It's been sometime since I have written to The Maverick Spirit list... I have had a challenging year and sometimes the energy needed to stop and share my thoughts with you has ebbed away by the end of the day.

On my recent trips to New Zealand, Vanuatu, and the "Making the Secret Work" Tour with David Schirmer I have been encouraged to start writing the Spirit again.

Today was the day when I had set aside a couple of hours to get the motors running again.

I had a small time commitment, then I was going to "dash off a Spirit" message to you. But like they say in the classics, plans of mice and men... so, all things considered, I still decided to write and share my day with you.

I spent all day yesterday in the Perth Magistrates Court, waiting to be called as a witness in a case involving one of the owners in a Home Unit Complex where my daughter owns a unit.

I was commanded to be there at 9.30am along with what seemed like 100's of others. And the way the system works, the Court asks everyone to be there at 9.30, sees who is going to show up, and then allocates Courts to hear the matters. By 12 noon, the Police Prosecutor told me we were definitely on today... and it would be probably on before lunch. Well at 12.50 he says that I need to come back at 2.15pm and for sure we will get our "day in court."

At the duly requested 2.15pm, I return to Court and it looks promising for the case to be heard. At 2.30 the case is called and in anticipation I move towards the court room to get ready to give my evidence. At 2.45 pm the Prosector comes out and advises that because the case will take longer than an hour, and because he wants to finish at 3pm, it has been adjourned to February 14th, 2008.

Apart from my frustration I reflect on the four Police Officers who have sat around all day twiddling their thumbs - the Prosecutor - it was his only case for the day, the police officer who served the restraining order, the two police officers who arrested the pratt of a man. What would it have cost to have all that man power sitting around??

As I was leaving I was offered the slip to claim by witness money - $16 - but I thought it would probably take longer in the queue claiming it than what it was worth. I declined the offer.

And the offender has another nearly three months to terrorise the tenants of the home units in which he lives.

I think to myself "Is it any wonder that people take matters into their own hands..."