Markets and Smurfs

What a busy day it was today. Even though there was no Skype call with Tr - I knew it was a possibility because there were going to the Central Coast yesterday and weren't sure if they were going to stay overnight - it was good I was up so I could do furry patrol. M was away for the night and there was a shot to be done, a Pearl to be walked, and everyone to be fed.

Fl's birthday

We were more or less a mostly full contingent at the Markets today_although giving that a bit more thought, we were at least 6 down! Mi and Az are back! It was FI's birthday during the week so there was birthday Apple Pie for him ... but we weren't quick enough with the camera to get a shot of him, blowing out his two candles; but M did take some great group shots with FI and others. The bread, cheese and tomato continues to be a big hit but I doubt it will ever supplant the (all-time-favourites) Croissants. Mi is still having her regular massage - and Ca (visiting her parents) had one as well.

Post-Markets it was back to Latimers for Lo and Pa to arrive from Kyogle. They'll be with us for the next couple of nights. Pa really wants to come to Trivia with us - he's been hanging out for it for a while! S has a job to do with Lo while she's here ... help her find a new pair of swimmers. And there was rt least one fun thing we want to do with them - go and see "Smurfs 2" - which we did this afternoon. We all enjoyed it very much ... more so because it was ... SMURFS. We almost missed the start though - the service consoles at the cinema were down and by the time the staff handwrote tickets and tallied the candy bar purchases by hand, It took a very long time to serve each customer. We made it into our seats just as the movie started - which was a shame because we were looking forward to seeing the trailers for upcoming movies. I made the others wait until the very end of the movie - through a very long list of credits - in case the producers had popped a little scene at the very end ... as they sometimes do. We weren't disappointed.

The kids' parents had sent them up with a coolbag full of softdrink and lamb cutlets - and that's what we had for dinner - lamb cutlets. Yum!

The End.

 

Saturday - Just Swell

Swell 4

Swell ... finally. S decided she wasn't coming so I set off early - hoping I would be able to beat the crowds and be able to get a park which was somewhere in the vicinity of Swell. I was amazed at how busy it was, even at 6:30 in the morning, but I did get a park and a cup of coffee and set out to start my numerous walks up and down the exhibition "space". In the end, I stayed for over five hours, which included meeting up with Mouse, M and The Great K for breakfast there. I also walked up with them before I excused myself and set out for Latimers - picking up some bread and other lunch provisions to take back to S who was having a very big lie-in because she really wasn't feeling well at all.

Swell

Mi and Az are due back from their overseas sojourn today - but they won't be collecting Prince of Persia until tomorrow.

The Great K has still not found out about his Course results, but hopefully he will on Monday. It must be very difficult for him to wait, uncertain if he's going to graduate or not. But at least he's keeping Mouse company - and will still be there after Prince goes home.

 

Group lunch

S and I were going off to see the Swell sculptures by the beach at Currumbin this morning but we had a slow start. In fact, we had the whole day mapped out and we ended up changing it as we went along ... talk about flexible!

We ended up at Alto in Broadbeach for a late, but petite, breakfast - especially as we were due at Jupiters Food Fantasy for a buffet with the usual Friday Coffee Club lunch crowd. They do a good coffee at Alto and we took the time to relax - until I remembered I had parking on the street, rather than the 3-hours free in the carpark. I had driven in to the car park and then, going upstairs to find a park, I turned the wrong way and ended up going out the exit - it seemed easier that way rather than trying to reverse all the way back into the car park. I was going to drive up the street, circle the roundabout, and back to the car park entrance, but when I saw a park on the street, I took it. And luckily remembered I was there just before the parking ran out. With the luck I've been having for the last little while, I felt sure I would have landed a ticket.

Food Fantasy wasn't all that busy by the time we arrived so we were able to have a comfortable, relaxed lunch, at a table overlooking the pool as insisted on by Mi. There was plenty of choice and everyone walked away happy - if not full. Mouse and M have a dinner at The Big House tonight so were being careful to leave room to be able to enjoy that.

After lunch, S and I went off to Sy's to catch up with her and find out how An is - still unwell is the answer. We had a tea with Sy downstairs and after a while Sy had me stand on the coffee table (which I did dismount rather ungraciously - but luckily without hurting myself) so she could pin up my new pants. She's good like that. Their cats and dogs were very friendly this afternoon - as they usually are, and I'd posit that the dark-furred ones were even more so because someone was wearing white shorts.

We gave Swell a miss again this afternoon ... we'll try again tomorrow morning. It's still on for a couple of days so there are a few opportunities left.

Thursday - a movie and some paperwork

S to see "Blue Jasmine" - she very much enjoyed it - so much so that she says she would see it again with M if she wanted to see it.

Mouse went on a field trip today - to Tyalgum or Tumbulgum - either would have nice and not just because they both have passable pubs. Mouse and the others didn't get back to the pick-up point until 5.30 so it was a full day and even included a stop at the Murwillumbah Art Gallery.

The Great K is still staying with Mouse but has not yet heard about his Course results. Hopefully he'll find out tomorrow. Until he does he doesn't want to start applying for jobs in just in case he hasn't passed.

What was I thinking? Who in their right mind decides to update to a new iOS when they get home? The iPad took ages to do iOS7 and it was after 3am by the time I went to bed; but the good news is that as I was waiting, I was actually sorting through "stuff". I felt quite happy with the night's work - most of my tax paperwork in the one place, and, finally, the new iOS7 on the iPad - ready to be played with tomorrow.

