Tuesday 25 May 2010

Wild weather and head colds

So this week has flown by as usual.

I forgot to tell you last weekend, Dodge caught a mouse. He was playing with something in the hall, and when I went to have a look, this is what I found:


He played with it for a couple of hours before going back outside, so I think he either ate the whole thing (I know for a fact he ate some of it) or he took the rest outside with him.

Monday Dobby played netball, well that is she had training. Halfway through a storm hit, and as I was home alone, I decided to run a bath. But when the storm hit, I expected them to come home... they didn't. So I waited, and waited. Heck, I figured I'd just jump in for a quick bath. Sure enough, they came home! I had to open the door in my towel! They kept playing in the rain apparently, until the storm got too bad.

Tuesday Dobby had my headcold. Well, she had been getting it for a couple days. But she came into my room and said "I'm not going to school today. I feel terrible. My throat is blocked, my nose is blocked and I don't feel well. If I go to school I'll just have to stay in the sick room..."

Well, as she is almost in highschool and will have to spend school holidays home alone, I figured she can stay home. I told her to make herself a bed on the couch, then wrote a list of food she was allowed to eat (otherwise she would eat me out of house and home through boredom!) and put some nasal spray, throat lozenges and tissues out, and left her to it.

Apart from something freaking out the dog, she did quite well. Ate more than I gave her permission for, but that's nothing new. The dog found his way under our bed and refused to come out. When he did, he piddled everywhere.

Wednesday she was well enough to go to school. The dog still didn't want to go outside, so required gentle persuasion... Wednesday night was guitar. She went in by herself this time. Previously Fluffy had sat in but he said she was big enough to go alone this time. She did. She needs a different pick and a cable for her amp so we will do that Saturday.

Thursday was quiet all around this time.

Friday was hell on earth at work. One of my suppliers didn't process an interstate delivery so we had to scramble to find another. Boss was getting quite angry at everyone and that included me several times. It was one of those days when I could easily have just walked out. Indeed, if there had been others in my workplace who could temporarily absorb my duties, I would have. Who needs it?

Then, I had to drop a cheque to him after work for signing, then go to the cinema to see if I could prebook tickets to see Kings of Mykonos. I won a double pass, and wanted to go Sunday. It started raining just before I left work, and rained all evening. It's been raining on and off since.

I got the tickets, bought a couple of bags of lollies to take with us, some other groceries, then bought KFC and headed home. Nothing like bringing lazy tea home on a cold, wet, winter evening. Aaah.

Saturday was strange. The sun was out often, but it still rained a heck of a lot. Dobby had complained on and off about a sore leg since she got stepped on at netball practice a few weeks ago, then she did something to the other leg at skipping practice recently. So we made an appointment with the physio at the end of our street. Turns out she had a 3" knot in one calf, and the bottom of her shin muscles were very tight and kept spasming in the other leg.

She ended up having acupuncture to get rid of the knot and massage for the tight spot...



Then, we took her down to the music shop to buy a better guitar pick, and a new lead for her amp. She was happy because we also bought her a music stand. Now, I think, she will practice a bit more, because she can actually hear what she is playing.

Back home to get ready for netball. As we are leaving its pouring rain. Oh dear. And like all winter sports, they play rain or shine. And rain it did. Almost every quarter. I had on a supposed all-weather jacket, but toward the end my arms were getting quite wet. I didn't use an umbrella because the area beside the court was very narrow and the umpire had to walk up and down. It was a funny game because no one could hold onto the ball, there were a couple of falls, and two injuries.

It was Fluffy and my turn to keep time, so as I had done it before, I offered to do it so Fluffy could sit in the car out of the rain. He ended up out in some of the lighter rain anyway, but didn't get toooo wet. We all did. In the end, the girls won 17-14. Whew! Home for a hot shower and schnitzel for dinner.

Sunday it's still raining. I like to stand on the back patio and watch the rain. Especially when the sun is out. It looks lovely. Everything is green and fresh. Mind you, during heavy rain the back yard goes under water around the grape vine where the downpipe empties, and the carport gutters are full of holes so it just pours in one big river there!

