Lead up to my August posts (in September)

Slightly out of date as I am writing this a week after the Fringe finished. Agata and Lawrence have gone to Connect Festival and the house is even more quiet than usual. I have actually been looking forward to a Friday night by myself as August has just been madness. Briony was going to a workmate's house to watch the Big Brother final. Not realy my cup of tea. After work finishes, I walk down to Alphabet Video to hire some dvds. The weather was so nice, I decided to walk the wrong way home up to Bruntsfield to wander the gorgeous little boutiquey shops and get some dinner. I get some pasta and some flavoured peanuts from the little Thai store which sells Asian groceries, so much cheaper than the supermarkets. Get a message from Cheryl, her and her flatmates are going out tonight. I'm all set up for a night home so sadly decline - my time with Cheryl is limited as she is leaving to go travelling at the end of the month.

Diana and Marcos join me in my room to watch Somersault. This Aussie movie has a soundtrack that i adore - I hired it purely on that basis. It was a good movie for Marcos as there wasn't much dialogue. I put Rushmore on next as I love Wes Anderson films but I've never seen this one...and fall asleep halfway through.

Saturday Morning and I get up nice and early to do a spring clean. Washing, cleaning, vacuuming. The house is spotless (for now - it never takes long for noni to leave her mark!)

During the morning I went across the road to pick up my new book from the library. Alan Alda's autobiography. I have high hopes. I also listen to my first bit of "Speak Spanish" CD, also from the library. I want to surprise Marcos and Diana, which I do. I can mimic very well but don't retain them in my old age so practice practice practice. Also used Lawrence's computer to rip the CDs I've amassed onto my new mp3 player...all 2 of them - the new Crowded House and Something for Kate albums.

It's now 3pm and I've escaped the house to go across the road to pen this long time coming blog post about the fringe (when I know it's a big one I write it on paper first). I've come to the Elephant House which is where JK Rowling supposedly wrote a bit of Harry Potter. Because of this fact during August tourists flocked to this place, taking photos and the like. I don't know why I'm here as the coffee is shocking, the service ridiculous, plus the chairs are uncomfy. Perhaps I wanted a bit of my own inspiration? I must look like a tool sitting here, jotting things down but who cares? I'm most excited about getting this ticked off the list today so I won't have to do any chores tomorrow. Father's Day will be a day of complete choice to do whatever I please. There are a few exhibitions in their last weekend here I could make time for. If it's a nice day I might go down to the Botanic Gardens. In the evening there is a fireworks spectacular on which we will hopefully be able to view from our lounge room window. If not we will wander down the Mound and watch from outside (NB. my dinner was still in the oven when fireworks started, but we say them from our bedroom window. Twas no SA-FM Skyshow!).

The fireworks mark the official end of the 'festival' and already the town has gone so quiet, it's weird not getting accosted by a flyerer or having to walk on the road as the footpaths are full of roaming tourists who just stop abruptly for no reason, right in front of you. Also, having to play umbrella wars with those that don't realise that they're walking too close to you and are poking you in the head - has stopped.

September 1 and summer is officially gone. The general concensus is that it never arrived this year. Autumn has been quite agreeable so far with mild days, not much rain and wind at all. Hope that keeps up for a few more weeks - this will be great weather while Mum and Dad are here.