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MAMALADE
Newsletter
November
Saturday
25th November, 2006
Another car
I've bought
another car! It's old, but I got it very, very cheap because the
transmission was slipping on long trips. I never drive far enough for
that to be a problem. So far it is running well.
It's 2 years since
Joel resurrected my old car when the head gasket went. It has been
running well – except for the times the battery went flat because the
doors didn't close properly, which caused the interior light to stay
on. Then the passenger seat belt buckle jammed and I had to put my
passengers in the back seat. Another slight problem was, I couldn't
drive west after 4 pm, because the sun visors had broken off and
couldn't be replaced. (I kept a large brimmed hat & sunglasses in
the car in case I was caught out at the wrong time.) And the windscreen
wipers were a bit erratic – but then it never rains here anymore,
anyway.
Poor old car. Its
spirit was willing, but its body was wearing out. Today I cleaned out
all the junk that accumulated in it. It was unbelievable! 2 hats, 4
pairs sunglasses, 2 pairs socks with the toes cut out (I wore them on
my hands sometimes to avoid sun cancer.) a referdex, a pack of
disposable drinking cups, a short-sleeved jacket, World Vision &
Toastmasters posters & brochures, 2 Readers Digests, 1 book of
crosswords, 2 pairs scissors, chewing gum, paper clips, 4 empty plastic
bags, umbrella, postcard, yellow nylon rope, bum bag, 2 garage sale
signs, an ocky strap, small plastic doll, 2 small picture frames,
numerous strips of white plastic used for labelling plants, blue T
shirt, a clip-on bow tie .....
The Department of
Transport has given a free backpack and pedometer to everyone who
filled out a survey form. It's supposed to encourage us to get out and
walk. I think I'm getting enough walking exercise carrying water to my
poor gasping plants. We're not allowed to use the hose anymore. I've
been saving water from the washing machine, but it's a backbreaking
chore carrying it. I might have to let the plants die.
Bus Trip
I went with our
Minglers group on a bus trip to a strawberry farm at Palmwoods. These
were real strawberries – not like those sour white-centred things you
buy in the supermarkets. These are allowed to ripen properly on the
plant and stored at the right temperature. Makes all the difference. We
were all given a strawberry ice-cream & a punnet of strawberries to
take home. Yum!!
On the way we
stopped for morning tea at Glasshouse. A beautiful area, named by
Captain Cook, because the sun shining on the mountains (which are
extinct volcanoes) reminded him of the glass houses in England. The bus
driver took us up the range where we had a close up view of Mt
Tibrogargin. We got out and walked along to the lookout for a better
view.
Meg had taken her
pedometer with her on the trip. As we got off the bus, I saw her
pedometer fall off her belt onto the floor of the bus. I picked it up
and put it on my belt.
“She'll panic when
she finds it's missing,” I whispered to another friend. “I'll wait till
the bus pulls out again before I tell her.” She's always losing things
or leaving them behind.
Meg didn't notice
it was missing. When we got back on the bus, I was just about to sit in
my seat when I realised – I had left my bag in the shelter shed. I
hurriedly pushed my way back off the bus, hoping the bag was still
there. I was so relieved to find the last person getting on the bus had
brought my bag with her.
“You should have
waited till the bus had pulled out before you told me you had it,” I
said. It would have served me right!
Back on the bus,
Meg was looking worried. “You know what I've lost?” she said. “My
pedometer!”
“Did you have it
when you got off the bus?” I asked innocently.
“I don't know. It
could be anywhere!”
“Like, here!” I
said, and handed it to her. She was so pleased to get it back she
forgave me for not telling her sooner.
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and it cost's you nothing!
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