Wednesday - Cat naps and swallows

Wednesday 18 September 2014

I trod different ground today - making my way over to HarbourTown to run some errands (is shopping really an errand - especially if it's at the Target Outlet Store when they're having a sale?) before taking myself home and doing the ... laundry. S usually does it but she was off having breakfast with M at Ferry Road before they went off to win their fortunes at Bingo ... that was the plan anyway but the Bingo Higher Beings weren't watching them today and none of them won anything ... not even a single line! But at least they had fun and caught up with Mi and Va for lunch.

I was still doing the laundry (there was a bit of it) when S phoned to say they were almost on their way back ... so I willed the last load to finish so I could get it out before S arrived home - I wanted it to be a surprise for her ... and so we wouldn't have to do it tomorrow. It was fantastic it was such a great drying day - there was a good wind blowing and the sun was shining bright and warm all day. It doesn't get much better really!

Unless you're Maggie who stayed in bed all day - she was there when I arrived home and she was still there when S arrived home and went in to check on her. Yes, she may have been up and about at some point but anyone who knows Maggie knows that she is a big napper! She spent her time today on S's pillow - although later this evening she moved right into the middle of the bed. Last night (was it last night or the night before?) while S was reading/watching the iPad in bed, Maggie was perched on the pillow behind her, watching. Once S turned off the iPad, she (Maggie) relocated to the foot of the bed ("nothing to see here anymore").

Those new cookies seem to be working well for Pearl. She is moving much more freely - and I even noticed this evening when she went to do her nighty-night wee that she jumped into position much more easily than she usually does; you have to watch her because sometimes she just pretends to do it - knowing that her reward is her night-time cookie - and she just loves that one.

There hasn't been much activity at the swallow nest for the last couple of days. The parent swallows have been around - flitting in and out to the nest - but I haven't seen any activity of them feeding the chicks. I haven't heard the chicks either so I'm hoping everything is okay up there.

Tinka came for a walk up to the stables with Pearl and I this evening. We had decided to freeze the meat tray S won at Trivia the other night, and there is absolutely no room in the fridge in the kitchen. Because it was dark (and I'm a chicken), Pearl agreed to come with me to check the stables fridge - was there enough room/was it working - (even though I had already turned the stable light on from the house) and on the way back, who should we meet, almost to the stable, but Tinka. She likes going on walks down the lane as well ... M was telling me the other day that that was why she stopped going up the hill to Be's for Pearl's walks - she didn't want Tinka to follow her and run the risk of being attacked by L's three dogs. Good decision.

There's still no sign of Choo-Choo coming back from servicing (is there a more technical/correct term?) but it is good to have Dolly back and we also slow down/stop to say hello to her on the way in and out of the valley.

M took Mouse and The Great K out to dinner at The Big House this evening, so it looks as though Mouse will finally get to have her T-Bone Steak Special - which hopefully means there will be a little treat for Pearl tomorrow!

We had an early-ish lockdown tonight - with no complaints from Pearl or the cats. They know resistance is futile!

Tuesday - Lunch and feet doctors

I was very lucky - Pearl came up to Be's with me four times today and it was only on the last time that I resorted to taking the leash with me ... I have not been as forceful with her as I need to be - she has been a bit naughty, sometimes wanting to walk into the road when cars are coming while we're walking. I have been doing the "sit, drop, roll" thing with her, but I think I also need to do the "scruff" thing ... I admit, I have been a bit scared to do it, but M says it will be fine ... and I certainly need to do something.

We were planning to do lunch with An, Sy and Pa but since An is still sick, she stayed at home while the rest of us went to Bumbles for lunch. We were surprised to see that the site may be being redeveloped. Lunch - or breakfast for three of us - was very nice and it was good to be sitting inside rather than outside - especially since it started raining again while we were there. Sy carried with her some goodies for us from their travels ... thanks Sy and An! (We were very lucky this week with overseas goodies - we got one from Ni at Trivia last night as well.)

After lunch, S and I had appointments with the Podiatrist - my first. I admit, I didn't know what was going to happen, but I really didn't think an orbital sander would be involved. I did expect sharp implements (I wasn't wrong), but when they started sanding my newly-hewn toenails and the undersides of my feet, I wondered what I had gotten myself in to. The last thing she did was to put some kind of lotion on my feet - just what you need when you step on a linoleum floor without your socks and shoes on. I'm not sure when I'm going next but I think I'm going to have to work out how to toughen up my feet before then - it was ticklish and a bit uncomfortable.

S is still working her way through Chagall but I don't think she's picked it up lately. She was busy watching iView until the wee smalls this morning - and then didn't really sleep well after that. I don't know how she manages to get up in the morning ... but luckily we didn't have an early start this morning.

Monday - Rain and Trivia

Finally ... some more rain. It looked very overcast this morning and we knew the cloud cover was relatively low because the sound of planes flying high overhead was bouncing down on the valley. At first I thought it was thunder, M thought it was a balloon (but it was far too non-fine for that) but as I walked Pearl down the lane, it became clear - when I saw a plane fly through a break in the closest layer of cloud.

The rain started as I drove S into (Volunteer at) Play Group in Nerang. It was just spitting then but it became heavier later ... I had to move inside from my table at Coffee Break Nerang (that's the name of the coffee shop in the Post Office/Cinema complex - but will I remember it?).

Overnight we found out (from FaceBook although if M had been awake she could have responded to Mi's late night text asking if she was awake - which came just before the

FaceBook post) that Lu was awarded a scholarship to Berklee Music College - much cause for celebration ... and they were - and that's why Fl wasn't at Trivia tonight - he was celebrating with the family - and having a farewell dinner for his brother's family who are just about to go on holidays overseas.

