Wednesday. I reluctantly climb out of bed for my morning shift, but end up writing a new scene for the lighthouse story that fully creeps me out. Which might be a first. I get to work and yet more things break. And then get fixed. The routine is really getting quite tiring by now.

What’s also tiring me out is not being able to find any frames for my nice movie posters. In desperation I reach out to a local framing shop to find out how much a custom frame would cost. They tell me a minimum of $150. I do not like that number, so I turn to gumtree to see what I might be able to salvage from the citizens of Perth. I find an ad offering two framed posters for just $20–I’m not bothered about the posters, but the frames easily look like they’d be large enough for my movie posters. I’m convinced they’ve got the measurements wrong, or that there’s some catch, but it’s not much of a gamble at $20, and the place as good as on the way home.

I manage to get there without getting lost, which is a miracle seeing as I’m venturing into new territory. On the drive down I watch the growing black clouds with apprehension. I arrive just as a light shower begins, but I quickly realise that Google has betrayed me and sent me to the wrong end of the street. I get back in the car, creep down the street, find the correct place, and park again. I just about have time to knock on the seller’s door and hand my cash over before the rain begins thundering down. It’s lucky I had the foresight to put the back seat down, but even in the ten feet between my car and the seller’s front door I get drenched, and my prized frames cop a sprinkling too. Nevertheless, I’m thrilled with my purchase–my first gumtree adventure–and can’t resist sneaking the occasional glimpse to the back seat as I drive home.

My luck continues later that evening: I file my tax return and find I’m in line for a handy $750 refund. Win!