A Quiet Sunday

Yes, it's pretty quiet today, which is nice for a change. Poor Jane has got the dreaded lurgy (maybe that's why it's quiet...oops!), and is not feeling very well at all. Touch wood...so far, I've evaded all the bugs and wogs going around...hope it lasts. Must be all the chicken soup I consume.

Tomorrow is going to be a day of mixed emotions. You've read my posts about my grandson, Harry? Well, tomorrow he leaves with his father to go back to live in New Zealand. Of course, that's on the premise that if he wants to come home to Australia because he's homesick or something, he can. So, tomorrow I'm going to my daughter's to say my goodbyes. I'm not going out to the airport because I know I'll cry and I don't want to upset Harry. He absolutely idolises his father, but my daughter and her ex have talked things over and Harry knows he is able to come back here if he can't settle.

So that's two grandchildren leaving the country. Ok, I know Harry will be back for holidays, but I don't know when I'll see Nick again. He's having his farewell on 11 August and then he and Mayo fly out on the 13th. I guess I'll have to incorporate a visit to Holland on my big O/S trip when it takes place...and there'll more than likely be a wedding there one day...ok, two trips to Holland.

Fred, my neighbour, is Dutch, or his mum is. His father was Austrian and he and Sylvia met and married in Australia. I was talking to Fred's mum on Friday and telling her about Nick going to live in her homeland and she knows where he will be living.

On a better note, my phone rang last night and a chirpy voice said, "Hi, Sissy!" It was my brother (not the one I abused) from the north coast. He was over the moon, because he'd just sold his house for more that $200,000 over valuation and had immediately bought a three bedroom villa at auction. This was yesterday. He's done it hard over the last two years. He had started up his own business, his gold-digging partner walked out on him and immediately put a caveat on the house so he couldn't sell, and started proceedings to claim half of everything my brother owned, including his savings and superannuation. They'd only been together six years, didn't marry and had no kids from their union. Half of what he had would have been pretty close to half a million dollars. Last week, they settled out of court and she agreed to...wait for it...$70,000.

So, he has every right to feel chirpy. He had no problem giving her anything at all and if she hadn't been so greedy, they could have settled all this ages ago. However, she's not going to get much out of that $70,000 because her lawyers didn't charge her anything until she got a settlement, therefore two years of lawyers' fees...ouch!

I had an email the other day from the brother I abused a couple of weeks ago. I'd sent him the details of the motel booking I'd made for him and my sister-in-law. Apparently she'd had another "turn" that day and now he's not sure if she'll be able to make it to the wedding which is only two months away. Hopefully she'll be ok and I hope she's able to make it.

Talking of the wedding, the invitations are just beautiful...I received mine last week. Here's a photo.

The song Toni is going to walk across the lawn to (as opposed to walking down the aisle) is Michael Buble's "It's You". The words are lovely and it's a pretty song...she'll probably boogie up to get married.

She and Darryl are having a live (rather than dead...sorry, couldn't resist that) band and, as she used to be a vocalist herself, Darryl and my brother, who is going to do the toasts, have asked her to sing a couple of songs. She's thinking about it.

They are going to get a professional photographer to take the formal photos. But at the reception, they are going to put throwaway cameras on the tables and let the guests take their own. Then they'll get them developed and have a good laugh over people making idiots of themselves. That's becoming quite a popular way of getting reception photos and a lot cheaper. Someone made the comment that people will take photos of stupid things and what not...but that's the whole idea. It should be great.

Anyway, I'll keep you updated as things happen.