Another busy weekend

My Book Thieves book group had arranged to have brunch and do some shopping up in Leura instead of having our usual meeting this month so I was up early to be ready to go after meeting the others at Mary's house. We had a lovely brunch in a cafe where I had my favourite Italian-style hot chocolate -it has the consistency of thick custard and French toast. Yu-u-um.

We then went shopping starting with the book shop. It was not easy to get everyone out again - there were 10 of us - and some people were a bit startled when I shouted, "Time's up Book Thieves!" From there we went to the stationers shop - no ordinary paper and envelopes here, it is absolutely marvellous. The candle shop also got a thorough going through before we topped ourselves up with another cuppa before hitting the clothes and shoe shops. It was around 4pm before I got home.

Meanwhile, Ian had stayed home to let the tiler in to do the kitchen wall and to take Ishbel to Ruby's for a sleepover. We had the Valley Heights RFS dinner to go to on Saturday evening and Carolyn had offered to babysit Ish.

But before that there was a street Christmas party. That was great for us, giving us an opportunity to meet more of our neighbours, all of whom were very friendly. Most of the others have been in their houses between 1 and 2 years, ours being the last to be sold to civilians. Jodie, who was the lady who greeted us during our first week, has been in Red Crowned Court for 6 years and had lots of gossip about previous owners. According to her, our house was where the high heid yins lived. I was sorry to have to leave such a friendly gathering so soon but off we went to the golf club.

It was the Valley Heights RFS 50th Anniversary dinner. I was on the organising committee and we'd worked hard all year to try and raise funds to pay for as much as possible to keep costs down. We didn't get a lot of support from the brigade when we laid on such events as an underwear party. The main organiser was Bec and she'd arranged for an old truck, which one of the ex-members has lovingly restored, and the current Cat 1 to be at the golf club and we had a big group photo taken in front of it. Unfortunately, the dinner wasn't great and it was a bit dull; wish we'd been able to stay at the street party.

Sunday had Ian and I back up in Leura early. We had a very odd breakfast in a tiny little cafe (Mum may remember going there when she came over when Ishbel was an infant - you can only fit about 6 people in there). The staff spent the time we were there grumbling about other staff. Not nice. We were up there to look at a coffee table that Ian had seen a while back. We didn't end up with it in the back of the car but we did find a lovely lead-light standard lamp and table lamp for the sitting room and were very pleased with our purchases.

From Leura we went up to Katoomba to the RSPCA/Council pound. The boys keep complaining that Bella is not a real dog and we're looking at getting them one. We'll have to get a young dog though that will not object to Bella being around. The pound didn't have many dogs available for adoption and we've decided we're going to have to let the kids (or Jamie and Ishbel at least) in on the decision-making - dangerous as that may be. We think we might also have to go to the RSPCA pound at Yagoona where there will be more choice - or wait until after Christmas - the staff said there would be lots of puppies then. :(

We picked Ishbel back up on our way home and I was looking forward to a quick snooze after lunch but Cathy rang wanting to borrow the car so she could pick up some furniture she'd bought so I chummed her down to Penrith. We could only get one of the two tallboys she's bought in the car so we'll have to go again next weekend.

After that the groceries needed shopping for so out I went again. I was knackered by the time Ishbel went to bed and wasn't far behind her.

I was looking forward to a quiet Monday morning but all was chaos at work. We've been moved about down in Library HQ and new desks, etc had been put in some of the offices last week. It didn't go very smoothly though - the Children's team desk was WAY bigger than anticipated and when I went in to have a sticky beak at Vicki's office it was to find that they'd put two bookshelves on the desktop - and IN FRONT of the only window!!! Things had to be moved again on the weekend. I arrived on Monday to find there was no power to my desk, or Gillian's, or Jenny's or Patou's - we were the ones who HAD NOT been moved the week before! It was after 4pm before the electricians found the problem and fixed it!