You can tell a lot about a woman's hands, especially when they're around your neck. That usually means she's upset which was very much the case when early in the morning I was sitting by the still blazing fireplace and hoping for nothing more than a wholly peaceful and relaxed day.
"Let's go to the Moruya Markets", she said, relaxing her grip just enough for me to ask croakingly, "Why?" "Because we haven't been there for a long time!" How could I argue with that kind of logic? So I took a shower - the first time in a week! - and shaved - the first time in three days! - and grabbed my much abused credit card on the way out the door.
And what a day it has been! First to the Moruya Markets along the Moruya River where we picked up some plants and Padma bought some homemade sourdough bread. Then Vinnies and Salvos, looking for books for me and wool for Padma's "WRAP WITH LOVE" knitting, followed by morning tea at the Country Women's Association where I found a much-wanted copy of Simon Winchester's "Pacific - The Ocean of the Future".
That alone was worth the long trip, so we went the whole hog and had lunch at the Moruya Bowling Club where I ran into Peter Gorey. He and I had known each other since the early 90s when he owned a ramshackle second-hand shop in Moruya where I used to spent many hours sifting through mountains of books and at one time spending $750 on a six-point deer head. It was going to have pride of place above the fireplace but it wouldn't fit without my cutting holes into the ceiling. It's still hanging on the wall but opposite rather than above the fireplace.
Despite dementia and early Parkinson's, Peter still remembered me and with trembling hands accepted my drink as we toasted each other for still being alive. "Drop in at my house any time you're in town", he urged me repeatedly. I just hope he hasn't forgotten by the time I do drop in.
Before we headed back into the hills again, we stopped at the new Batemans Bay Aquatic Centre. We were totally blown away by the new facilities, and Philip, the recently migrated Canadian behind the desk, had no trouble selling us 10-visit passes for $60 each which we plan to start using next week. On the way out, we met another newcomer to multi-cultural Australia, a very black and very tall - seven foot tall! - South Sudanese with a name neither as short nor as memorable as Philip's, but I'm sure we both will recognise him next time we see him swimming in the lane next to and at least a whole one foot ahead of us.
Oh, and the fireplace was still glowing when we got back home. A quick restoking and a wholly peaceful and relaxed evening lies ahead of me.
P.S. We must be really good Vinnies customers because on the way out we were given a 'Rip & Reveal' ticket. I ripped and it revealed a 20% discount on our next purchase! Back to Vinnies in the Bay on Monday!!!
