Wednesday 29 January

How can it be Hump Day after only one day of work? Pretty good, hey? There were no complaints at work - in fact, it wasn't me who pointed out, but AC - and she was bordering on very very happy with the realisation.

I had a brief encounter with M this morning just as I was about to run out. She bore not so good tidings - Mi's father has taken a turn for the worse and Mi will be leaving for Pristina almost immediately - she would be going today except her passport has expired and she's having to get an emergency one. Hopefully it will arrive in time for her to catch a flight on Thursday. Her pregnant sister won't be able to make the trip from New Zealand, but her other sister, is already over there. Hopefully their father will rally, as he did last time, but I think they are prepared for the worst.

Wednesday is Breakfast and Bingo Day. It is sometimes Aqua Day as well - but not today. Alas, there were no Winners are Grinners at Bingo today - but Em was there and they all had a good time. (And was that grapes leftover from morning tea I spied in the fridge?)

Mouse and M went off to Brisbane this afternoon - M had an errand to run (picking up her watch which has had a new battery and water pressure test) and they were staying overnight there. They will meet Mi at the airport tomorrow to see her off.

Sooz was home alone this afternoon - until I arrived home - but she won't be tomorrow. Je is due and, as well, Bi from Neilsens. We are about to lose our ability to change the face of television in this country. I'm not sure how long the ratings box has been at Latimers but I do know that they have done an amazing job of monitoring viewing habits ... if the television was on and no-one was signed in, they would phone the next day to find out what was happening! You do have to wonder about the validity of the ratings though - because I know there was no way they could pick up on all the series and television I have watched over the time ... using DVDs on a portable player ... that type of thing. But, I suppose, that isn't something they can sell advertising space on (yet!) so probably it's not what they're interested in tracking.

Tinka (oops ... bad angle)

It was a relatively quiet evening and when I started lockdown, I was surprised to find Tinka making her way into the bedroom. She settled for a bit, went back out, and by the time I arrived back after cleaning my teeth, she had taken up residence. I'm happy to have her ... but sometimes I wish she would share just a little more. Pearl slept in the breezeway outside the room. Maggie continued her sleeping (she had been there most of the evening) on top of the lounge. I think they all know their mother is away ... there appeared to be no waiting up this evening.

 

Tuesday 28 January

AC and the calculator

It's always a bit hard to go back to work after a long weekend - and today was no exception. It was good though ... the girls were in good form and there was tons to do. At one point, talk turned to computers (the server was being a bit difficult again ... it has been intermittently since we moved over to the new platform) and we were talking about our first computers ... and then calculators. Le is young enough to have grown up with calculators, but not so much AC who did have calculators in her high school years ... where they used them to spell out words. She showed us how this afternoon.

Clique photo challenge for the month is "water". I've started thinking about it already ... unfortunately most of the images that are coming to mind (not easy because I am not really able to visualise which is probably why I take so many photographs) are derivative. Hmm. I have a few weeks to work on it though ... and I have a feeling that no body of water will be safe until I put my competition entry in.

Pearl's bare patch

I took Pearl for a walk down the lane this afternoon while S was feeding the feline furries. She really is walking and running much better these days (that would be Pearl) and although she is still puffing a bit, it's no-where as bad as it used to be. Her fur, from where it was shaved for the ultrasound a while ago, is growing back ... but very slowly. Given she has three coats of fur, and the first one isn't properly in yet, I wonder if she's going to be wearing her nightie a lot more in Winter to keep her warm.

Sooz's surprise

I spent part of the evening paying bills - a very tiring task indeed - and reworking my "to do" list and by the time I went to bed, ostensibly to have a lie down and unkink my back, I was exhausted, and it wasn't long until I succumbed, put on CP and went into the land of Nod.

Oh, and one more thing ... Sooz did the nicest thing for me yesterday. While I was having my afternoon nap, she ironed my work shirts for me! How lucky am I? Hmmmm ,,, I wonder who will iron them next time ... I think it will probably be me

 

Monday 27 January

The foal

Everyone was asleep when I woke up this morning - I couldn't afford to sleep in again … I have to start getting in to my routine ready for work tomorrow! So, being as quiet as I could, I gathered up the camera and set out up the road to see if I could snap the blue-faced finches I'd noticed the other day.

There was some wildlife out but by the time I was up at B's shed, I realised the foal was in the end yard and I settled in to take some photographs of him and his mother. It was hard … he obviously doesn't mind people because he kept trotting over to the fence to have a pat - and to try to have a little nuzzle - or was that nibble?

More horses

Otherwise it was a fairly quiet day: not discouraged (although I should be) after “Sisterland” I have moved on to “The Atlantis Gene” by A.G. Riddle - which reminds me, in its “written for television” style (short chapters interweaving different locations and action), of Michael Crichton. It's no Jurassic Park though … but it is keeping my interest and I am keen to see how the two heros are thrown together … that may be a few pages away now.

The other thing I did today was have an afternoon nap … a little longer than a nana nap but not a big sleep but still working towards decreasing that sleep deficit after the weekend at The Big House … and while I know that it was self-inflicted - it doesn't help to be reminded so.

And even though it is a Public Holiday, Southport RSL Trivia was on. On the way, we didn't take the rubbish to the road (or the recycling) and when we arrived home M had done both.

