and just like that

my gooseberries were gone.  I'm pretty sure the blackbirds are the culprits, so I'm in a bind.  They are robbing me and are an introduced species.  I should be ruthless.  But I love blackbirds: to me they are a symbol of 'home' and Steve has always painted one for me wherever we live.

'And just like that' is also the name of the next chapter of Sex and The City, this time featuring SJP and Co. living their NY lives in their fifties.  I watched the entire DVD (from the library) but it didn't grab me, whether that's because my New York adventures were so long ago, or because I can't identify with a widow whose husband leaves $1m to his first wife in his will and the concern is why he left her money.  The insane amount is not commented on.

In my financially impoverished Little Apple life, I have:

• been grateful for friends who send me books like this.  As the lady says, it ain't Shakespeare.  However I've never read a Shakespeare sonnet about an O-Bahn bus and travelling on the O-Bahn in Adelaide is one of life's great pleasures.

• celebrated Cray Season with an indulgent crayfish mornay lunch in the company of Georgia, John and some other mates at The Tandara.
• I have volunteered at the Pop Up Book Shop where I discovered this gem.
  
  
  
  I think Biology as a subject and this book were the most useful things I got from school.

And this ridiculously adolescent alteration took me right back to being in class with CKB, Pearl and Mr Bishop of the nicotine stained fingers.

• I have haunted churches.

Their Majesties and others singing in St Davids Cathedral, Hobart

I couldn't resist the opportunity to see inside the Mt St Canice Church.  For years I was the Director of Mt St Canice Migrant Centre but not once did I have the opportunity to go into the church.  As you can see, I got there early to have a good look around.

I had selected a seat beside the alter thinking this would make me virtually part of Van Diemen's Band, and I was right.  I can't remember what they were playing but it was, as usual, wonderful.

• I've stood at the bus stop at Rosny Park
  
  
  
  and pondered the truth of this.
  
  
  
  Then Steve, Jill PD, other friends and I went to Malcolm's place and saw that it is possibly true.
  
  
  Malcolm is building his dream home on his Triabunna block, starting with 3 dams.
  
  
• I have taken some other photos to demonstrate to you the rural nature of where I live.
  
  
  
  watching haymaking on the far side as I wait for Friends of Triabunna Reserves to arrive for a working bee
  
  walking to Anne's cottage past fields soon to be built on
  
  
• I have attended the annual Memorial Service at Spring Beach

with the casting of flowers on the water

and have sold tickets for the Triabunna Tivoli's latest screening from my caged ticket booth - much to the amusement of some.

And then there's Christmas.

the Community Health Centre has gone all out as usual

and some generational residents have decided it's time to get the Christmas Parade going again.  They've put a huge effort into decorating the streets with The Parade starting at 5pm tonight.

Plus the library has notified me that 5 books I have holds on have arrived.  Now that's Christmas!