More water ....

There's nothing quite like the strident thumping of disco music, the calm, confident but insistent voice of the instructor, and a pool full of women. Yes, welcome to Aquarobics. It is S's first class this evening and she is doing it with Sy and An. They are about 15 minutes into the class and they seem to be going very well so far ... and, and this is a good recommendation for people watching from the sidelines, they do seem to be enjoying it. The question is, will they be able to move tomorrow after their work-out in the pool this evening! One of the most amazing things for me to see here is that there are so many things you can do in the water with a pool noodle - including sitting on it ... and even that comes in more than one variety. It's almost the end of the hour now and while we've just had a change of music - it still has a disco beat - but different, and it's now time for stretching exercise before people get out of the pool.

A good bit of the Gold Coast has now had power restored although there are pockets still without it. Surprisingly, D and C and the children, in Brisbane, have been without power for most of the week, and are still waiting on Energex to come and fix the lines damaged by their neighbour's tree. They have given a revised ETA of 1:30pm Friday - and D is not happy about this ... although she is grateful that friends have been cooking dinners, making kids lunches, and even offering to iron uniforms to help them out!

It was Bingo today and even though E is away, M and S went. After that, and lunch, S took herself off to the Southport Library, and I picked her up from there to bring her to the pool (via Zarraffas for a cup of coffee ... it is the afternoon afterall!)

 

Dissonance ... and a little incongruity

As it turns out, The Big House did have an Australia Day function - actually two of them ... but not quite the event it has been in previous years ... no, this time it wasn’t a barbecue ... it was a ball ... The Australia Day Balls – with one at lunchtime and one in the evening. We went to the lunchtime one ... and while it wasn’t quite the same, it was good fun (although it would have been more fun with the games and the ice cream van) ... and a free lunch - so we were happy and very grateful to be invited.

It was odd though – with a few contrasts ... like a tuxedo-clad American tribute band performing against the backdrop of an Australian farm – red soil, green and brown gum trees, the brown of the sheep in pens, the black of the sheepdog on the verandah, and the white of cockatoos flying overhead. The fact that the function room was done up formally but that the dress was “informal” – or so lots of people seem to have been told – was another mismatch.

I still can't believe I missed the special entertainment though. I was out of the room when the rope-twirling, whip-cracking, line dancing folk made their entrance and appearance! I did catch the last minutes of the line dancers so it wasn't a complete fail on my part. And heaven knows I have always been proud of our pseudo-American heritage! But at least the American tribute band (Sweet Central?) did a couple of Aussie songs – “Waltzing Matilda” and “I still call Australia Home”.

I don't know why they refer to weather as "wild and woolly" but it certainly has been. We've been lucky and apart from lots of wind and rain it's been fairly uneventful. Alas, the same can't be said for other areas of the Gold Coast There have been massive power outages - including on Mt Tambourine which has been without power and water for most of the long weekend – and last I heard it still hadn’t been restored. We're so used to having services – power especially - that I think we sometimes forget how much we rely on them! And how much we need them for - not the least of which here at Latimers is for pumping water. We are very grateful to have power - especially as lots of the surrounding suburbs do not. And it was just a bit on the hairy side to drive through some of them on the way to work this morning because the traffic lights were out! But at least the creek hasn't flooded (too much)!

 

Saturday

The rain looks as though it has settled in for the coming long weekend and while many think it has to do with ex-tropical Cyclone Oswald making its way down the Queensland Coast - there are some of us who suspect it may have more to do with M having accommodation at The Big House - and whenever there's a chance that S may get a swim in there, it's almost a certainty that something will happen - most often rain although sometimes it has manifested as Pool Parties with restricted access or pool upgrades and/or maintenance. So - very definite chance of rain!

