has started to ease off. M is also getting him to look at the outside lights to make sure that's covered as well.

When I left the house this morning, Tinka had already taken herself back to "bed" - this time on the couch, on a cushion, where she had cuddled up with S as she (S) knitted and watched felevision last night. She (Tinka) stayed there for the night as well ... it looks like she may have become used to not sleeping with us while we were away for the weekend.

I spent some time in the local Library today. It's not bad even though the free Wi-Fi is just a little slow. When I arrived there was an information session in progress -useful apps for your Smartphone. I resisted the temptation to join in but I did make sure the spot I chose to set up put my stuff was within earshot - and it was quite interesting when he started explaining the differences between iPhone, iPads, and Android and other tablet devices. I'm still a bit surprised at how many folk use the Library ... there has been a steady stream of folk coming and going all morning.

Of course, back at Latimers, the lemon tree was having visitors of its own - it looks like the cockatoos have been back for another feed. They were more partly-chewed fruit on the ground this time than last so that might mean it was a flock this time rather than the three or four from last time.

Also on the agrarian front, did I mention that Jungle Jim did come and clear out the garden beds down the back - and yesterday M continued the great clearings when she and Pearl cleaned out the gutter out the front. They (well, M) did a good job - and just as well because they were both totally exhausted afterwards - which meant early nights all around!

 

Monday ... Trivia (etc.)

Some nights at Trivia are better than others - and while tonight gave us a third and should have been okay, it wasn't our best night - possibly because Craig our usual Emcee is away - and will be for the next few weeks; we call the guy who fills in for him ''Mumbles" - and there's a good reason for that. His sidekick is not the usual one that helps Craig - but the scores were right for us - so hopefully they were right for everyone as well - although only one group had a great score (definitely not us) so most of us found the questions a bit tougher tonight.

We were eight tonight - which meant we were docked a couple of points for having over six team members - which meant we didn't get to take out second - as we missed our tie-break question - in what year did Mattel launch Barbie: we said 1961 and we were wrong - the other team said 1959 and they were right: so we were on the podium with a third. The eight included Mi and N's sister (N is in Melbourne accepting an award for her class' success in last year's Science Championships).

It was a good day though - including a Club breakfast at The Big House before we made our way back out to Nerang for a couple of appointments; M also had an early start before she went off to a lunch. Then S and I were back to Latimers for a quiet day - including an afternoon nap for me - which would have been better if I hadn't woken up grumpy (unfortunately even though I'm good at getting up in the mornings, I am not a good nap riser)!

Sunday

Where are the Compys aka the Eastern Water Dragons? There weren't any evident poolside this morning when I came down to do my Skype call with Tr and here I am this afternoon, with a banana for them - and I can only find one usually there are at least four of them just when you walk into the pool area - and the one I did find wasn't even there - it was on the far side of the pool - and was the only one I saw at all when I walked around the pool. They weren't even over near the Spa - how they first acquired the Compy nickname because a group of them were sitting watching S have a spa - it gave her a bit of a startle when she noticed them ... and, of course, that was around the time that Jurassic Park made it into the movie cinemas. It was an impression that stuck. So where are they now? I'm really not used to them not being here!

It was good at the Markets today ... we were a sizeable crowd again -and not at all expecting someone (one of the Markets bump-out staff) coming along at 11:30 (nearly an hour before our usual leave time) saying it was time for him to pack up the area. Hmm ... he obviously didn't realize that we are the ones who pack up and clear away our tables and chairs - and he didn't even seem inclined to accept our word for it even when the guys told him where they stowed it all. He finally went on his way ... only to send someone else over who told us they had been having some trouble with the Venue Owners who needed everyone out and everything as it should be by 12:30pm. She wasn't our Usual Markets Lady ... either of them ... so weren't sure what was happening except they did manage to interrupt us and unsettle some of the group enough that packing up was started (a tad earlier than usual especially as Mi was still on the Massage table - and we don't like leaving without her!) On the way out of the pool area I took another look for the Compys and in the end I tossed pieces of the rest of the banana up near the ledges around the Waterfall ... and one very small Compy darted out to grab some but it was the only one ... but at least I had seen it.

