20 October 2007

A Topsy Turvey Day with a Peculiar Conversation

It started late yesterday afternoon...my youngest daughter rang and asked me what I was doing today. Gabbie had her trials for the U17 Queensland netball team and Harry didn't want to go...I could understand that, so it was arranged that he be dropped off here to play with the kids next door and over the back.


That duly happened and at 7.45 this morning he arrived. I wasn't sure whether the kids next door were out playing as I couldn't hear them so I told Harry to wait until I had finished the file I was on and we'd go and see. However, I heard voices and he wandered out to the back door where they had come to get him.

The particular file I was working on took longer than first thought and when I had finished I went to see where Harry had gone. I meet up with Jane, Fred and Ken and ended up having coffee with them (after ascertaining Harry was playing Playstation games with the others).


I had breakfast then started work again, but by this time, I'd lost interest and only worked another half hour before I logged out and turned the computer off. I had been given a chocolate cake recipe by Jane and decided to try it out. I had no sooner got the recipe out when I spotted a vehicle coming up the driveway. It was the honeymooners on their way home from having disembarked off the Pacific Sky which had docked earlier.

Darryl got out of the car and I grabbed my sunglasses real quick! He was wearing the brightest hot pink shirt printed over with huge white hibiscus flowers. I heard Fred give a yell (he was watering the garden out the front), probably something uncomplimentary...you know how blokes are, and they came inside.

They'd had a wonderful time, especially Cooper, who was made much of by their cabin stewards. Toni was bemoaning the fact that she had put on 5 kg after having lost weight for her wedding. Anyway they gave me a lovely big Island bag...blue with white hibiscus flowers...wonderful for the beach or the gym and a lovely white cotton tee shirt (see photos below) with self same fringing around the sleeves and bottom, which will be wonderful to wear on Christmas day after a swim in the pool. Saves me having to get changed and I won't get too sunburnt. So I was very pleased.



They left and I made the chocolate cake (which is very easy...put all the ingredients in the bowl and beat furiously for three minutes) then, when it was cooked, decided to get my fruit and veg and had the ensuing conversation...

Me: Harry! Harry!

Cockatoo: Yeah?

Harry: Yes, Nan?

Me: I'm going to the shops. Wanna come?

Cockatoo: Yeah!

Harry: No, thanks.

Me: I won't be long, then.

Cockatoo: Right.

Harry: Okay, bye.

Me: Hooks, I'm not talking to you, butt out!

Hooks: Hello, Cocky!



If you remember Hooks, the barking cockatoo, (she does bark when anyone arrives...wo wo wo!), well she's the other party in the conversation.

So, I go and get my veg and something towards lunch for the kids. Over to Jane and Fred and they offered me lunch, too. I accept and we're sitting there munching and Suzie arrives from the netball trials with Gabbie and Brooke. A plunger of coffee is made and we sit down again to hear how the trials went. Gabbie played well, shot goals beautifully...and we have to wait for the selectors to contact her with yay or nay.

We sipped our coffee, Jane showed Suzie her great buy of Suzy Poole porcelain from a garage sale this morning (a small sugar bowl and creamer for $3...do you know how scarce and old that stuff is?) and as they are both eBay fanatics, there ensued a conversation about Royal Doulton, Royal Albert, etc with Fred sitting there looking totally bemused. The phone rang and it was for him...much to his relief, I think.

Eventually, Suzie and her lot left and I came home...and had a nap.

Fred found this zygo in full bloom...isn't it lovely? Well, it's wine o'clock...oh, that reminds me. Oz Lotto has jackpotted to $30 million this Tuesday so we've formed a syndicate with our very social neighbours and called it "The Wine O'Clock Club"...now that should be lucky. If you hear that name on the news on Wednesday being the winners of $30 million, you'll know who it is. Wish us luck!

15 comments:

Karen said...

Sounds like you had a very busy and productive day Robyn. Now being a great lover of wine I applaud your choice of syndicate name and don't know how you can lose really :) Good Luck!!!

Meow (aka Connie) said...

Sounds like a lovely day. I'll surely be listing out for that syndicate name for the lotto this week ... good luck. When we go away, the boys say it's "beer o'clock" ... but that can be anytime of the day or night !!
Enjoy the rest of the weekend
Take care, Meow

Granny said...

What a great day you had. I was laughing at this line:

which will be wonderful to wear on Christmas day after a swim in the pool. Saves me having to get changed and I won't get too sunburnt.

No matter how hard I try, the idea of sunburn at Christmas blows me away. My part of the country doesn't get snow usually but we sure don't sunburn. Brrr.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Ramblins of a middle-aged goddess said...

Well you had some day for sure!! I love that Christmas cactus!! That is what it is called here in the USA!! i had never heard the name that you called it.
Great gifts too!!
My blogging babes are now offically all gone back to everyone's respective homes!! We had a great week.
Sandy

Tammy said...

Hooks is a beautiful birdy! I bet he is great company!

Enjoyed catching up with you!

Have a wonderful day!

Peter said...

Hi Robyn, its a toss up which part of the conversation was the most intelligent, I'm voting for Hooks I think.

Merle said...

Hi Robyn ~~ A busy, but fun day at your place. Sure hope you have some luck with Wine O'Clock !!!
I was a week early with the Daylight Saving ~ it starts next weekend. John was fine and he climbed on my roof to turn on the Evaporative cooling that gets turned off for Winter. Then we went to the market where all I bought was some lovely Pelargoniums and a couple of Ivy geraniums. I wanted to get those, so didn't look at anything else as it was so hot, it's 33 now on my shaded front porch. Take care, Love, Merle.

Gattina said...

It seems you had a nice day and the things they brought you back from their honeymoon are very nice ! I reported this morning about the vernissage yesterday and at 10.30 am I have to go back there for the last day. It was quite hot with all these people !

Andree said...

You have the nicest days with companionship and housework that is lovely to read about. I know that you have your problems just like all of us do, but it's wonderful to read about a "normal life."

Walker said...

I wish all you Winos all the luck LOL

Sounds like a nice day among family and friends.

Aw come on you could have took Hooks along just for the ride lol
Cool bird

Lee said...

Wow! That zygo is doing well...it's lovely.

By the end of that day, you deserved a wine or four! ;)

Anonymous said...

Geez.. hang on a minute while I have a nanna nap to recover from all that. I think I'll go out and buy a cratchie tomorrow.... you seem to have your cup overfloweth. xox Nic

rel said...

Robyn,
What a busy life you lead. No wonder that you need a nap. It's a good thing you're going to retire so you can attend to all the doings in the neighborhood!
rel

Liz Hinds said...

What a great day. I love Hooks. Great presents and chocolate cake too!

Have you won? It's Wednesday lunchtime here so it must have been drawn by now. But what would you change if you did win? Your life sounds just about perfect.

Mountain Mama said...

I always wanted a talking bird. How fun!! Your new bag is very nice. I love the color combination.
I wish I could find a Zygo in my garden that looks like yours. What a beautiful plant!
It's interesting that you have a 'wine o'clock, When I was much younger I enjoyed an afternoon cocktail, Now I have a 'nap o'clock."