All around the dinner table for the last time – at least for a month or so. They all look happy to see me go don’t they?! I think it’s all for the camera. How blessed can one bloke be!!
Despite my best plans, packing took longer than I expected and I didn’t get the early night I’d planned. But I was away at 6:30am and by 9:00am I was doing battle in the isles of the SPC Ardmona factoy outlet in Mooroopna, near Shepparton. That place is amazing. Canned food by the 12 pack, for less than $12. In the end, the nice lady at the checkout yelled out for “a boy” who helped me with the scond trolley. I cut my shopping short in order to leave something for others to buy. And also, there was a coach load of Melbourne pensioners invading the place which looked set to slow things down a bit.
Amongst the cheap, discount purchases piled high in my trolley was a liberal supply of toilet paper. In packs of 4, just $1 per roll. A bargain I thought. But as I handed the items forward to be scanned I had that nervous kind of feeling inside about something which is the stuff of economics phDs the world over … “does the low price I am paying match the intrinsic value of the good, or should I be paying more, in order to secure a more reliable product”. It’s a tricky one, particularly in this case, cos unlike the cinnamon bun at the Hot Bread Kitchen, you can’t really try before you buy. After 45 seconds at the checkout I thought I’d developed a bit of a rapport with the lady with the scanner gun, and for some reason this question just popped out … “this stuff any good?”.
“No it’s useless”, the lady said, with a brutal honesty that had me holding back tears of laughter. “I thought I’d try it out”, she continued, “cos it’s so cheap, but it’s really useless. I’ve got to say it as it is mate.” So the cheap loo paper stayed in Mooroopna and no doubt the crew of the good ship Chimere will be eternally grateful – well at least for the duration of the voyage. Assuming I remember to buy some “equipment” from somewhere else.
So here I am on the side of the road at Morrisons of Euroa. Just had a jumbo coffee, with the amazing claim to be the “best coffee on the Hume” Now to quote a line from the lads from the Coodabeen Champions … that’s a “BC” …or a Big Claim. Particularly since the Hume is around 880km long (to qoute Wikipedia) Let’s just say it’s not bad coffee, and I think I’ll go back in for another jumbo cup before heading off in a few minutes time.
Till next time
Smooth sea, fair breeze and quality products …
Rob