Well, today is my last day here at work, and I have had great pleasure in treating everyone to Morning Tea.  Alice is here playing on a spare computer and forgetting even to drink water.

Today I take home my plant and Alice's goldfish, and another chapter ends.  Tomorrow, I do not even get to sleep in because something is wrong with the Harley and Brian will need to be picked up from nightshift.  Such is life.

Meanwhile, I sit here with the small desk fan blowing some welcome cool air on me as the rest of the air heats to 33+ degrees, and I munch on the chocolate cake I made for Morning Tea.  I threatened poor young Jacqui, saying that I did not want to take home the cake, as we already had enough junk, and she and young Jane had better eat it all. 

Icarus is still scared of humans, obviously putting weight to my theory that anything that realises it has a possibility of being eaten by humans has a tendency to want to steer clear of them.  He has spent the last few days and nights out in the Feathers Pen, and seems not the worse for wear, so I presume that means that he can now look after himself.  A bit different to the sorry scruffhead we rescued a short while ago.

Brian has a couple more mowing jobs to do, one of which is a love job for the head Sunday School teacher who seems to be going through a rough trot at the moment.  Please pray for peace of mind for her, and an insight into which way God wants her to turn.

Tomorrow we look at still more rental properties, as we have not been successful in our applications, most of which have been taken as we have, or before we have applied for them.

I have taken to photocopying the mostly filled-out application forms, and then just supplying the date and address of the property concerned, then faxing them off, which speeds things up considerably.

Then I will pack and pack and pack.  But at least I will take my beloved books with me.

We have decided that it is far too late to put up a Christmas tree, but have compromised with a small tree that is usually put out every 1st of December by us.  It is an Advent Tree sold by Avon some years ago.  Brian and Alice want something that can have a cluster of presents around it.  Considering it is a little over 50cms tall, I believe my present to Brian alone will dwarf it.  But that will be part of the fun.  It will be cooler tomorrow according to the forecast, so I will be happy to make the Edge Special Hot Chocolate that Alice and I share once a year on the tree decorating day.

Christmas Day I will telephone Mum at Jim's home, after Church, and then head to lunch at Diane and Jim's (in-laws) with Brian.  I thought I would cook a couple of chooks  with lemon stuffing.  I have just been told by Betty that they would be most welcome, so I must be doing something right with at least that area of my cooking!

Brian is working Christmas night, as a treat for those who have family visitations, ours being an uncomplicated family in terms of local geography.  The boys will probably still be in Geelong with their Mum, which is great.  Aaron was saying just last night as to how he does not spend enough time with his Mum.  Alice and I will watch movies, I think and an early night will be a good idea for young Pud.

Tonight the King's College Choir from Cambridge will be showing on the ABC.  It's a sweet not-to-be-missed for us, so I'm looking forward to fanging on some prawns and singing between mouthfuls with a certain young progeny of mine, who knows not what is planned!

So Christmas will be radically different for us this year, and this time next year we will, with God's Good Grace, be in a lovely home, nice and clean, where I will not have to wash away the slaters and earwigs from the wash basin in the bathroom before brushing my teeth.  And we will have a tree, and friends over, and probably a nice barbecue (depending on the weather) and lots of hugs from all concerned.

I must buy a few more presents tomorrow without fail.  Perhaps even tonight.  Craig's, a few more for our Family members at Church, one of whom I actually confused the present, and gave her one meant for her sister.  Aaargh!

We still have ten geese and the roosters and the pigeons.  And a whole heap of rats, but I managed to kill one yesterday.  I left it with Mowgli after beating it with a good thick bit of plastic ag. pipe.  At least it was quick.  I did that in the vague hopes that Mowgli would get over his fear of rats and actually awaken his genetic desire to hand out floggings to the horrors.  Mowgli happily trotted off with the carcass, and then during the day, whilst I was at work, proceeded to roll in it.  Guess who had a great bath last night?  Pwah!  What a stench.  Thank goodness it was relatively fresh and the day was not as hot as today.

I am hoping for at least a bit of garden, hopefully with an apricot tree.  Or maybe the Landlord will let me plant one.  I suppose I can get one of those miniature varieties one can put in a large tub.

Anyway, it will be after Christmas by the time you read this, so I hope and pray that all has worked as it should for you and yours.  May God bless you and yours as He has me and mine, and I trust your New Year will be full of God's Grace.

HOT

I sit at me desk
bathed in water
but it's me own
and then me daughter

comes for a 'ug
she's in no 'urry
but stumbles into me
like an ambulatory curry

"Mum," she complains
in 'er little-girl voice
"can'tcha do nuffin'
it ain't real choice

bein' stuck 'ere in
this dreadful 'eat.
Cor!  It feels like I'm meltin'
from me 'ead to me feet!"

Visions of pools
swim into view
the seas cool waves
reach out on cue

"No, my Precious
no, my luv"
I tell her sadly
"It's up to the Gov

"I gotta stay 'til
knock-off time
and then we're off 'ome
now please don't whine."

Off she wanders
back to 'er computer
an' I look at me glass
can I swim in the water?