Month: October 2021

Wednesday, 20th  AND Thursday 21st October. 2021

Sunny but wet from last night.

I got up before 6am for a farewell to Phil but he sneaked out.

Never mind. We shall return one day.

Look at that flash of colour! Look closer.

Rainbow Lorikeet? Now I was about to say, ‘look at this handsome chap.’ then I thought is it a ‘chap'(? ) so I google …

N.B.  Identical feathering and coloration make it impossible to discern a male lorikeet from a female. If you have a pair of the same age, the male will usually be slightly larger. The only way to tell with certainty is to have your veterinarian perform a DNA test using droppings or feathers.

DNA test? I don’t need to know that bad.

Then the thought occured … and I found out the obvious … You may know rainbow lorikeets, but what about all the other lorikeets?

So maybe this guy isn’t a Rainbow Lorikeet.

On this, the last day, Anne spotted and photographed (this is her photo.) the vegetable garden digger we have heard about.

Phil’s hacienda. Very comfortable.

On – on as the Hasher’s say.

Lots of roadwork … or signs purporting to do so. I also noticed here and subsequent sites later today that there where lots of ‘civilian’ vehicles being used. SUBCONTRACTORS which may explain the stupid run in I had with them. See below later. No pics. ( I wish I had photos.)

So this guy on the left has what appears to be his own car there and the back is opened. That I assume is for the three witches hats on the right. No work. Just him admiring his installation of said hats. How proud he must be.

On to Goomeri . A pie, a coffee and under a sign reminding me to make the most of my rapidly diminishing life.

I thought, Well I am! I’m having a coffee and a meat pie! If I am hungry, need some protein and I am a little bit tired while driving, these are the two ideal items to be consuming. Twats! In-fact …. take that damn sign down! I know what’s best for me. Just put it up when you see a stupid person coming in.

Goomeri

N.B. Goomeri, a rural town in the former Kilkivan Shire, is 60 km west of Gympie and 180 km north-west of central Brisbane. It is thought that the name derives from an Aboriginal word describing a fighting shield. … Typical of larger country towns, a retail emporium was built near the railway station.

This was the shop with the sign.

On to Meet Fred K at Broadwater Camping Reserve which is basically a rural green and wooded field next to a large creek. A nice place. However first the stupid run in with the stupid road workers.

We are looking for this sign …..

… and we know we are close. But we come to road/line marking. There is a marker mobile machine doing the left side line right on the edge of the road. Heaps of space on the road. It is a relatively small machine and he is hugging the left very edge.

There is another vehicle stopped in front of us and pulled over with ‘Go Slow’ on the back. I see only the side line is being done and assume I can go slow, as indicated . So I slowly pull out to overtake. I barely move out, maybe 2 metres and the driver starts waving his arm out the drivers side window. So I back back and he comes charging at me. He says,  ‘I told you to stop when I waved my arm!’

I said,  ‘The sign indicated go slow. If you wanted me to stop you should have had a sign that said STOP. You only waved your arm when I started to move and I did stop.’ It went on from there.  In all the Hoo-Ha we over shoot our turn off by about 5 metres. So I attempt to back up.

Now, it is a very quiet road and a quiet day at that. There are only 5 vehicles on the road and had been for the whole performance. The line marker who is oblivious of the fracas, the ‘s**t for brains’ noisy one who I have assessed is an inexperienced sub-contractor, then us in the middle, then behind me a farmer with a hay bail in his ute and then an official/real female road worker I.D.’d by her vehicle. They are back about 7 metres from me so I reverse  to get back to my right turn just 5 paces back. Farmer Jim pulls up along side me and gives me a loud and boisterous serve suggesting I will kill people and I am  dangerous.  I let him finish then he drove off. He was well pleased with himself I am sure. Then up comes ‘Madam Lash’ and gives me a serve as well, including a threat to call the Police. I didn’t have a chance to say, ‘Call them and make sure s**t for brains is there because he caused all this.

The problem is anyone who is basically servient but with just a tiny bit of power, hangs out for the chance to use that little bit of power and when they do, they brandish it like a sword. That’s her. He was just stupid.