I'm still looking fer Barbara Eden who I hoped would be staying at Jupiters as she is appearing at - the Supernova show a cross the road at the Convention Centre. No luck yet ... and I'm now hoping that's because our paths haven't crossed not because they have and I haven't recognised her (which even I know is a definite possibility where I'm concerned).

It was odd sleeping without Tinka last night - and I hope she didn't miss us too much. Hopefully she would have taken herself in to M - if she was cold or in need of a Cuddle ... and she does like them -and a "chuck under the chin" (as M would tell us when we started spending time with Tinka).

There's nothing quite like watching daylight fade over the Broadbeach strip and seeing the man-made lights fade up - the buildings, the traffic, the blue and white lights of Jupiters Hotel and Casino. It makes a lovely end to a great weekend – well, that and dinner with S and M. (Thanks M.)

The week that was

The Surf Life Saving Championships are being held at Kirra this week. It was great to see it in action - lots of activity on the beach and in the water ... very exciting stuff - but I am wondering if the competitors, officials, supporters and spectators would have been happier had the local authorities chosen not to fertilise/mulch the trees in the area with some pungent and almost overwhelming odour-bearing fertiliser right now. But luckily there was an on-shore breeze so those beachside were spared. The Championships were/are a great photo opportunity.

As it turned out, I wasn't the only person we know who went to the SLSC; S's cousin's son B went along with his mates on Thursday. They had their Go-Pro cameras with them that day - but I'm not sure if they had them with them at the beach - or if they even went into the water, or were allowed in the water at Kirra. It would have been safer there than just about on any other beach in Australia - especially since the Surf Life Saving Association has adopted bright pink fluorescent vests for the life-savers so they can be better seen in the water should they get in trouble (it has happened before ... one of the reasons for this year's change of venue from Kurrawa [Broad beach] to Kirra).

B was showing us some video from his Go-Pro and when we had seen it he closed the program he revealed his "The Walking Dead" desktop wallpaper. He had, he said, watched all the episodes from all 3 Seasons over a single weekend - and he can't wait for it to start up again. And he's not the only one. We were able to tell him about "Warm Bodies"and hopefully he'll get to see it and enjoy it as much as we did. It was good to see M and T who are visiting J and attending the Qantas Airways 50th Anniversary celebrations - both of them had worked for Qantas - and, in fact, that's where they met.

Anyway, back to Tuesday - S is working as a research assistant on a University of Sydney study and was out and about doing what she does ... including putting on a "show" for the residents at the facility she was visiting. It was after she worked on Thursday that we went down to cousin J's for dinner - M came too, and was kind enough to drive given I was still not 100% but am recovering now that my ear problem has been correctly diagnosed and am now on the correct antibiotics and having steroids (both of which are having a slightly iatragenic effect - hence M's offer to drive). It was a good evening even though we didn't get to see J's husband, J, who is off on a boys-own adventure in New Zealand, including being flown in a private jet, flown out by helicopter to a fishing vessel, and then being winched down to the deck.

And we were lucky enough to have F&F dinner with Mouse, F and Mi on Friday night - pumpkin soup, corned beef, white sauce - the nicest white sauce I've ever had - baked potatoes and onions, and a vegetable assortment of broccoli, asparagus and carrots. Then rhubarb crumble, custard and ice cream. All topped off with great company ... even Sox came inside this evening. It doesn't get much better than this ... except that M did manage to get some mowing done during the week; Pearl is still doing well on her walks; Tinka and Maggie are their usual placid selves; and all is well with the world, especially at Latimers.

