Oh Happy Day!

I spent today with Wendy. Happy songs running thru my head.

Grabbed a nice cappa at Southern Cross Station, and a beautiful bunch of bright orange gerbera's, and caught the train out to Craigieburn by myself.

Wendy and Turk picked me up at the station and we did some tripping round before going back to their place for lunch. Wendy and I had a fossick thru her wardrobe, and I've walked away with two pairs of jeans - thank you girlfriend! She and I spent some time out in the girl-shed, yakking, looking at the quilt stuff she's done, and just catching up. She says I'm much lighter and easier to be around - a noticeable change from February when we parted. All the emotional hard work is paying off!

She and Turk were caught at a police checkpoint on Monday, and told their car was unregistered, and had been since March, even after going thru about 5 different dealers before they purchased it. The cops took the rego plates, and they had to leave the car on the side of the road, till they'd organised a mechanic to come get it, do the "roadworthiness test", and tow it back to their place. Turk's dad was able to come and get them, but it meant that Wendy missed her job interview - but she gets to go back tomorrow, Thursday.

They were hit with a nearly $600 fine, which will be paid by the dealer.

Wendy and I took Mac for a run - us on bikes, him running, down to the local sports field, where dogs are allowed off-leash. We chased the crows and magpies, and watched the cops pulling over more unregistered vehicles, including one that tried to dodge them - bad idea! They have a van parked about a km down the road, which photographs the oncoming vehicle, relays the data to the Victorian Road Transport Authority, and fires it back if it's unregistered. The cops then pull the vehicle over! Wow, talk about efficient.

Then we went for a drive to the reservoir, which is evidently looking the best it has for a while, but looks pretty sad from my point of view. They're going to have severe water restrictions again this summer - level 4 at a minimum, so no washing cars or watering gardens, and 4 minute showers.

Then we went to a couple of Turkish shops. Both really only sold food, tho one had cookware, hookah pipes and musical instruments. No suitable knicknacks to bring home. Wendy says there's a third shop, where she might be able to get me a little set of worry/prayer beads, and a tiny Koran-in-a-baggy talisman. Then we went and picked up the kids from school, and they took me back to the train station.

No louts this time, thank goodness. But a couple of cops got on the train, and rode it for a couple of stops. Cops with guns - pistols in holsters. Scary for this kiwi girl! There is a noticably high Police presence in Melbourne - mostly cars cruising the beat, and checkpoints, but also popping up elsewhere.

I walked around the back of the Etihad Stadium, which used to be Batman's Hill, named after one of the founding settlers. The original city grid is laid out from this point, so the old city is a tiny, compact grid laid against the Yarra River on a north-east/south-west orientation. However, when the city expanded, they set up a new grid, running north-south, which makes working out which direction you're going very complicated. Me, I think it's kinda cool, and once you work it out, it's fine. Brother Mick's not so sanquine about it. LOL.

Got to Costco, and had to sit on the seats/concrete anti-ram-raid blocks, and have a wee melt-down. Damn, I want to go home. Really hard not having someone to share my day with. It's so tiring having to repeat myself over and over, and shout to be heard/understood.


Picked Father William up where he's been lurking at Costco all afternoon. It's still insane - they're at least 50 staff short, and they're quitting as quick as they hire them, even at $20/hour.



Dad has realised he hasn't got a pressie for mum. Said he'd seen a really nice set of drinking glasses at Costco. And they were really cheap too. What did I think?! NO! You wanna buy cheap glassware? Go to the Warehouse or Briscoes. You wanna get mum a pressie? Get something nice. Please. And no, there's no point in getting up early to get something, because the Docklands doesn't open till after 0900 - not even to get a damn coffee!



Talked to David, and Becca on the phone for half an hour. Better for that. Helped with the loneliness a bit.

Bill decided he wanted Szechuan for dinner, so we took off for Lygon Street again. I'm afraid my ability to eat organs, feet and other icky bits is non-existant. Settled on Gong Bao Chicken (hot hot chilli!), and Fragrant Fish Eggplant (allegedly hotter than the chicken, but didn't seem so). It was a heck of a lot better than I thought it would be. The eggplant was NOM! Chinese restaurant served beer, wine and fizzy. Two diet coke later ... Dad's order of the chicken dish arrived first, and he commented after about 5 minutes "you did order, didn't you?" "Ah, yes. Traditionally, you share the dishes, that's why we have the little plates, and the bowls of rice ... so when the eggplant arrives, we share that as well ..." Hmmm - am I being a smartarse again? He deliberately wanted to come to this particular restaurant, but doesn't know the customs ...




Had to walk a couple of blocks across the city to find a tram heading back down to the Docklands - #86! Oh yeah, baby, come to mama! Yes dad, this way... no, this is Russell Street, it becomes Lygon Street, remember? Oh well, we made it back.



So, Dad turns on the TV. Loudly! I need a drink. No dad, I don't drink beer (yuk - VB [Victoria Bitter!] I NEED VODKA! Grabbed book and glasses, and went back down the the Hotel, double VLL, and a piece of lemon curd pie - pie was average, VLL was aaarrrrooooo!

Nearly finished Clive Cussler's Treasure - what am I going to read on the plane tomorrow? Darn, I have so many books at home I want to read, but looks like I might have to buy something tomorrow.

Nearly 2300 - Mick was hoping to be home about now. I suspect there's two chances of that!

2315 - Not home yet.

2330 - nope.