‘It’s our local paper. I’m the editor-in-chief, also the copywriter, proofreader, printer and distributer.’ She chuckled. ‘It’s not the New York Times but it’ll give you an idea of what happens in our little town. It’s usually two dollars an issue, but this one’s on me.’

‘Thanks.’

‘No worries. It’s supposed to be fortnightly but since this little one came along … let’s just say it’s printed when it’s printed.’

This time I chuckled—it was impossible not to like Jedda and I couldn’t wait to read her paper.

‘Well, I’ll see you round,’ she said, waving Bindi’s little hand as she walked out of the store. ‘Bye Sam.’

‘Do you want boxes for this stuff?’ asked Sam as I started to load my items onto the checkout. ‘Or we have recycled bags but they’re three dollars each.’

‘Boxes would be great,’ I said, thinking of the zillion shopping bags that sat at the bottom of my pantry back home.

Sam retrieved a couple from behind the counter and started scanning my things.

‘Have you lived here long?’ I asked.

‘All my life.’ She sighed dramatically. Her enthusiasm for ‘the Point’ appeared to be drastically less than Jedda’s. ‘My parents own this dump. I finished school in Jurian last year and I’m only working here to save up for a plane ticket.’

‘That’s great. Where are you headed?’

‘LA,’ she said with an almost bored tone. ‘I’m going to be an actress.’

‘Wonderful.’ I tried to stifle my smile.

To my surprise, Sam helped me carry my boxes out to the wagon and then wished me luck with the cleaning. ‘Rather you than me,’ she said as I shut my boot.

‘Thanks. And good luck with your saving. I look forward to seeing you on the big screen one day,’ I said, then climbed into my car and drove the short distance back to the shack.

As I carried the first box inside, I was pleasantly surprised to find no wildlife in the kitchen (aside from the cockroaches but they might take longer to banish) and the stench significantly less. I couldn’t wait to start the detox.

After grabbing the last two boxes from the car, I sculled water from my drink bottle and then opened the back door and sucked in a breath. Due to the shock of the possum and mind-boggling amount of clutter, it totally slipped my mind earlier to check out the view.

‘Holy wow!’

Now this is more like it, Hayley. This was what I called a holiday destination.

To my surprise and delight the back porch was almost clutter free, save for a hammock hanging between the wall of the house and one of the verandah posts. Xiang must have spent more time out here than out the front. I’d always wanted a hammock, but Adrian believed they made a place look messy. Well, stuff you, hubby-o-mine, once I had the house a little in order, I could easily imagine rewarding myself at the end of a hard day, drinking a glass of wine and watching the sun go down over the ocean, which happened to be a mere fifty metres or so from the shack. Maybe I’d even read a book! Bliss.