What a weekend!

Hi Folks.

Not a lot to share with you this week, so far as weeks go. It's been rather boring. Work was, well, work. Busy busy until I can get on top. The accountant finally got my computer system back on line so I could clean some of the backlong. That took a couple days. Still got a few bits and pieces to do. Waiting for other people is what's holding me up. Don't you hate that? I sure do.

Boss was away all week so it was very quiet. I wonder what makes it so nice, when you are used to being social, to find yourself totally alone in the office. When I do that I often don't even put the radio on. I work hard all day, in the silence, and feel quite fulfilled after.

Anyway, with guitar being the only out of hours thing to happen this week, lets move on to the weekend. Oh, as for photography, we used live models this time. I don't like some of the photos, but one or maybe two came out okay. What do you think? It was considerably harder than it looked, to get the right lighting, and because my battery was flat I wasn't quite as focused as I should have been. I could only put it on charge for a few minutes, then take it off and take some pics, then put it back on. All night...







The good thing is, we learned how to do this without a flash. Next week we are in the classroom, then the week after we are out in the field. And this coming Saturday I have to be in the city by 6.30am. Fun!

Also this week saw the huge earthquake in Japan, followed by that terrible tsunami. What a shock.



This is just a sample of the total helplessness of the place. I mean, how are they going to restack all of these shipping containers? Where do you begin?

The Japanese people are used to earthquakes, and every one is taught the drills from early childhood. But nothing could have prepared them for the wave that followed. Total devastation. The pictures astound me. My heart goes out to them all. It does bring up the talk of "end of the world", what with all the natural disasters occurring all around the planet. Me? I think it's possible. But I don't want to dwell on it. I know when it does happen, I'll be okay. Just keep living life for now and see what happens, yes? Haha.

So, anyway, now that we are between vans, we could not go to the latest rally. It was at Wallaroo and sounded like a lot of fun. Dobby really wanted to go so another family offered to take her with them. She is great mates with their daughters so we agreed.

She cleaned her room (mostly) and I wrote a note to advise the school she wouldn't be there Friday. See, the family live on the north side of Adelaide so we wouldn't be able to get her there in a timely manner for them to leave Friday night. So we were to drop her Thursday.

On Thursday, the mum sent me a message to say their eldest daughter was sick and could Dobby come up friday. I let her know it wouldn't be till late, they were okay with that. As the school already had notice I figured she could stay home and finish packing anyway. She also has an assignment she could work on.

Then, at about 7.00 Thursday evening, the mum phones and says "Did we want to still bring Dobby up that evening?" So it was a mad dash to get her packed and ready, then drive the 45 minutes the other side of town. These people are lovely, fun, crazy people so we knew she was going to have a good time. She loves them like crazy too.

We left her there and got home at 11.3o...

Work the next day, and I had to put the car in for a service. Fluffy collected me on the way home and dropped me off to pick up the car. Then it was home for a relaxing evening. It was so quiet...

Saturday we had to go back to the people we sold the van to and do a couple of little jobs. When he got there Fluffy realised that the drill he had was not the right one for the bit he needed. Oh dear. Luckily the fellow across the road had one that worked a treat. Then he realised he needed another part so off we went to the caravan place. Got the necessary part, then to Bunnings.

He had been given a gift voucher so he looked for something to spend it on. I found him a great multi tool kit thing in a plastic case, for $30. It has lots of srewdriver ends, allan keys, tape measure, pliers, all sorts of things. He decided he could keep it in the boot of the car. Always handy.

While I was looking around I saw some lovely begonias I was going to buy for the kitchen window sill. Also some herbs to start another herb garden. We also checked out storage solutions for the van.

After going back to the van to try to finish the job, unsuccessfully because he can't get his hand into the space to tighten the tap fitting properly so we have to go back yet again..., we made a trip to Cunninghams Warehouse. There we bought the cutlery for the van and a few other bits and bobs. I also found a tiny little tray of 3 pots just the right size for a window sill herb garden!

As Fluffy still had $20 left on his voucher, he gave it to me to go get some herbs and some tent pegs for him.

On Sunday I got up early (he went to work) and did some housework (ironing, washing, changing the litter tray, usual stuff), then as soon as 11.00 came around I hit the shops. First stop was Cunninghams again for a second planter set (at $2.50, why not!), then down to Bunnings for the plants. BUT forgot the voucher. Never mind. I got his tent pegs, then off to find gloves, got a cheap pair of those, now out to the garden section.

I had seen a sign for 6 pack for $6.95 but couldn't find any of them. So I went around and found the little seedling boxes. I bought 6 types, but there were several plants in each box so I knew I had too many. I'd figure something out.

Then, just as I was on my way out, on a bottom shelf over the other side, I found for $7.40, a tray with 6 herb plants in it, all different.

There was an Italian Parsley, regular parsley, oregano, dill, coriander and thyme. All set. I would have swapped one of the parsleys for garlic chives if I could. I may still go back and get one of those and put it outside yet. We'll see.

Anyway, off to the checkout, comes to $21. Pity I didn't have that voucher hey.

Back home and I had just enough time to drop it on the counter then off to have lunch with my friend Marg. She is such a sprightly lovely lady. I wish I could be like her at her age.

We went to Fasta Pasta again, I bought lunch and she bought dessert to take back to her place for coffee. Yummo!

Then, about 3.00 I headed home and made these...





I hope that's a good spot for them - plenty of light! I know I will have to wait a while before I can use them, but it's very exciting to have herbs again. I used to have a lovely thyme bush but it died out a few years ago.

So, then Fluffy came home, we fixed (well he fixed, I supervised and handed him screws), Dobby's bed. She has been sleeping in the lounge for a couple of weeks. It was coming loose around the screws, but she hadn't cleaned her room so Fluffy could get in there and fix it. As a result it broke.

So she cleaned her room last weekend but Fluffy was away. Anyway, it's funally done. She has some more cleaning to do in there but I think she'll be happy to be back in her room.

Then we went out to dinner. I don't know if any of you are aware of a website called Cudo.com.au. It's a great little site that has offers and discounts on a lot of things every day. I have already bought myself a voucher for a pedicure (including false toenails! What the!), a microdermabrasion, and some freebies, for only $89. Valued at over $300.

Anyway, the dinner last night was a dinner for two, two courses, two glasses of wine, and two cups of coffee after, valued at about $84, cost of $33.

It was at the Arkaba Hotel. Upmarket place now, not too far from where I work. Dinner was lovely. We both had crumbed prawns for entree, and Fluffy had chicken parmi and I had "coconut crusted baramundi" but I have to say I think they totally forgot the coconut crusty stuff. Not a sign of anything crusty. Nice fish though. I had steamed vege with mine. That means I had a tiny florret of brocolli, a miniature piece of corn on the cob, and a slice of carrot. All too cold to eat. So I didn't.

But the chips (the tiny little serve on the side, which for someone like me was just right) were very crunchy and quite tasty.

Fluffy had one of the glasses of wine, and we didn't worry about the coffee after. Lovely evening.

Early night last night. Today is a public holiday in Adelaide. Adelaide Cup Day. Nice. Dobby comes home sometime probably after lunch. She has had a wicked weekend - crabbing, swimming, playing games, going on a car rally. She really needed this break away from us as much as we needed it away from her. I am looking forward to hearing all about it tonight.

Not sure what Fluffy and I are going to do this morning. No shops open. Probably just the rest of the housework that didn't get done yesterday.

Well, that's my week. Hope I didn't bore you too much. See you next time!