So we had a different team at Trivia tonight. Ni is back from overseas so she and St were there, S and I, and Ne - who is about to move back to Brisbane in a couple of weeks - came as well. Alas, we didn't win tonight but we did come a respectable fourth considering we didn't do very well in the picture rounds ("Who Am I?" and "Alcoholic Beverages" - just our luck to get these two without Fl there). We were expecting to have An back - she and An are back from their travels but she continues to be unwell - she has picked up a lurgy now which has laid her low - and meant she couldn't be at Trivia - so she doesn't infect us - and, as she said, she's hoping she wasn't contagious when we went around there yesterday.

It was raining on the way home tonight - and there was a huge storm in the near distance -and as we got closer to Latimers, a massive lightning strike rent the sky - lit it up for nearly three seconds. It was therefore only a little bit of a surprise when we arrived home and the power was out - but not at the neighbours, so we figured something must have tripped a circuit - and once we reset them they were fine.

Sunday - Travellers return

The day started with a quick walk down the lane - without Pearl ... she was still in bed! Then, with a hot cup of Milo, it was time for the weekly Skype call with Tr - but first, word from M that she had just received notification of when Sy and An were flying in ... this morning! She set off to pick them up (and have "The Beast" washed) while I was on the Skype call.

Has it really only been a week since the Federal Election? It seems much longer! Tr assured me it was only a week - and it's not over yet - there are still some seats that have not yet been decided, and, of course, there is only an "Acting" Labor leader at the moment and it may be a month before a decision is made on the "real" leader.

The Markets were not as busy today as they have been. Certainly our group was about the smallest I can remember - just six of us - yet still, we were there until after 1 - definitely one of our latest leave times, ever! I'm not sure where everyone was and we would have only been five if M hadn't dropped In after taking Sy And An home!

We dropped in to see the travellers on our way home. They are both in good form but An is a little battle-scarred with a sore hip (too hard beds in Istanbul), sore back (overstretching in a taxi in London) - and there was something else but I can't quite remember ... oh that's right - her hand is not yet fully repaired ... she goes back to the Hand Clinic in a day or two ... and she's just recovering from a tummy bug as well! Sy was fine!

There was a draw on at The Big House this afternoon; we didn't go and not just because we didn't leave Sy and An until after 3 - when the first draw was due. I had thought I was going to sit out in the sun and do some Samagrams but I ended up watching "Capote" instead - about Truman Capote's writing of "In Cold Blood". It was interesting in its portrayal of Capote's interaction with the killers, and how quickly he packed up and went to Holcomb, with Harper Lee, to start researching - he was there even before the Clutters were buried.

M did go the draw and called on her way home to suggest we all go to dinner at the Thai restaurant in Carrara. What a great idea! Even though it is "Under New Management", the fare was quite tasty and even though there were people at only three tables, they seemed to be doing a quite good "takeaway" trade.

As soon as we arrived home, we went into lockdown, a little early but good because we know one of the furries has been hunting today - we found their little present on the mat in the living room when S and I arrived home this afternoon. The only good news is that it wasn't one of the swallows.

Saturday - Red 2 and In Cold Blood

Poor Pearl! We know she knows it's Saturday but she won't be coming out this morning again - except for a walk down the lane to Be's. This is because dog's aren't allowed at Macca's so she had to stay home. Poor poppet. But we told her she could be in charge, and she seemed a touch happier then.

It was fairly busy at Macca's - and the service definitely isn't as good as it is when Jo and Ly are on; my coffee was not very hot while S's was and while I thought about swapping with her, I didn't think she'd appreciate the full cream milk instead of her usual skim.

Even though M hadn't set an alarm for this morning, she was awake and out of the door in time to make it to Deep Water Running. We think that's how Pearl knows it's Saturday - at first it was because it was the day I slept in - and now it's the day when M doesn't.

''You're dead" was the reply when M texted Mi to see if she wanted to join S, M and I at the Cinema this afternoon to see "Red 2"! Mi has already seen it with FI; we were supposed to go with them be they went with Fl's brother instead. Mi did say she would go again, but we were having trouble locking in times; so we took ourselves off to the Nerang Cineplex this afternoon and were thoroughly entertained for the next two hours. I haven't laughed so much in ages! Which in itself is a little worrying especially given how violent it was!

Well, that's it! With five days to spare, I have finished ''In Cold Blood'' - and started reading about it on the interweb! I'm not sure if it's the subject matter or that I was up late last night reading but it was all I could do to push through to the end of the book.

Sy and An are due back from the travels tomorrow. M still doesn't know what time she needs to collect them from the airport but hopefully she will find out sometime today ... or tomorrow morning. In the meantime she's gone over this afternoon to meet Pa, An's sister who has arrived back from the Coast with the animals.

S made us a wonderful lamb roast dinner (shanks). Yum ... although it wasn't as popular with the furries as the lamb chops were earlier in the week ... only Tinka was looking to get on the table this time.

Friday - 42Fifteen and T-Bone

It rained overnight. S said it rained a lot ... she had been awake between 1:30 and 3:30 - I don't know how she does it and then functions the next day.

M had a voucher (thanks M!) for breakfast at 42Fifteen in Southport - and we managed to be there by 8:30. It was a great breakfast - even if we didn't try the peanut butter milkshake that M has had there previously and which she reported was "wonderful". Maybe next time. Tummies full, having enjoyed the atmosphere, and sighting the first tricycle in a very long time, we sent M off to do her JP thing while S and I went off to Robina ... shopping ... S was after some new wardrobe items and I ended up with some new screen protectors for the iPad and a new phone cover.