 

Monday

It was a great weekend - it only rained one day - Saturday - but that gave us a great excuse to go and spend some time at the movies - which we did! We saw "Warm Bodies" - a quirky and very funny romantic comedy set in a post-apocalyptic world where R (a zombie) falls in love with Julie (a human) starting a chain reaction which can literally change the world. Of course, there's more to it than that ("don't be creepy ... don't be creepy") and I'm looking forward to seeing it again so I can see everything I missed the first time around ... and so I can revel in the scripting again ... and know when to look away (R, who provides narration for the film does tell us to at one point ... but there are a couple of other points where it would have been good to have been warned). One great thing about the movie is that Zombie need for "brains" has finally been explained ... and quite well! 8.5/10.

Sunday, as aways, was Markets Day. They don't yet appear to have reverted back to normal times - I thought they would have now that Daylight Savings Time has ended in the Southern States - but the sign advertising the Markets as you drive in to the Turf Club precinct still says 6am-11am. We didn't leave until well after 12 again - doing our usual job of closing the markets. It was a good morning - although we were a couple short today - V is still overseas looking after her mother (no change in her condition), An and Sy were absent, Mo left early to go to work, M arrived late, and N and her sister sat outside in the Sun before taking off early so C could go to the beach in sunshine before her return to France - and, yes ... it has rained almost every day since she arrived several weeks ago!

S is getting back into gardening so on the way home, we called in to Bunnings so she could get some more plants which she'll get into the ground over the next few days. Also on the gardening front, I think I heard M say that Jungle Jim is due today to clear out the overgrowth down the back; I'm not sure if this means that she's getting ready to plant the winter crops down there. And I think the electrician is also due to look at the bore pump electrics - I hope so because it seems to be very labour intensive for M to keep marking out where the conduits run from the house down to the pump ... she has given up on the pink marker paint because it is not waterproof - and hasn't been surviving the rain. The new paint (yellow) is a different brand, and seems, so far, to have survived the soakings!

I was surprised yesterday afternoon when Pearl agreed to come down the lane twice with me ... M's walks with her seem to be doing that dog a lot of good - and she (that would be M) was saying the other day that Pearl can run faster than her now - which is quite good for a dog with arthritis.

The other furries are more or less the same ... Tink spends the day going between her different sleeping spots ... and she has quite a routine in place. Yesterday, I was sitting outside on one of "her" chairs, and she jumped up on the seat behind me and stretched out enough to make me move. Hmmm ... you wouldn't do that badly if you came back as a Latimers cat! Maggie has taken to helping S with her dishcloth project and likes chewing on the wool as it comes out of the bag, making it a bit wet, but still knittable! When she's not doing that, she's sitting next to S or on the back of one of the lounges, before asking us to open the door to let her out .. and then in ... and then out ...

... and this is just a small part of Life at Latimers.

 

Friday, 12 April

What a busy day today - and it's not over yet because we still have to go to Mouse's for dinner.

S and M had already gone by the time my alarm sounded this morning; S had an early dental appointment and M had her usual Friday gig (including breakfast with a colleague).

After the dentist, I picked up S from Broadbeach and we made our way to see my aunt and her family who are holidaying on the Gold Coast. They have been down here from Toowoomba since last weekend but have been fairly busy with the rest of the family. They had a unit at a resort up the north end of the Coast - across the road from the beach - a really nice location - with a pool and a BBO area - and a great kid's playground across the road from the resort. Their unit was also equipped with a spa - complete with child-proof fence. We had a lovely visit with them, catching up on the family news (we have missed a few births along the way) and their foray into common ancestry ... who knew we were related to King Richard III (whose remains were recently found under a car park) or that one of our forebears had been transported to Australia as a convict ... which is what they did with highwaymen back then. It will be interesting to see their research when they've put it all together.

Then, after lunch with them, we pushed on to Pacific Fair for coffee with M, Mouse, Az, Mi and Em. I don't often get to do that so it was a nice change. Then, S and I went home - so she could have a nap before we were back in the car and on our way to Mouse's for dinner. It was wonderful - and a surprise when Fl and Mi turned up a bit later in the evening. They had been out and about and had said they would drop in if they were able - which they did.

