It’s Grand Final Day and thanks to a Best Women’s birthday gift, it will be just like I’m watching it on the couch in Sydney.

I received the card telling me I had a parcel to collect at our post office. I wasn’t waiting on anything so I was very curious as to what it could be. I had to wait until Saturday before I could pick it up because the post office is always shut by the time I get home. They open until 1pm on Saturdays.

After going to the dog park, I grabbed my purse, the card and some spare shopping bags and made a run for the bus. To give you an indication of how excited I was that there was something waiting for me, I hadn’t even showered nor had breakfast.

I stood in a long queue of others who couldn’t collect their parcels during the week. Then it was my turn. It was a bright purple parcel and I was very keen to open it. But first, I needed to buy some milk. There’s been a huge milk scare because some people in China have been putting melamine in their milk before it reaches the dairy manufactures (I guess the cows are the producers). Apparently it makes it look like there’s extra protein. This can cause kidney stones and who knows what else so there’s been a huge backlash against a lot of Chinese products, milk being one of them. We always bought the Australian stuff anyway and now we were competing with others for it too. Friday there was none left and no UHT either. Saturday, there was a stash so I bought four cartons and headed home.

I put the parcel on a chair and prepared my breakfast. I ate staring at the parcel, trying to guess what was in it. I needed to eat because it was 12.30pm at this stage and I was starving. I was also feeling filthy after spending the morning in the dog park. I enjoy the anticipation of opening my present. Thanks to the return address, I already knew who it was from.

After my cereal, I carefully opened the box. I didn’t want to tear it because that just gives into temptation and lets the curiosity get the better of me too quickly. I’m pretty good at this whole delayed gratification bit – I’ve still got my eye on a handbag from six months ago. I’m waiting for it to go on sale which, given these uncertain times probably isn’t such a bad idea.

Inside the box was a birthday card, some Tim Tams and Mint Slice (yum), Haigs chocolates (yummmmm), Carefree tampons (an unusual gift to most, there’s a story behind this suffice to say they don’t have them here) and the best bits – Smiths Salt & Vinegar crinkle cut chips and the chip of the Grand Final, eaten as an entrée pre Four ‘n’ Twenty meat pies and during half time, washed down with some beer (we can get VB but I think it will be Asahi today), Cheezels.

Thanks!

* Thanks to Noiseworks for the title to this post. Jon Stevens sung it at the Finals where Melbourne should have done a ‘pants down lap’ after being kept to zero. Good job Manly – shame I tipped The Storm!

I lost our tipping competition this year so I owe our winner a barbeque (he’ll have to come to HK for it or wait until we all meet up in Sydney). If you’re interested in participating next year, leave a comment and I’ll invite you in when the time comes.