We had dinner at Spinners last night - Mouse, S, M and I - and all of us had the January special Surf and Turf or was that Beef and Reef - or do they call it something else? But you get the idea - steak and garlic prawns, with some salad and chips. Very nice. And lots of other people thought so too because Spinners was absolutely packed - and continued to be so. They're having an Australia Day Special as well - coffee and lamingtons or coffee and pavlova for $6. Quite a bargain! It's just a pity that they're not doing their usual Australia Day Celebration because that was great fun the last couple of years when we were lucky enough to attend (thanks M). Ah well, there's nothing as constant as change ... and it's just another sign of belt-tightening across the entertainment sector!

It's quite different looking out the window on the weekend and seeing grey sky ... but it's not unpleasant and it's a great excuse not to be out and about. Sometimes it's just nice to have a quiet day in - having a bit of a sleep in, watching an episode of Dr Who, reading, some writing, and just having a general relax ... a wonderful thing to do. It's like being on holidays - and it's wonderful. And there's still two days to go! Hmmm ... it may be time to start reading "Life of Pi". (I'm still thinking about the books - even more so since I read about the meaning of "TsimTsum" - the name of the ship that sinks leaving Pi afloat on the ocean with the Bengal Tiger, named Richard Parker, and there's apparently a story about his name as well. You really have to be thankful for some aspects of the internet and the way information can be/is so readily available!)

 

Pumped!

In ... over ... under ... through ... or is that "off"? Welcome to the knitting lesson - which I also took part in when I arrived home and believe me, it has been a while since I picked up a pair of knitting needles - I think it's even longer since when I rode a bike! It is amazing how these things stay with us though. And the memories of when we did them. I was instantly back in John Street with my Auntie Ronice teaching me how to knit. It must have been an incredibly thankless task for her though now that I think about it - back then my stitches were tight - so tight it was almost impossible to move them along the needles. My sewing samplers were not much better ... overworked, scrunched up and perhaps even a little grubby ... sewing wasn't really my forte and I never really did graduate to proper sewing. But I did knit a jumper once - for me, in my high school colours (brown and blue)but that was on a knitting machine. I don't think L is going to need a knitting machine ... she has done quite well - and even better on Day 2 - although there wasn't a lot of time for knitting given how busy they were ... pancakes with Mouse for breakfast, then on to Southport RSL for Bingo, before heading off to Daniel Stuart's for lunch with Honeybun (what L used to call Mi when she first met her) and the others. No-one can say S hasn't done some different things with L while she has been visiting - not everyone gets to go to Trivia and Bingo when visiting the Gold Coast. It was good that S took L to see "The Life of Pi" as well ... especially as it resulted in lots of discussion about the meaning of the film and Richard Parker and "nom nom nom".

M had an interrupted sleep the night before last - the tank pump kept turning on (going off? ... English is a wonderful language) every 12 minutes or so - and she was up checking that no taps had been left on. She couldn't find any - but in the morning she did find the problem and called in the plumber ... who came (as he said he would - something not all tradies do) yesterday morning. Hopefully she had a better sleep last night. Now she just needs Allen the electrician to come to finally fix the bore pump problem. The pump people have said it's not the pump but an electrical issue and while they offered their electrician to investigate the problem, M decided it was best to stay with who she knew ... and would turn up as planned ... he's reliable as well! The good news during all of these pump issues is that we have been getting some rain (keeping me off ROM) but at least it has been putting water back into the tank!

 

More weekend :)

Back to the Gallery. Not literally, of course, but we will need to think about doing that again soon. The Margaret Olley Wing hasn't been started yet, but they do have some of her works out ... as well as some of the treasures (some of them the most unexpected things - a Groucho mask, a "dressed to kill" tag on the statue of an Oriental soldier) from her house. No wonder they had designated she herself as a "National Living Treasure". They haven't yet raised all the cash for the new Wing, but they are well on the way, and if it fits into the landscape as well as the current facility, it will be a fantastic boon to the area and to the Australian art scene. One of the most magnificent things about the Gallery, besides that they seem to have a great store of works, is that they have built it so it shows off its northern NSW vista to good effect. The windows act as frames to the surrounding countryside - including Mt Warning. They have set up a viewing gallery on a balcony, together with a map so visitors can identify the landmarks at which they're looking. Great stuff!