We did end up at The Shingle Inn - where we didn't ask if their waffle machine was working. That usually ends in disappointment - although, as we know, the last time M was there - the waffle machine was working and waffles were on. If we hand't been planning to go to The Big House for lunch (S has been hanging out for the T-Bone special) we might have asked about the Waffle ... okay, would have. We made do with a drink instead - shopping is thirsty work - before pushing on to Broadbeach.

I could not believe that the T-Bone S had was even bigger than the enormous one I had last night. It was well-cooked (too) though and came with a mountain of chips and a very boring salad ... S says the salad had the wrong leaves - it should have been cos, or was it iceberg lettuce? But very nice. I had chips ... and I still can't work out, if chips are all cooked at the same time, why are some of them hotter than others.

We did swipings - but none of us had any luck at least S managed $ 10 Casino Dollars last night. I'm not sure if it's just me, but the swipings seem "meaner" this time - don't think that ungrateful - we're glad they're doing them again ... it just has a feel of having to pay for tomato sauce about it ... but, as I said, that might just be me.

It was a late-ish night for me last night (catching up on some correspondence, another dose of "In Cold Blood", and looking at some numbers) and by the time I was shutting the computer down and starting to turn off the lights, M was arriving home from her dinner out. I was a bit surprised that the cats had already brought themselves in and were in their places - Pearl in the breezeway (until she heard M's car), Tinka on the back of the recliner, and Maggie curled up at the bottom of the bed, keeping S's feet warm - without having to be called in ... mind you, it wasn't that late but it's good to know they're in a routine.

Thursday - Phlebotomists and gardening

Why is it that sometimes the start of the day seems so far away? Could it have something to do with having a blood test? That was the first task this morning. I had a very gentle and proficient phlebotomist (blood taker) and we had an interesting conversation about the tattoo behind her right ear - no, she said, they don't hurt, it's like scratching your skin until it turns red - and then just keep on scratching. But she said it was worth it ... it was a symbol that had been on her father's uniform in Bosnia - it was to honour him - and, not surprisingly, it is the only tattoo she has.

Empty beds

Ja was here today - and again she, and M, did a great job in the yard/garden. The vegetable garden up the back was overgrown and in need of a good clean-out - and that has now been done. The soil just needs building up again and then it will be ready for the next crop. They didn't get through everything that needed to be done though, and there is a pile of garden detrius to send on its way - either to Be's burning pile, or to the dump. A decision will be made soon.

Pearl helped them and the good news is ... and this may be because of the food that she's trialling - but she didn't pull up lame. She did get really tired though ... S said that after M went out this evening, Pearl put her head down and went to sleep - and only just managed to wake up to eat her dinner cookies.

Gardening

S is still making her way through Chagall - there is a way to go though. I'm in the same position with In Cold Blood now ... although it's a little worse for me I think ... every time I open the Overdrive application it tells me how many more days I have the book for - and time is running out.

Tinka went to The Tev this afternoon and her blood glucouse reading was high again today. The Tevs have put her insulin dosage up again and asked to see her again soon. I know it's a term of endearment on their part, but it would be nice if they stopped calling her "Pudding". It doesn't suit her at all.

We're feeling a bit sorry for Tinka at the moment though; she keeps wanting to come into the bedroom but Maggie has moved in there and even though she sometimes sleeps on the nest S made for her in the corner, and not always on the bed - she won't let Tinka onto the bed, and sometimes she won't even let her into the bedroom.

 

Wednesday - Winners ARE Grinners

It's not often I can start the day at Broadbeach but I did today. I was meeting some mates from Sydney who have been up on the Coast for a long weekend ... and to go to the Cyndi Lauper concert (again, rave reviews). They have been staying in Broadbeach but not quite getting to the beach, so after we had breakfast at Alto, we ambled over - their 2-and-a-half year old son wheeling his toy bag behind him - and let them drink in (not literally, of course) the Pacific Ocean. It's not that they don't get to see it in Sydney, but it does look different up here.

The toy bag

It was great to catch up with them, to hear their news and how they're faring after moving to Australia from New Zealand ... and with the little one now. Gosh, he's cute! And he has lots of toys too (hence the bag) which he doesn't mind sharing - the toys that is, he doesn't like giving over control of his bag!

It was a good day for being at the beach - the sun was shining, there were loads of people about (but not too many), a gentle sea breeze ... it doesn't get much better.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Southport (actually at the RSL), the usual crew were at Bingo. M shared in a Full House - the first Winner/Grinner ... and then (big yippee! ) S won the Jackpot! She was waiting for her last number for ages and I still don't think she can believe that the one she was waiting for was called before someone else called Bingo!

We had dinner at Mouse's tonight. The Big K was there as well but he was much quieter than he usually is. He's waiting for his University results - which should have been through yesterday - but not yet. He's getting ready to start applying for jobs out in the big wide world - but he doesn't want to start that process until he knows for sure that he has passed.

The beach

Dinner was great - soup (leftovers, yes!) and stuffed capsicum. Mouse had made excellent mashed potato to go with them - for those of us who don't like rice that much. We ended up watching television at Mouse's, something we don't normally do - and it was the most television I have watched in the one evening for almost as long as I can remember. There's always something new and exciting happening ... and, luckily, M remembered to ask about the puzzles due for entry this week, and we managed to get the ones for Friday done and finished, and into the mail on the way home.