Trivia was great. We were in the tie-break for third and managed to get closest to the correct year. The question: in what year did JJJ start broadcasting. The answer was 1974 … we said 1973. It has been a while since we've been on the podium so it was a nice change … and a suitable “welcome back” for An!

 

Sunday (26 January)

No longer letterboxes

M had news yesterday - a driver had missed the corner at the road end of the lane - and taken out the letterboxes and left a sizeable hole in Da's fence. Luckily there was no-one between him and the fence - and M reported he wasn't injured - so that was good. And Sooz was telling me later that M had only been talking about it being time for a new letterbox a short while ago. I guess that could be a case of “be careful what you wish for”.

The call with Tr went well this morning - except for a couple of minor technical difficulties. Because it was raining, I couldn't take the call poolside so I went into Spinners and Peter, one of the waiters there, put me into the closed section so I wouldn't be disturbed and wouldn't disturb others. And, of course, I had coffee while I was there so everyone was happy!

Green and Gold!

Then, breakfast - at Spinners - almost a repeat of yesterday except Sooz had toast this morning as well rather than pancakes. The fruit salad was good too - although not quite as good as yesterday. We thought it might have something to do with the catering they would be doing for the various Australia Day activities happening at The Big House. M and Mouse are off to a Seafood Extravanganza and they were very nicely colour-coordinated in their green and gold outfits.

Back at home, the furries were having a lazy day - in various reposes around the house. M had been busy though - I'm not sure if it was yesterday (in amongst her other chores) or earlier today - but she has started weeding around near the BBQ and the bin was still there so there may be more to come (or go).

Weeding in progress

S came over this after (from L's) to ask what had happened to the letterboxes and who had the details - because, and I think we had know this, their letterbox - a little house if memory serves me correctly - had cost a few hundred dollars. We had thought that one of the boys would have let them know - but no! I told him what I could - referring him to B and D - but he still was not a happy chap.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the world, M and Mouse were still enjoying Australia Day - E's Garage Sale, Zarraffas (and Australia Day lamingtons - and she brought some home for us - thanks M), the International Food Festival at the Mosque, back to Mouses's to watch the tennis, and then off to The Big House to catch up with E and Fl. That's what you'd have to call a very full Australia Day!

Sooz and I had a full day too although it was more of the catch up with the news, reading, series and some pods. You have to love long weekends! (Shirt ironing comes tomorrow!)

 

Saturday 25 January

Thanks to M we had an overnight at The Big House. It was quite late by the time the lights went out - after 1 and I can honestly say I haven't stayed up that late for a long time - not even on New Year's Eve. And this morning as I crawled out of bed at 8:30 I remembered why … still very tired and feeling like a truck had reversed over me … twice! Sooz slept well though.

Leisurely breakfast

Sooz and I had a very leisurely - healthy and tasty too - breakfast at Spinners before I went off with the camera to practice with the new lens on the Eastern Water Dragons around the pool - if they were there … and they were - more than I had seen for a good while.

As I arrived a young lad, seeing the camera, asked if I was “taking a photograph of the 'little fellas'” and when I said yes, he proceeded to tell me where some were and throughout the next hour he would come out of the pool from time to time to show me were other Water Dragons were. When I came back a little while later with the other camera he asked if I filled the other one up. Yes, of course I took the opportunity to give him a lesson about SD cards (thus starting the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs on his way … and isn't it interesting that there isn't a figurehead/driving force identified with the Android operating system?).

Water dragon

One of the other children - a boy - almost knew his wildlife when he first spotted a Water Dragon and said, not quite in fear “It's an iguana!”. Close, but not gold star.

It was a leisurely day after that and M came in and we had dinner for a while before making a small contribution to the Casino so they could stay in operation, with just a little profit, for another day! It was quite late by the time it was lights out - after one - and I can honestly say I haven't stayed up that late … since last night!

 

Friday 24 January

There was so much bird life around Latimers when I took Pearl for her walk up the lane this morning, that I couldn't help feeling like Tipi Hedron. There were crows, small finches with blue faces, ducks, and over near the shed that B built (and that shed is massive) there was a tree with a cover of cockatoos. Meanwhile, closer to the ground, Choo Choo was over near the fence, wind-sucking, Some things don't change.

Back at home, Tinka had taken up a position behind the car and I couldn't even think about driving off until I had moved her. Luckily she wasn't as difficult as she sometimes is - but I still kept my eye on her in case she decided to duck back behind Lars.

Sunrise was on the television set at Maccas this morning - and the captioner was brilliant - I can't even remember what "bee Leisel Jones rent" was supposed to be - but the piece on Justin Beiber's release from a Miami jail where he "yum 007'd on the top of the car" was self-explanatory ... well kind of. At least there was vision of him jumping up to sit on top of his car to make it easier to interpret.

AC reminded me at work yesterday that I had said I would bring in my Roomerang - a toy like a boomerang which can be used inside without breaking furniture or windows or people. I took it in today after lunch and we had a good play - and, not surprisingly, when AC took it next door for our playmate Sean to have a go, he looked at it ... no, studied it from different angles, and then, when he was satisfied, he threw it, had it come back to him exactly as it should - and all of that on his first go. We weren't so good - and Da went so far as to say he kept missing it because of the air-conditioning!

Family N Friends dinner tonight was at Zen - thanks M! It was wonderful and while we may have ordered a tad too much, there was no way those honey prawns were being sent back to the kitchen. And, amazingly, there was still room for a coffee - and for Sooz, some of a ShowBoat, before we called it a night.