Did I mention that as well as being incredibly warm on Saturday - it was also raining. Once it had stopped, in the cooler part of the afternoon, Pearl and I did some branch trimming of the large tree out the front (I have as much luck with tree names as I do with birds ... were they swallows or starlings nesting out the front last year?). Pearl isn't a bad help, although I had to make sure that the branches weren't falling on her in her excitement at trying to catch them.

S and L to see Life of Pi yesterday (Monday). Mouse and M saw it on Saturday while we were at Hitchcock - and it's not surprising that we weren't the only ones seeking refuge from the heat! I haven't had a chance to discuss it with them yet. I'm curious to know ... given that M had read the book already ... whether it made for a different viewing experience.

Monday: The new deck is on the mower - and it's raining again! While I'm anxious to get out there to see if the cut will be as amazing as the mower man suggested, we really do need the rain to keep filling the tank as the bore water pump int back in service yet.

M took Tinker to the vet again this afternoon. She is now on 4 and a fraction rather than 4 and a half. Who knew that the administration of insulin could be such an exact and demanding science? But she's well in herself - and has put on weight so it all seems to be working. The vet wanted to see her back in a fortnight - and I'm now not sure if I I heard it correctly, but I think M said they'd had to push it out to three weeks because they couldn't find an appointment before then!

Another Monday Night - another Trivia session at the Southport RSL. Luckily L was able to come with us, otherwise she would have missed being on the winning team! She played well - even getting the Baffler answer! I think she had a good time - but I think she would have had a better time if she'd had her iPod with her so she could be in contact with her "pen pals". This is just another reason why it's important to keep your electronic devices well charged!

It's different having someone else in the house - just as it was having M away for a couple of days last week (on her course ... I must ask her for some more detail about it - there hasnt been a lot of opportunity since she came back!)

But the big news is ... S is going to teach L how to knit tomorrow!

Love those weekends!

Another day - another movie -and a wonderful one! We took refuge from the heat (not that considerable compared to other places - like Sydney where they have recently had the hottest day on record but warm enough for us) in an air-conditioned cinema. We had decided to see "Hitchcock". M had said it was good - and after seeing it, we have to agree with her. Of course, I was hooked, and knew I was always going to see it as soon as I saw the trailers and knew that it dealt with the making of "Psycho". I'm not saying "Psycho" is my favourite movie but it certainly made an impression on me in my formative years and it is one of the only movies I have a scene-by-scene frame shots book of. (I must dig that up and have another look at it.). And who knew that Psycho the story was based on a real body snatcher - but I don't need to go into the details of here ... that's what the interweb is for! But it was good - and well worth watching.

That was Saturday ... which also included breakfast with Mouse and M at Pancakes on the Rocks at Mermaid Beach. As it was my choice, I'd like to say it was the best breakfast we've had, but, alas, it was far from it. Part of that wasn't their fault though - we all had expected much thinner pancakes and different "ratios" - and when our breakfasts did arrive, we were disappointed. Unfortunately, it was downhill from there. It's funny how dining experiences are so subjective!
We made it back to The Markets yesterday and even though A had applied for a leave of absence (and well within the 48-hour period) - we were understandably surprised when she and M were at the Markets-and well before us!

We were a decent crowd with most of the usual suspects-actually, I think we were the core group! It's been a good while since there was just us! We didn't stay with them to dose the Markets though because we had another stop to make-at the Tweed Art gallery - to collect niece L who is staying with us for the next few days. It was good to finally get to the gallery. S and M have been a couple of times - and we're right to sing its virtues! But more on that another time ...