 

Tuesday - ROM, chops and Cyndi

Hopefully S will find some relief with her new pain control regime. We made it to the new GP (as recommended by Jo). Both S and I went and were very impressed with her thoroughness and (bedside) manner. She had some good suggestions and both S and I have some things to investigate before we next visit.

Dinner-time

While we were out and about, M jumped on ROM and did the lawn. After she was done, she noticed that there was a ding at the front of ROM, that the battery was out of its casing - and on its side. This went with what I'd noticed last time - a leak (which I thought was oil but which was in fact battery acid from the on-its-side), the front left headlight knocked out of its housing, and a detached hood bracket (also on the left side). on the left side did the lawn. ROM still works - luckily it started - but it's a mystery as to how it happened because neither M nor I have crashed it into anything - and to dislodge the battery (out of its well) it appears that it must have hit whatever it did with some force. Hmmm ... looks like it could be the work of a (not-so) mystery mower.

We had lovely little lamb chops for dinner. The furries seemed to enjoy them as well, although Pearl was the only one who actually had any. We offered some to Tinka (who had taken up a waiting position on the table - her mother would have been horrified to see her) - but she refused; and also to Maggie, who also came up on the table, at the same time as Tinka - but she was more interested in the green beans - that cat really has something about green food - she loves custard apples! I think I can honestly say this is the very first time I have seen both Tinka and Maggie on the table at the same time (what's that? there was time to take a photo?)

M may have something to say about the furries' table manners but she was out - enjoying (very much) the Cyndi Lauper concert at The Big House. It was, by all accounts, amazing and she even came off stage and wandered into the audience so people could get to see and hear her up close and personal!

 

Monday - Play group and some Trivia

How is it that Monday comes around so quickly each week? We just had one and here it is again. Of course, a lot has happened since the last once ... the Federal Election (the day didn't seem any brighter today), a trip to Kyogle, the Markets ... but in some ways it's pretty similar as well.

S had a rough night last night ... she kept waking up ... which meant she was tired when it was time to get up, and even though she squeezed in just a little more sleep, almost making her late for the leave for the Day Care Centre, it wasn't enough. She had fun at Day Care though. She thinks they have now all but assigned her to the Finger Painting Concession and she loves it ... as do the little ones who line up to don a smock and, taking it quite literally, smear paint all over their hands to leave their coloured hand prints on the sheets of butcher paper. I think she prefers painting to last week's "goop" - which is corn flour and water mixed together, in exactly the right quantities, to make it squishy and gooey yet solid enough that it doesn't slip through their hands.

I took Ray Bradbury's massive tome of short stories back to the Library. I was going to extend it but since I am in the throes (still) of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood and that's going to be removed from my device in 10 days and I still have hundreds and hundreds of pages to go, I thought better of it.

But before the Library, coffee at the cafe at the Post Office/Cinema. Pe, the Elvis fan, was there again this morning and he was excitedly telling me about the Cabaret show at The Big House which he went to on Friday night (the same one M went to on Thursday with Mouse). He was much taken with one of the acts and how the "prop" used kept getting smaller and smaller. (Don't ask S ... like M, I don't want to spoil the surprise for you! )

M dropped by for a coffee as well on her way in to Aqua. It was a brilliant day for sitting in the sunshine (which you can do at the Post Office/Cinema cafe ... what is it's name? ), especially since she'd just received her "What's happening?" information from TBH - and found out that another round of card swipings start today. I fished into my wallet and gave her mine and Jo's (which I was still holding on to ... I was due to give it back to her tomorrow at breakfast) in case she happened to be passing there.

I picked S up at 2:30 and took her home where she joined Maggie for a nap - essential because it is Trivia tonight and we need to make sure all the team is firing on all cylinders if we are going to have a chance of getting back onto that Podium. I'm not sure if it gets easier or harder when you've had recent wins - but Fl certainly gets excited when we collect vouchers. With the last couple of weeks (a first, and a second) we were up to $ 80 to spend there, and tonight's win (well done team! ) took us to $ 130. The rest of the team (Ni and An) should be back from their respective travels next week and I think we're planning to do a meal the following week when we know for sure that everybody is back on board.

Tinka under the 4WD

Tinka helped with the rubbish and recycling tonight - if you call putting herself under the 4WD after I had taken it out to start hooking up the bin/s "helping". She did move away though ... and even though you would think you'd have good visibility from the 4WD, it's not as easy as you think to sight Tinka and make sure she is truly out of the way. I don't know what it is about that cat and motor vehicles!

M was still at the Movies with Mouse ("Man of Steel") when we arrived home and S settled in to watch Q&A - in real time. Trivia had moved along at a lively and compelling pace which meant we were home earlier than usual so she could. Usually she has to "timeshift" it.

I thought I was absolutely exhausted by the time I called it a night (I think I was doing something before I went to bed ... that's right, catching up with my writing exercises) but as I crawled in beside Maggie, I could hear Truman calling me and I managed to get another good whack of pages done before, finally, even I was too tired to keep my eyes open, especially knowing we have an early-ish start tomorrow.

 

Sunday ... (not so much) A Brave New World

Well, I looked, and while the day may have dawned bright, it was no brighter than it usually is, so I can only think that the new Liberal Coalition Government has not yet had time to work its "magic". Still, they were only reverse non-elected yesterday so there's still some time. (The usual adage is that Governments are not voted in, they are voted out.)