Thursday 23 January

I think it may be a new record ... 8.5 hours to drink a cup of coffee. I checked after I had drained the last mouthful - and was not surprised, although many would be if they did not have my "sippy cup" to know that it was still warm.

It rained today - a lot - but that's good, because we really do need it - and they need it other places as well ... someone was telling me that they'd be out past Dalby just after Christmas and there wasn't a blade of grass to be seen. I know they say there isn't any climate change happening ... and yes, this might be a cyclical event ... but it does seem that places that should be cold are hot, and places that should be hot are cold ... there's something happening.

I went back to the hairdressers this afternoon - I don't usually go back within a week - but, I have to admit, Sooz was right ... it does look and feel much better now that I've had the back trimmed a bit more. What Sooz didn't realise until I got home was that part of my visit to the hairdressers this afternoon also included a trip into ... the beauty room. Who knew waxing would hurt that much ... luckily it stopped shortly afterwards, and when I talked with the beauty therapist about the waxing I had seen on the Footy Show, which looked incredibly painful, she shrugged and said "they're putting it on".

Sooz and I caught up with Jo, Ke and Ra tonight at dinner at the Advancetown Hotel. I finally had my Nerang RSL card with me and was rewarded with 600 bonus points - 200 for every menu item. It was was good of them to come down to us this time - partly, I think, because Ke isn't working tomorrow - he's having a four-day weekend (Friday off for his birthday, and then the Australia Day holiday on Monday). Jo had photographs (physical ones!!!) from their Canada trip - she'd taken them on her (then) new iPhoneC and they didn't turn out too badly at all. No one mentioned Ka I noticed (and when we talked about it later, Sooz had noticed as well. It just hasn't been the same for them since Ka turned 18 and thought she had immediately graduated into adulthood.)

The good news was that even though we had met at 6.30 at the pub, by the time we had dinner and a natter, we were still home early-ish and I was able to fit a couple of jobs in before I called it a night.

Wednesday 22 January

Maggie's new spot

Hump Day! Only two more days until the week end - and there's still a lot to fit in yet.

The girls were off at Bingo today and finally Sooz could send a "Winners are Ginners" text! She took out the final game of the day - the Jackpot! Good job!

It was still hot today. I think we're due for soyme storms tomorrow, but as we sat outsIde this afternoon, there was a thunder and lightning storm somewhere off in the middle distance ... but no rain to speak of for Latimers though. M had said she meant to jump on ROM (she did on the weekend) and do the bottom paddock - but she had forgot (did she mention something about taking Ginko?) and then with the weather threatening, she decided not to.

I finished "SisterLand" this evening - and what a disappointment that was! It went very quickly downhill in the last 80 page! It was interesting because when I heard the item which resulted in my buying the book (I was not totally well and on the way home from the Markets as I recall), the reviewer raved about the twist in the last 80 pages and how the different elements had settled effortlessly into place. Hmmm ... not so much for me. I'm afraid I will not be able to recommend this one at all!

The furries all seem to be well - although Pearl is doing the puffing thing again. M has looked it up on the internet and she now thinks it's caused by avocados. We'll have to keep an eye on that - since the avocados are dropping freely from the tree out the back at the moment.

 

Tuesday 21 January

Pearl and I had a pleasant surprise on our morning walk today - one of the foals was in the end paddock on the left - so we could see it from the gate. It is amazing - and so full of energy it was gambolling (or is it only lambs that gambol - as opposed to people who do a different type of it) around the yard - back and forth - and obviously having a very good time. I only had the iPhone with me so I couldn't get the shot I wanted - I couldn't get close enough. Next time I may need to do it without Pearl so I can go past the gate.

The girls were sitting out the back talking when I arrived home. After putting away the shopping (which did involve a little reorganisation of the freezer - and then I couldn't fit it all in) I joined them. There was no doubt it was much cooler out there. It has been a bit hot of late and a cool breeze is a welcome pleasure.

I'm still powering through “SisterLand” and I have been enjoying it a lot. It's quite strange to be reading again - and after I finish this one, I'm hoping to get to"Dr Sleep", Stephen King's latest tome. I bought it online the day it was released which tells you how long I've had it and not read it. Mind you, I haven't been reading that much else in the meantime.

Monday 20 January

It was an interesting day at work - a bit slow for Le and AC because they were searching for things to keep them busy enough, while I was busy beavering away on Minutes, organising Police for night works, services for some of the vehicles ... and the list went on.  At lunchtime. they wandered over in my direction and started talking about "the Change" - which is not to be confused with "the switch" which is coming up at work in a couple of weeks.  no ... This was the big one - the hot flushes, the irritability ... yes ... that change!  It was front of mind for Le (who has just turned 30) because a friend had called and said her entire family, including her husband, had moved out of the house until the change was behind her.  Then talk turned to symptoms, management, duration etc and since I had worked on a video about Menopause a few years back, I did have something to contribute to the conversation! 

Trivia was more fun though - even though we didn't win - and weren't even part of the four-way tie for third!  Flam had driven down from Gatton (a quick day trip as part of the job he's been doing up there) but still managed to arrive before "eyes down" - or at least "eyes on the first picture round".   Ni and St arrived very shortly after - which was just as well as we had chosen "All Things Science" for one of our bonus rounds!  

