Yesterday the cooling system in the house broke. Billy knew it was on the blink but the boys wouldn't have it. Subsequently it broke altogether and we were all roasting. Nick and Rich got on the roof to try and fix it. Nick was an integral part of the operation and held the ladder. Turns out, no amount of mending was going to work and a new piece was needed. That's how I ended up in Dome, the coffee shop, all alone for hours. We had breakfast together and the boys headed off. Dean Martin serenaded me as I indulged in a stack of fluffy pancakes. Mum would have loved it. The first thing I said when I walked in the door was 'oh, I wish my mum was here!' Strangely neither of the boys shared my enthusiasm. Not sure if that was for the coffee shop of the thought of my mother being on our holiday ;0) Just when I thought I'd been abandoned the boys reappeared clutching the much needed part for the evap. Turns out the shop they went to was closed so they went in search of another. Back home I was left to my own devises while the boys are back on the roof. You'd never know to look at us all that we've been apart for 3 years. It's like we only popped in last week. A compliment to the strength of our friendship I say. Its true what they say, you really do just pick up where you left off. There's not many people that I'd be so easy with after so long. Having said that, there's not many people I love as much as I do them. Even kadie and her foreign accent! It dawned on Nick earlier just how much he's missed her. Not wanting to embarrass either of them with soppy emotion he gave her some money and then took her to the shop to buy herself a tub of Ben and Jerry's ice cream. I donned my swimmers and made the most of my borrowed lounger. When Bill got home from work she took the piss out of me for looking like a tourist. I AM a bloody tourist! I know she loves me really. We all dossed about, each doing our own thing but all happy in each other's company. At 4.45 exactly we were off to meet Fiona and her dog Molly for a walk at 'the pines'. I really have to force myself off of the lounger. We abandoned the car on the side of the road and headed off up a dirt track. Dogs, dirt and creepy crawlies. All of my favourite things! Despite my initial reservations we had a beautiful walk. It was stunning. Rows and rows of majestic old pine trees. The ground was carpeted in a thick layer of pine needles that were baked dry after months of searing temperatures and littered with big mahogany pine cones. The only sound was the panting of the dogs and the crunching of each of our steps. It was breath taking. Until I swallowed a fly, and the peace was shattered by my coughing and spluttering. The sunset was incredible as the warm evening sun shone on the trees to create a miriad of colours.

Date night for me and Nick and we headed off to The Brook for dinner. We thought Billy and Rich might appreicate some peace but as Fella drove off after dropping us off we couldnt help but confess that we felt guilty. We wont be doing that again. The food and service was outstanding. The waitress didnt even bauk when Nick requested his steak blue. We sat in the garden after to finish our drinks and I saw my first Australian spider. And it was only little! I've been on spider red alert since we arrived and what a waste of time! The bar wasnt very busy so it closed early. We were on our way home by 10pm. The place was like a ghost town. There was not a sould in sight. All the shops were shut, all the people gone. We enjoyed the balmy evening and started to walk home. It was then that I spotted another spider. This time hanging from a tree. That put paid to that. No more walking for us. We waited on the side of the road and waited for Fella to come and collect us.