That meant taking them with me to Inglewood, and that meant picking them up from school
I said I'd be there between 2pm and 3pm (Helen said it was ok to get them out a little bit early), as I didn't want to battle school traffic and parking.
As it was, traffic was pretty bad, both getting there, and then getting back onto the Tullamarine. Easily added another hour to my trip...Oh well.
Put Xavier into a booster seat and equipped him with a plastic icecream container in case he was sick...Helen said he is sometimes with long trips, luckily he wasn't.
Stopped for petrol at Calder Park, and then into Inglewood by 5.30pm
Went to the shop to buy some milk and other essentials, and then back to the house, and up the veranda for some dips and crackers in the later afternoon sun.
Very nice, and then some dinner down in the kitchen (just leftovers from home - with some peas with spinach and parsley from the garden.
Played some Trouble,
and for the first time in living memory (with those kids) I didn't win, Xavier did, and Michaela came second - which meant I was dead last.
Put the kids to bed, and I settled into to watch a couple of episodes of S2 of Salamander which is expiring from SBS on Demand in a few days time.
Went to check on the kids around 10pm (had them in the downstairs green room) and was surprised that Michaela was still reading, luckily Xavier was sound asleep. So I turned the light off quick smart.
I read for a bit, and then turned my own light off
Read the Age online in bed in the morning, and Xavier came to join me once he realised that I was awake.
So, a slow start, went into the kitchen and had some toast with Xavier, and also another game of Trouble. All is right with the world, as I regained my winning status.
Michaela eventually got up and I made her some breakfast, and we continued to lounge around in our pjs/dressing gowns.
However, this sloth was interrupted by a knock on the door close to 10am
Terry!
He'd dropped in to chat about the upcoming Music night and food etc, and I think he was surprised to find us still in disarray
No matter, we chatted, and I gave him a cup of coffee
He was also saying that he is looking for interesting projects/things to do, as is a bit bored with doing house things - that got me to thinking about our poor split table upstairs, now seemingly with more heat/water spots.....
Anyway, I asked him if he'd like to come to dinner at the pub if he was at a loose end, and he accepted. I suggested that he could come to ours for a drink around 6 or so before hand
After he left, we all got dressed and walked down the street, first to the Op shop, bought a book, then Steve and Denise where Xavier tried on a replica German helmet, and then David's to buy some eggs
Then back to the house, into my coveralls, and into the garden for some extensive weeding
Xavier helped me also, Michaela preferred to do handstands/read.
Lunch under the tree, with large pink doughnuts for dessert
Jim the (retired butcher) dropped by with an unknown couple. The man was writing a biography of Maurice Blackburn (lawyer) - who had grown up in the Butcher shop. His father had been the local Bank manager. They said they'd send me some info on Tivey/Nimmitabel if they found anything
Took out the Totem tennis for the kids, and they enjoyed that. However it was hard to get the stake fully in, so it developed a bit of a lean, which made rallies a challenge.
Also showed him the table, and he accepted the commission/challenge, and said he'd come back with his ute tomorrow to pick it up
Off to the Royal for dinner, got our food pretty quickly, and it was another good night
Xavier enjoyed watching some bloke play pool, and declared that it was now his new favourite sport, and Margie gave the kids $2 to have a play themselves, they were most pleased
Once again Xavier and I were the first ones up, but this time we got dressed quickly, and I was in the back garden pulling weeds when Terry arrived mid morning - he quite rightly didn't think that I would be caught twice
Took the top off the table, and carried the base and it downstairs and loaded them onto Terry's ute
And then back to the weeding
Xavier was very pleased when he got wheelbarrow fulls
Hot pies and pasties for lunch, and then home again around 4pm, where Justin had a hot roast dinner waiting for us!
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