On the way home from Trivia Sooz notes the moon - big, yellow and close to the horizon (well, closer than we've seen it for a while).  Sooz indulged me and we went to the beach so I could have a look at the moon over the sea - and take a photo ... which didn't turn out as well as I had hoped.  By the time we got home, it was quite quite late and it was all I could do to fall in to bed ... and set the alarm for an hour later in the morning!

Sunday 19 January

There was talk of Technology in the call with Tr this morning.  She has finally upgraded to a Galaxy Note 3 ... and Terri has inherited Tr's old phone.  She came on line, briefly, to say she had finished doing her shopping database (using a new program - she has used a Shopping Database on a Palm handheld for some years now) ... and if she were to buy every one of the 632 items on the list today, it would cost her $1,801.  

The Markets were good this morning - and there were some different foods on offer - I think partly because Mu, Se and Ja were there.  It's always good to have visitors to the Markets!  

Dinner was at Mouse's this evening and Sooz and I arrived early (giving M a lift to bypass the having to get two cars home issue - she had lent one of the cars to the boys) so Sooz could have a swim in Mouse's pool.  In the end, it was M who went in swimming with her while I watched the river traffic, and did some more testing of the camera lens. 

Mouse had outdone herself with dinner, but unfortunately the travellers did not get to sit down to enjoy it. They arrived back late from their day out ... not THE Big Day Out which was on at Metricon Stadium today ... theirs was to the best local beaches and to show Ja the sights.  The beaches were good and they said the water was wonderful.  By the time they arrived back though, they had time for a quick shower (well, not really but they did), to pack, and then jump in the car for the trip to the airport - and they had just a chance that they would catch their flight - especially since they hadn't done a web check-in so they would need to do that there as well.  M did a fantastic job of getting them there ... and Mi, who had remained calm throughout while the rest of us were becoming more and more concerned with every passing minute, bundled up some of the dinner (not the soup though) in a plastic container and sent it with them in the car with a roll of paper towel (serviettes) and some forks.  M reported they had finished it all by the time they made it to the airport ... and, yes, they did let them on to the flight. 

On the way home from Mouse's - Sooz and I, and Fl and Mi stayed to eat dinner at the table with Mouse ... and then have some of the strudel Mi had made for dinner - I considered that there are some times Police checking for speedsters on the Isle of Capri ... and had thought today was not one of them since the taxi in front of me was not slowing down - and you would think there would be a network amongst them to warn each other ... luckily I wasn't relying on them though, and as we sailed past the speed camera I was sitting well below the limit.  

Saturday 18 January

Is there really a bullet hole in my towel? I noticed it a couple of days ago but now that I keep putting my hand on it, I can't ignore it. The hole is round, and small, and I don't know why I should think it's a bullet hole - or where I think it came from. Hmm … another mystery.
I was up and early this morning and on my way to Main Beach with the cameras to see if I could get some of those surfing shots I hadn't been able to get to over the Christmas break.
There was lots happening at Main Beach this morning - boot camps, a sole person doing Tai Chi, and the 5km timed run/walk. Meanwhile, Sooz and M were at The Golden Door, in the middle of Deep Water Running. This was Sooz's first time doing it I think - she has been along to check it out before - and she thoroughly enjoyed it and is already talking about going again next week. 
Next, breakfast at a new place for me - Diva at Marina Mirage - not bad, not bad at all!
The rest of the day was quite gentle in comparison - for Sooz and I at least. M was off with the rels and Mi to all points south, including Rainbow Beach, Point Danger, Nimbin and Byron Bay - and even though she arrived home a little on the tired side (it was quite late) she said she had a good day.
Back at Latimers, Sooz and I were doing nothing much at all. I did consider jumping on ROM for a go around the yard, but managed to talk myself out of that! I did, however, manage to take myself out for a haircut and some shopping … although it looks as though I may need to go back to the hairdresser because she has left it just a little long at the back. I believe the word “mullet” was used!

Friday 17 January

I've always thought the Maccas soft serve cone is way better value than the Sundae - but still I forget!  

I drove home the back way this afternoon - I didn't feel like driving on the highway - and when I passed the 50km sign I was fairly sure it would be a good idea to stay in the speed limit because there would be a speed trap ahead - so it was no surprise when a couple of cars flashed their lights at me - and then there it was! 

M was out with the rels tonight ... they had three venues on the cards - Q1 so they could watch the sunset, then on to dinner, and then on to a nightclub.  The rels (Mu and Se) are showing one of their rels around - Ja.  She's in her last semester of college and decided she should visit Australia now because she might not get the chance after she graduates.

Compared to them, Sooz and I had an incredibly quiet night in ... and enjoyed Mouse leftovers from last night. 

I'm still taking Pearl on her walks in the morning (when she's up) and Tinka has taken to sleeping on the floor, near the end of the bed, on my side - which is fine as long as I don't get up during the night - or I remember that she's there!

Thursday 16 January

Thursday - one more day of work and then there's a weekend to enjoy.  I'm not quite sure where the last one went but I feel as though I didn't have one!

No CSP tonight as M was picking up some rels from the airport and taking them back to Mouse's for dinner. We did score an invite to dinner as well but by that stage we had already made other plans.  (Apparently another 10% has been won at CSP - so it's good to know that someone is winning it!)

