Judgement Day

The husbands were waiting at Carters Ridge and had started celebrating the end of the trip without us. Quite cheerful, they were.

I can't remember the exact name of the first category they had to judge, but it was something like Mystery Household Object.  Here are the contenders.  Jo was judged the winner for the thing on the right.  We had to do some serious online research to discover that it holds ziplock bags upright while you fill them.

Category Two was Quirky Souvenir item.  I had only found my entry on the last day, but it was worth waiting for, and I had high hopes.  Sure enough, the Leaning Mug of Pisa was the winner.

The third category, Longest Book Title, was somewhat contentious.  Jo won for Mulga Bill's Dinkum Aussie Guide to The Bible (and the Church), which had an eleven-word moniker.  It was only later (after Jo had left, clutching her trophy) that I realised that my Just Hand Over the Chocolate and No One Will Get Hurt also had eleven words. We might have had to invent some sort of tie-breaker activity, as there were no extra trophies.  We will need to plan for this in the future, if we have a category involving numbers.

The fourth prize was for Op Shop Bingo, newly introduced this year, and Jo was the winner here as well. I had found another trophy at Be Uplifted at Strathpine, but it needed a little customising, so that was the one I brought home.  The photo I have added was taken on Formal Night, in Miriam Vale, on our very first road trip.

After the ceremonies were over (no photos as John misbehaved) we toasted to the success of Road Trip Number Nine, and Jo headed home. Michael and I and Jan and John spent the rest of the evening partying together.

Over the five days, we visited 41 shops, which was a great effort, since Jan was not on her best form.  I bought 14 books, a packet of 27 postcards, one trophy, five jigsaws, one hat, one small bottle, six soaps, one hairspray, two small shampoo/conditioners, one face washer, one Tupperware sugar bowl, one handbag, two mains men's undies, two polos, one pair pyjamas, one mug, three pairs jeans/three-quarter pants, one pair shorts, four dresses, one silver spoon, two mystery objects, one pair reading glasses, three necklaces, one pair scissors, one ornament, seven tops and one pair of earrings, for a grand total outlay of $207.59.

Planning is already under way for trip number ten in 2023, so stay tuned.