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Grant at his farewell on Wednesday afternoon. I think he was genuinely surprised and touched by the level of affirmation he received and shed a few tears in the process.
John and fay Foran, friends from the old days when Mum lived in Kelmscott, now retired after 22 years as the Anglican minister there, and many years in Sydney prior to that.
Pieta, Phil and Julie's eldest child, at bed time last night, just before prayers.
Elijah with a picture he drew for me. When I asked him what it was he said, "it's an octopus......no it's not an octopus it's a horse......it's not a horse, it's a goat." And a goat it remained, as you can clearly tell just by looking at it.
A very cool motorbike on the freeway this afternoon. I photographed it initially for it's personalised number plate, then because it was cool, but I wasn't able to capture the coolest bit of all. As I went past it I saw a small dog sitting in the seat behind the rider, resplendant in a pair of goggles!!!!


Carolyn is home again.

Ironically, 3 of our 4 kids are not here to greet her! Admittedly The Heir has a legitimate reason, being as he is, marooned on a small island somewhere in the Atlantic, but because of the need to make suitable arrangements in my absence, Jordan and Sport Boy are staying elsewhere tonight. Jordy in M.R. following rehearsals, and Sport Boy at his friend Morgan's place. Favourite Daughter is home and was delighted to see her Mum but the rest of the reunion will have to wait until tomorrow.

I spent a very productive day in Perth, sorting out details for Country Week in the morning, having lunch with Broadie in Leederville, and delivering the Cool School Race Camp prizes to Duncraig High School this afternoon. My last task was to buy a small portable PA for use at Country Week, camps and assemblies. I found one at Kosmic in Osborne Park for a reasonable price then set off for the airport. This is where my plan came slightly unstuck, I hadn't figured on the congestion of peak hour traffic. I've been lulled into a false sense of reality by the complete absence of traffic jams or hold-ups in Busselton with it's sum total of 4 sets of traffic lights!
The Perth traffic was bumper to bumper.
Then I got a surprise sms from Carolyn to say they had landed early and she was collecting her bags and ready to go! It took me another 20 minutes just to get to the airport! Getting away from Perth was not looking easy or quck and my hopes of playing volleyball tonight were diminishing rapidly.
I tried Tonkin Hwy which had looked fairly clear when I went over the bridge on the way to the airport but I soon realised I'd been fooled again and we crawled for 20 minutes to the lights at Leach Hwy, where we discovered there had been a crash and the police had blocked the road. Sadly, I found out later that two people had been killed on a motorbike.
That puts a bit of inconvenience and a missed volleyball game well and truly in perspective!

Carolyn talked much of the drive home, about Ray her brother, Michelle his house mate, the restaurant he works in, her adventures with Spider the dog, expeditions to the Adelaide markets for cheese and mushrooms and spices, a rain drenched excursion to a quilting shop that turned out to be closing down and thus there were bargains to be had apparently, a visit to The Jam Factory- some sort of artist's cooperative, meals Ray cooked for her, trips to wineries and much more. She obviously had a good time while she was away. We stopped for fuel and food, Noodles from our newest favourite "restaurant" Wok-in a-Box!

As expected I missed my entire volleyball game and only just got back in time for me to fulfill my umpiring duties at 8.30. Our team, Son of Miffy the Cow, lost 3-0. Obviously I was greatly missed!

Carolyn, who gained two hours in transit on the east-west crossing of the continent has gone to bed and I'm about to follow suit.

Tomorrow morning at 9.30 I get my ankle injected with cortizone. Hopefully that will have a beneficial and healing effect.