We were pottering around in a lazy sort of way at home yesterday morning.  Tidying up, washing, ironing, that sort of thing.

Jim went outside to water the boxes and pots of plants.

I was on my way to tell him that I thought I might have a shower and go wild and get dressed in day clothes, when he burst in through the garage door.  "Where is the water stop tap?" he demanded.

I don't know. Why would I know that? More to the point, why does he want to know that?

I went outside.  And by the side of the house I saw an unexpected water feature.  The top of the outside tap had unscrewed itself and burst off, so now the tap was running and lots of water was spouting out of the top, where the top had previously been.

Hmmmm.  This won't do.  All that lovely water pouring itself down the drain.  I went looking for the stop tap.  Electricity meter in that cupboard. Gas meter in amongst all those plants (not sure how the meter reader is supposed to get to it, but that is not my problem - or not immediately).  No water meter, nor water tap.

So Jim took off his watch and his glasses and moved in to put the top back on the tap, getting quite wet in the process.

Success!!!  Except that the tap won't turn off.  Of course not.  Where's the washer?

Found the washer in amongst all the plants. Jim went back, took the top off again. Got wet again. Replaced the washer. Put the top back on.

Success!  Again!!!  And this time the tap did turn off.

Jim has screwed the top back on with a wrench.  With a bit of luck that should keep top and tap happily united.

I have found the water meter and stop tap.  I knew there had to be a water meter and the tap is usually close by.  For future reference, it is down by the mail boxes, but on the other side of the wall, slightly hidden away. Hopefully we will never need to know this again, but just in case.

We stopped pottering around, hopped in the car and went up to Hill House to collect my jacket, which I knew I had left in Lindsey's car on Friday evening. That didn't seem to be an issue - I didn't really need it for the next few days.  Except that my keys were in the pocket and we did need my keys.

For we were heading down to Melbourne for a couple of nights. I needed my keys if we were to get into Lindsey and Ian's flat.

It was a beautiful afternoon when we arrived in East Melbourne, so we hopped on a tram and headed into town and round to South Wharf to the outlet centre.  The river was buzzing. They had a food truck event happening outside the convention and exhibition centre. The bars and cafes were full.  Everywhere was showing the tennis. The outlet centre was also full of happy shoppers. We hit the shops that I particularly wanted to go to, had lunch in the food hall and made our way back to the flat for a quiet evening in.  I had thought about going out for dinner, but we had had a late and fairly substantial lunch and weren't particularly hungry. Take away from the fish and chip shop and the pizza shop below our feet, then.

It's looking like being another lovely day today.  This is good.  We are off to a birthday luncheon shortly. I should possibly think about getting organised.  My new nightshirt is rather appealing but I think the locals might be a bit surprised if I get on the tram in it.  I shall have a shower and put some more day clothes on.  And hope that Jim doesn't create another water feature. Nor me, come to that.  Unexpected indoor water features are even more alarming than outside ones