During dinner, I received a call from my cousin. During our visit with them, we had suggested they stop in at Pacific Fair to do some shopping there - and while they were my cousin had bought an instant scratchie ticket and won $25,000! Fantastic! The amazing thing was - as S pointed out on our way home, that when we missed their initial call yesterday we were trying to work out why they were ringing (as one does). We had gone from "something's wrong in Toowoomba", to "they're on the Coast and they want to get together" to ... "they're ringing us to tell us they've won $100,000". Well, as it turns out, we were a quarter right. Good for them! A very nice end to a great day!

Tuesday

We were overrun with cockatoos this morning - they raided the Avocado tree first - one flying off with an avocado in its claws when they were disturbed. But they were seen back - this time at the Lemon tree. It was amazing to see them at work - one picked the fruit, balancing on a branch and not stepping on the thorns, dropping it to the ground for the others or eating one itself. They stayed for a good while - until some noise from inside the house spooked them and they flew off. It was bound to happen sooner or later but it was good to have had the opportunity to take some photographs of them. The cockatoos make a change from the Crows that have been hanging around in the mornings.

M managed to get most of the yard mowed before the rain started today - I think she was a bit disappointed that she didn't get it all done but I think even she realized it was a pretty big ask that the looming rain clouds wouldn't open and send down at least a bit of rain!

Mi rang this afternoon to see how it was going and to let us know that Insight tonight is about wildlife and the threat that feral cats present. I said I would definitely let M and S know.

 

Monday

The ear infection continues and I admit it did get the better of me yesterday morning and I took myself off to the doctors to get some more ... I didn't care what it was as long as it helped with the pain. And it did - he prescribed some steroid-based ear drops and they, together with the Nurofen my nurse friend J recommended, and as endorsed by Sy who suffers from ear infections herself, I was able to get same decent rest last night and move a good few notches down on the pain scale. Thank goodness the pains didn't really settle in until Saturday night otherwise I would have had to miss out on lunch with L (visiting from the US) and her daughter Cl who were passing through on their way to Byron Bay; we had arranged to meet them for lunch at Currumbin Beach's Elephant Rock Cafe - an old favourite M and L had introduced us to - we would go there after we arrived at the airport from Sydney - it was a fantastic start to the visit; a fabulous view, totally matched by the fare. It was good to have the chance to share that with L and Cl. It was the first time I've seen L for five years and the first time S has met her (and both of us CI) although I have heard about Cl's studies over the years - her Arts sojourn in Italy, her Bonobo tending experiences at the San Diego Zoo and her recent and ongoing ecology studies in the Australian outback. She's an interesting person - not really surprising given her mother is such a self-actualiser. L's latest project/obsession is cheese-making and her first batch of gouda should be ready for eating next week when she gets home.

The others enjoyed the Markets without me (and Ne) though by the sounds of it and when M brought S home, she brought Mouse and some of Mouse's soup with her! Excellent! Mouse seems to have recovered from her fall the other day - you can hardly see the scrape on her chin anymore and her knee seems to have all but healed as well. She's fairly tough is Mouse!

I missed Trivia tonight as well but M went with S and between them they managed to make it onto the Podium - a second place! It sounds as though some of the questions were pretty difficult this evening but everyine brought their own special talent to the fore - and thank goodness they did because they needed diverse knowledge for Cricket Signals and then Business.

Friday

"Spoke" with Ne on FaceBook last night. She is safely back in London and resuming normal activities. She had a good visit and says she will try to make it for longer next time so she can catch up with more folk. That's one of the big problems of visiting folk - it's hard to fit everything and everybody in. We all know this from our visits "home" - wherever that might be.

