The Toyota Camry now has a nice new red tailgate. It cost me $220 for a second hand tailgate from Bathurst Auto Parts and $80 for Ray Morcome’s smash repairs to put it on. I’ve spent the last hour or so sweeping out bits of safety glass. I swept and swept with dustpan and brush, out the front of the house, but when I drove it around the block to park it on the back lawn for a good vacuum and wash, there was an ominous tinkling sound, more glass falling down from somewhere to somewhere. Anyway, I even lifted up the floor in the back of the station wagon to get the glass out from around the spare tyre. There were all sorts of things down there, as well as glass: 20 years of dirt, pens, lots of pens, Badga’s (Steve’s prior border collie) old chain, tiny bits of plastic off things, bits of the car itself that have shaken free or broken off. I thought this stuff would be interesting to someone to pick through in 1000 years, someone examining the era when we had cars. But it’s all going in the wheelie bin, of course. Just on cars, for a moment longer, Peg Trompf suggested Bathurst ought to have an electric car race after the Bathurst races to promote climate change issues. I said, That’s a brilliant idea! I can’t wait to get back to Bathurst and implement it! But not now. Christmas looms.

Flora and fauna observations: There are little plums all over the ground, where the fruit trees are dropping them in the street. We have basil going off just outside the back door. Steve’s corn plants are standing tall. I have had a mystery plant, which I’m hoping is going to be a sunflower. The two geraniums given to me by Leeanne, fellow TAFE student, red and pink, are still alive but not going anywhere fast in their big tub.