Expected And Unexpected Pleasures...

The weekend is over. It's time to get serious. Work to be done! I had a great weekend with a couple of surprises thrown in for good measure.

On Saturday, I shared a barbecue with three sets of my neighbours...two from 'up the road' and one lot from 'over the way'. The gathering was at the home of one of the 'up the roaders'! We all sat out on their wide verandah and watched the fireworks display at the showgrounds across the way. The Tamborine Mountain Agricultural Show was on this past weekend. Because of the rather steep, winding roads up to the mount, the usual fairground attractions choose not to attend. The TM show features horse events mainly. Even though the showgrounds are within walking distance to where I live, I didn't bother going. However, the afternoon/evening gathering was a lot of fun.

Sunday...I decided I'd spend the day just to myself. I remained in bed rather late, reading the Sunday paper. Fortunately, a burst of energy engulfed me. I'd showered, tidied up a bit (the cabin and myself!) when I heard a knock at my door.

A past beau, and still good friend, decided to surprise me. He was on his way back to Noosa from the Gold Coast. He took a detour, calling in on me instead of going straight through on up to Noosa. He wanted to take me out to lunch, but as I had some green prawns defrosting, I sweet-talked him into letting me cook lunch for him. I didn't have to do much persuading. He insisted on shooting off to the pub to buy a bottle of wine, even though I objected, telling him had had wine here. Anyhow, while he was away, I pulled out a few scallops I knew were hiding somewhere in my freezer, quickly threw a salad together and set the table! An impromptu lunch of seafood and pasta, enjoyed with a bottle of wine ensued. It's always fun to catch up with good friends not seen for a while. We had lots to catch up on. He choofed off to Noosa later in the afternoon. It's fun sometimes revisiting worthwhile moments of the past. I cleaned up the luncheon dishes, then cuddled up to watch a couple of programmes I'd videoed during the previous week.

I still love Noosa, often wondering why I left the area. When living on the coast I believed I would live in Noosa forever. Funny how our paths in life change direction, sometimes with little warning given. I was raised in Gympie and I spent a great portion of my childhood swimming in the surf at Laguna Bay. As a teenager, I'd race off every summer weekend, bikinis and Jamaican shorts packed. Quite a few weekends in winter were spent at the beach, too, with warming, glowing fires on the beach at night. From early 1979 to January, 1986 I lived in the Noosa area (at one time I ran my own business in Hastings Street) before taking on the management of the resort at Hinchinbrook Island. For the four years prior to moving to Mount Tamborine in 2002, I worked and lived back in Gympie and on my time off, I spent a lot of my spare moments back in Noosa. New buildings may be built, old ones torn down, people may come and go, but Noosa will always retain its special magic. It's a magic that thrills me to my core every time I revisit.

Perhaps, if that elusive lotto ever does come my way, Noosa's spell will entice me back.

Well, that was my weekend...now it's time for me to get back into 'work-mode'. I've got a friend arriving on Friday to stay for three days and I've a few things to get done before she arrives. Monday comes around all too quickly!