 

Thursday

People sometimes say "it's just like riding a bike"- and last night it was time to find out if they were right. We were visiting J and Co and when we returned to their place after a very nice plate of ribs (some of us anyway) J pointed to the bikes and suggested we go for a ride. The gears started whirring in my brain - how long was it since I last rode one, would I remember how, would I be brave enough to try (I haven't been previously when people offered to loan me their two-wheelers!). S decided not to wait (or is that "watch") - leaving me in J's capable hands - have I mentioned previously that J is a nurse? l decided it was probably best not to go on the road so I tried up and down their deck. Several false starts later (no falls, no injuries) I managed to get my knees and legs working in unison - and I was off... as in riding, not as in falling off. I didn't tempt fate by doing more - but I was fairly pleased with myself- even if (as S reported) I was squealing "like a girl". It was as we recapped my adventure that she told me she'd been thinking of getting a bike so she could ride around B's oval. I think that would be a great idea - not as exciting as M's plan to get a kayak -but up there!

The pump man did come but the pump isn't yet working. It seems to be an electrical issue - each time he puts the pump on, it trips the circuit breaker. He didn't have the right gear with him yesterday to isolate the problem - but he'll be back.

There's been no sign of the mower man - and if I wasn't planning to work back this evening (I'm going in later) I know it would be time to bring out the push mower. I'm going to start flexing my shoulder in readiness for the pull cord starter action as soon as I get to work. Who knows ... it may also be a good technique for stretching and staying limber as I work my way through the cost and project reviews. They're early this month so it's all been a bit of a rush.

M is having a couple of days away so I'm in charge of the cat trays while S has taken over sustenance. I'm also doing the Pearl walks - and this morning we saw one of the girls who does the horses. She leaned out the car window to pat Pearl and say she'd see her later for hose play - Pearl loves to help fill the horse waters!

 

The weekend

It has finally cooled down a little and it looks like we'll be able to stop sleeping under wet towels for a while. The human brain is quite imaginative and resourceful when it needs to be - although, to be fair, this is a trick we heard about some years ago from K and her husband - and describes how they survived one incredibly hot Summer in Dubbo - or was that Wagga? In any case, S seems to have remembered it - otherwise it would have been much more uncomfortable around here.

We're hoping it rains again soon; even though M says the tank is full, it would be nice to know the water we're using while the bore pump is out of action was being replenished. Hopefully the pump man will come today. And the lawn mower man - because it is starting to get to be that time again and I would really rather do the lawn with ROM rather than with the push mower.

M's busy at the moment doing a training course; it's the second day today. I'm not sure if she's enjoying it yet - you can enjoy things even if you describe them as "heavy" going! From a purely selfish angle, it's a nice change to have someone else awake in the mornings besides the furries! But, no, I won't be getting too used to it - and nor would I want to wish it on anyone!

M and S went to see Les Miserables at the Gold Coast Arts Centre on Sunday afternoon. They came out quite spent - it was obviously a very emotional journey! And they were more than a little impressed by Hugh Jackman's performance. It's almost (but not quite) enough to make me want to see it - together with the reports of Anne Hathaway's "Dream" performance. While they were off at the movies I was at my second day of the model yacht races at Emerald Lakes. It was quite interesting - big boys with big toys - there were few women racing in the classes I saw - although there were a couple of women officials/observers and a couple of female spectators. It was fairly hot out there by the lake and I picked up a tiny touch of sunburn because I wasn't quite careful enough.

Ibises and ROMs

M thinks it's because they haven't been picking up the horse manure regularly enough and this has lead to a worm outbreak (which sounds so much nicer than "infestation") but for whatever reason the ibis are flocking to the paddock up the road. Yesterday, the day before and again today they were all over that paddock and the one next to it. I mentioned it to M in the way into The Big House last night which is when she suggested they were after worms - and that made a great deal of sense. This wasn't the first time I had heard that was why people pick up horse pooh - even S and I have had turns (though not that many admittedly and it was a good while ago now) pushing the barrow or working the pitch fork! But the ibis seemed to be liking it a lot and it will be interesting to see how many there are again in the morning ... there seems to be fewer there each morning - which may have something to do with a diminishing nematode population.

