Day #917 - Arriving Dignitaries

The Aussies have landed!

History: Shirlee and Merril rayced with our solar car student teams through the center of Australia in the 1993 and 1996 World Solar Challenges. As native Outback Aussies, they were invaluable to the team. Shirlee is 4’ 9” of dynamite and many years of experience mixed into one caring and fun-filled package!

The plane departure was delayed by two hours, so thankfully Doc and I got a little extra sleep this morning. Of course Doc stopped at McDonalds before getting on the freeway. While he ordered, I hopped out of the van and did a SingSong, “Hey Penny Angels can you make it quick today? …” Within 60 seconds I had a penny at the nearby car wash bay. (Coin #1) Doc approached the McDonalds pay window, so I returned to the van and found Coin #2 in the rock planter. Doc collected his dime under the pay window. (Coin #3).

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Shirlee and Merril have had quite an ordeal trying to secure travel insurance for this trip (three visits to the doctor). The odds were not in their favor for being able to make this trip; there were many hurdles to overcome. The Penny Angels stepped in and provided a few miracles.

The Aussies said although they search regularly for coins, they have not found any in the past year. Today, before departing Australia at the airport in Melbourne, they found an American penny. That was a good omen. Plus, the coin was dated 1961 - the year of Merril’s and my birth! Nice little “COINcidence”. (Coin #4)

At the airport while we were waiting for our guests to clear Customs, we spoke with the guy next to us who was packing a huge camera. I asked him if he was paparazzo. He was! He was there to shoot an incoming Australian celebrity.

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This afternoon our guests unpacked and rested while Doc headed out to the jobsite. He wanted to water the dirt so things would be less dusty for our picnic tomorrow. Afterward he was thirsty, so he stopped for a cold beverage, plus a penny and a nickel (Coins # 5&6).

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This evening we took the Aussies for our regular Sunday 3-store shopping tour. This way they could experience the shopping and penny finding, which they have been reading about for years. They are quick learners. Merril collected a penny just outside Trader Joe’s (Coin #7).

At the third store Shirlee collected a penny as we walked in the door. Merril found a penny at the coin counting kiosk, then a dime under the real estate flyers. That one required a double knee dive. (Coins #8-10).

I plan to serve ANGEL food mini-cakes for tomorrow’s picnic. The first three stores did not have what I needed, so we made a quick additional stop. I ran inside the store. Nickel on the way in, penny when I was running to produce, two pennies at a closed self check out, one penny in another closed line, then a penny when I paid for my merchandise. (Coins #11-16)

Total: 16 Coins P (12), N (2), D (2), Q (0) = $0.42