Grand Final day.

Not being all that interested in football, we took the Skyline for a run to Emerald. It’s a pleasant drive on country roads and only a short distance from home. We had an unplanned entree stop for a hot dog and two jam donuts at a van beside the road followed by a planned late lunch at the Emerald Bakery. Puffing Billy chuff-chuffed and whistled through town just after we arrived. The roads were very quiet, as was the bakery and Potters Pool Hall on the way home. And, as hundreds of thousands of footy fans cheered, the game score was... two-one in Ben's favour.

Space marines.

Interest in Warhammer model painting has resumed and the Space Marine squad is looking resplendent in its new blue colours. There's alot of fine detail that's hard to show in a photograph. The job’s not finished yet, the Orks have to be painted next and they’ll be an ugly shade of green. There are space marines (real ones, and ugly as well) in Avatar and we’ve been watching the movie over the last few days. It’s an amazing film and the computer-generated scenery is stunning. The theme of greedy corporate miners versus spiritually-connected natives seems very familiar.

Gradation graduation.

The eight-week term has ended and Ben has completed a set of colour mixing charts. The basics of oil painting do take a while to learn and colours have many shades and hues. He's re-enrolled for next term and will begin work on a small art project.

Blue light.

We rented then purchased a GoLite Blu™ in 2009 to help with a sleep disorder or, more accurately, a waking-up disorder. It’s hard to know if it worked because several medications were in use at the same time but maybe it did help a little. It was then packed away in its box for three years. Now it’s out again, on the kitchen table and casting eerie face shadows during breakfast.

Raising the Titanic.

On our kitchen table, three hundred and ninety seven press-out cardboard pieces have been successfully assembled into a scale model of the Titanic. The model was completed yesterday morning, just before we voted in the federal election, visited the local library then played a few pool games at Potters. There was no cardboard iceberg in the model kit and someone unfamiliar with the story would simply marvel at a mighty ship. Unlike collisions with icebergs in the dark, the election result was widely anticipated and no serious injuries have been reported. SS Australia has a new captain and adjusted course to starboard.

Incense stick.

There was once a time when the slightest whiff of smoke would cause major anxiety. Because of smoke, we drove half a freezing night from Cambridge to St Helens with Ben riding the just-purchased red Ducati. Because of smoke, he left the beach campsite to live in the mountains at Weldborough. To avoid the smoky air, we rented a cold little cottage right on the edge of town. Today, without any ceremony or even a comment, Ben lit an incense stick.

Nieces visit.

Ben’s little nieces visited on Saturday. Because we don’t see them very often, they’re both very quiet and wary of us. Little frowns and staring eyes give clear warning, “Don’t take another step closer or I’ll burst into tears!” After an hour, they’re still quiet but busily running around the house examining objects of interest and moving things. After another half-hour, they’re outside collecting flowers in the garden. Much to my surprise, May says, “There’s Ben,” as he comes outside to soak up some sun; and in the afternoon last-day-of-winter sunlight we watch their also-silent and equally-busy shadows.