Hello from the Goldfields

Hello from the Goldfields of Western Australia.

It's been a while since I've posted - again. I gotta stop going missing. So, what have I missed out on telling you all since I last posted.? Hmm... Let's see if I can remember everything.

it was hubby's and my 23rd Wedding Anniversary on the 19th of February. We went out for a lovely dinner in the next town - which wasn't where we were booked to go. We decided to try another restaurant because we'd been to the same place every time we ever went out - mainly because they have great food and great service.

After I'd booked earlier in the day, we found parking around in the side-street, and arrived at the place. As soon as we walked in through the front door, we almost smacked into a lady - with a DOG! Yep - inside the place. My eyes immediately went down to look at the dog on a leash, then straight up into the eyes of the woman on the other end of it, probably with an eyebrow lifted in question because she hurriedly told me she was the owner, and the dog had spent the day in the office with her and that she couldn't wait to get out of the place. In my head, I was thinking "What in the fuck is a DOG doing in here?!" Red flag number one.

Then, with Covid 19 finally in our state after 2 years of not having any because our State Premier is the best and kept our borders closed all that time, we finally have cases here, so there are protocols that need to be followed (and yes, the borders are now open) - one of which is signing in everywhere you go as most of you have probably been doing for years now, but this is still a new thing here and we're all still getting used to what has changed since Covid made its way in.

Anyhow, we went to 'check in' at this new place - right after a woman with a small child signed in with her husband, who had chosen a table almost next to the sign-in table - some drunk bloke decided to try and make his way out - the restaurant is inside a hotel - with a public bar. Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but I do not like public bars for this very reason. The drunk staggered his way toward the door with a couple of his mates, but ended up falling into the woman holding her small child, and nearly took us out in the process. Then there were apologies, and his mates trying to get him out whilst trying to find out if the woman and her child were okay. Red flag number two!

Then, because we hadn't been there before, we had to try and find the restaurant bit. Found the kitchen, so asked where we were supposed to go to sit for a meal - instead of telling us where we had to go, a woman came out and walked off. Hubby and I didn't know if we were supposed to follow her, or if we had to wait for her to check our reservation. In the end, we decided to follow her - all the way through the public bar and out to the beer garden and the tables. Ugh. It was certainly not what I was expecting. Certainly wasn't as nice as the place we used to go to. Half a red flag.

Then I had to ask how the ordering works - at the restaurant we usually go to, you have to order and pay for your meal at the counter near the front door, you get given a number, and find a table, which is what I thought would happen at this new place as well. Boy, I was mistaken. The woman told me we had to order - at the public bar, amongst all the drunks - then go out to wait for our meal after paying for it. The restaurant we usually go to is also part of a hotel/pub - but both sections are separate. It also has a bar section where you can get some drinks, but there are definitely no drunks around.

Hubby and I made our way to the bar - and tried to find a menu. After looking up and down the counters, I ended up having to ask one of the bar staff - after I waited to be served, and others who had come up to the bar after hubby and I were served first. By this time, I have to admit to becoming pissed off with what we had to go through just to have a dinner out. Once I was finally served, with the excuse that someone had spilled their drink all over the menus, I was given one - it was all sticky and disgusting. I turned around to hubby and said "I'm not eating here" and slapped the menu down on the disgusting counter. So ,we ended up going to the restaurant we usually go to, and we've decided we're not going to try any other place when we want to go out for dinner.

We've also had two birthdays in the family - our son turned 30 on the the 21st of February - yep - 2 days after our anniversary - you'd think our eldest would actually remember our anniversary considering it's 2 days before his birthday, but nope, never has. Then, 3 weeks later, it was our daughter-in-law's 26th (I think - could be 27th) birthday. They decided to go out with some mates to celebrate our daughter-in-law's birthday, and they both ended up having to isolate for 7 days after being close contacts of someone who tested positive for Covid. They were slowly going crazy during isolation, but the biggest thing for them was being unable to be around their little human as our daughter-in-law refers to him - our gorgeous little grandson, Laike. They were so happy to be able to see him again yesterday.

Oh, yeah - before they had to isolate, they were approved for a loan to build their house - and asked their real estate agent to ask the owner of the property if they could go on a periodic lease instead of signing on for another year or two because they're building their own. An hour later, the real estate agent got back in touch with them, and told them the owner said no, and consider this your 30 day notice to vacate. They've been in that rental property for 4 years, had to beg to have some air conditioning put in the kitchen/dining/living room (open plan) and that has only just gone in after 3 years, so they were going even more crazy during their isolation because most of their stuff had been packed and put into storage due to the fact they are moving in with our daughter-in-law's parent's until their house is built and ready to live in.

I sincerely hope you have all been keeping safe and well. Unlike some of what is going on in this world we live in these days. My heart breaks every day when I see the news reports. I can't even imagine what people are going through as a result of one crazy man who wants to own every thing, and everyone, at least, closest to him for now.

I have also decided to try my hand at creating some pre-made covers for sale. I've done up two examples - I'd love to know what you all think. I'm a big girl, I can take constructive criticism. But I'll also include a photo of something I did up for our daughter-in-law's birthday, because, you know, happy thoughts.

Well, that's about it for now. I think I've caught you all up on everything that has happened - I'll try not to disappear all the time.