The one that got away

We have decided to enter our community by engaging in a bit of inter-town rivalry. We denizens of Forster/Tuncurry have no truck with those Taree types. Just trying the rhetoric on for size. Anyway, so the Taree  Band rang us good folk of the Great Lakes (aka Forster/Tuncurry) Band, and asked if we would give them some competition at the local Eisteddfodd. "Yes, we can!" was the firm reply.  Today was the day. Taree (the opposition) played first. An ambitious program, rather under-realised in my humble opinion, and the 26 members looked decidedly unhappy as they struggled through their pieces. Then the tight, small outfit that is Great Lakes Band (with the silver fox as first trombone) played.

Nailed it. Sounded great. "Georgia" followed, in a relaxed and professional way, with "The Flintstones". Surely an award winning combination. But, regrettably, we was robbed. The adjudicators awarded first place to Taree, without a doubt as encouragement to their many young players and in recognition of their greater anxiety about the whole thing. The only possible explanation.

After the Eisteddfodd, we went into Tuncurry and had morning coffee and cakes at Tonelli's, then on a scenic little drive to Pacific Palms, where there was a seafood shop of interest.

We have A Plan for Mother's Day.  There will be a seafood lunch for 7: us, the Boroughs and Ilonka.

The chef got to work. Bought crab, snapper, mussels and prawns, plus a humungous mulloway head and frame for the stock.

As I write, it smells fantastic. Then he made pumpkin pie for dinner.  I'm getting as big as a house with all this wonderful retirement food. Something will have to be done.

The only other news of today was that I joined us all up to the local branch of the Senior Citizens Association!

Who would have ever thought!