➽ (Tuesday 15 August) What a great day! I literally cannot stop smiling. So good for the psyche etc. My son's grandfather Maurie ("Pa") and I spent about 3+ hours just happily sitting and catching up today over a cuppa, and then a great meal at the local RSL Club. Tis something we haven't done in the longest time. He is seriously a good bloke, and even tho we hadn't spoken for a few years, it was like we caught up just yesterday. Great time of two blokes talking proudly about our kids and grandkids (giggles).

Gotta love Pa!

As my middle son joked: "Who looks more homeless?" - I laffed.

Maurie built "Henry" himself!

➽ Loving the sound of a great busker in one of the town's shopping centres. I sat down and enjoyed his soulful sound for a good 20 minutes. (11 August)

➽ (9 August 2023) You know you're getting old when you get happy at the sight of a new pair of shoes and socks... then there's the new vacuum and dust buster as well... so outrageous [laffs]

➽ (14 August) Another little thing... I lost a gold ring in my grass a while ago. Do you think I could find it? On a random thought, I expensively eBay'd one of these things to help me find it again: a small handheld metal detector. Even comes with its own little LED flashlight. (Sure, tis silly, but useful for me). Just gotta wait for the heavy morning frost that turns into a good dew to evaporate before I can get down and do it... thank gawd for these kneeling thingies, otherwise getting back up again would be a 'challenge' with my norty MS legs [grins].

➽ I had to laff: my ceiling smoke detector went off randomly in the middle of the night, without any due warning etc, right in the middle of darn good sleep. Bloody flat battery, wasn't it? D'oh! It's happened to you too, right...? Right...?! [laffs]

➽ Then there's the time I unconsciously Spoonerized the name of my goldfish (Katia and Thoon) into "Thatia and Koon"... yes, I laughed at myself.

➽ My eldest son turned 30 in August! That's time gone too quickly!

➽ Photos of my sons 💞💞💞

➽ Also see: our visit with my eldest son and his wife on their country property + photos + vids

My brother David wants to pass on our late parents' Canteen of Cutlery, which was a wedding present in 1952.

Quick update: When David (my brother) first opened up this case a few weeks ago at his place, I could literally see my late dad using the knife sharpener as he was about the cut the roast at the kitchen table! Amazingly good forgotten memories that came back in a flash.

➽ Edward... and Rufus!

➽ A silly side-effect from that latest batch of kidney stones (sigh..): a slight bladder infection, and the stent is causing a slight irritation, which makes me 'go' a lot more than usual. They're onto it all OK. The stent itself is coming out again in a few weeks, and things should return to normal.

➽ Asparagus?

➽ After my latest "top-n-tail", I'll be now taking two new meds as well... harrumph! 'Such is life'. Nah, it's all good.

➽ Watching The Matildas performing at the Women's World Cup (Soccer/Football ⚽) has been exciting fun! Brings back so many positive memories of playing as a kid and as an older teen. Great games! Australia has happily gone a bit crazy about it all... we adore our Sporting Heroes and Legends here; it's part of our subconscious national ethos.

It was unfortunate to see them get bundled out in that semi-final loss to England, but they have played so well all the same. All Aussies were supporting them during this competition - awesome. ⚽

➽ Ohh... did I mention that THE AUSSIES RETAINED THE ASHES in the cricket...?!? [laffs] Twas GREAT Test cricket and a great evenly-balanced Series... but oh so many late late nights, but oh-so-worth-it Note: I am an official "Cricket Tragic" [grins happily]. 🏏