Tuesday

Sooz and I had breakfast down at the waterfront the other morning but there was no dawn walk. That was on me. I had been up late last night reading a Louise Penny book: it was a short book: # 6.5 in The Inspector Gamache series. I knew it was too late to be reading (after 11pm) but it was because I'd had a nap during the afternoon that I wasn't tired enough to go to sleep and rather than tossing and turning trying to doze off, I decided to read the book I had inadvertently skipped in the Gamache series. So, one short book and about an hour and a half later - and yes, I may have almost dropped the phone a couple of times when I did start to doze off - I was finally ready to turn off the light and visit dreamland.

Wow ... what a long time ago I started with that entry. In the interim there has been at least one visit to Swell down at Currumbin, numerous games of Trivia (with more than our usual team complement but still we were unable to claw our way onto the Podium), and a visit from my brother Wa, who is still with us. We have been trying to take him to some interesting places - I wanted to say "new and interesting" but because he used to live on the Gold Coast, and has made regular visits for holidays over the years, that's not easy. But lots of places have changed - so they're worth a look.

 
He arrived on Sunday and after doing a couple of errands in the afternoon (Camping Plus and Captain's Candy) we enjoyed a mild evening and fish and chips down at the Broadwater. The intention had always been to take him over to see the Swell "bubbles and baubles" over at Chevron Island - but we were already at home and starting to settle in for the evening by the time I remembered ... and because that was the last day, we all bundled back into the car and went over to see it ... and it was totally worth it.

Monday saw Wa and I on the Hopo Ferry having a tour of the Nerang River and Broadwater - as far as HOTA and Surfers Paradise. It was lucky we'd done this then because on the way there we stopped in at the Trawlers so Wa could ask about the recent catches - he had told We he would bring some prawns back to Toowoomba with him (when he leaves us on Friday). Who knew that at this time of years the Trawlers have an enforced six-week "no fish" period - the crab trawlers can go out, but not the prawning folk. As it turned out they had been out on Sunday night and had some - and it sounded like they would still be selling those on Tuesday, and not going out again. Wa decided he would get some then and there so rather than going straight off to the ferry, we took the prawns home and Wa set them up in the garage in the Bushtracker freezer - it has a variable temperature setting and the trawler folk said if he kept them at a constant -1 degree, the prawns would be fine back in Toowoomba.

 
The ones we had the next day for lunch were certainly more than fine! We had taken them, some salad goodies and bread, down at the tiny area next to Charis Seafoods - and except for that the wind was blowing a gale, we had a wonderful time. Even better, Pelicano's (the coffee shop attached to Charis) have extended their opening hours for the school holidays - and will be keeping the extended hours! That's going to make a bit of a longer day for the staff though - they're already there - and pretty busy - at 5am. They'll be staying open until 3pm (Mon-Thur) or 4pm (Fri-Sun) from now on.