Grand Day Out

Sunday was a glorious day - our BookCrossing road trip up the Hume Freeway to Picton.

Peggysmum and Unbalanced appeared within a few moments of each other at 0900. Originally we'd agreed on 0800 to make the 1000 gathering time specified by woosang due to her having to perform an afternoon shift, but the shift got cancelled so we had an extra hour to register books.

Peggysmum and I chatted continuously during the two hour drive. Poor Unbalanced scarcely got a word in - we thought he'd fallen asleep! We talked BookCrossing and books and libraries and conventions and history and lots else.

Eventually we rolled into Picton, where Woosang was hanging out of the window. Trooped upstairs, added our few books to the robust display on a side table, and settled down to a couple of hours of good food, good friends, good talk and so on. The time just flew by!

Eventually we dragged ourselves apart and found that in the process several books had stuck to us, including several for release on the ride back home.

For full release details including pictures see here, here and here.

And then the trip ended. I had a wonderful, golden day out. Perhaps the best part was Peggysmum crooning along with Nat King Cole on the way back.

DS's birthday, and we took him out to Pancake Parlour, the local Pancake Manor franchise. It's been twenty years and more and still their fare is the same winning quirky combination of pancakes, maple syrup, a host of accompaniments and solid wooden furniture. A fun place, but I cannot say that any of us had room for dessert at the end of it!

Planes and bags

Yesterday DD and I went shopping in Queanbeyan. Did the usual round of opshops and the groceries, but perhaps the best bit was parking at the end of the runway and watching for planes. I got a few shots:

( There's a rainbow at the end of the runway! )

( VIP transport of delight )

Feeling a little blue this morning. Kerri off to Beijing, and we got up early to get her packing complete. Final instructions on the phone settings, gave her the camera and a spare set of rechargables, made sure that she had all the plugs and dongles. She even took my new toilet bag (though she didn't like the forest green colour), and packed all of the above plus underwear, documents and a sudoku book in DD's laptop bag. Clothes and shoes go in the new brown bag, which I think is an awful colour.

An hour before her 0830 flight, and she invited me into the Qantas Club. She's a member, I'm not. Gotta change that. Comfy chairs, free coffee and snacks, laptops, papers and a men's room that was all but gold-plated. I played porter, carrying her laptop bag and walking a pace behind.

Flight called and I watched her disappear down the jetway. ***SIGH***

Home and played on the internet. Phone call. Kerri in Sydney airport. Check in at Air China and she'd left the laptop case at the counter. Came back and it wasn't there. Just ringing to let me know in case it got handed in and someone called to check.

Cripes. She sounded very upset. Understandable. Little libretto laptop, four thousand dollars worth in a tiny package, my camera with spare batteries and a half-gig card, and worst of all (to my way of thinking) my mobile phone. I'd have to ring up and get it cancelled. At least she'd emailed her presentation ahead, so that even with the memory stick gone she could probably get a copy. DD was appalled at the thought of losing the toilet bag full of makeup and stuff. "How's she going to get her makeup off?"

Spent the day on edge, waiting for a phone call, wondering where all the serial numbers were, wondering if any of it was insured. I don't think the government does travel insurance for possessions, though of course Kerri would be covered for workers' comp while travelling.

Rang the mobile number a few times - phone turned off so no answer. Fumed over some bastard chortling over all our stuff and running up a phone bill.

Oh well.

Went into town and got another toilet bag while they were still half price. That's one bit of kit I need. Also bought an extra large microfibre travellers' towel. My big green towel is reassuring, but it takes a lot of room. This one folds up real small.

Phone call from Kerri at nine. She was in China, and the bag had been found. She had it with her, so all was well. That's a relief.

Apparently the lack of a luggage tag had delayed the reunion untilo after she'd gone through all the stress of reporting it and having to confess to me that she'd lost it. She got a tonguelashing from the airport staff. "But it's a hand-bag! It doesn't need a tag!" "Yeah, but you lost it, didn't you?"

Poor Kerri!

It's Amy's Birthday but I get the presents!

Bookczuk is a total angel. Playful, thoughtful, delightful!

Package arrived this arvo while I was bemoaning the apparent loss of Kerri's carry-on luggage. Heavy. And yikes, look at that heavy postage price!

Sliced the box open and frolicked amongst the goodies, with Piggly-Wiggly bags used for padding. Nice touch that!

Books of various sorts, each one carefully chosen, the funniest one about a puppy romping. Little in-joke there, but it cheered me right up. Big solid bag of dark milk M&Ms M&m&m&mmmm&mmmmmm!

Interesting jar of Hershey kisses. Apparently it contains a part of a game-used tennis ball from the US Open. Amazing!

Replacement BookCrossing t-shirt for Sabavana, to replace the one the doctors cut off her when she broke her arm skiing a couple of weeks back. BookCrossing labels and postcards. Haven't seen these yet, well, not in the flesh, anyway. Collection of funny CDs. A Levenger Circa notebook - O Czukkie, how I love you for that! A seashell. From Folly Beach, I'll bet. That goes with my little container of Folly Beach sand.

A CD from fsr44! This is pure gold. All the great songs from 1944. Milkman Keep Those Bottles Quiet! Been years since I heard that one! Stardust, Orange-Coloured Sky, and Jenna singing As Time Goes By! I've been listening to it non-stop for hours now. And munching on dark choc M&Ms.

But, best of all were the cards enclosed. You two say such sweet things! My heart is full. Thanks both of you for the care package - it came at a time when I was feeling very blue indeed.

And once again I give my thanks for the many wonderful friends I've made through BookCrossing. You are going to get SUCH a hug when I meet you in the flesh!

I'd take a picture of it all, but my camera's in China. Picture me happy!