Shopping malls

Today I had the car and went to the big Westfield shopping mall in Miranda. I hate going there, I really do ..... the parking house, the noise in the food courts, the  crowds in the shops, but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and do it. It is the closest place to where I live where you can get my favorite Norwegian goat cheese and also French Comte cheese. It is also where the art shop is where I get my painting stuff. But I wasn't in a good mood when I swept down the escalator. I decided to have a cappuccino to calm my nerves after the parking palaver that took half an hour, and sat down and ordered one. The waitress was exceedingly nice and friendly. Then the people sitting next to me struck up a conversation, they were also extremely nice. It is hard to keep up your grumpy attitude when you are met by such kindness and friendliness. I ended up getting my errands done quite quickly and effortlessly thanks to this nice welcome.

The big news otherwise is that only son bought a Harley Davidson. You can hear him a mile a way when he comes to visit. Hubby is green with envy and he was so grateful when he was allowed to take the bike for a spin last week-end.

Hubby did lift his feet up eventually

When he had been away about five minutes our son said "Are you sure he took his phone?". After another five minutes he started fretting about the fact that Dad had maybe not thought to bring his driver's license, in case he was stopped. I must say it brought back memories of all the times we, as parents worried about our son being out on his moped, when we lived in France.

Anyway, hubby returned safely and now I am being bombarded with arguments for how practical and safe it is with motorbikes?!?!

Oh, by the way, we are now cat free, and it is amazing what a difference that makes. We can set the table and leave food out without fearing that the cat has jumped up on the table to steal a few choice morsels or just shedding some fur. Franjo is now reunited with his rightful owner and I am sure he is going to like it there.

Before I leave you I just wanted to spread the good news that the mayor of New York has initiated a campaign to try to stop the 'manspread', and I hope it reaches us here in Sydney too. When I went to Manly the other day, there were two men taking up a bench that could easily have seated four, it is so annoying, and the worst is that they don't even notice. Better go before I start another rant.

Wishing you all a great week end! Bye!

Yes, we are in....

....in the Eurovison Song Contest, that is. It will be fun to see what happens. I know that the contest has always been very popular  here with all the Europeans living  in Australia, so for the 60-year anniversary it is nice that Australia qualified. My loyalties will yet again be divided amongst Sweden, France and Australia. It happens all the time, in soccer as well.  Bring on the wind machine !

Swedish singer Carola who won the Eurovision once upon a time

And who can forget ABBA winning in 1974, especially
here in Australia, where they became very popular

So, continuing with art and culture, being a bit tongue in cheek here, calling our painting group, art, and Eurovision Song Contest, culture.

I went out for lunch with my ladies in the painting group. Some of the people in my group were there and the rest were "old" students. I say old, because they really were quite old but we had such a great time. You know elderly ladies are just young giggly girls when they get together.

One lady in her late 80's was wondering if anybody wanted to take her to see  "50 Shades of Grey" which is due to come to the cinemas here very soon. She had seen the ad on TV and thought it looked good! She wanted to go to the showing at 11 because they also serve morning tea. There might be an increase in whips and hand cuffs according to the press, so good business, I guess.

We have a spider living in the car door. When I first saw it I thought it was a leaf blowing away near the door because it was very windy but now I have seen it several times. It is very shy and just comes out for a second, then it goes back into the door somewhere. It is huge and I wish it could pose for a photo because I know you are not going to believe me. We have to get rid of it before my sister in law comes for a visit since she hates spiders, however, I think she has a hard time understanding why I am not very fond of cats.

Speaking of cats, they are nearly holy here in Australia. Everyone has one, or want one or had one when they were little. And not just one, it can be two or three in an average family. Maybe that is why this problem has cropped up, who knows.

Anyhow, let me post this now so I can leave with hubby and be dropped off at the bus stop. I am going to Manly to have lunch with a Swedish girl friend.

Thanks for reading, and come back soon!





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Sad news from Asheville

I have been on my own for a few days while hubby has been to a conference. He is coming back today and I have to tell him the sad news that my stepmother, Mary, has passed away. She was 93 years old living in a nursing home in Asheville, and on her last day she did the crossword as usual, had lunch, then laid down for her afternoon nap, and when the personal came to get her she didn't respond and was taken to ER and then passed away in the night. I guess it is a merciful way to go.

Mary was my father's second wife and they never had any children so she considered me to be her daughter. I will miss her and our telephone conversations very much. She was always so interested in our life and what we and the children were doing.

Mary and my father in 2006

On a completely different note, today I read and article, in The Guardian I think, about the word mansplain, (or, better, the urban-dictionary definition) which is when a man in his superior way explains something to a mere woman. I will try to remember this great word together with all the other new words popping up all over the place. Don't know if I can use it in Scrabble though. I am sure that, if you are a women reading here, you have had a man doing some mansplaining to you once or twice in your life, right?

Taken from the Manly ferry - two icons in one!

Must go now and get some stuff for the pool since it has gone all greenish while hubby has been away. We are having a bbq on Sunday so it needs to look inviting in case it is hot and people want to have a dip.

Have a great weekend!