And the next few days

Friday

Michael went off to work so I took the girls and dog to the Botanical Gardens again. We saw the emu and peacock in their enclosure, the rabbits, budgies and cockatiels in their cages, the walk though aviary, the wishing well and bridge over the little lake, lay on the grass and wrote a letter, played in the playground for a few hours and had donuts from the yummy local bakery for morning tea.
Gomez being checked out as prospective lunch

Saturday

Took the dog and cat out of the vets for the whole day. They really enjoyed it. Gomez is ultra skinny now, although the vet says he does eat, he is moping and burning it all off in nervous energy. The girls enjoyed playing tag amongst the rose bushes.

Mim wandered into Jen’s house and came out grinning, carrying a biscuit with butter and sprinkles. Apparently she’d asked Jen for one, Jen had asked if her parents allowed her to have one, and Mim said “of course!”

Got to 31 degrees today. Heard one of the locals talking about it being ‘boiling hot’ and just laughed. There was no humidity and the breeze was nice and cool. Even out in the sun, there was no bite to it the way there is in Qld. You could still do things, not get swamped by the humidity. It was lovely sitting outside the unit at 7pm with a book and a glass of wine. The light at this stage was about the same as 5.30pm in Brisbane. And the sun doesn’t rise until just after 6, not 4.30 like Brisbane!! Quite civilised.

Sunday

We drove to Mt Gambier to visit the Blue Lake Markets and catch up with Michael’s friend Dani. She was selling smoked eels (yuck!). Caitlin met her son, John, who is starting school with her on Wednesday. He seems like a nice friendly boy, but god the size of his feet!!! And let’s not go with that train of thought, people!

Had lunch at Mac’s Hotel (again) and then zipped into Target to find me a jacket. Found one that I didn’t mind the look of and would keep me warm when the wind started blowing. On the way home, Mim decided to tease Caitlin “Caitlin has a stinky bum, Caitlin has a big nose” and various other taunts. Caitlin simply responded by “STFU”. Took us a while to figure out what she was saying “Shut the F Up”

Came home via Casterton (one very large dead roo on the road, one long (and very dead) black snake, numerous dead foxes) and called in to Gertie and Eric’s place. Their garden is gorgeous! You could smell the peach tree a mile off. The peach, apple and pear trees are laden with fruit, the roses and other flowers are blooming and the 40 year old swing was given a good workout by Jemima. Mim was also taken by Minnie the dog, Charlie the cat and a chook she called Johnny.

Monday

Went to the staff BBQ at Penshurst Botanical Gardens in the afternoon. Very small botanical gardens, consisting of mostly a few trees and three interconnecting ponds (the wetlands). Was very relaxed, met some of the staff and their families. The kids enjoyed playing cricket and then a few of the adults joined in. Some great fielding by Tim O’Farrell (deputy principal) and extensive bowling by Michael Harms (Caitlin’s new teacher). Caitlin got in the way of a great shot by Bernard Neal – wonderful that she gets hit in the back of the head with a tennis ball by her new principal even before she starts school - “that’s for nothing, god help you if you do anything!”

the Principal and Deputy Principal

The drive home was pretty traumatic for me. It was only about half an hour, but do you know how many times the girls can sing Burning Ring of Fire in 30 mins!!!!!