Anyway, we take our turn down a dirt but sealed road, open a gate and let ourselves into the field. It has a few mud pits. but Fred appears to show us the way. I had to ask if it was Fred because I have never seen him. He guides us to his site.

Well here. History. Fred and I first talked on the phone about 2001 when I think he wanted to place an advert for work in the current paper I was sort of managing. We just happened to stay in touch over the twenty years. Neither of us had laid eyes on each other for that period. We were effectively, ‘pen pals’ to use the a old, old term.

Here is where we set up.

If you squint you will see a rainbow about in the middle of the photo growing out of the tree closest to the middle and leaning slightly right.

A camp fire on a moon lit night …

Steaks on the hot plate, potatoes in aluminium foil in the fire, salad, red wine and dare I say, ‘Ah ….. The serenity.’

Thursday 21st October. 2021

I stick my head out at 6.30am and see the mist or fog.  Google …

N.B. Fog and mist differ by how far you can see through them. … Fog is when you can see less than 1,000 meters away, and if you can see further than 1,000 metres, we call it mist.

That’s less than a kilometre so it’s fog.

Fred warned us there were a lot of ‘Weaners’ around and here they come.

N.B. Weaner: A young animal that has been weaned from its mother’s milk to live completely on pasture. (See ‘vealer’). Weaning: Separating calves from their dams so that the offspring can no longer suckle.

Fred demos to Anne how harmless they are.

It was a good meeting. Great to finally get together.

A few of Fred’s handy bush tools. Time’s up and now to turn and start the push to Adelaide. We have a couple of reasons for a push home now, right back through Three Ways. However, later when the covid thing mellows and NSW opens up, it will be a relatively short hop to return  here.

Shut the gate and we are off.

Schmick house on the way out.

On -on.

Kingaroy. Shopping, empty toilet cassette, a coffee and toasted sandwich and a new GPS. Yes that rotten bitch of a thing we cursed and screamed at gave up. Anne instantly missed her.

At the Carvery Cafe I am given the licence to kill.

Now I said we had a toasted sandwich. This is it. A ham and cheese toasted sandwich. That one thin stain in the middle I have identified to be in fact not a stain but a very, very thin slice of ham. It had to be cut with an electric slicer. No human  hand held knife could have cut it that thin.

I described it as just the cutest little sandwich I have ever seen.

Then to ‘The Little Butcher,’ named as such. He wasn’t that small but he did have Dry Aged Meats. People buy cuts and leave them there to mature. Apparently the drying out intensifies the flavour. You just cook it as per normal and the flavour is much better. We will find out. We bought a steak for $26 and big enough to cut in halves. We shall see.

They’ve all got names on them. They are owned by customers and being aged by the butcher.

While waiting for your spouse, do you waste time or study? There was a botox sign on the wall. I didn’t know there were different parts of lips. (?)

Cupids bow?

The new GPS. As yet, not named.

We aimed for Chinchilla but only made it to Jandowae.

Showgrounds, $15 for power, water toilets and showers.  Plenty of space, about 80 sites, volunteer ran and only 4 of us here. Utopia.

For the first time in quite a while, we get the chairs out and sit outside the van. Very tired tonight. I got seafood mix from the Woolworth’s Deli and was going to do a pasta Marinara. We decide just to do eggs on toast. Of course Anne’s serious Gin and Soda may have helped the decision. It didn’t matter. Oh. This is how tired I was. Two small glasses of red only. Cast Away movie is on but I am going to bed.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz              zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz             zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Tuesday, 19th October 2021.

Supposed to be as per yesterday. Rain and thunder. However, sun and the tiniest little breeze. I checked the Willy Weather and it STILL says crap weather. We shall wait and we shall see.

A few odd jobs but around 11.30am, off to Rainbow Beach.

Thar sign says ‘Don’t overtake of bridge.’ Anyone trying to overtake on this narrow spot on a dirt road would be a madman. It should say, ‘All MAD people, stop here.’

Rainbow Beach, 60kph.

Surf Lifesaving Club. Anyone can enter. No membership or sign in except for the covid QR of course.

