G'day, Sharon (and all to follow). I'm sorry you didn't get to go sledding, but it sounds like you really needed that rest.
husband & I went to church this morning. I was waiting for a phone call and had my mobile on 'silent' - expecting a client to call, he was planning to visit and was going to call to organise meeting up. At the church (located ono the beach) we could see the crowds of holidaymakers everywhere, it was very busy.
Got home from church to find he had telephoned, I had somehow missed the call. He was on the way when I called back, would be arriving on the wharf any minute.
Therein began a comedy of errors. Having seen the holiday crowds in the village I didn't take the car but took my scooter instead. Got to the wharf right on time, to learn that the ferry had broken a rudder. Long queues of people waiting to leave, but no boat in sight. Cars illegally parked everywhere, on the wharf, along the road, on the footpath - bedlam.
So I scooted round to the church (not easy - the traffic was unbelievable!) and waited, desperate to get out of my somewhat formal clothes and into a swimsuit. Other parishioners were just getting back onto the church lawn from the beach. Finally the phone rang - the repairs were going to take too long, my client called off the trip for the day.
By now, the best part of the beach day had passed, but I still headed home (via the shops again, to buy milk) again taking my life in my hands with the tourist traffic.
Got home, changed into my swimsuit, grabbed difficult child 3 and headed to the beach (scooter again). We had a relaxing hour or so then headed home. husband was supposed to be joining us (he had a maintenance job to do at the church first) but drove past me as I was beginning my scooter trek home. He couldn't find a parking spot.
So back home we went - an hour later he said he was ready for a swim. So back to the beach - the fourth time for me, for a second swim.
husband & I chatted to a couple of artist friends (they were late to the beach also - they open their studio every weekend) then headed home to organise dinner and water the garden (Sunday and Wednesday we are permitted to use the hose between 4 pm and 10 pm).
BF2 got home - a smaller backup ferry was running, would have been working later to get all the tourists home - and for a while we thought he would go for a swim also. But easy child 2/difficult child 2 said there was still too much sting in the sun, she is very sensitive to getting sunburnt, and he wouldn't go on his own. So I missed out on a fifth trip to the beach!
Amazingly, I'm not sunburnt. My skin has finally reached that summer state where I've got enough natural protection now.
Tomorrow husband & I have some shopping to do. difficult child 1 has to take his new car to get checked out. It needs new tyres, the registration and ownership needs to be transferred, he needs to make sure he hasn't bought a stolen car, for example. Should have done it before, but he didn't listen.
After running the gauntlet of the crowds in the village today, we should be able to handle the mall, no trouble! And tomorrow night we will probably spend New Year's Eve with friends from church - from their balcony we should be able to see the fireworks in Sydney Harbour. They are expected to be superb. Mind you, it's still a long way away, but there's something about being able to see them, line of sight... although the TV coverage is always best.
Have a happy New Year, if I don't talk to any of you before then.
Marg
