We had a bit of action here at the weekend when the unit up the street from us provided a very un-Chinese display of emotion. A fellow was coming at all hours of the night and the next day bashing on the door, yelling out for his ex girlfriend as he had been (according to Linda, Mr. Lee's daughter) jilted and the girl had kept a large sum of his money. This resulted in the police being called and amazingly, this picture shows the SECOND time they just let him drive away! He hasn't been back yet, so maybe he got his money, or the shame of his very public emotional outburst got the better of him.
Cass has been away at camp this week and she will be back tomorrow. It's been a long few days without her and I've spent some time putting together the DVD shelves we bought a while ago and stopped only because a strange stigmata began to appear! Either I've been summoned for a higher calling or I overused my scewdriving hand a little: what do you think? While I'm speaking of things divine, this a neat segue to Virg'n Mary who have studiously ignored my attentions for the early part of the week and continue to lie in front of our closed bedroom door. Presumably, they think I have locked Cassy in there for a few days as they crane their necks around and sniff under the door for any sign.
Neither Ross nor I have been for a surf at all this week, partly due to busy work and partly because he has been attentive to Ains who celebrates her 40th birthday today. Carl and Hiroko and Steven were kind to have me for tea on Tuesday night and they twisted my arm again tonight (wasn't too hard!) so I'll have some tea and a chat this evening with them. Cass rang on Tuesday night and is having a predictably exhausting time at camp and has had to sleep at least one night in a tent, which I'm sure you can all imagine would not be her favorite cup of tea!
I've done nothing in regard to my assignments but have been relieved to finally take all photos necessary for our ESL booklet and it is at the printers now. The only trouble is that I may have allowed everyone to spend too much on books and resources this year: the budget might not take the strain of publishing the book! Oh well, they either want it or they don't. The new computer continues to work very well indeed and I have just subscribed to an audio service for the Aust/India test matches for $8 for the whole series. I've already enjoyed the first two days, especially with the Australians going so well.
Grand final night last Sunday was a hoot and everyone turned up and we had a ball. The big screen was stunning on one wall, the sound was through the stereo and we had Aussie beers and meat pies! Honestly, with a room full of Aussie guys (plus Ross, NZ and Penry, USA) we could have been at home, sucking down some Carlton Colds and having pies and sauce. Jason's marketplace even has "Crownies" now, but they are at a real premium; maybe next time!
We've got some emails recently from Mum, Helen, Sue and Thurza, which have been great and also Mum's Newcastle Herald clippings are starting to roll in with regularity, which makes for some excellent breakfasts on the weekend. We received some disturbing news from Fran, however, just yesterday(Cass doesn't know yet). Our friend and colleague, Jo Richardson has died. We were under the impression that she had beaten some cancer, but a new and virulent strain apparently took hold some time back. Jo was the person who employed Cassy all those years ago at Grammar when she was deputy there. It's quite upsetting to hear of yet another death among our close colleagues and friends of many years. On that note, I'll sign off for now.