Today we had an early lunch with Nan and Hermione at the Pancake Kitchen in the city. It was a lot of fun, and because Dobby really needs black pants for school we had a look around Rundle Mall. I found 3 pair for her but none of them fitted properly. Keep looking...

We left Nan and Hermione at the train station, and caught the tram home. After we picked up the car from the tram stop, it was a quick dash inside by myself to pick up the packets of lollies I had bought Friday, and back into the car. We lined up outside the theatre, and luckily were among the first to enter. Dobby likes to sit right at the top of the middle aisle, in the back row. So that's were we watched Kings of Mykonos. It was a very good movie, and we had fun.

Home now, it's still cold and raining, and I have just put seasoned potato cubes and lamb chops into the oven. Then, I think it's time for an anti inflammatory tablet and bed. I am getting sick of these joint pains, time to put a stop to them for a couple of days.

Night everyone!

Sunday 23 May 2010

Taking a break

Isn't always what it's cracked up to be. Well, it is, but it comes at a price.

This week was lovely at work. Boss wasn't in much so I had some down time. Much needed.

At home, the week was normal. Dobby had netball on Monday, to which her father took her. Wednesday was guitar, again her father took her. Thursday night I had a massage.

For Christmas last, Dobby and Fluffy gave me a voucher for a "beauty spot" at the local shopping centre. I decided to use some of it on a massage. It was lovely. The lass doing it was very good. She made sure she always had one hand on you at a time. Even when she moved around the bed, so you never really knew exactly where she was. She did my legs and arms first, then I rolled over and she did my calves and feet, then back, shoulders and arms.

Now, by the time she was doing my back, I needed to go to the bathroom. I had gone before. This often happens. It was not urgent, but the feeling was there. As she progressed, of course, it progressed. By the time she was working on my shoulders I had also begun to feel funny. Odd. Sort of sickly. And my nose was blocking up (yes, I still have the dregs of this cold).

I put up with it until she had finished, dressed rather hurriedly because of my need to go, and wandered out to the reception area. Mistake. I felt very light-headed and sick. I went back inside to lay down until it passed, which it seemed to quite quickly, then made my way out to the mall to go to the bathroom. But while there it came back. I was supposed to do the grocery shopping but I had to call Fluffy and tell him how I was feeling. He told me to come home and it was all I could do to drive home without passing out.

All evening the feeling continued, and indeed, when I went to bed I still felt quite queasy.

Friday at work, I kept feeling light headed and off all day. Friday night Dobby and I went to the hairdresser. I didn't have as much money as usual so told her to do what she thought was worth what I could pay. She told me don't be silly that was plenty, and did the usual! I love that girl! She put foils in the top, coloured the rest, then cut and blow dried it for me. She had one other lady there (not the girl who seems to always be there when I am there, thankfully) and Dobby. For Dobby, she put blonde and red foils in her hair, and cut it for her. She is so happy with it, she preens all day and says "I look really pretty now". That's confidence for you! Gotta love it!

Here's my hair. Fluffy said it makes me look older... I think it makes me look like my sisters.

Would you believe I am actually wearing make up? This was taken in the car though, so it was dark... It looks better today, after I washed and blowdried it my normal way. I love it!

Saturday we had an appointment with our family counsellor but Fluffy had to work so I left a message that we had to reschedule. So instead, Dobby and I went back to the beauty spot, and she got an ear pierced and I got my eyebrows waxed. I think they made an easy $12 off me, because they didn't really need it and in fact, look no different... Dobby wanted to get an earring at the top of her ear but they wouldn't do it. She settled for a second hole in her lower lobe, she already had one she had done herself so now she is not lopsided...

Then, we went to that cheap supermarket again. Bought all kinds of snacks and frozen goods. We had a ball. Then on to the regular supermarket for meat and cold things. And I again forgot to pick up my jackets from the cleaners... Have to ask Fluffy to get them for me Monday.

We came home and Dobby threw herself in front of the television and let me get all the groceries out of the car by myself, and unpack them all. Lovely child isn't she?

