The cubs had another day off school today so Penny and I - avec kidlings - drove out to a lavender farm. It was fun, not only did we have a very pleasant morning tea at the tea-house there (lavender scones, yum!) we also stopped in at a few op-shops on the way. The first one was a fuge Salvation Army place, but as regular op-shoppers in Melbourne know the Salvos are always ridiculously expensive, so didn't get much. ($2 for a paperback novel? I don't think so...) I did, however, find another snowdome from Egypt that's similar to the one I already have. Similar, but not the same, it's now sitting on the mantelpiece next to the other one...
The next shop we visited in Wooriallock was much better. Came out with an armload of stuff, most of which had been priced at 50cents or less. Impressed? Delighted? Yep. That's where I picked up an almost complete box of the 'Two Towers' stickers, you know the ones that have '300' plus items? <bg> Most of the Eomer stickers were still there as well as one small one that had a line drawing of the white horse decoration in the Meduseld that made my heart sing. (And I checked very carefully, Joules, but the only pointy-ear represented was Legs...)
The third shop wasn't bad, either, the cubs got a bunch of toys for 50 cents. : )
Ah, don't get to go op-shopping all that often anymore.

And before I forget...
Thank you, Joules, for adding the 'Make Poverty History' banner thing at the top of my blog, and thank you, Soulsis for all the cool stuff you gave me last week! Some lovely, heavy, indian cotton - pink and purple! - to make into trousers, a large 'Hello Kitty' bowl and a pair of jam pots. The grape shaped one is almost perfect but the strawberry shaped one had lost its lid. No matter, it'll be perfect for a cactus! <g>

Right, where did I get to with the travellers' tales? Ah yes, Portland on Saturday morning...
The night before the mist had rolled in off the ocean obscuring the countryside when we drove into town but this morning it was clear and bright. There were a lot of cows...
Portland is quite large, and busy, it's the only deep-water port between Adelaide and Melbourne. It also had 3 op-shops within easy walking distance. Well, we did need some teatowels and other kitcheny bits and pieces that weren't supplied with the camp's kitchen and I'm sure I'll find a use for the turquoise plastic lobster-shaped tray I found... Had fun pottering around there for a bit, then we met up with Rod and Ruth and got on with the serious business of gathering supplies for the weekend. There was an open-air fruit and veg market near the supermarket. We got some lovely stuff there, including the nicest, crunchiest grapes I'd had for a long time. The supermarket was less exciting but we managed to get everything we needed and still stay within budget!
It was probly close to 2 in the afternoon when we got back to the camp for lunch. Spent the afternoon playing the 'Family Feud' boardgame that Mike had found in an op-shop. Actually, we weren't playing it as such, just trying to guess the answers to the very dated, USA-ethnocentric questions! <g> That was fun!
Pete made himself responsible for dinner - roast vegies and chicken bits - and Niki cooked the deserts, self-saucing choc puddings and a yummy lemony-custardy thing.
The Islandkateer weekends that work the best, in my opinon, are the ones where we cater and cook for ourselves. Not only is the food generally better but I think the way everyone chips in and helps in some way is a very bonding experience for the tribe.
Saturday was 'bec's birthday, too! I hope she had fun, what with the presents from Niki and I and the mini 'surprise' after dinner <g> So, 12 years old now, eh, sweetie? : )

We really were in a lovely spot, you could see the ocean and part of the beach from the hall. There was always the sound of the waves in the distance, and that wonderful salty, ozoney smell from the sea. There was hardly any traffic came our way and the garden snails on the coast look completely different to the ones I'm familiar with. Same shaped shells but the colours are lighter, more varied. Beautiful.

Yep, more later...