22^nd November 2011

Oh the joy of being able to get online anytime…My little Bigpond Elite NextG thingy glows joyously with two blue lines, any time I want it to.  Bliss!

Pete is doing his banking, and he has asked me to look up flights, from Brisbane to Bowen – he has A Plan in mind.  I am quite good with this sort of thing; Google is my friend and normally I would have had the answer within minutes.  But…Computer Says No!  One of the flight sites says there are no planes from Brisbane to Bowen (they are lying.)  And the other one insists that what I REALLY want is Melbourne to Brisbane, no matter what I type into the useful little boxes.  So I have resorted back to Google – flights Brisbane to Bowen, I typed into the space provided.  Aha!  We know exactly what you want, said Google.  Here is the address of a very nice, tastefully appointed brothel in Brisbane.  I have, for the moment, given up.

(By the way, is anyone out there??  I have had a few emails indicating that a few people have noticed our return and have caught up on our adventures, but mostly there is a resounding cybersilence… This is OK; I am, after all, really writing this blog for ME ME ME, but…I would love to get a few more emails or comments…The loneliness of the long distance writer…)

Last night after work Michael arrived, bearing big trays of most wonderful fish and chips.  He also had a cube of XXXX Gold beer for Pete, a toaster for the boat and, best of all, a fish filleting knife for me.  He stayed until quite late, for a school night, and disappeared, eventually, off into the balmy Townsville night to prepare for another army day tomorrow.  Sharon, my ex-Tasmanian niece, also came, and we had a very pleasant time chatting on the deck in the dusk.

While Michael was here, we got an email from Katy in Hobart, with lovely photos of my “grannies.” Michael replied to this - he calls Katy Kay - , and I asked if I could put his email up on my blog.  He was a bit puzzled – WHY??? – but gave his permission, so here it is… Michael has a very distinctive writing style… (By the way, Pete says I have never mentioned that Michael is my son.  I was a bit nonplussed – surely everyone who reads this knows me, and knows I have a Michael, dear to my heart, youngest of my 4, born in 1981??  But maybe not…)

Great photos Kay, Mum is up my way with Pete, has been good to see them.  Especially before all of you.  Went on the Boat to Magnetic Island on Sunday & me & one of my mates heard a sneeze & asked each other if it was the other person.  We then looked around & saw the mythical creature known as a mermaid in old sailor folk lore, it was a Dugong.  Pete didn't believe in them & he was com'n back in the boat & actually managed to catch a glimps.  Had a 2 second swim as I hate the ocean especially when I can't see, you couldn't even see an inch under the surface!!  When Nicky & the boys were up here we went to Magnetic Island & I braved the water to protect my nephews from the reasons I don't like the ocean.  I swam on the outside with the open water to my left, so that if something came it would go me & not one of the boys (Nicky's on her own).  I have since found out that the creatures I was protecting them from, actually hide in the shore bit & pop out to attack stuff swimming by, so without knowing it, the boys were unwillingly human shields for myself.  Mum is good & so is Pete.

Here's Mum, Ur favourite brother.