A lot can happen in 24 hours.

Was about to settle down at the computer the day before yesterday with the pretence of starting some work when the WM and WMH came home from town and said we were off to look at tents as Rangers was having a half price sale. Woohoo, several magic words all in the same sentence, - Rangers - (camping mecca, lol), and half price sale!!!!! We did a quick perusal of some tents and gazebo type things downstairs and then went upstairs to where some serious tents were displayed. It was a bit like Goldilocks and the three bears,- this one is too big, this one is too small, this one is better quality, this one has more features such as a porch, lol, this one is too low, until finally, THIS one is just right. We had the best sales person I think I have ever come across so am giving a big plug for Jools who could do stand up comedy if she ever gives up her day job. When she was describing the highlights of various tents she talked about the "row factor", as in how long it took or how many rows a couple or family could have in putting the tent up that they purchased, lol. In fact she was such a good sales person we came away with two tents. The main one purchased will sleep 6 extremely close family members or good friends, has an enclosed porch or small room at the front, is tall enough to stand in and will cope with 3,000 mil of rain before being adversely affected.(up there with Noahs Ark in these here parts, laughing lots, as the ave rain fall here would be lucky to hit 1,000 mils in a couple of years). I pointed out that whilst they could all fit in said tent, that the girls are getting older and probably wanting more space or handy to have extra space when a bit of separation is a good thing, when our eyes lit on another tent which though smaller, also had a porch area to put bags etc or to be able to access tent without shoes or wet clothes. It transpired that both the tents Bronwyn and Gerard wanted were the last two of their kind in the shop - naturally - and the place was starting to get busy. As Jools had given us a fair bit of her time we asked if it would help if we took the tents down for her while she attended to a couple of other poeple wanting service and she said go for it. She then she knocked another $50 off the half price for the big tent because of the dust etc from being a shop display item and because we helped her out. When she found out we were ex Tardun folk, nothing was too much trouble :):). So, by the time we left, we had two tents worth $1000 all up for $450. You just don't get much better than that! As soon as the kids got home from school the big tent was put up on the back lawn, and I use the word lawn advisedly, as there was only enough room to put up the tent without the fly. One of the best features about the big tent is that the poles are colour co-ordinated with the edging aroung which sleeve they have to go into. Truely an advantage when you are camping with the slightly bewildered, lol. It was so easy to put up the row factor was zero so a very good tent.

Watched David Letterman later in the night interviewing Kirsty Alley who is yet on another diet but had a very funny segment from her new show as she is tring out the Wii fit DVD to exercise and could totally relate to the scene, laughing lots. She yells at the computer generated voice as it very perkily tells her what to do next or that she has failed to reach the desired outcome of the exercise she is trying to do. Hmmmm.