We had lunch then relaxed until netball. At the game, just at the end of first quarter, Fluffy arrived. He had come to watch the game. I was a bit disappointed in the team, because they were second on the ladder of their grade, and were playing a team in the grade below. They lost by just a few goals. Dobby thought 5 but I counted only about 3.

Home for dinner. We did the things in the oven thing in front of the television again, and watched the DVD of Whose Line Is It Anyway my boss had bought for me. It was great.

Today, Sunday, I intended to have a lazy day. And I did. I started with stripping the bed, did 4 loads of washing, remade the bed, did about an hour of ironing, swept and mopped the floor. All before lunch. I then put myself on the bed with my e-book and the cat, and that's where I spent the afternoon. I tried to nap a bit too, and for an hour I dozed, waking only to the sound of the television, or when Dobby and Fluffy spoke to eachother. They were watching the Thunderbirds play the Firebirds. I am not sure who ended up winning, but the T-birds were winning when I came out.

I got the washing off the line, then back to the bedroom. Put dinner on, then back to the bedroom. As a consequence, I now have a headache. You know that horrible stuffy feeling you get? And you can't focus properly? Mum phoned me to tell me that a nieghbour helped them save $600 by chopping down a tree in their yard (after he had mowed the lawn for them) without telling them. They had told this lovely neighbour that a fellow was coming to do it this week. He didn't like the thought of mum and dad paying that much money, so he and is father did it for them. When mum and dad came home, he was half way through so they helped him finish. Anyway, she was telling me when she called, that she feels the same way when she has a rest. While she is moving, she wishes she could stop, but when she does, she often feels stuffy and headachey too! Must be a family thing...

Anyway, dinner tonight is marinated chicken wingettes, seasoned baked potato cubes, and vegies. Smells great and my tummy is rumbling. Catch ya later!

Monday 17 May 2010

Achoo!

So another week has flown by. Sometimes I think I am afraid to sleep cause if I do, I'll wake up and it will be next year!

Monday Dobby had netball practice, and her gracious father took her so I had an hour or so to myself. Thursday was guitar. She seems to be doing well at it. Boss has been out of the office a lot again, as his wife is now out of hospital and he is part time carer for her. I have finally caught up so it's not as hectic for me.

We saw Annabell briefly on the weekend, but sadly have not seen her since. Many of you suggested I keep her, but sadly I was not able to. She would have been very welcome but I was gently told it was not going to happen. Anyway, I have to assume that the family came and took her away because she has not been around since Sunday evening. Very sad.

Friday Boss let me go from work early, at 3.30. Which meant I had time to change the sheets on the bed and get the washing in before Fluffy got home from work. We hooked up the van and were on the road by 5.15.

Thursday I started to sniffle. Friday it arrived. Fluffy got his cold back, and not to be left out, mine came back too. This time though it was worse. By the time we got to Mount Pleasant I was blocked up, sniffling, and feeling somewhat light headed. But that's all I am going to say about it. I have a cold. End of story. As I write this, I still have it.

Anyway, it was dark before we even hit the tunnels, and so here we were, out in the sticks, trying to find our way to a place we had last visited about 8 years ago. The sat nav, eventually, did it's job. It is so difficult to enter stuff into it. Definitely not user friendly. It took us an hour and a half, and when we got to the caravan park, we couldn't see to find anyone in our group!

We drove around for a bit until we saw a familiar car and van set up, then found ourselves a nice site on the end, across the field from the loos.

But upon leaving the car, we realised "Shit it's cold!" It was so icey, there was a real bite in the air. All we did was roll out the awning, leaving it attached to the side of the van, and put up Dobby's tent. That was it. The rest of the group lit a campfire behind our van but I was too sick and too cold to feel like joining in. As a lot of the other teens didn't come, Dobby stayed in the van with me.

The showers were hot, though, and after that I crawled into bed. Dobby went into the tent, crawled into her sleeping bag, and opened another over the top of her. Fluffy joined in the fireside chat for a while then came to bed.

We had the heater on in the van, and blankets on the bed, warm pajamas and socks, but we were still so cold. At 4.17 the door opened. "I'm cold... can I sleep in here?" Sure, and bring the dog. It was actually warmer outside the bed than in, I suspect because the cold air trapped/coming up through the mattress.

