Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!

So today is Australia Day, and like a good Australian should, I am proudly wearing a fake tatt on my shoulder. But then, we all are! Fluffy has his on his forearm and Dobby has hers in the middle of her forehead! I didn't bother asking for a pic, the fireworks such a simple request produces are not worth the hassle.

Anyway, what a week it has been. Busy busy preparing for our weekend away. Packing the van, shopping, dropping off keys to the neighbour to feed Roger. Plus, our hot water system died on the coldest night of the week! But a call to the landlord took are of that, bless him.

Plus, at work, our DME (Dimethyl Ether) gas plant has broken down and we have no stock and customers will not be happy with that at all. The boss is away at his beach house this week, and although he will be dealing with the back end of that I will be dealing with the disgruntled customers. Something to look forward to.

Our weekend away to Aldinga was nice though. It got off to a bad start because I was late home (after a brief wine tasting at work I was 5 minutes late packing up) and then I thought Fluffy knew the way as he had looked on the internet and said he did, but alas, it would appear he forgot so it got a bit tense while we got lost. Neither of us could remember the name of the road the park was on so we couldn't put it into the Sat Nav.

Anyway, we found it. Our site was a large one, much to the jealousy of the other campers. Too bad, I say. Fluffy had rang and asked for a larger site. We got one. Very nice! Saturday morning was the usual morning tea gathering, then we had lunch and headed off in a convoy of about 11 vehicles down to Silver Sands beach. As we didn't want to drive our car onto the beach we hitched a lift with others, and Dobby went with a friend of hers.

Because the Tour Down Under happened to be in Aldinga that weekend we had to take the long way round. We did get to see all the houses decked out with yellow balloons (they must have bought every yellow balloon in the shops!) and we finally made it onto the beach.

It was a lovely day for it, the water was warm, the sun was not too hot, and the company was great. The adults (most of them anyway) played against the kids in a game of touch footy, and poor Fluffy was a bit battle weary that night. However, I just sat around reading, as I do best. Oz liked the water though, for a change.

We came home, and cleaned up, then back to the group for happy hour. Drinks all round. Then dinner, and "social" at 7, which was 4 games set up with a time of 15 minutes each game. We played Celebrity Head, Twister, Smart Ass, and Charades. Quite fun when you got into it.

Sunday was morning tea, then a free day. We went for a drive and found the local shopping centre. Bought a few supplies and had a light lunch. Back to the park, and for Dobby, back to the pool with the girls. She got terrible burnt because after the beach Saturday she hit the pool again. Can't help herself that kid.

Happy hour again then a social gathering after dinner again.

As Monday was not a public holiday the club did not have anything planned, but they decided as a group to go to the beach again. As I had sustained a rather nasty painful burn to the back of my knees I didn't want to go, so the same friends who took us Saturday took Dobby Monday. Very nice of them to offer. We took old Ma (I shall call her) shopping and bought her lunch, and then Fluffy had a nap and I read. Very long, quiet afternoon as the others didn't return until 4pm. Again, Dobby hit the pool. We gathered informally, as large groups traveling together do, and then after dinner congregated to the common ground for more drinkies. Fluffy and I don't indulge much. He had a few beers over the weekend and a couple glasses of wine. I didn't have much more than a Pepsi Max.

The teenagers were going around offering everyone Australia flag tattoos, and the little kids were offering glo-sticks (I got a pink one to match my dress!) It was a fun night.

It was a great weekend, lovely and long, and relaxing, and a slow pack up this morning. The group generally manages to get a late check out, and we were on the road by 11.45 this morning, home by 12.30.

Unpacked the cold stuff, did the washing, and now veging out for the afternoon. As I write this Fluffy is in the hammock on the patio, Roger the cat is curled up on the floor, Oz is laying in the laundry in the cool, and Dobby is watching TV (instead of making a move on her room - can you hear the fireworks about to start?).

Time to go make sure she has everything ready to start school tomorrow morning, and make sure she makes a start on her room - its a bomb site at the moment! Wish me luck....