Long Weekend

Last week seriously tested my sense of time. Friday public holidays behave like Saturdays and throw the entire week out of kilter.

I was at work on Wednesday and Thursday, covering the desk for people who were away. Not only was I starting reasonably early but I also closed on both days. This meant that I got home fairly late (by my standards at least) and I also missed my Japanese class on Thursday evening.

When I came through the city centre on Thursday evening it was extremely busy, the tram was full, there were also people everywhere in Docklands. This was slightly mystifying until I remembered that Friday was a public holiday for the Grand Final parade, the teams in the Grand Final were both interstate teams so their supporters were in Melbourne for the weekend - and there was a concert at the stadium with someone I had never heard of but which the 20 and 30 something fans were definitely enthusiastic about.

It was a lovely evening so when I got off the tram I spent some time admiring the harbour both from the Central Pier lookout and from the ferry terminal

The view from the Central Pier lookout

On Friday Wendy came round and we went to Fiona's on the concourse for fish and chips for lunch. Fortunately, the weather was pleasant so we could sit outside. The weather was definitely not pleasant on Saturday. I woke up to find that the harbour had been eaten by a Fog Monster. It rained for most of the day. It was cold, gloomy and miserable. I think it wasn't too bad for the actual grand final but I decided that the day was a Stay At Home day and went through the closet in the entrance and my wardrobes . I looked at everything. If it hadn't been used at least once in the last year it had to argue very hard for its place in the flat. The picnic blanket argued successfully. I don't very often go on picnics but when I do a picnic blanket is a useful and pleasant thing to have. Most other things went to the recycle bin, the Free-to-a-good-home shelves or into the bin. Things that had only been used once or twice were carefully considered.

Fortunately, the weather had improved on Sunday. I went to the Alphington market in the morning, had brunch with Freyja and Simon and pottered around gently in the afternoon.

Yesterday Matt and Will called in early in the afternoon. They have now finished closing down Will's flat in Flagstaff, have handed the keys back and Will has bid farewell, for now, to City Living. They brought with them limes, lemons, oranges and ginger from their garden. My fruit bowl is full! (The ginger isn't in there. It's being carefully cosseted in the fridge.

I have created something of a monster with the Cat TV on the laptop. Brandy absolutely loves it. He jumps up onto the chair and stares intently at the laptop screen if there aren't birds and squirrels running around. If I happen to be using the laptop, he bashes my leg until I give way. I may need to get a keyboard guard though. He keeps standing on the keyboard and turning things off. Or on.

He is watching birds and squirrels in
a summer garden in Finland

I must get myself organised. I have a physiotherapist appointment shortly. My knee and hip have been VERY unhappy recently and this won't do at all. Back to the physio so she can sort it out.