Saturday morning brought frost and iced up windscreens. The people in the van behind us had an early start with footy, and were furiously trying to scrape ice off the windscreen when I got up. It was soo deathly cold. Further down from us, was a lady with 3 kids of her own and two japanese students. They had a small camper trailer and tents, and they were so cold they didn't stay a second night, but left after dinner Saturday.

Eventually people emerged, and we had morning tea at 10.30. There were lots of discussions about the cold. Our next meeting is Queens Birthday long weekend, in the Riverland, so I can imagine there will be a lot more blankets making that trip!

After club game we had the afternoon to ourselves. Fluffy, Dobby and her friend (one of the girls from the camper trailer) and I took Ozzie into town for a walk. We bought a drink, wandered through the antique shop, then made our way back. I needed to walk out the stiffness in my hips but I think I just made it worse. Plenty of lazy reading time, but then later that afternoon they built a campfire and set up barbeques under an old grandstand shed thing, which I think was used for sheep shearing demonstrations.

Which was about 200m from our van... over unlit ground... it was fun...

The club decided that we would have a communal barbeque, everyone bring your own food and stuff. Happy hour first, though, at 4.00. I went down for that, but it was cold away from the fire even then. I made several trips back and forth, with Dobby bringing Fluffy steaks for me, putting together the makings of steak sandwiches for him and taking it to him, making something for Dobby to eat, and taking that down with us to join the group, then having nothing really for my own dinner. But I wasn't terribly hungry anyway so that didn't bother me. But another camper said she had these thawed frozen meals that were going to waste and please, take them. So I had one of those new Chicken Parmi meals. Very nice. Back up to the van to heat that up, back down to join the others for dinner.

Then back up to the van to take all the dishes back. Dobby had a couple of other kids (the first teen she was with went home), one of whom was the boy she decked at the last rally, in the van with her watching movies, so Fluffy and I had to sit outside. Eventually we got too cold so back down to the fire.

By now it was cold and we were stiff as heck so about 9ish we all called it a night. I took the dishes up to wash them while Fluffy had a shower. Dobby's friends went back to the fire until 10.30 when everyone else went to bed. She went back to the tent but this time had her warmer sleeping bag on and the other open over the top.

About midnight I woke up to the dulcet tones of some hoon doing burnouts out the front of the park. I needed to go to the loo, so I rugged up and left the van. And almost tripped over the dog who was sitting outside. When I went to put him back I realised he had, again, broken the catch on his lead. He must have chased something but I didn't hear a thing. He obviously didn't bark. Anyway I tied it to his collar, which was funny because he knew he had messed up. He come and lay beside me so I could fix it. He went straight back into the tent where he stayed all night.

Back to bed and it was a little warmer this time.

Sunday morning we woke up to grey-ish clouds. Rain had been forecast but it ended up being a lovely day. As we had not really unpacked we didn't have much to pack up. Morning tea fixings had been left outside our van as the couple who had been doing it had an early start. We put it out ready, and just milled about chatting until about 10.30.

We did the rounds, said out farewells, and jumped in the car. Ooops, Fluffy had left the key in the "on" position the entire weekend. Flat battery...

One of the other campers raced down to grab his 4WD to offer a jump start, and another camper grabbed his jumper leads. The fellow with the car raced up to help - forgetting in the mean time to unplug is fridge in the back of his car! Leads flying, people running to stop him! It was hilarious.

Anyway, car was started and off we went.

We made it home in an hour! Dobby went straight in for a shower (she had not showered all weekend and you know what? No one cared...) She had a birthday party to go to. Fluffy and I unpacked what needed to be done, then took her to her party.

We both had a shower in her absence (no, not together!) and had a snack. Then it was time to pick her up again. Lazy afternoon, take away fish and chips for dinner. Nice relaxing end to the weekend.

And I think Dobby is getting my cold....

