Family: can't live with 'em, can't live with out 'em

I'm in Adelaide for the weekend at the expense of the department of education. The next lot of Intel training has come at a good time cause I can now be here for some birthday's, Dad's and mine.

We nearly didn't spend tomorrow together though. Tonight there was a little accident... the laptop Dad's taken responsibility for as treasurer of his brass band fell off the recliner and landed on the mouse USB connection point, pulling it all out of wack. Boy did Dad hit the roof. I won't got too far into it, except to say that it was ugly and I wasn't in a state of mind to deal with it.

While he stormed off somewhere I packed. Dragging my bag out to the living room I explained to Mum that I'd sleep at my best friends place and catch up with her for breakfast as planned. Before gathering my things together and dashing out the door before Dad came back, I frantically rushed around to organise Dad's present wrapping so I could at least leave him a reminder that I love him.

Mum was upset as you can imagine, but she only shows it through her pacing and exasperated sighs. While I was writing Dad's name on his envelope and Mum was looking on morbidly, she suddenly sparked up and said...

"It's going to be a bit hard to go anywhere without a car isn't it Jo?"

Yes, I was about to make my big exit and leave Dad to stew, completely forgetting that important detail. I flew to Adelaide this visit.

Mum and I laughed till we cried and I got a coughing fit and asthma induced breathlessness just to really render me speachless. When Dad wandered in to find out what all the noise was about I couldn't even tell him.

So, I'm still here. And Dad has cooled down. Once I'd had my puffer, my laughing turned into a few tears and we had a more sensible talk about the practicalities of getting the damage I'd made fixed. Despite my earlier resolve I'm glad I didn't have my car here tonight.