I've been laid low for the last couple of days with an ear infection - absolutely no fun but the antibiotics are starting to have some effect now - and the painkillers. The last time I had an ear infection was when I was travelling for work ... and having it again, I don't know how I put up with it for over a week ... especially since the pain was such 1 couldn't open my mouth properly. That's one of the reasons I was so quick to go to the doctor as soon as I realised what it was this time. (Thanks S and M for taking taking good care of me!)

It's been raining again here at Latimers - which is good as the bore pump still hasn't been fixed - although now it's a bit closer since the electricity line to the pump has been marked out (although the rain is doing its best to wash the marker paint away). Who knew there was such a thing as an electricity diviner - the same as a water diviner but for electricity. And who knew there could be a need for diviners in this day and age - but there is ... and one was instrumental in helping find the leak in the pipe (up near the stable) - unfortunately, I don't know what instrument he used - whether it was a forked twig like you see in the old movies. But they did find it!

The Commonwealth Games logo was unveiled yesterday and there have been varying responses to it - most favourable, some puzzled, some critical. And they started a surfboard clock to countdown the days to the start of the games ... it's in Surfers Paradise... and has about five years to run before the Opening Ceremony.

April Fool's Day

I didn't see anything about April Fool's Day jokes or scams unless you count that YouTube is closing down and was actually an eight-year search for the world's funniest video (or something like that) or that Gina Rinehart, mining entrepreneur, had taken over stewardship of Channel TEN. We'll have to check the press tomorrow to see what other tricks have been played on people. But will any be as memorable as the time the BBC broadcast the story that pasta grew on trees!

Even though it's a public holiday, the Trivia crowd had decided to play tonight - and so we did! But we were a couple of team-mates down; St and Ni were off on Lady Elliott Island, having a couple of days away with Ch (Ni's sister). So, we asked Mi and M if they'd like to join us for the game. We had a "no" from both of them: Mi was having an early night so she's fresh for a translating job tomorrow, and M was due at the airport to collect The Great K, due back from Sydney. So it was quite a surprise (no joke!!) when M zoomed in just before Trivia started, and even before the meat tray raffle had been drawn ... she had rushed to be there on time (she made it!). I don't know how we're going to convince her to come next week ... because, with her help, we took out First tonight. (I still have to text the others to let them know that we have a new $50 voucher to use - but, alas, no drink vouchers for getting the Baffler because we didn't again this week. It's about time we did again - we've been off that action for a few weeks now.). And M won a meat tray!

So, that was the day that was, except we did manage to squeeze in breakfast at Ferry Road Markets (very nice!) and some home time. We did miss out on the free movie at The Big House, "Safe Haven" - Mouse and M did see it though and thought it was okay.

It has been a great break and it seems like it has been a long time since last week at work. Unfortunately some folk won't make it back to work: the road toll for the holiday period has been horrendous, one of the biggest on record with 20 fatalities (they don't tell you how many were injured nor how badly).

To the dump ...

To the dump ... to the dump ...to the dump, dump, dump! What an adventure! M and I had done tree trimming yesterday and she had done lemon tree pruning and general green gathering around the yard - as well as moving the felled tree branches into the trailer until .. finally,and with the old rug that had been hanging on Hermes' fence for a (good) while there was a full trailer load and we were ready for the dump trip ... or is that ... tip trip?