The Willy Wagtail is still on the nest and it's all I can do to not investigate - all it would take is the camera on the tripod - and holding it over the branch where the nest is. Alas - or good because this is what is supposed to happen - when I get close - even without the camera gear - the parent bird gets really agitated and does its best to draw me away for the nest. It's probably for the best that we keep our distance - and if there is something in there, waiting to hatch, we will see it soon!

At least the sound of ROM won't be disturbing the birds - until next week at least - which is hopefully when the mechanic will be back to fix it. The deck has been cutting quite crooked for a while and M will have to make up her mind whether she's going to have it replaced with a new deck or not. If it's too long getting fixed, we'll have to give the push mower a go again - as long as one of us has the strength to pull the starter rope - because that grass just keeps on growing - and we have to keep mowing so we can see if there are any snakes out on the lawn when we want to go there!

That's not so far-fetched as it might seem, especially as we saw a carpet snake (a baby!) (SSSSSSS) on the lane way last night as we came home (with slightly lighter pockets) from The Big House!

After the break ...

It is taking some getting used to ... that the holiday break is over and it's now back to work as normal (or should that be "usual")? Today is the second day back - and really, it isn't any easier than yesterday. But I am holding tightly to the knowledge that tomorrow is Hump Day and that it's then just a short run to the end of the week! I can't imagine what it would be like going back to work after such a wonderful break if you actually hated your job!

Yesterday was L's anniversary and S and M visited the cemetery to mark the day. It doesn't seem like only four years but in other ways it seems like a lifetime ... and that's just for S and I. There really aren't that many days that go by when we don't think of L. She was a presence - and taken too soon. I'm sure they have made major inroads in the treatment of cancer since then - but it still seems that way too many people are battling it these days!

Both Tink and Maggie have spent time in the basket M prepared out the front for when Beazley was unwell. This may just be behaviour I haven't seen in either of them before, but I would have sworn neither of them were "basket" cats. But we do know that cats often put themselves into places just waiting for you to come along and see them and they smile to themselves and, after a suitable interval, wander off to their next photo opportunity.

The Willy Wagtail is still sitting on the nest - yes, the one in plain sight, out in the open, with no protection from marauding predators/invaders. We're not sure if it's sitting on its egg or one laid by a mynah ... hopefully it won't be that long before we all find out ... because it has been a while (or does it just seem that way because of the holidays).

 

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! Well, I'm not quite sure where 2012 went but it seems to be "done and dusted"! We saw in 2013 at The Big House - M and Mouse went to The New Year's Eve Ball (which they truly seemed to enjoy) while S and I went to see Rhonda Burchmore at the Atrium Bar there. We had been lucky enough to see/hear her rehearse earlier in the afternoon and while that was good she was a knock-out for the scheduled performance. Then we just mingled with the crowd, had some dinner, hung out in the room for a while (thanks M), came back downstairs to watch the midnight fireworks across at Broadbeach (we could see a slice of them between the buildings), wished M and Mouse a Happy New Year - and took ourselves back up to the room per chance to sleep and dream - which I did but S had a bit of an unsettled night. Hopefully she enjoyed her bit of a sleep-in.

A fair few folk walked away with NYE souvenirs last night (early this morning). Mostly it was balloons (six-feet columns of them!) or the table centrepieces - also balloons. Some of the columns were so large it was hard to imagine how they were going to get them into their vehicles and home.

It has been a busy few days: Christmas, Boxing Day Bingo (Winners ARE Ginners!), The Quartet, Fat Noodle, The Asia Pacific Triennial exhibition at GOMA, P's birthday dinner in Kyogle ... the list goes on ... and it has all been wonderful! I've also managed to fit in a tiny bit of television - not nearly enough - but no reading - and that is high on my list of things "to do" especially "Life of Pi" now that the film has been released (today!).

In the middle of all that Pearl finally returned from her sleepover at Mouse's ... and Beazley came home (thanks Pets Eternal). It just hasn't been the same without him and it seems everyone is still trying to settle into a routine without him. He is definitely missed.

So, what will 2013 bring? Especially as the Mayan apocalypse predictions seem to have come to naught!

Happy New Year One and All