Oh, and I forgot. It was my friend Rat's birthday on Saturday and I totally forgot to send her a text, so Happy Birthday Rat! Hope you had a great day! xxxxxx

Saturday 8 May 2010

Mother's Day and a fleeting glance

So another week goes by. Each week, I vow I will have a slow week with nothing to report.

And each week I find some rubbish to waffle on about.... mmmm. waffles...

Anyway, this week Boss' wife went into hospital for a hip replacement. She is such a lovely lady, that Boss was telling me that she bought a sandwich maker for their beachhouse, and when he mentioned I had been looking for one she said "find out if she found one because if not I'll buy her one for her birthday". What a lady.

The surgery went well, and she is up and about, if somewhat shakily for now. For me, this has meant that Boss had been out of the office on and off all week. He comes in for a few hours then goes again. He also brings Holly, the office bitch with him. She is a lovely greyhound, whom I got to walk Friday. Lovely natured beast she is.

So, that was my working week. For Dobby, she had netball on Monday night for training. The last two weeks Fluffy has taken her, so I have had a couple hours to myself. And it's been lovely. I really do appreciate it.

This week she also started guitar lessons. Electric. At a place not too far away. We all went this time, so we knew where the place was and to meet the teacher. He seems to be very nice and switched on, and Fluffy sat in on the lesson as Dobby was a bit nervous having a one-on-one with a bloke. But Fluffy was very impressed with the guy, and Dobby really enjoyed the lesson so I think it will work out just fine. We decided that Fluffy will do the netball and I will do the guitar. That way, we both do a run while the other has a bit of quiet time.

Friday night was lovely. There is something about Friday evenings. It's even better in winter, coming home, it's dark and cold (especially when it's wet) and you can relax, unwind, curl up under the blanket and just sit. This week I made us all toasted ham, cheese and pineapple sandwiches with my new snack maker, and we just relaxed.

Saturday, we were up fairly early, and Dobby and I went to Harbourtown so she could visit the Smiggle shop for a birthday gift. I know, its shopping again, and apparently we do a lot, but its just a case of the party being next weekend but we will be away so I had to think ahead. She also found something she wanted but it was more money than she had so I helped out (as you do). Also, as we had spent enough money including the gift, to get our loyalty card filled with stamps, she got a free gift. She chose a green zipper pencil case. Happy as Larry she was, and the gift we bought was a pack including a large notebook, pack of pens, pencil, eraser, scissors, glue and clips, for $20. Plus we bought a particular pen the friend wanted.

Then, I wanted to find boxers for Fluffy, and Brands United had 2 for $25. Bought him a black and a blue pair of Playboy boxers. All the way down the other end to Woolworths for a plastic laundry hamper for me, as my 8 year old woven basket was starting to break on the lid from the cat sitting on it while I am in the bath. Something for everyone!

After Harbourtown we went across town to the cheap supermarket I found recently, and bought a stack of snacks and things, plus sauces and rice and chocolate. I also bought an uncut slab of scotch fillet, for $30. I got 5 packs of 3 steaks plus a chunk I will cut up for a casserole. Good value, I say. I think it was about $6 kg. I had planned to spent $150 and it came to $149.

Not long after we got home it was off again, this time to netball. The team they played this game played dirty. Lots of shoving and aggression, plus a bit of unfair umpiring. Most of it though was psyching the girls out by their aggressive behaviour. One particular pair were fighting for space on the goal circle line and the opposition kept kneeing our girl off balance.Plain dirty I thought.

There is a particular woman, whose daughter is a netball umpire I think, not sure, and her granddaughter plays on the team. She is a real loudmouth, calling out stuff on the sidelines, and she was really starting to annoy me, so I went down the other end of the court. I wouldn't mind if she was calling out supportive stuff, but she was pointing out all their faults and even directed a couple of snipes to Dobby. On the way home, Dobby told me she could hear her and was quite put off by her comments. I told her to tell the coach that she was put off, and he might make sure she keeps herself quiet next game, cause she really was very annoying and negative.

Saturday night I cooked a trial dinner, with a couple of tins of curry I bought. All you had to do was add meat. I added chopped up white fish fillets and prawns. Dobby and I had rice and Fluffy had pasta with his. They liked it. I was so-so. Fluffy will have the leftovers for lunch, so couldn't have been too bad. Also, at the supermarket we bought two little cartons of chocolate fudge icecream. We shared one with a scoop of vanilla each for dessert. Very nice.