We ended up at the Q Centre, at our favourite "Fast Wok" - where Sooz tried something new (Black Bean Steak or something like that - although I think it was just a little more exotic than that) while I had my usual Chow Mein with Crispy Noodles.  Not that it wasn't nice, but sometimes I think I would just be happy with the Crispy Noodles.  

I managed to sneak in a visit to the discount warehousey thing while we were at  the Q Centre - and I picked up another lumbar support for Sooz for the car.  It isn't as comfortable as her $5.98 one from OfficeWorks - but hopefully they will come back into stock at some point, and we'll get another couple so she can leave one at home and one in our car, and one in M's.

Wednesday 15 January

Still don't think I am quite right but I am getting there.  Medicinal potions certainly work a treat - helping you get a good night's sleep and taking care if the nagging headache behind the front of the skull - not to mention the Pink Eye.  Talk about a litany of woes!  

Everything is still a bit of a blur  - not helped by that I keep forgetting to update my blog notes ... so the entries are certainly going to be a bit less long until I get my act back together. 

I think the girls went to Bingo today ... and I seem to recall, although I would need confirmation of this, that there were no "Winners are Grinners" - which is a shame because it's about time they had some luck at their table. 

Tuesday 14 January

Is there anything as awkward looking as someone putting their own eye drops in?  Yes, I know someone would have helped if I'd asked, but there is a point that one needs to take their independence back ... but I guess that time hasn't come yet.  

Lu and Pa went home today - but not before we had had a good chat with Lu last night about her existing dilemma with her folks - the question of whether she would be allowed to continue seeing her beau (18) while she is still at school (and 15 ... and despite how much she says she's nearly 16 - when there's still 10 months until her birthday, it doesn't really count).  It will be interesting to see how this one unfolds. 

Even though they had been really hanging out to see Frozen with us, the kids were disappointed.  When they (Sooz, them and M) arrived at the cinema - nearly half an hour early - and joined the end of a very long queue there was always a chance they were going to miss out because they couldn't get in ... and that's exactly what happened.  I should have thought to warn them - because the line when I went last week was ultra long as well.  I guess this is where the booking online works such a treat. 

I think Sooz was of two minds when Pa and Lu finally left ... she's been with them over a week non-stop - and while she said it was much quieter without them, I think she's also missing them. 

Monday 13 January

I managed to pull myself out of bed and make it to work today. The not-so-good news is that I don't feel totally on top of things yet but the better news is that I am feeling a bit better … I'm putting me at 75%.

Sooz and the kids arrived back at Latimers today and, with a couple of minutes turnaround for me after work, we were back in Lars and on our way to Trivia. As predicted, Fl is away so we are without him and, as suspected, when it got to be 7 and then 7:15 without any sign of them, we knew we would be without Mi and Ve as well.

As far as a Pat was concerned, though, I think the best part of the night for him was that we kept seeing the Light Rail go past. On the way there I had asked, quite hoping we would for his sake, whether we might see the Light Rail on one of its test "drives" - little thinking that that would be all it would be doing. But at least Pat got to see the Light Rail … multiple times! He loved it!

I'd like to say we were winners tonight, but we weren't ... which may have had something to do with that we didn't have An or Fl tonight. Oh well ... there's aways next week!

Sunday 12 January

Magic Millions in still underway which means the Markets are in the car park again this week ... for most people anyway ... we will meet at Az and Mi's instead.

She had made pastries and fruit salad ... and M had called into the Markets to collect bread - so there was a lot of food. We missed out on our normal coffee though - but that was covered too because Az made pot after pot of coffee - not Turkish ... possibly Italian ... but it was still quite strong - strong enough to put hairs on your chest!

Then I finally made it to The Big House ... M and I called in for a quick coffee and then a few hands of CSP, another drink and then that was it for me ... I was exhausted and it was straight back home for me!

Sooz and the kids drove back from the Central Coast to Kyogle today and will make their way back to Latimers tomorrow so Patrick can come to Trivia. We'll need the support - Fl is off for a few days on a job and he won't be there - and An is still away - and even though Mi said she might come, I have a feeling she and her friend, Ve, may not.

Saturday 11 January

I managed to crawl out of bed at a reasonable hour this morning and after having a shower and deciding that I was fit to drive, I set out for OfficeWorks in Southport to buy a cable for the tablet before making my way to TBH for breakfast - I have been craving their toast since M mentioned it the other day. She had been up early and out to Deep Water Running - it was a big class today - over 30 - and she thought it was a good that Sooz hadn't been with her this morning since it was so crowded and they had been worked “hard” by the instructor.

As it was breakfast was about all I could manage before coming home, hopefully to rest up enough to be okay to go out to dinner and the Meryl Streep movie at Robina this evening. I should have had a nap rather than sitting up and watching television … why is it that the television can just grab you and not let go especially if it's an old favourite like SG1? M was home mowing the lawn by that stage and finished just in time to do cat-feeding, Tinka's insulin shot and Pearl feeding before having a quick shower … and then she was off - running late - and hopeful of getting there before the movie started - I don't think she minded the prospect of missing the commercials but possibly she may have minded missing the trailers because it's nice to know what's coming up. I stayed at home because it sounded as though it was going to be a bit of a late night - they had decided to do the movie first, then dinner - and I was right to stay home because M didn't leave Robina until just before 11pm.