We were due at Az's for morning tea at 10 so we planned to be driving out of Latimers, load secured, at 8. That would allow time to do the tip, pick up coffee on the way back, showers and travel time so we would be at Az's on time. That was the plan anyway - and next time we'll know to leave more time. Even though we started "load secure" just after 7:30 we didn't actually drive out until closer to 8:10. By the time we got to the tip, our load still in the trailer, we managed to have the rolling log miss us by a couple inches and goodness only knows how that happened because we were stuck - unable to go forward and unable to go back as it approached us - it's going to miss us, it's going to miss us I kept telling M hoping it would - and fearing that it wouldn't. But it did and the truck that had dislodged it and started it rolling towards us proceeded unaware of the panic it had caused us. Of course, in reality, I should have been looking out for the small log (not the big log) - about 8 inches long, round, and about the width of a soft drink can ... because since I wasn't watching where I was walking, I managed to stand on it, and roll on it, and fall to the ground. Luckily, I wasn't injured that badly - although I'm still a bit stiff all the way down my left side, and I am walking with a little bit of a limp, but it's all good. I should be okay in time to get back to work. So, M ended up emptying most of the load - and we were still able to get to Zarraffas - and the service station so M could get Bertha some petrol (she was running on low ... and, no, she doesn't have a light that comes on to let you know that you are on your last ... last petrol), and get home for an icing of my knee and then out again so we weren't absolutely late for Az's. In fact, S and I were the first ones there.

It was a wonderful morning tea ... the usual Markets crowd (once Ba and Em arrived ... they were running late due to a misunderstanding) and, of course, the guest of honour ... Ne, who was due to go back to London this evening. Ah, if we had such a spread at every markets, we'd all be in big trouble ... the food was absolutely marvellous, and tons of it. Very, very yummy. It was good to have a chance to go for a walk through Mi's garden as well - it is incredible what you can do in a suburban garden, especially if you have Mi's green thumb - and incredible that there can be so many chillis growing without actually raising the ambient temperature.

Afterwards, S and I were off home ... me to rest and see if I could actually walk without hurting, and S to catch up with some ... napping ... which meant I was able to catch up with some more television viewing ... I should have been working, I know, but it was good to have some down time (I seem to be needing a bit of that of late).

Good Friday

What a great day - busy and varied. Since it was Good Friday, we had breakfast at home – before we got busy with yard work. M started with the lemon tree and then moved on to some major pruning – and she let me hold the ladder while she went fort he higher limbs – and we had just broken for a cuppa when Fl called to say he and Mi were on their way out. We thought it might have been because they were going to drop in M’s birthday bike … but they didn’t.

Thank goodness Zarraffas was open so they could do drive-through and we supped quite nicely on hot coffee and had a nice catch-up including news of their night at the new Surfers Paradise Markets … it was their first night last night and they will be on every second Thursday night from now on.

What we had

The Fl and Mi were off and we were on our way to lunch at Mouse’s. It was marvellous – and included soup (just wonderful) and gozleme and pide from last night’s Markets. She even had a bunny made from sweet bread (not that type of sweet bread} - and Mi did as well. Very cute bunnies!

What was in their photo

Then it was home for a quick ride around on ROM - and thensome more tree pruning … before going out to dinner in Surfers Paradise at a new place (it's been open since October) that Mi and the others had stumbled across last night. We had looked it up on Facebook when they visited this morning and it looked as though they offered some great Middle Eastern fare - including a Mezze Plate (in plain or Deluxe – $29-$49). As it turned out, we were disappointed although I did enjoy my non-alcoholic Holsten beer (apple flavour) … and I certainly enjoyed it more than M enjoyed her Saudi coffee - which didn't taste like coffee at all - we all had a taste: all six of us – andwe agreed with her. But it wasn’t about food there … it was about the Sheesha (hookah to the rest of us). We asked about it – since it seemed to be all that anyone else was having. As I said, we did ask our waitress (Swiss … it was her first day) but we never did get the Sheesha menu – which is a shame because you would have thought that at $30 each, they might have been keen to have people purchase.

Thinking about it, they say the camera never lies but some people who use photographs for advertising purposes could be accused of stretching the truth a little. When we asked about the Deluxe Platter they said they had no kitchen – which could explain why the dips, olive and vine leaves were pre-prepared and served entirely in plastic – and why we were given napkins rather than plates. Ah well, maybe we should have been there last night instead. According to FaceBook, the photograph of a magnificently-presented and very sumptuous looking Deluxe Mezze Plate – served on crockery and superbly garnished - was posted at 7:29pm ... pity we weren't there then.