We should be millionaires...

I'm not sure whether to blame it on the damp air from the wet season or the storm-related power surges, but both our washing machine and television blew up within two day of each other. Both had had a good run; we bought the machine from a friend who left town months ago, and the television was given to me by a presenter from work when I moved into my lady shack and I've watched it for nearly a year now perfectly.

Concerned by the mounting pile of wet, dirty washing and the thought of not being able to watch the daggy Christmas specials on television over the silly season, we priced new models. To our horror, both were around $600 each.

M happened to mention our plight to a mate, Smithy, who has been in Darwin for a long time, and possesses infinite wisdom in the field of new and secondhand. He suggested a bloke from Palmerston who refurbishes washing machines and dryers for a fraction of the cost, so we looked him up. The next day, they delivered a secondhand Simpson 5.5kg machine, in perfect working order for only $175! I felt very impressed and smug with our cleverness as I proceeded to wash seven loads of laundry.

Coming home from yoga on Saturday morning, M met me at the door saying he had a surprise. I walked in and saw a television, bought by M from a lawn sale around the corner for $50!

Hooray! We wash and watch again.

This time next week..

Looking down the barrel of Christmas (or 'the festive season' to be politically correct); it rolls towards me like a giant snowball (in Darwin?) picking up everything in its path, including me. I feel like my life has suddenly increased in pace significantly since December arrived, and my days are a frantic procession of jobs being ticked off, presents being bought, trips to the post office and dishes being washed. And now, suddenly, it arrives next week!

Just signed up to the library and checked out four books for four weeks. My summer reading list includes: 'Experience' by Martin Amis, 'Boy' Roald Dahl and 'On Writing' by Stephen King. Currently devouring 'Wuthering Heights', a birthday gift from M last year and a large heavy tome which I must rest on my knees in bed, such is its weight.

Treating myself to an early mark this afternoon and heading to a media screening for the new film, Bran Nue Dae with M and RM and AMMM from work.

Will miss the family on Christmas Day. But M and I have loads of fun planned including the tradition of champagne breakfast on the foreshore with mates and a big slap dash lunch, then siesta and walk on the beach. Arthur will get a fat ham bone to gnaw on, tied with a red bow.

Back

Back to work.

Back to the heat. And now the rain!

Back to my dog who has regrown his blonde mop and has put on kilos in our absence.

Back to see my articles in Resident, which was lovely, plus my feature in R4YL.

Three days in Sydney for marketing conference turned into 1.5 days at marketing conference and 1.5 days in Sheraton Darling Harbour spending time bent over toilet or lying in bed groaning. Darling Sarah traipsed over the bridge in her high heels armed with Buscopan. Ended up getting a big needle in my bottom from the hotel doctor.

All is better now though, thanks to returning to M in Darwin and chocolate ice cream under the fan.

And now its raining!