Sunset on Day One

It was all doom and gloom in the Skype call with Tr this morning. She is of the opinion that it will not be long before, under LNP leadership, Australia finds itself in the throes of a recession. When they slash Government spending, and the multiplier effect kicks in, it will, as I understood from her explanation, slow the economy to a point where it will be too sluggish to prosper. Then, she suggested, people will look around, a little bewildered, and ask "what happened?" followed quickly by a "did we do that?" or similar statements of incredulity. Welcome to Australia!

Leopold's Treat

At least the Markets were good ... and while I was craving sunshine, we didn't sit outside, but at least we didn't sit right up the back in the Food Court area, beyond the scaffolding and temporary walling (in place since last week at least) where they are preparing to continue the extensions construction. We sat in front, with the other tables of large groups ... their tables also starting to groan with coffees and refreshments. Mi was saying that in the Markets Newsletter they are now encouraging people to come and use the Markets as a meeting place, rather than just coming to shop.

There was a band playing in the Marquee out on the lawn today and when I took a photograph of them with my iPhone to send to Sy, the drummer asked me to take a couple of photographs with her iPhone, and then I offered to take some with Nik, who I went and retrieved from the car. I took a few photographas (one is on its way to Sy) and sent them through to the group.

Maggie - snake hole

S and I had a quiet afternoon in - reading, washing - and a nap for S. I did some writing, watched Jodie Foster in Contact (I have been hanging out to see it again since I saw Elysium last week), took some photographs, and then walked Pearl down the lane, and then down the back to see the job Be had done on the river paddock, and to look at the fire he and Pe had left burning down there. He really loves his fires, does Be!

Amaryllis

It was good that S decided to wash today ... while she was hanging the first load out, Hermes came to the fence and she went over to say hello when she noticed he was just waiting there. When she reached him, she noticed that his water was empty - except for an inch or two at the bottom. She filled it up for him - he shouldn't be without water, especially as it's starting to get hotter now, and she will let M know when she sees her.

M thinks Pearl has been back to Fox Hollow - she says she smells like it (which is a shame since M only gave her a bath the other day) and also because Pearl is eating a lot of grass and looks to be doing numerous (more so than usual) wees. M will keep an eye on her.

Maggie had a lovely sunbake in the "snake hole" this afternoon, looking as photogenic as ever. Tinka, not to be left out, left her spot under Lars and came for the walk up the back with Pearl and I - and deigned to follow me back when M arrived home and was getting all of their dinners ready.

Voting at the Sausage Sizzle places

Time for Australia to Vote! Well, for the 80% of voters who haven't pre-polled or done postal votes yet. I thought that was a phenomenal number when it was quoted on the News last night - even knowing that S and I were two of them - but more so (phenomenal) the explanation that people just wanted the whole thing to be over and done with and were voting early to make that their reality.

Chicken

It was a good breakfast at Kyogle - home-made fruit salad, toast, and scrambled eggs. Everyone was in fine form again - and Lo seemed to regained her voice after having been uncharacteristically quiet last night (which we still think had something to do with Ba being there). Pa was in fine form as well ... getting ready to vote for the first time! He has previously helped out with the National Party but he's not this year.

Ja had stayed overnight and we all saw her off. She seemed to have had a good time - so a successful visit all round.

Meanwhile, back at Latimers, word was that Deep Water Running had been cancelled and M was having a slower start to Saturday than is usually the case.

We had a great drive back up to Latimers and while we had thought we would stop at Uki or Murwillumbah on the way back for lunch, in the end it was too early, we were still full of breakfast, and we couldn't decided what we would have anyway ... and just kept driving home.

Of course, if we had thought about it, we could have checked out the website which showed which polling booths were having Sausage Sizzles and just called in at one of them on the way. I read on a friend's blog that she thought that was what most Australians were doing today - going to a Sausage Sizzle - and casting their vote while they happened to be there.

Fluffy Chicken

We did call in at a roadside rest stop on the way though and were more than a little suprised to find chickens there - different types, sizes and shapes (including a fluffy/woolly one). We were even more amazed that they didn't seem at all concerned that we, members of the human public, were in their territory. Of course, I couldn't help wondering what they were doing there ... and if they were the poultry from Chicken Run, settled in to their own resort on the Tweed River.

This evening, S settled in to watch the election coverage ... and while M was at home, she was sequestered in her bedroom, also, I think, watching television but possibly not the election. It didn't take long for the results to come back ... Labor, although polling better than the media had thought, did not win enough seats to be able to stay as the leading Parliamentary Party, and word came through just after 8pm that Kevin Rudd was about to concede the election. He eventually did ... at the same time saying he was going to relinquish leadership of the Party - but not saying if he was going to walk away from the Electorate that has just voted him back in. No doubt time will tell if that Seat needs to go to a by-election.

Meanwhile, based on what people - those barracking for a Liberal/National Party Win - have been saying, the day is going to dawn brighter ... and Australia is going to be a better place ... tomorrow. Hmmmm.

Friday - On the road again - Kyogle

It seems that I'm going further afield for breakfast these days ... and I had a very lovely one in Uki, NSW, this morning. It was brilliant, sitting out in the sunshine, watching a few cars pass by from time to time, a dog at my feet (I'm not sure why she wasn't hanging out with her "parents" except maybe they were more in the sun than I was), a fantastic coffee, and a view of the hills in the background. I was en route to Kyogle and had made the unusual decision (for me) to stop along the way. My grand plan had been to try to get a good photograph of Mt Warning ... but today wasn't the day for it.

