Monday - Something to talk about

There's something quite satisfying about an early start on a Monday morning - filling the whole week ahead with promise and hope. That was what it felt like this morning anyway as I drove out of Latimers on my way into Nerang where there were two pieces of toast with my name on them, and a mug of coffee to go with them. It was even better because I had a free coffee on my card and for only 60 cents I could upsize (when did that become a word?) to that mug. Excellent.

As I settled in to read the paper, at one of the outside tables, I had my morning planned so it would be the most productive it could be ... while still allowing some "me" time ... and that would have worked very well ... and was ... until Peter (a punter from The Big House who I've come to know through M) came over to say hello, tell me about his weekend in Brisbane staying at The Treasury Hotel, getting 30% discount on their meals there, and their visit to The Ekka, their visit to the animals, how he had milked cows when he had looked after his brother-in-law's farm for six months while he was having skin grafts and recovering from burning off half his hands - that would be the inside halves, how he had financed his first house, the visit from the gypsy who had given him a free reading and told him his pennies would turn to shillings to pounds and that one day he would move to the other side of the world, and about his time driving trucks in England for Wimpeys, and an hour and a half later - and discussions on The Coffee Club's VIP program, how building societies used to hold ballots for loans, and the order in which he and his wife Melanie (or was that Melody?) had won jackpots on some poker machines at the Treasury Casino - and how they had decided to save some of the winnings to take home but they had used the rest to play with - but they hadn't totally lost that - and ... we were still there ... but I have to say that even though it was long, it wasn't boring! In the end I was able to extricate myself when S phoned - she wanted to make sure everything was okay as I hadn't responded to her text. She understood why when I told her about Peter - taking care to spare her then, so I could tell her in detail later.

While I made up time at the Library, S and M went off to Aqua. There was no An today because she and S were driving back from down the Coast. Hopefully the group numbers will stay up in An's absence so she does have a Monday Aqua class to come back to after their holiday.

Trivia

Sy wasn't at Trivia tonight - she was still packing and An was a little stressed about all the things Sy hadn't yet gotten around to doing - and what they had been doing ... there was a longish visit to the vet today for their animals - and another one to happen while they are away. Thank goodness An's sister, who has been given charge for their care, is a nurse and they are all in good care!

Had Sy (and Ni and St) been at Trivia it may have helped us lift our game - does Saturn have a higher or lower density than Earth; which is bigger - Canada or Europe; who won Women's Wimbledon 2013 ... and there were a whole heap of others. But at least we were able to take some solace in that there was a cheque for $250 waiting for us tonight ... the company which supplies the Trivia has a draw every couple of months - and you get an entry into that draw when you place on the podium ... and we had, and we were one of their third prize winners (10 draws of $250 each). Yippee. We will wait for the return of the rest of our team and then "go out on the town". Yippee ... again.

Maggie was unwell at some point last night; she threw up near the litter box - and was fairly low key all day. Hopefully it's not anything serious and she will be okay tomorrow. Also on the health stakes, both M and S had headaches today ... but I don't have to open the door for them to let them in and out of the house!

There were no real surprises in the fridge as I was cleaning it out this afternoon ... although I was a little taken aback that the parsnips (supposedly the new aphrodisiac) had not managed to save themselves by jumping into a soup or stew. If they lived at Mouse's house they would have! And those yoghurts - saved last week by their notes - weren't so lucky today ... neither was the furry one ... although that would be the ginger!