Going Home

This is my last night in Melbourne before flying home tomorrow afternoon. I spent the last couple of nights staying at the Armstrong's place in Geelong; the town is a sea of blue and white and everyone is celebrating the Cat's premiership.
Yesterday I went for a drive on the Great Ocean Road as far as Lorne. I'd like to have gone further but time didn't permit; it is a very beautiful part of the world.
I also had a very fruitful search for old watches, the Scouts op shop in Belmont coming up trumps.

I visited my in-laws this afternoon, they're both in good health and good spirits and were happy that the Cats won.
Upon arrival back in Melbourne I went looking for a place reccommended by Mrs Holt Press, the Chapel St Bazaar. She had seen it on the Collectors on ABC1 and new that I would like it. She was spot on, it is a collector's paradise, a veritable Aladdin's cave of interesting treasures, although most of it was out of my price range, not necessarily a bad thing probably.

I rang Sport Boy for an update on the soccer team's progress at Country Week. They've had two wins and two losses so far and he sounded as if he was enjoying himself. I will see him tomorrow night and be with him and the team for the rest of the week.

Gary and Christine got ribs for dinner in my honour tonight, very tasty, then we set about "de-banding" all the watches I've accumulated. They even hunted out several of their own old non-working watches to add to my haul. Gary took me out to his shed and showed me something quite interesting; all my old letters which he has kept from as far back as 1981!

The rest of the night was taken up with answering his questions and queries about the Bible. As ever, he is inquisitive and open-minded, it was good to discuss faith and belief with an old mate.
I value Gary's friendship very much, especially due to it's origins, his Dad Alan and my Dad Peter were life-long friends up until Alan died suddenly a few years ago. And there are signs that our respective sons, Nathan and Sport Boy may carry on the friendship into a third generation.

As usual it's late and I need to go to bed. Thankfully my flight doesn't leave until 2.25 tomorrow arvo so there won't be any mad rush or panic getting to the airport.