Uki

Maggie was still in bed when I left and I'm seriously thinking about just taking photographs of where she hangs out during the day to see if she really does spend as much time in bed as I think she does. Not that we mind, of course, it's just that it really does seem incredible that she would want to spend so much time there.

It was a fantastic day for a drive - even better when it was confirmed that the truck that was blocking the Tugun ByPass had been moved. (It was too high to fit through the Tunnel ... it was gone by the time I arrived so I don't know if they managed to get it through by letting its tyres down or whether they did something else.)

Cadets

It was good to see the Kyogles today ... they are all in good form. And it was good for S to spend time with her pal Ja who she hasn't seen for awhile. They had a good catch-up before dinner while I had a quick nap (after zipping down to the IGA to get them some Soda Water -two brands so they could do a comparative taste test).

Dinner was good. Lo had a friend over as well; Ba was nice - he's doing his HSC this year, including music and drama and Lo is helping with his music. He seems very sad to have been born now - he assured us he much prefers the 60's, 70’s and 80's, particularly the music from those decades. The conversation around the table was constant and varied - and great fun. We were still going at 11pm when Pa arrived back from Cadets and kindly agreed to drive Ba home.

Tired but happy we went to bed - just a little sad that we had missed dinner at Mouse's tonight. Word is, though, that she's going to send some home with M - thanks Mouse!

 

Thursday - Pearl's bath and Echidnas

S is still in Kyogle. M went off to JP(she's filling in for a mate who's been off for the last few weeks having an operation). That left the furries and me at home.

Before she left, M gave Pearl a bath, which meant she had to stay outside until she was mostly dry - no easy feat given how thick her coat is. I sat out with her so she wasn't too lonely. Tinka sat out with us as well. Maggie stayed in bed.

Tinka went to The Tevs again this afternoon. She wasn't due until next week but M has been concerned that she has been drinking way too much water and had it brought forward to this week. Tinka's blood sugar levels are still higher than they'd like and her insulin dosage has been increased again ... and who would have thought that Tinka, who we all give "special cookies" numerous times a day, has actually lost weight!!! M's taking her back next week to see if the increased insulin has helped.

M and I went off to The Big House tonight. It was a bit quiet ... which could have been because there was something on at The Entertainment Centre which the Jupiters Concierge suggested was the Echnida Conference - some kind of handicraft event. It seemed awfully big - as evidenced by the buses pulling into the Entertainment Centre and parked on the surrounding streets.

A box opened at the CSP table when we arrived and M had a quick play and managed to get most of her money back. Then we were off to dinner at Spinners where they have stopped the Balmain Bug Special (so I can't really call it The Bug House anymore) and started doing the T-Bone Special. It wasn't bad either ... at first I thought there was too much to get through, but not so much. M and I had coffee upstairs and watched one man as he played Roulette ... and there weren't that many people up there either when we arrived ... that may have had something to do with tonight being the second First Night of the new Cabaret show.

Wednesday - Burning off and Bingo

I took myself off to breakfast at the cafe near the Post Office - I must find out what it is called. While I was there, I had a Skype call with S as she is plugged into the WiFi at Kyogle. She was already working with Pa and they were talking about the difference between unconventional and unethical acts. That was one of the questions Pa's working on - and needs to be discussed in reference to a film (I can't remember the title).

M called into Sy's today and cleaned the junk mail out of their letterbox. It is very exciting stuff! Sy and An are very lucky to have it delivered right to their letterbox ... we don't get it delivered out our way. I'm not sure if she called in before or after Bingo ... but the sad news is that there were no happy faces at Bingo today. While they were close a couple of times, for the majority of the game they were 5 or 6 numbers away. Amazingly one person did manage a full house in 42 calls ... I couldn't even conceive how that might be possible in so few calls!

The technician came to install M's new television this afternoon and to make sure the ratings box and everything was working okay. He was here for about an hour and ended up helping me carry M's old television into our room (surprise S!). This means we can now record a Free-to-Air Channel when there's no capacity left on the Austar Box(always thinking of you, S !) especially if it means not having to balance the portable DVD player on chests anymore!

Be's pile

Be zoomed by on his mowing tractor late this afternoon and did some work in the bottom paddock. It's all looking pretty good down there now - and after the next burn-off (he did one yesterday), with the branches and debris from the trailer thrown on this time, it will look fantastic.

M and Mouse went out last night to the opening of the Cabaret show at The Big House. M said it was really good and that S and I are going to enjoy it - because the acts are good and it keeps moving for the full hour and an half or so, but also for S because it is in French.

Meanwhile, back at Latimers, the furries and I were huddled around the computer and the iPad and having a lovely quiet evening in. I had thought I was going to have a casserole from the freezer but when it was thawed and I still couldn't tell what it was, I decided to have something else instead. Pearl had her new fish-cookies - that The Tevs are having her trial to see if the added glucosamine helps with Pearl's arthritis She gets to eat more of these - almost twice as much as her standard ones - I'm not sure that they fills her up as much though.

 

Tuesday - casting a vote (making a difference?)

There's nothing like a breakfast at Ferry Road and S and I were there early this morning for "the usual" of coffee, fresh bread and condiments ... today it was a lovely Apricot Jam from Tasmania, and a room-temperature Camembert Cheese. It doesn't matter which way you have it, the Merlo coffee is excellent.

