GOOD NEWS! Our Covid Test results came back and both Ard and I were NEGATIVE.
Woohoo! That means we should be heading home on Friday morning around 8.00 am.
In other startling news, Ard threatened me with a pair of scissors and demanded I let her cut my hair so she could have “something to do to fill in the time. Or else!”
It seemed like a reasonable request.
The Chair awaiting the condemned man.
Crime scene.
In the end I think she did great job. But I’ll let you be the judge …
BEFORE
AFTER
All right, enough of this frivolity. “Where are the REGULAR FEATURES?” I hear you cry.
Ok then. First up is the QLD SPORTING TEAM CITYCAT OF THE DAY!
And for the first time we have a special reader request. So this one’s especially for new arrival QUARANTEAM MEMBER SEAN isolating just above us on level 15.
I give you ..
THE MIGHTY BRISBANE ROAR – Football
And the HOTEL FEATURE OF THE DAY for Tuesday Oct 27th is …
The AMPLE CUPBOARDS WITH AUTOMATIC INTERIOR MOOD LIGHTING!
Yes, they are all GUCCI t-shirts!
Nothing much else to report today except that we watched Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. Equal parts Shocking, Embarrassing, Hilarious, Insightful, Cruel and Ridiculous.
Cheers Michael
R.I.P. the budding ponytail. I coulda been Willy Nelson!
Well today was the BIG DAY – Covid-19 Testing Day!
All we were told was that we would be tested some time between 9 and 5. So after an early morning fresh air break from 8.30 to 9.OO we returned to our room and waited.
While we were there, we passed the time by, well … waiting.
The testers finally arrived in full protective gear at around 1.30pm and set up a chair outside our door for the procedure – which was one swab of the back of the mouth and then a cotton bud up each nostril for a count of five seconds.
Because I’m a gentleman (and just in case there was any chance of danger) I let Ard go first. We both survived. The whole thing was quick and a bit uncomfortable and unnerving but not too bad.
My main worry was that with my nose they might lose a cotton bud up there or perhaps dislodge some wayward piece of Lego lost from my childhood.
There was one negative consequence of having our Covid-19 test today.
No that’s not a convertible bra. That’s our face masks drying out after being washed.
And the reason they’re being washed is because we won’t need them again till we leave. And the reason for that is because after testing we now can’t leave the room at all even for a fresh air break.
That’s Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in TOTAL LOCKDOWN for us.
On the whole I think we’ll cope pretty well although Ard has started watching Shawshank Redemption on repeat and has just ordered a poster of Raquel Welsh and a rock hammer on eBay.
OK REGULAR FEATURES time!
First the QLD SPORTING TEAM CITYCAT OF THE DAY is …
THE MIGHTY BRISBANE HEAT – Twenty20 Cricket
And everybody’s favourite, the ROOM FEATURE OF THE DAY for Monday Oct 26th is …
THE APPRORIATELY ELEVATED BATHROOM TAP!
This fabulous faucet is today’s winner because as you can see by the above photos YOU CAN FIT A KETTLE EASILY UNDER IT for filling without the use of a crowbar or a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering. In other words it hasn’t been designed by some sadist.
And to finish off – I give you a MEAL with a VIEW.
Well it continues to be an action-packed roller-coaster ride of excitement here.
Last night for the AFL GRAND FINAL the Story Bridge was lit up in both Geelong and Richmond colours.
And would you believe, at the very moment I was trying to take the photos, a massive UFO landed on the river and I managed to catch it on film just before it shot vertically into the night sky and vanished with a super-sonic boom.
Probably not something you see every day.
Blue & White for the CATS
Black & Gold for the TIGERS
And while we’re speaking of the river, the QLD SPORTING TEAM CITYCAT OF THE DAY is …
THE MIGHTYQLD FIREBIRDS – NETBALL
Today Ard wisely decided against sewing the sheets together to fashion an escape rope which means that she now has finished all her sewing projects and is therefore at a bit of a loose end.
But the good news for me is it means that finally all her sewing patterns and equipment have disappeared from the CHAISE-LOUNGE/DIVAN/SOFA thingy and I can finally use it!
However …
And …
But all is not lost. I have got my name down on a waiting list and I’m really looking forward to hearing some good news maybe in the day or two.
Ok I can’t delay any longer. I’m worried the tension might become too great from some readers. So here it is – the HOTEL ROOM FEATURE OF THE DAY!
And today’s worthy recipient is …
Yes it’s the DOUBLE PLUG POINT/DOUBLE USB CHARGER COMBO. You can’t have too many charging ports and these beauties are sprinkled liberally around the room.
And finally just to finished off, congratulations to the Lady Broncos NRL team for their third Premiership win in a row and also to the Brisbane Marriott kitchen staff for yet another delicious daily menu.
Ok in the last blog I cleverly FORESHADOWED (devious writer’s trick) that today some BIG CHANGES WOULD BE HAPPENING.
And LOOK I wasn’t kidding – NEW SHEETS, TOWELS AND BATHROOM STUFF have arrived!
Now the thing is, even though we are staying at a 5 STAR hotel, the 5 STAR service stops just outside our door.
Which means of course that as far as Ard and I are concerned – WE MUST BE THE CHANGE WE NEED TO BE!
Why does ARD look far happier doing this chore than me?
Therefore not too surprisingly, my HOTEL FEATURE OF THE DAY for Saturday Oct 24th is …
OUR NEWLY MADE KING-SIZE BED.
And apparently, they tell me that now we’ve made our bed, we get to lie in it!
The only worrying side-light to all of this change-over activity is that Ard has now started sewing all the old sheets, pillow cases and towels together end to end.
I suppose I should point out to her that it’s a futile task since we’re 14 floors up and the one big window we have doesn’t even open, but hey, it’s keeping her happy and occupied so every piece of dirty laundry has a silver lining.
And while we’re on the subject of regular blog features, the QLD SPORTING TEAM CITYCAT OF THE DAY is …
The BRISBANE LIONS AFL Team.
Thought it was appropriate to feature the BRISBANE LIONS on this historic day in Australian sport when for the first time in the history of the Game (due to the pandemic) the Big Dance aka the AFL Grand Final will be played at the GABBA right here in Brisbane and not at the MCG in Melbourne. And to celebrate this great occasion, we’ve really turned on the Sunshine State weather for you!
Sadly the mighty Brisbane Lions fell at the semi-final hurdle and therefore possibly missed what could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to play a grand final in their home town. (But I wouldn’t advise whining about it to this year’s Brisbane Broncos NRL team!)
Now, anyone want a closer look at our meals? No? Well here’s today’s BREAKFAST anyway. Neither of us are much into pancakes and ice-cream for breakfast but it was still nice.
On our fresh air break today the walking course was limited to the undercover area around the pool because of the rain. Normally there’s a side section you can walk down as well.
We usually just walk for the whole half hour. In today’s walk, which as you can see was pretty deserted because of the wet weather, Ard managed to lap me consistently every five or six circuits of the pool.
I have no hard proof of course, but its pretty obvious that she’s a drug cheat.
And just to finish off, this photo was among the FACEBOOK MEMORIES that popped up on my page today.
Seems eerily appropriate somehow.
Cheers Michael
PS: The answers to yesterday’s inter-textual link films were (1) GROUNDHOG DAY (because of the lines from the Sonny and Cher song that plays every time Bill Murray wakes up) and (2) BLADE RUNNER (because of the bucket-list that mentions attack ships off the shoulder of Orion etc)
Michael Gerard Bauer Author 