Village Bakery, Woodlands

category: TripsOut, author:

Agamedes

September 2010

We had a well-timed morning: A run in Kings Park which finished just before the first shower of rain. After lunch and the rain has settled in. No worries, we'll take the car.

Off to Bunnings, to look at options for an outside playpen for our otherwise indoors cat. (The previous cat ate one wild bird per day -- at least -- plus pet rabbits. This cat is strictly confined.) Purpose-built cages are ridiculously expensive and limited in shape. I visualise either chicken-wire laid in a circle, or shelving framework with mesh "walls".

The carpark is crowded. The obvious space holds a trailer -- visible only once it's too late to get back to the last empty space. Circle the block, try again. Temper frays.

Bunnings has shelving kits, packs of struts and shelves, easy to build. I pick one up, the box falls apart, shelf struts fall everywhere. Not going well so far.

We check other options: squares of mesh at too many dollars each, chicken-wire by the large roll. Go home and think about it, we decide.

Still, while we're there, we need some herb seedlings. Italian parsley and basil. Italian parsley looks like a weed to me -- to me, parsley should have curly leaves -- I have trouble spotting it on the shelves. No worries, that's why there are two of us.

Between the two of us, we cannot find any basil. Too early in Spring, perhaps. We'll come back in a few weeks and try again. So we leave Bunnings empty-handed.

Leaving the carpark is also a failure. Our plans to turn right are foiled by traffic. We settle for going straight on, heading for the small shopping centre by Jackadder Lake.

Driving through the narrow, winding suburban streets, a big 4WD roars up on us from behind. Sits on our tail. I slow down to a speed which feels safe. Oh dear, I seem to annoy the tailgater! Excellent :-)

Park at the shops -- Woodlands Village -- walk in. And the rain starts to pelt down. Good timing!

The shopping centre is crowded with after-school parents and children. Big kids, little kids, eating, playing, making noise. Lots of fun, entertainment while we shop :-) Time for coffee:

Village Bakery, Woodlands

Coffee and cake at the Village Bakery.

The Bakery is a kitchen, a counter in the main corridor, three small tables and a dozen or less chairs. I claim a table for two, we select a cherry ripe slice for cake.

Coffee is good, cake is a bit disappointing. Not bad, just not exciting... and one of us does not like the marzipan flavour. Ah well, no worries, we enjoy the experience.

As soon as we leave our table -- it is claimed by big kids in school uniforms. Our coffee experience includes children coming from school and needing food. Chips, mostly... Some of these "children" are taller than us, wearing their "2010 Leavers" jackets. Many of them are soaking wet -- the rain is still pelting down.

A minor observation which may or may not be generalisable: Several of the older boys are soaking wet; none of the older girls are even damp. Is this a subtle yet significant indicator of the different approaches to life of men and women? Or is it just a meaningless coincidence...

We also notice that school uniform skirts are short and tight and that dark stockings -- or possibly tights -- are a part of the uniform. The uniform may vary, depending on shape, size and attitude, we decide.

The rain has cleared, enough to get back to the car. And so we leave. To drive home again, through more pelting rain.

It's a wet old day. I hope that the farmers are happy. We are :-)

..o0o..

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