So, .... woke up yesterday morning and all was good with the world and not a hint of how the day would progress. Childer all got off to school and B & G took off out to Tardun as the truck was out there to load all the rest of the stuff from school for the new learning centre in town. I had decided to stay here and had planned on a day of paper work and chores. Oh the plans of mice and men .......... I was multi-tasking, trying to attract the attention of a friend on facebook, eating some rock melon for breakfast and shuffling papers ready to start work when I felt one of my bottom teeth move distinctly forwards, then flicking it with my tongue - as you do, move distinctly backwards, then a with more checking out, forwards and backwards again, another bite of melon and hey presto tooth fell completely out in mouth, luckily able to be flicked into my hand before swallowing the rest of the melon with tooth lol. There was no blood, no pain, just this tooth lying in my hand ........ was thinking if I was an eskimo and no longer able to eat whale blubber with lost teeth, would be put out on ice for polar bears to polish off - ( I know, strange thoughts run through my head when trying to tackle new situations and in minor shock, laughing lots). As there was no response from facebook friend (in all of 30 seconds) I thought - probably in post shock mode, that I would put some washing on. I had the Wii fit thingie all set to go to have a quick work on that as well so was dressed appropriately - longish shorts and sleeveless tshirt, bare feet (not fit for the naked eye outside the confines of the house and surrounds, laughing lots) so closed the back door to keep the flies out, threw washing in machine and hung out the previous load, watered the plants and went to go back inside when hello, the door would not open. I jiggled it (sliding door) and tried to see if it would lift off tracks and with a horrible sinking sensation realised I was completely locked out of the house. What to do, what to do. The front door had been unlocked but since coming to town the WM has mentioned numerous times that the front door must be locked at all times, and after a friend popped round earlier to drop off a bag (with the door then unlocked,) I had hastened to close it properly after she left. Every window is double glazing and has shark type screens across them plus insect screens - all firmly screwed to the walls with the minutest of phillips screws that were mostly rusted at that. Now, I would have been fine and just settled back until the troops returned, except my mission for the day other than completing my own work, was to pick up one of the girls from where she was doing a community project at 3pm - no keys, so no driving anywhere. No phone, no numbers, no nothing. Funnily enough had only been discussing a similar situation two weeks ago with a friend of B & G's who was visiting when she told of shutting herself outside of the house in a towel only just before hopping into the shower - so saints be praised, I was a layer of clothing away from that, laughing more. With trepidation, I decided the only thing for it was to try and raise the troops out at Tardun so walked next door to ask if I could possibly use their phone. Good oh ....the woman who answered the door looked like your stereotypical greek/italian grandmother and barely spoke any English. I explained I had locked myself out and had no way of contacting my friends and somehow by God and goodluck, she decided I did not look like your average home invader, and she let me use the phone. I managed to raise Janette in the office at Tardun as she had gone in for the day to do some work also, and she got Gerard who naturally laughed at my predicament, suggested I try the windows (read back earlier) and that all he could do was to send Bronwyn back in with keys (an hour and a half away). I profusely thanked the next door neighbour and went back to await rescue. What to do, what to do. My load of washing had finished so hung that one out, got the dry stuff off the line and FOLDED it into the basket. Then put packaging from basketball hoop bought the night before into the garage with other cardboard rubbish, put toys etc away and swept back yard. Put the next load of washing on, cleaned the laundry, hung that load out and then it was all done. Hmmmmm thought there must be a book somewhere to read, so back into the garage and hey presto, there was a pile of educational theory books in a box. Oh well, when needs must, lol. Bypassed the psychology of education tome and picked on an Australian sociology of education book (having read something similar when doing uni papers and social work diploma at home). It was a bit of a walk down memory lane and I was surprised how many familar names from education and sociology theory days were mentioned in the book. Was a quarter of the way through the book (was seated on outside chair and feet up on another) and felt a bit peckish as it was about 2pm and only had eaten melon (and now remembering tooth all over again) for breakfast. LUCKILY there is an outside fridge and upon investigation, apart from beer (did not touch) there was one last mandarin, and in the freezer a few icy poles (frozen cordial sticks in plastic) left. Picked an orange icy pole and apart from the horrendous sweetness and violent food colouring in the shade of neon orange, it quenched my thirst. I was extremely greatful that the temps were a nice mild 30 something instead of the 40+ of the week before otherwise may have expired lol. Water in, water out. Was thinking OMG, may have to water out, in wide open spaces when I realised (earlier thought before imbibing I might add) again, saints be praised, there was an outside convenience in the laundry so woohoo, all bases covered. The friend who called round earlier that morning shot round the back of the house with a coke for me (diet) just before 3pm, with food parcel of fruit and biscuits then had to dash to pick up daughter of the household from community project and her own son from school. Another 3/4 hour went by, more washing folded, lol when whoosh, the sliding door opened and eldest daughter of the house was there with her own key having walked home with the others from school. Saved!!!!!!! B& G arrived back about 4.30pm to sparkling backyard, slightly gummy and stressed house guest and all doors open once again.


To top the day off, was the news of yet another Hollywood Great from yesteryear passing away. Fess Parker who was both Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone way back when - I loved those programs as a child and we spent hours and hours recreating cowboys and indian adventures before it became un PC to do so. I was sooooooo envious when brother Dean got a Winchester repeating rifle that shot caps (do they still make things like that) for Christmas. Dad got so much nagging, he made a rifle out of a plank of wood that shot rubber bands which was a good attempt to make things even but really did not hold a candle to a gun you could move the trigger to repeat shoot with the smell of gunpowder coming off the caps woohoo. RIP Fess Parker.



Now if you are old enough you can probably still remember these lyrics but just for fun found the verse of each song:



Davy Crockett:

Born on a mountain top in Tenessee,

Greenest state in the land of the free,

Raised in the woods so's he knew every tree,

Killed him a b'ar when he was only three.

Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the wild frontier.



Daniel Boone:

Daniel Boone was a man

Yes a big man

With an eye like an eagle

And tall as a mountain was he.

Who didnt want a coonskin hat like DB and DC back then before fur became un PC too, lol. So have no idea how the weekend will unfold but will not forget (or be allowed to forget lol) today in a hurry. Have a good weekend.