Sunday 24th February

Sunday 24^th February

Yesterday we had a family lunch to celebrate Pamela’s 94^th birthday; today we have a motley group of Pete’s old friends coming to enjoy the…heat!  I have given in and have turned on the aircon – it must be very hot, even at 9.30am; I hate aircon!  Tasmania is quite tropical, this weekend, it all feels very strange. 

I think conditions all over Australia re strange right now – floods, storms, fires!

Yesterday we were taking about Lynne’s lovely 70^th birthday party, and I idly asked why certain friends of hers weren’t there – I had been expecting to see them and, to protect their reputation, I will call them Gavin and Deirdre… Well, said Lynne, they were invited, and they said they would come at 5pm, which is just a teensy bit late for a lunch party bit never mind!  Lynne made sure that her beautiful beach house was as tidy as possible at 5, which was a bit hard because there were so very many small children scampering inside and out.  She also made sure she had attractive leftovers for the later-arriving guests – he in particular is a renowned bonvivant.

5pm came and went, then 6, then 7, so Lynne relaxed and the following day she enjoyed herself, relaxing in her house which gradually filled up with sand and crumbs again – there were, of course, leftover small children scampering inside and out.  Then at 5pm…when she was sitting happily with her friend Chris and a glass of wine…footsteps outside…and there were Gavin and Deirdre, all glammed up, with a large bunch of flowers.  Gavin looked around critically, and said, something about the mess.  Lynne said, But we weren’t expecting you; you are a day late!  Gavin denied this most vigorously, and said, We have timed our visit here perfectly!  We are staying for an hour and a half and then we have a wedding at seven!  Lynne sent him out to the car to check the invitations and – alas and alack, they were 24 hours late for the wedding as well…