And now it is really freezing

It is hard to believe that this time next week, we shall be in Brisbane.  I suppose that it will be way too hot.  But what is wrong with that?  From this perspective, it seems just fine.  Today has been miserable without stopping, rain and rain and more rain.  Yesterday started out the same, Toby (who has been hankering after some shutters for his bedroom windows) said that he did not feel that he needed shutters anymore as you can have winter instead!  That's the attitude, i said.  But it cleared up testerday and was really quite a nice afternoon.  Not today. 

Rudy the dog has gone to stay with Harry's parents. They took him this morning on their way back home (they were here for the weekend) and we will not see him for a month.  matilda cried and there was a lot of last minute patting and cuddling.  After the dog bed was put in the car, Rudy seemed to be moping in the kitchen - I thought that he was sad, but as soon as Dick said ok we'll go, he leapt up and ran out to the car and jumped into the bed!  Happy as anything.  I had not been feeling all that sad really as I was secretly looking forward to a month without vacuuming up dog hair, but I suddenly realised that I will miss him.  Apparently he was very good in the car and has just moved into his new accomodation.  Maybe he will not want to come home. 

Toby has his first judo grading on Saturday, but part of the award should go tot he mother who sat there all day.  He loves judo and will hear no talk of judo practitioners just liking rolling around on the ground hugging each other.  That is a 'move' he says.  Ok say I.  So as soon as we can find the registration book that we received 2 weeks ago and must have for life, he can get his stripes.  This excitement follows hot on the heels of his first competition.  It turns out that him and his 2 friends that he started with are all the same weight so could all be in the same division.  there were just the 3 of them and they were so evenly matched that they had to do the competion twice to resolve it.  The club are delighted to have 3 such keen new boys.  Toby ended up with the silver medal and could hardly have been happier.  he even wore the medal into the farm shop on the way home (I think he thought that it would deter potential muggers).