Sunday – Bring and Braii

The start of week 4 (or is it three – who is counting at this stage, besides Jane and me). My computer at home is working like a treat, and now with the internet access I have it is great. I think that I'm going to have to be careful about the amount that I am using it, or I will go over my limit that I am allowed. I've used a quarter of it all ready and I've only had it for a couple days, but I won't need to download loads of programs/updates for Windows anymore.

My computer has been playing up, and as usual for a Microsoft Machine the only way that I could sort it out was to complete re-install the Windows system and that is what has messed me up.

Sunday there was a BBQ planned on the beach with work colleagues again. I know – it is a hardship – but some people need to do it. Who else is going to keep the Australian farming economy alive?

Today wasn't really jam packed full of fun; however, it is a day of rest. I am getting recognised in church, which is a good thing. I didn't take up the landlady Sally's offer of lunch though. I didn't want to be the youngest by a long way at a table full of Chinese Malaysians. I'm sure that the restaurant was going to be great, but I didn't want to risk it. Besides, I had some steak, and some snags (easy one that one – sausages) to cook, and some generally high jinks to be had, and didn't want to get to full beforehand.

While I was wasting time at home, before the afternoons activities were to begin, Jack (Jeff?? Which is it) came in and told me he was moving out. I guess that is why he didn't pay his rent yesterday. That must have been what Sally was trying to tell me conspiratorially yesterday, but being thick I didn't understand it.

Off I trotted to the beach for about 3, to meet up with Madelyn, Rudi, Deon (Madelyn's husband) and a few others from the training course. After some joking and a short game of beach cricket (South Africans are almost as competitive as Aussie's) someone mentioned a swim. (Oops – I'd forgotten my tiger print Speedos again, so I was never going to go in the water). In they all dived, and played in the waves, jumping through them, and trying to swim in to shore with them.
In the middle of this hilarious adult behaviour (I know what you are thinking – it sounds like a bunch of children) a helicopter came swooping over low along the beach, and a loud air raid (I think that is what they sound like) siren went off all along the beach front. Aussie all ran out of the water and started looking towards where the helicopter was circling (about 1-2 miles north of where we were). I am reliably informed that it was the SHARK warning siren, because someone had spotted a shark in the water.

Oh my goodness – first it was the Japanese Whaling ships that kept me out the water – and now there are sharks (I wonder if I wore my tiger print Speedos, whether anyone would think I was a Tiger Shark??? – strange what goes through your head)!! I don't think I am destined to swim.

Anyway – BBQ (Braii in Afrikaans) and then more cricket. What a great way to spend the afternoon. One of our instructors arrived along the beach also, with his two little girls, and a couple of other ambulance guys who have been knocking around training school for the last couple weeks. Also Eddie (Chester Ambulance Station), Kathryn (Solihull Ambulance Station), Claire and Paul (Trafford Ambulance Station), Pete (Oxford Ambulance Station – I think), and Earl (he brought his squeeze – Afrikaans term of endearment for his wife – been working in Zambia) came along – so as you can see, it was a good turnout.

I popped home after to get ready for work. Someone had mentioned that if I ironed all my shirts in one go, I would have more time in the morning. That was the plan, but got messing around on the computer, and all that went out the window. Maybe I'll take care of the ironing tomorrow night, but for right now I am going to shout about Bill Gates!!!!! Why are your files so big???