October 30th, 2022Just sayin’… By Donna Kelly

BLOODY hell, that was a busy week.
It started off with a strange weekend. Last Monday was Kyle’s birthday
and we decided to have a few people around on the Sunday. But we didn’t
think about the weather.
Yes, the rain had come and sort of gone but it was coming back on Sunday, or
so we believed. So we decided to change to the Saturday. And that meant trying to
remember who we had invited. We had gone a bit all out – hit the phones after a few
drinks – thinking an outdoor gathering would be a wonderful start to spring.
Anyway, we did what we could, and Friday rolled around and we realised our
backyard was pretty much still under water and our little gravel “party” area was an
island. And if anyone tried to walk out to it, they would pretty much be sucked into
the sodden grass. Let’s not even talk about parking cars.
Sooo, we decided to cancel Saturday. And once again, we tried very hard to
remember who we had invited and sent out lots of texts saying “sorry, too wet” and
most people wrote back “fair enough, good call” and we decided to take Kyle’s dad to
the pub for lunch instead.
Cliff was over from NZ for the big party. Well, to catch up with Kyle and myself
and have a bit of a look around the wonderful Central Highlands. And I don’t think I
have ever heard him turn down the chance for a beer.
Anyway, off we go to the pub, have some food and a couple of beers/wines and
arrive home all ready for a bit of a nanna nap. Not sure if you are allowed to say
nanna nap now. I think things like that are banned, like landlord. It implies nannas
get tired and need naps. Let’s call it a Donna nap from now on. I get tired and need
naps. And I am OK with that.
So we literally (sorry Jeff Glorfeld) were about to head to bed when we saw two
people walk past the window. We were like deer in headlights. Do we go childish and
hide, or go honest and say “go home”? In the end we went adult and said “welcome”.
Kyle hadn’t told them it was off because he didn’t think they would come. And then
another two people arrived and we said “welcome”. They had been texted but Kyle
accidentally sent their text to a random mechanic in Moe. Telling him not to come.
He had never been invited, so not so much of a letdown.
Anyway, we had a nice evening. I thought it was going to be a quiet drink – it
was about 4pm – but Kyle had other ideas and put on a slow-cook Greek lamb. And
refused to let people leave until it was served about four hours later. And had the
audacity to ask me if I had a Greek salad to accompany it. I told him I did not and it
was very un-PC to assume the woman will have salad components handy at all times.
(I actually could have made one but I was tired after missing my Donna nap.)
The following day, Sunday, was quiet and then Monday arrived and it was like the
old days. Stories, advertising, festivals, photos, more stories, more advertising…oh and
our bumper real estate feature.
This edition of The Local is 68 pages all up. A whopper and a great read, if I do
say so myself. And I do. Most of all it is just fantastic to see the world opening up
again and our amazing region coming to life. I know Covid is not over and if you see
me in the supermarket I will be the one with the mask but it is the best it has been for
a few years. And that’s great. But now I am a bit tired and I really am going to have a
nap. Don’t come to the door. Just sayin’…
(Jeff, who left us for a new life in America with his lovely wife Carol, subbed for us once and
pulled me up on using literally…as he should of, jokes, have.)