I was able to speak with Sooz a couple of times today. All is going well there but I don't think I'd be wrong in saying that they will be happy to be making their way north tomorrow. Sooz did get to see my brother on Thursday, and she and the kids went down to Sydney … and Yum Cha … and to see what they called the biggest boat in the world - its funnels were apparently higher than the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge … pretty big indeed!

Friday 10 January

I don't remember much of today ... it was spent in bed sleeping - with the Kyrgyz (aka lurgy - thanks iPad correction). Even the cats and Pearl stayed away. I emerged early this afternoon for a back-stretch and a drink before climbing back into bed for another couple of hours. Next time was just in time to say hello and goodbye to M who was heading back into town for dinner at Mouse's. I managed to feel sorry for myself for at least a couple of minutes before I fell back into bed and straight back to sleep. When I woke up later that night there was a message from M - Mouse had sent home some soup and mashed potato. Thanks Mouse - and M for being the courier!

Thursday 9 January

The lurgy has grabbed me by the throat and is refusing to let go. I am pushing on (of course!) and hoping I can make it until the end of the week.

I was hoping to be well enough to go out for CSP tonight - but not to be. The good news is that M went out and picked up some soup for me before she went back into town to put out Syl and An's recycling bin. (Yes, I had finally found the time to ring the Council and find out which week is their Green bin and which is their Yellow bin). I'm writing this a bit later and can't remember if it was tonight, or later, that she dropped in to the chemist and picked me up some cold and flu tablets (daytime and night-time).

Wednesday 8 January

The Great Road Trip started today - I had a message from Sooz earlier this morning to say they were "on the road". There's no doubt that I spent a whole heap of the day thinking about them and wondering where they were ... and I did get some updates along the way - like when they stopped at Urunga for lunch. At that point, Sooz was a bit concerned that Pat wouldn't be able to make the full ten-hour drive - and they were quite prepared to stop if they needed to - but he seemed to get a second wind after that and, with just another stop along the way, they made it to the Central Coast 10 hours after leaving Kyogle.

Hopefully Sooz has lost the scritchy throat she had before she left ... she has taken some antibiotics with her just in case she needs them ... and we are really hoping that her scritchy throat - and mine - have nothing to do with the kid who coughed over us on the weekend.

Tuesday 7 January

Did Luigi stay awake all night playing on her iPod? We may never know. Unless we ask M who says that she was asleep when she arrived home - but we do know she was up early - on the small couch - attached to the wall via a power cable and her iPod.

Sooz set out to Kyogle with the kids today and will overnight there before setting off southward tomorrow. Pat has been very involved in planning the trip and I'm hoping the three of them have a fabulous time on the drive there and back - and in between when they visit Ju as well.

M and I had dinner at the RSL Club this eveing - the Special - $20 for 2 meals - but they had to be the same - so just as well we were both feeling like Calamari! We noticed while there that there were people - a good few of them - playing cards. When M asked about it at reception, we found out that the Card players (euchre) may be short-lived at the Club. The Club is in the middle of renovations and they will be losing a considerable amount of their floorspace ... and while they will try to relocate Cards and their Trivia Sessions as well, it may not be physically possible.

Monday 6 January

It was back to work today - in a shirt ironed by M. She had been busy in our absence at Palmers island - she had ironed all three of my work shirts and the only shirt she could find of Sooz's - wrapped a bow around them and hung then where she'd found them with a "Happy New Year" note. It was a wonderful surprise - especially as I had been dreading the ironing task more than I had been dreading (which I hadn't been) going back to work.

The kids arrived this afternoon so they could sit in on Trivia this evening before taking Sooz back to Kyogle with them tomorrow. It was good, especially as Pat was rewarded with a question about aircraft and another about Jedi Knights! Lu was able to help with an answer as well - courtesy of the time she spends with her guitar-playing friends: the top string of a six-stringed guitar is tuned to .... E.

Alas, we weren't as lucky with our choice of meals tonight - oh how we wish the Club would revamp their menu!

Meanwhile, elsewhere on the Coast, M and Mouse were at The Big House watching "The Book Thief". It's supposed to be quite good.

Week 2 of the break

Friday 27 December

Where did that week go. I can't believe that it's nearly a week since I started my Christmas holidays. But the good news about holidays is that there's time to go shopping ... and I was certainly planning to do my bit. First up ... JB Hi-Fi - but we weren't going to stop there unless I could get a park out the front … and, amazingly, we did - after we'd gone down the street, and turned around to come back up and turn right into Ruthven Street. How lucky was that? Not lucky enough - even though Mum did find the INXS CD she was after … and yes, they were vinyl records they were selling! I couldn't find what I was after there (thus saving my Christmas Gift Card for another day) so we were off to K-Mart … together with everyone else who was after post-Christmas bargains - even though it wasn't Boxing Day!

Next stop, We and Ma's for lunch ... missing Te, Dr and the kids because they had gone to Dr's parents for their family Christmas. Then afternoon tea with Ju, Da and his daughter Sa. Woz is still with us and now that he has been shaved, and lost what must be several kilos of fur, he does seem to be a bit more comfortable, and moving around just a little quicker.

Next up ... Mum's for dinner and transferring CDs to her MP3 player … then back to We and Ma's for a couple of movies … "something something in something", and “We're The Millers”. I think I definitely enjoyed the Miller one more.

It was a relatively late night ... we arrived back just on midnight ... and we know Percy was still up because he greeted us with barking.