Before dinner though, we had guests. After netball, a friend (actually ex-boss) of mine and her partner dropped by for coffee. When we were seeing them off I heard a meow. The other two were talking to me but I ignored them, listening for the sound again.

Sure enough, from the bushes came a lovely little grey and white cat, wearing a pink collar and bell. Annabell. Earlier in the week the neighbour across the road came over asking if we had seen the cat, as no one had seen her for awhile. We hadn't. Now, here she was coming looking for company, the poor girl. She was so happy to see us, smooging all around us and purring. I gave her a bite to eat while Fluffy and Dobby went across the road to the same neighbour and asked for a contact number for Tracey's family.

He called them and they said they had seen her earlier today and that the shed was open so she could come and go. But obviously this little girl was starved for company. Fluffy wouldn't let me bring her inside, saying she had a home to go to so let her go. Apparently, the woman he phoned said they would pick her up early next week and take her to the pound.

Several hours later, she was still sitting outside the front door in the cold. It's heartbreaking. But, Fluffy is adamant.

Sunday morning I woke up at 5.20 to the sounds of Annabell meowing outside the window. I didn't get up, but it was sad. Roger was at the window talking back to her softly. Later, she must have had her paws right up on the window because she was quite loud.

Anyway, about 7.30 Roger jumped onto the wardrobe beside the bed and I woke up. Fluffy got up and made me a cup of tea, and Dobby brought me my gift. I didn't expect anything because I already received my i-river Ebook reader. But Dobby was so proud! She had won second prize in the school Mother's Day raffle - a purple Tupperware drink bottle and purple sandwich box. She was so pleased! And she made me a lovely card.

After I made HER breakfast (boiled eggs and toast) I did the laundry, the dishes, and made myself scrambled eggs. One of the things I found at the supermarket was sun-dried tomato flavoured cooking oil. I used a little for the eggs. Quite tasty it is.

I hung out the washing, made myself a cuppa and settled in with my ebook. Fluffy pulled out his laptop and talked me into downloading a couple more books, and I also downloaded Frankenstien (the original) and Around The World in 80 Days for Dobby. I told her that when I get my memory card, she can borrow the ebook to read a book while I read something else. I hope she appreciates the stories, but some how I don't think she will. Never mind!

Apart from a walk to the shop to give the dog some exercise, and buy milk and an icecream, all I have done today is read. Very relaxing. I am not cooking dinner. Last night I made that fish curry, with prawns, and Fluffy will have the last of that for tea. Not sure what to make Dobby and I. Something simple for sure. Tomorrow I will make a batch of pea and ham soup. Mmmm!

See? I can have a quite weekend! Sort of....

Oh, and by the way, Mother loved her handmade duck so thanks heaps, Chris! xxxx

Thursday 6 May 2010

Roger!


So I have entered a competition to make a star of R0ger.

If you think he's a star, please help me out by voting here.

Thank you for your support! Roger will love you for it!

Sunday 2 May 2010

A little slower this week

Yes, while this week was, as usual, it was somewhat more bearable.

Work was full on, due to end of month, but I survived. Nothing terrible happend anyway, except the usual export dramas (as SOL knows all about). We export product overseas, and lately, our export company has been making mistakes and letting us down. Typical.

Anyway, Thursday and Friday Fluffy had a course to attend at Mawson Lakes. That was a lovely break away from work for him. For me it meant I didn't have to wake up until 6.15 instead of 5.15.

Thursday, during a break, he asked me if we could go to Harvey Norman after work to check out the snack makers. We want to make jaffles, but don't want the triangle jaffle maker. And, if possible, we wanted a 4-piece maker.

Anyway, when we got there, they didn't have the one we wanted. I left Fluffy chatting with the helpful ladies (he seems to have a way with the girls), and wandered to the computer area to check out the iRiver Ebook. I had heard a bit about them and was curious.

