Australia Day Celebration

The garden is finished, the house is just fine and Australia Day was just perfect.  The sun was warm but not too hot, the sky blue and the locals and holiday makers were out enjoying the weather and themselves.
We live in a holiday city and the locals will tell you to stay away from the tourist hot spots during the public holidays.  I keep this in mind when we plan our morning.  Firstly the outing, secondly the Australian Open.  Merv is a tennis fanatic!
Just down the road is a fabulous lake just metres from the estuary,  The lake is full of ducks, swamp hens, coots and as many sea gulls.  There are park benches and cute wooden bridges with a winding concrete path, ideal for wheelchairs.  It's already after ten and the car park is full so we wind around the streets until we find suitable parking.  The wildlife are living it up and the locals are in the estuary crabbing.  The rellies are keeping us supplied with crabs.  In the shallow water are family groups with mum and bub sitting on the steps hoping for a feed of crab for lunch.  We walk for awhile until we find a shady picnic table.  It's on the grass area and it takes all my strength to push the chair on the wild green grass.  We sit and eat our morning tea and enjoy watching others in the water and those flying by on their cycles with lycra and helmets flashing.  They later past us on the path as we stroll along and over the bridge.  It will soon be midday, time to return for a lazy lunch and tennis not so long afterwards.
As I prepare lunch my mind wanders.  I remember the many Australia Day celebrations of the past.  The numerous outings to Perth whether on the foreshore or at Kings Park to view the spectacular fireworks displays.  Memories of countless barbecues and get togethers with friends or family.  Then the year we had friends over for lunch and I created a huge jelly map of Australia!  Yes, Aussie flags, balloons and paraphernalia.  There is none of that today just the outing and a toast of water glasses over a healthy lunch!

Aqua Buddies

It's holiday time, many of the locals are on holidays and those already retired are free of appointments.  Give them a few more weeks and they'll be off to the dentist, doctor, physio and the podiatrist.  Another week and card in hand they will be lining up at the specialist rooms awaiting their turn, frustrated they have already waited two hours for an appointment they know will be over and done within ten minutes.  Still they wait to have their numerous ailments discussed and mulled over!
We are in the resort indoor pool at 10am and a great herd of locals have turned up for the water aerobics.  The regulars know each other well and catch up with family and local news.
I've only been a few times in our almost ten months of living here.  Most of the faces are unfamiliar.  The lady one door up I recognise and I ask about the health of our mutual neighbour.  It appears his health scare has resulted in a second operation but he is going to be just fine.  I am relieved to hear this.
Thelma calls us to attention.  I don't know how long she has been running this class three times a week but she knows every move by heart.  Her voice is soft and I strain to hear her instruction.  We warm up with those crucial arm stretches above our heads but after that I'm stuck and I copy the person in front circling my right foot under the water and changing over on Thelma's  command.  There is no loud bopping music, there is no music at all.  Just Thelma's instructions and a few wayward people both male and female chatting away and not really being attentive.  I watch as Alan and Bob make up their own moves until the foam noodles are handed out from the stash on the side of the pool.  Then the pool is filled with grey haired ladies and gents with a noodle between their legs (yes it's the Rocking Horse) striding up and down the pool.  We must look a sight!
I check out the time on the clock on the far wall.  Twenty minutes down and and forty more to go.
The next time I check the time there is only five minutes to go.  I have been miraculously following the moves (and making a few of my own up) while merrily chatting away.
I see it how it is and not how I would like it to be.  It's an exercise class and a reunion of local residents.  Everyone is comfortable and looking forward to their next class.  Why change it?

Add caption