 

Saturday 28 December

What's better than paying your toll online? Paying it twice! I couldn't believe it when I realised that I had reversed my registration details when I entered them - not that it's the first time but I usually realise before I submit the transaction. But I did realise - and within the cut-off period. as well so that at least that was a bonus.

Dr, Te and Ch came round to deliver the Christmas presents - and to take Mum shopping out to Bunnings so she could get soil, and some more plants, to go with her multi-level planter present.

I spent some time this morning showing Mum how to use her tablet … which she won't be using for Skyping but looks like she will be using for watching some shows, reading some books, and looking at her photos on a larger screen than the one on the back of her camera.

Then, it was time to drive back down the Range to Latimers - stopping in to see Jo who arrived back from Canada with Ra on Christmas Eve. We ended up staying hours … trying to solve the problems of the world - and some a little closer to home. Even though we had left Toowoomba just after lunch, we didn't make it home until after 9pm - to find the watch dog sleeping, Maggie on the coffee table, and Tinka not far away, and asking to be let in not long after. It was good to be home.

 

Sunday 29 December

Call with Tr - won't be having one next week … No, wait, that's the week after when they go up to the Central Coast with their mates, The Deans.

The Markets. Susan, Steve's sister was there with their dog Grace.

Emine's birthday.

We were going to go to The Big House this afternoon but decided to come home instead … that very well may have been the wrong decision. It was HOT.

 

Monday 30 December

Up early-ish for the holidays and I set out to try out the 300mm lens with some photography at Broadbeach.

Breakfast with the girls at Koi (my second breakfast - had toast and coffee at Alto while looking at my photos. Koi was good though - fresh juices in jam jars with handles. Why is it that a drink looks so much better in one of those? And allows a $8 price tag? At The Big House cocktails in jam jars were just over $10 - so the alcohol shot (if you do get one in your drink - the first time I had one, they seemed to put M's shot of Vodka in my glass!) is $2 - which is probably about right … hmmm.

And speaking of The Big House, we did make it there: CSP - jackpot is nearly back up to $70k and worth winning again. A little play on the pokies. Lunch at Bite.

Then home to do the washing. We were supposed to get rain today and for the next few days so washing that could fit under cover, did and we made sure it was secured so it couldn't be blown away in the wind from a storm.

Trivia. A win ... and a couple of blowouts but over now.

 

Tuesday 31 December

New Year's Eve.

Up late - after resetting the alarm. It's been a while since I actually crawled out of bed at after 10 AM. Neither Suz nor I heard M leave. Didn't hear a sound in fact.

Tinka help me with my breakfast this morning. Rather then stop her, I did take a couple of photographs.

The washing came off the line this morning because it looks like we will get rain.

The plan for today: new pants for Sooz, Yum Cha at Robina and I'm thinking maybe a movie before we clean up the room. Well, we managed to do some of that.

Dinner at Fast Wok with Mouse and M before they went off to other things - Rock & Roll at The Big House NYE Party.

Sooz and I went home but stopped in for dessert at Maccas on the way. I was surprised at how many people were there!

We managed to stay up for the fireworks - but only just - I fell asleep at least once through them even though they were quite amazing. They did whirlybird things on the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and they, to me, were as amazing as the cascade of fireworks falling from the Bridge into the Harbour.

 

Wednesday 1 January

Happy New Year to one and all! We managed, just, to stay awake for the new years eve fireworks as broadcast from Sydney. They would truly spectacular and the worst waiting up for. It would've been better though if I could've stayed awake the whole way through.

I left the girls at home while I went off to the casino to have breakfast this morning. I have always loved their thick white toast with butter and strawberry jam and this morning was no exception. Then it was off to Southport RSL to make the girls and Mouse for bingo. The traffic was a little heavy so I was concerned I would miss eyes down.

Mouse did very well winning two full houses. And that's good because it went into the city and pay for our lunch at flavors@ferry at Ferry Road.

 

Thursday 2 January

Drive to Palmers Island. It is as awesome as S had said!

Max and Coco

Syl skinny-dipping today - her way of cooling off between jobs. And she always has jobs on the go. I'm not sure if she ever stays still!

Max and Coco in the river... with the sharks who, luckily, weren't there this afternoon. I'm sure we would have heard the "Jaws" theme music if they had been!

Lamb chomps and sausages on the BBQ for dinner. Then Scrabble... only one game though as everyone was tired - which could have something to do with the height of the water-table in the area - or that Syl and An spent part of the day doing jobs in preparation for their intended sale of Palmers Island.

 

Friday 3 January

Sooz and I went for a tourist-type drive in to Yamba and then back to MacLean - leaving Syl and An to work on their jobs around the house as they start getting the house ready for sale.

Sooz and Syl off fishing this afternoon - Sooz caught a couple but they had a combined length of no more than 4 inches she said. Syl had caught one this morning which was also small - but it had encouraged her to keep going because by the time she had told it in, another fish had chomped off a big piece of it, leaving only the head.

Cricket watching this afternoon - saw Steve Smith get a Century - scoring the ton by doing consecutive 6's .

Dinner - roast chicken and vegetables - and lemon pudding - all made by An.

Two games of Scrabble tonight. Individual - then teams - An and I against Syl and Sooz. It was close and in the end Syl and Sooz beat us by a mere 5 points.

 

Saturday 4 January

Another sleep-in - it's fantastic being on holidays ... but it was time to get in the car and make our way back to Latimers.