The bloke had just finished his spiel when Fluffy came back. I told him what I was looking at. I liked it, but it was $398. No way we could afford that. I also looked at the leather case you could buy for it, for another $60.

As soon as I had told him about it, he whipped out his wallet and told the guy we would take one. But we would only pay $420 for the ebook and the case. Done. WHAT! Hey, it's your mother's day present. But that was your money you earned from selling your awning! Who cares, if it's for you, it's okay (I do love that man). Well, after he had arranged that, he asks "do you want to go for a drive down to Noarlunga?" again, WHAT? It's about as far south as you can get without heading to Victor Harbour! Well, not quite, but still some distance south.

Sure, why not. Apparently the Harvey Norman store there had the snack maker we wanted. The ladies he had been chatting up got another lady there to put one aside for him.

When we got there, sure enough, she had one there. He told her that the other girls said she would give him a good price. It went from $90 down to $75. He was happy. It's a Breville Snack Maker, 4 piece, which has these long hollows. It cuts the sandwich in half longwise, but the pickets are quite deep. Apparently, it also makes lovely snacks with puff pastry filled with your favourite, well, fillings... We tried it out for dinner last night, with half a cooked sausage in each "tube", cheese, onion and chilli sauce. Apparently it was lovely.

So, that was Thursday. Friday night Hermione came for her weekend visit. Nan and Bruno stayed for dinner (fish and chips) and left around 8 or so. The girls went to bed about half ten. Fluffy and I surfed websites looking at the vast number if E Books availabe to download onto my reader. I signed up to a club, paying $40 once, for a lifetime of free books. I think I made a mistake, but hey, it's worth it.

Saturday, Dobby had a couple of birthday vouchers burning a hole in her wallet, and I had a voucher also, so we headed down to Marion to spend them. Our first stop was Diva, where Dobby purchased a cute silver ring, and I got one for Fluffy and some bangles for me.

Next stop was KMart, where Dobby bought herself the movie Princess Protection Program. She also got some stationary. I had been looking for a pillowtop for the mattress, and found one at KMart for $39. Also, I thought Big W had a little slow cooker for $25 but I found one in KMart for the same price. I bought Avatar and some scrap booking paper. I also bought a Wii game for Dobby. All up, cost me $52. Not bad!

After lunch at Hungry Jacks (God bless Stunner meals!) we headed home. Dobby got ready for netball and they watched her new move. Fluffy and I put 4 books onto my reader. I took it to netball and read while Dobby played. Netball was great. Her team won 49 - 7... usually it was the other way around! She was happy.

Later in the afternoon the girls wanted to go to the park. As it was late I told them only half an hour, be back at 5.45. They were home a few minutes before, but said that some creepy guy was watching them (or was it following them?) playing with himself while in his car. I discussed it with Fluffy and he called the police. We were told that they were going to drive around then come see the girls. No one came... I feel quite strongly about that. I think this is quite serious!

Anyway, after dinner they watched Avatar and went to bed. I was too restless waiting for the police to arrive to have dinner. Waste of time that was.

Then, on Sunday, I popped down to Marion again. See, some blonde picked up the case for the Wii game, but forgot to take it to the counter to get the actual disc... D'uh! And, when we tried to get Avatar out of the case, it was still locked so we had to break the case. They replaced it with a new copy! Nice!

I did a grocery shop too, and it was funny because the boot is full of camping tables and chairs, so I had to put the shopping on the back seat. The girls had wanted to come, but I am glad they didn't because they would have had to take a taxi home like the Supercheap add! It was quite a struggle to get the stuff into the doors, without hitting anything, but I managed.

After the shopping a made a quick stop at Bunnings for a couple of plants. I chose 3 similar to one I already have. Hopefully they last a little while. Something to fill the empty pots anyway.

When I got home it was time to take Hermione back home. We all piled into the car and were greeted with fresh scones, lunch box cookies and chocolate muffins. Lovely! Fresh cream and home made jam topped it off.

Now, back home, I have a chook (well, two actually) in the oven with some roast potatoes. Sara Lee cheese cake with cream and ice cream for dessert. Then I think a hot bath...