Next stop . . . voting. S is off to Kyogle this afternoon to have a week-long session with Pa, helping him with "University" and giving him some tips on how to improve his papers. So, because she will be interstate and just in case she's delayed in getting back for Saturday, we went into Southport to vote today. Truly, this is the first time I have had trouble voting from the front ie first to last. There are eight candidates in our electorate and to cast a valid vote in the Lower House, you have to give each a number from 1 to 8. You wouldn't think it would be that difficult to rank them from favourite to least favourite ... but not so much. A couple of other folk I have talked to had a similar dilemma.

M arrived at lunchtime to collect S, and we had lunch before they both went off just after lunch. But they came back within a few minutes because M had left his mobile phone behind. I like to think I would have found it while I was cleaning up, but at least this way he didn't have too far to come back.

It was a quiet afternoon at Latimers - probably because only the furries were here. I took myself out to Maccas for another free coffee and to do some writing exercises (a September challenge).

Monday - Volunteers and Trivia

S went off to Volunteer at the Play Group again today and she stayed on to do a training session as well. It must have been a bit different for her to take lunch with her this morning - and very different for Pearl not getting to share it with her! The training session was on car restraints and S was amazed by what she learnt, including that the visibility behind a standard family sedan is so poor that you can hide a class of 30 kids behind one!

Maggie was still very much in bed when we left this morning, not asleep though because I was in with her just before and she was awake and happy to be having a big tummy rub. S said she (Maggie) slept on my legs all last night (or was that the night before?).

Dolly is back from being broken in and is doing her best to avoid Ca when she comes to the fence. We stopped by her paddock on the way to the Markets yesterday and she turned around to say hello and S got out of the car to give her a big pat. She didn't run away and we would all still be there probably if we hadn't had to go.

Trivia was good. St was back tonight and with his help, and the rest of our efforts, we were able to back up our win last week with a respectable (by one point) Second tonight. I know ... we could go over where we lost points but let's not (although really we could have managed just two more points if we had interrogated our answers a tad more closely!). But not to be - but at least we have another entry in the big draw, and another $ 30 voucher ($80 in the kitty now).

Sunday - Markets and a movie

S and I were out early-ish this morning and ensconced at Maccas with a cup of coffee in time for the Skype call with Tr. She is good and they very much enjoyed the 50's Fair they went to last weekend.

We were first at the Markets too, probably because of the early start, and had managed to secure a couple of tables and enough chairs in the Marque by the time Mouse arrived... although when the others arrived it was decided the group would prefer to be inside in the "Food Court" area ... so that's where we relocated to.

We were a substantial group again and, as always, there was a substantial repast on offer including the very yummy Markets bread with cheese and tomato, warm croissants, home-made cake, strawberries ... the list goes on. I am always amazed how Fl remembers the coffee orders ... he just gets it right.

M let the others know that Mi and Ag Skyped last night. All is well with them. (M was able to finally fill them in on the latest adventures of the Prince of Persia ... there have been no more since last Monday except now The Great K is now staying with he and Mouse.)

After the Markets, I dropped S at home before I took myself off to the movies to see Elysium (sorry An, I waited as long as I could). I enjoyed it - rating 7.5 - and think it was better than the Director's previous film District 9 even though lots of people didn't. The effects were fairly decent and I'm still wondering how the space station orbiting Earth was able to keep its artificial atmosphere from escaping with nothing holding it in. That, the non-physical barrier, was a crucial element in the plot line. There were some very mean baddies in there as well, including a heavily accented (and what accent was that?) Jodie Foster.

Back at Latimers, S had done some laundry and then had a nap - and, of course, Maggie joined her. Pearl wasn't far away either. She came for a walk down to Be's with me this afternoon, while the cats were having their dinner, and I had to call her back - Pe was walking a dog down the lane in front of us; and Pearl went charging after them; she came back and I was very proud of her for doing the sit, drop and roll as/when instructed. The rest of the walk went without incident. Good Pearl!

Saturday - lunch and the Latimers swallows

Toowoomba is good for a sleep-in and this morning I didn't manage to drag myself out of bed until after 8. I must have needed it because I was in bed before 9 last night.

We had a slow start to the morning, doing some CD to MP3 transfers for Mum as she finished getting lunch ready. We didn't hit the shops ... we could have if we'd have more time, but the time we did have we used doing a Skype call with Gr in Sydney. They are all well on that front with the youngest daughter visiting from Turkey (she is doing tennis coaching over there), and the other two still off in Europe. Gr was in the middle of a painting project when we phoned but he put the brushes aside while wife He took the opportunity to go off in search of his Father's Day present.

Swallow nest

It was a good lunch. We moved the kitchen table outside into the covered area so we could all fit comfortably. The children were in fine form and Ka who was not walking when we last saw him 7 weeks ago is now very proficient ... except for when he was tripped by the start of the ramp. There was some blood but no broken bones and he settled ("pulled himself together" as S says) quite quickly. That was the only mishap, except when he stepped off the side of the landing - but that was only a short fall and he remained uninjured. (It kind of makes you wonder what the adults were doing at the time!)

We were back at Latimers before nightfall, having survived yet another trip on the Motorway! Will people never learn the rules about that?

The furries were in fine form when we arrived home - M had taken Pearl for a walk while Tinka and Maggie had their dinners. They, the cats, took themselves outside to enjoy the sunset and didn't come back in until after dark; at least they didn't have long to wait!

We won't be able to tell until morning whether the skirmish over the swallow nest has been settled in our absence. Over the last few days there have been many swallows trying to lay claim to the nest - at one point there were two in the nest and another five buzzing them. I had thought I heard chicks in there on Wednesday, but given all the fuss, I'm not sure that is the case now. I'll try to spend some time out there tomorrow and see what I can see/hear.