Breakfast with Syl and An before they started on jobs and we started packing to go home.

Big Foot

Rubbish to the bins at the roadside. Had to text Syl letting her how much room was still available - she declined my offer to send her photographs.

Quite heavy traffic on the way into Woodburn - expect delays - holiday traffic - we had thought about stopping there but continued on - only stopping for the briefest of moments to take a photograph of the Big Foot I had spied on the way to Palmers. Then on to Broadwater and Our Daily Bread for lunch. While we were there a child sneezed on us ... hopefully this will come to naught!

 

Sunday 5 January

The last day of the break arrived far too quickly. Call with Tr - last one for a fortnight - they will be away. Tr enjoyed Eugenia. Terri is reading it now - so Tr wasn't allowed to go into details lest there be spoilers.

The Markets were due to be in the Car Park today so rather than braving the Crowds and the heat, Sooz and I went to breakfast at Alto at Broadbeach instead. The Broadbeach Markets were on too, but we gave them a miss and went back to Latimers - where I left Sooz - and all the furries who were inside when we arrived home since it was so hot (but not as hot as yesterday) - while I went out to the movies. There was a huge queue at the movies - all for Frozen - the only movie scheduled for now - and I thought about changing but, with no other options, and really wanting to see Frozen, I stayed in the queue and watched kids playing Temple Run on their iPod - and making it look effortless - even managing to look away from the screen mid-game, as opposed to big people who are glued to the screen every millisecond - maybe she has just played more!

And it was well worth it ... if only for Olaf!

 

Christmas Week

The holiday break was marvellous ... so marvellous in fact that there was little time for blogging - although I did make notes along the way although, in retrospect, more detail would have been helpful. So ... to catch up ... a bit of a chunk now ... with more to follow soon.

The Xmas table

The early part of the first week was spent in finishing the Christmas shopping and the wrapping of said Christmas shopping. I helped this year and luckily the more I wrapped the better it seemed to go and at least one present looked "okay". I have a feeling that doing it again next year will be like learning all over again - unless I practice during the coming year to keep my hand in.

Dinner on Christmas Eve was with Syl and An and their house guests - Syl's brother, father, sister and her partner, and Di, a friend of Syl and An's, and her two dogs, Elle and Toby (the cutest puppy!). It was great - and the first of what will be our three Christmas Dinners. The funniest moment for me was when the dogs had been parking and Sylvia went to investigate - and while she was out the front, Syl's sister looked out and said "There's an elf out there" - which seemed for just a brief moment like a very good reason for the dogs to be barking ... until we realised that she was talking about Sylvia in her elf outfit (see picture).

Game play

Afte dinner, we had one more call - to see Mouse to fit the racks and telescopic rods into her new oven - which was needed to do "warming" for Christmas Day.. Why do instruction books not give clear instructions? It took some time but finally M and I figured it out ... only realizing much later that Sooz had been using the instruction book as a makeshift fan! I can't say we could blame her though ... it was pretty hot ... and hotter still in the oven!

And then it was ... Christmas Day. You have to love Christmas and the excitement of running out to the Christmas Tree to see if he's been. And he had ... leaving presents that looked suspiciously like some Sooz and I wrapped yesterday. We exchanged one each with M this morning before she went in to help Mouse prepare lunch. The other presents had to wait until we all arrived home.

We ended up being 17 for lunch at Mouse's. Mouse and M had finished the set up by the time everyone arrived. It was very festive ... and great fun ... and required a lot less cleaning up than last year - Paper Plates were the go! And as young La pointed out with his question, yes they were Christmas plates.

It's an elf

II was very happy with my gifts especially one from the K's (and M had had the same idea) who insisted it be opened as soon as they arrived at Mouse's... a bluetooth speaker so we could have music for the day - as played from a device ... actually any device once I'd read the instructions and worked out how to pair it with something other than Az's iPhone.

We had managed to get our act together though and had printed out and framed photos from her 88th birthday dinner at The Big House as one of Mouse's presents. She seemed to like them. But one of the biggest hits was La's Large Crayon filled with art supplies. He's an interesting lad ... and I wonder if one day someone will say (a la remarks about Thomas Edison) that he didn't talk until he was four years old.

We didn't add to Optus coffers this year with SMS'd Christmas messages ... I was planning to, but never quite managed to fit it in. But we did manage to fit in a game of "Name that TV Theme Song" - via YouTube and the Bluetooth Speaker. Good times!

Xmas guests

Then it was Boxing Day and while we had planned for an earlier start, we didn't actually managed to get away from Latimers until late morning. That was okay though because we weren't due at We and Ma's until 4pm. And just as well because I had been so "sleepy" on the drive (I think it may have been the painkillers I took before we left) that as soon as we arrived at Mum's, I put myself down for a nap - otherwise our shopping expedition (roast chicken, watermelon and cherries) would have been much less enjoyable.

Meanwhile, at We and Ma's, they had been busy! They had hand crafted the salads (thank you to Coles' for the Summer recipe book), cooked the ham and the turkey, and "built" a new room out the back - that would be the very big tarp covering the grassed area between the garage and the gazebo. Oh ... and put in a pool ... which the kids were playing in by the time we arrived ... that would be the wading pool with see-through sides. They were having a fantastic time - helped by one of their Christmas presents - a huge water pistol!