More tea, vicar?

Sharon has developed a bit of Friday morning routine, which I try my best to gate crash as often as possible.

We go with several of the other parents of children at Owen's school to McDonald's McCafe in Reynella. This is on a corner of a big main road and is referred to locally as 'junk food corner', it having a KFC, Hungry Jacks (Australian version of Burger King), Dominos, Fasta Past (urgh) and of course Maccas, as the golden arched fat fest is known here.

I'm sure the staff at Maccas really look forward to Friday mornings when about 10 of us and what feels like 20 toddlers turn up, asking for coffees which have to be just-so and asking them to turn the heating up/down and generally being a nuisance. I have to hand it to Maccas though, they do really good, relatively cheap coffee. And they've given us key fobs that gets us a free slice of cake with every coffee purchased. Until 2010. That's potentially alot of cake. After the 12k run, naturally.

After that, we go next door to the 'Salvos Op shop'. I'll translate: that's the Salvation Army Charity shop. The sense of adventure is hightened by cutting through the palm tree bushes between them, which makes it feel like you've stumbled upon an abandoned enclave. I've only ever really been to charity shops for fancy dress before. You know, a dress or skirt for a game of football at camp. But this has actually got really quite good stuff, and I've picked up some good shirts. Sharon says they're from the designer boutique 'Sal-vos'. Equally as important though is having a good laugh at some of the crap they have too. Hideous crockery sets, a salt and pepper pot set that say 'atishoo' and 'bless you'. A Barry Crocker album.

It all adds up and has helped us make some good friends.