Cousins

I went to breakfast with some of my cousins today. Dennis was over from NZ for some work thing and so we invited my Sydney cousins (the offspring of my dad's least favourite brother - sigh) - Barry-John, Alison and Alison's fiance Ryan for breakfast at Jago's.

Dennis is cool, Barry is weird (he turned up imperfectly shaved with a nose full of hair), Alison complains about everything and Ryan seems constantly indifferent. I do not need to say it was an awkward affair. It's time like that I wish my brother or sister were there as they're much better at navigating those types of situations. I'm quite content to avoid small talk for the sake of it.

Dennis and I then fought about the bill (I owe Ali and Ryan a meal from about a year ago but Dennis won because he said he also owed them and said he could get part of the bill reimbursed from work). Dennis then said he needed to see my parents on an errand on behalf of his parents so we parted ways with Ali and Ryan (who live in Pyrmont, on the other side of the bridge) and I took Barry and Dennis up to my office because I needed to get some stuff I'd left there last night*.

I let Dennis use the phone and then as I packed my stuff he gave a free appraisal of the building (he's an electrical engineer), where he said our temperature control gauge was in the wrong place (in full sun in a cupboard), giving an inaccurate reading for the optimum care of our communications hub. God knows how the hell I'm supposed to communicate this to the boss without revealing that I brought my cousins up to the office on the weekend.

Anyway, it turns out that Barry lives in Berry St, in the building that I can see from my window at work. Good lord. I also think he may have mild Asperger's for he is so very odd among people. The word 'gormless' comes to mind but I don't mean it to condescend.

After farewelling the two of them, I went to the library to pick up a few books (I was in a strange mood and picked 'The Cider House Rules', 'Touching the Void' and 'Dead Lucky') and dropped in at Vinnies and bought a long black skirt, which is much better than the one I bought on eBay that got caught on an edge the first time I wore it, rendering a hole that I've yet to sew up.

All right, enough babbling - I'm off to improve my website.

* Last night was (our deputy ed) Bec's farewell. I left my backpack in the office and took a handbag. We went to the Slip Inn where I had two champagnes and two white wines and where Nukte and I lost two games of pool to Camille and Danielle (only narrowly, mind). I then met up with Sir and Ass at the Lord Nelson and had two pints of beer (yes, two PINTS of beer). Ass' workmate Tom tried to steal my beer so I gave him the evil eye, then, coincidentally (or not?), he had to go. Then Anne (aka Annus Horribilus) came, followed by Lina - both Sir's friends.

We then decided to stop shouting at each other and instead get fish and chips (from Fish at The Rocks), which we ate down at Wharf 9. At some point I remember buying a king size bar of Crunch from the corner store and the store owner tried to convince me that it was bad for me. When it got cold we sought refuge in Firefly where I ordered a mocha and everyone else had tea. At about 11:30pm we were ushered out as they began to close up. Sir, Ass and I then managed to nab a taxi home. Success!