Sunny spot. Ocean views, if we look over our shoulders.

Most meals the usual between $20 and $30 plus steaks at $30 plus. However, two specials. This crumbed fish pieces (about 6 pieces each) with chips and salad or Chicken Schnitzel with sames extras. Fish, TWO meals for $20 and Chicken TWO meals for $22. Two fish please. That’s us. Ten Bucks Each!

From outside, that’s the corner where we were sitting.

Walk down the stairs to the beach, I notice someone is having a crack at growing tomatoes. Not the most hospitable spot. Sand and wind. Good luck. You’ll need it.

Nice big beach and patrolled with flags.

SLSC from the beach.

My mate DBW wanted to learn to surf. He should have come here.

The Rainbow was here long before the Gays adopted it.

My favourite spot for next time.

Down the main street.

I always had trouble picking between  FB or EK

N.B. Google! The EK’s red plastic grille badge is a giveaway, as are the over-riders: on an FB they sit on top of the bumper, while on an EK they extend to the bottom. The grille design is also different, with the EK’s indicator/parkers spaced more widely apart and built into the upper grille bar .

So now finally after all these years and thanks to google, and I know the difference, and I quote …’The EK’s red plastic grille badge is a giveaway, ‘ … and … ‘… over-riders ….  on an EK …..  extend to the bottom.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, (Dogs and Cats ?) this is an EK!

I didn’t get the reason for the name but it had good coffee. (and a free freckle)

Shouldn’t it be …. living IN or AT…..  Rainbow Beach?

Down to the Ferry landing spot and it’s sandy entrance.

Not clear but a sandy bog to get to the ferry. I shot most of here with the big camera. If I have time I will down load it.

On the way home back down the dirt road again. I am fascinated by the pine forests with all growth just at the top.

Home. A bit of photography outside, mainly Roos and Kookaburra’s,

This is mother on right feeding daughter on left.

Does this look comfortable?

….then serious food time. Anne whips up a spinach and cheese fritatta. Marvellous and using Jan’s spinach all the way from Pialba in Hervey Bay.

The glow of success…

…and the smiles of satisfaction after.

This was the farewell meal as we are off tomorrow. Thanks Phil for a great few days. It was appreciated and we had a great time. As you are leaving at 6am, please knock on the van door for a fair-thee-well.

Willy weather was right. It P*******ed down with the full lightening and thunder and teeming rain show. Going to the van was a muddy trip and the two small windows still open managed to let quite a bit of rain in. Bugger.

Short clean up. Bed.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz                 zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz                zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Monday, 18th, October 2021.

It happens that Anne wakes up unexpectedly (and temporarily) early so grabs a couple of quick shots.

This is a rare view of pre 6.30am car and van.

… together with ramp from ground level running onto balcony of the house.

..and another with a bit more light AND a bonus strelitzia. (previously photographed. You my recognise it?)

A lone bird watches others awaken.  Either that or it’s still asleep itself.

I get up about 6.30am. A whee bit overcast pre 7am but now 8.30am ‘mostly cloudy with sunny break-thoughs from time to time. Nope. Now pouring. Irrespective Phil is taking us to Gympie to be tourists.

Abandoned car. We should have been collecting them.

Slightly surprised wife over my bald head and seat. Maybe I should have cropped my head but it’s nice to have your photo taken from time to time.

Fab old pub.

Vespa cafe. It apparently had a Vespa on display.

I couldn’t agree more. Having said that, could have added beer and wine.

You probably can’t make out the intricate carving.

I’ll crop it a bit.

See?

Delicious.

Top coffee.

and toasted sandwiches.

…. and Hippeastrum Hybrid …

… and flash coffee machine….

… and Webber BBQ’s as light fittings …

… and interesting memorabilia … and where at?

At Soma Soma which is not Sama Sama which means ‘You’re welcome’ in Indonesian, but generally means ‘Magic Elixir’ which is THE COFFEE!

Nice place.

Soma Soma is very near the grand old train station which still operates. Mainly for Terry’s. (Tourists). A nick name I call them … Terry Tourists.

I used to call them Terrorists until terrorists came into their own stark and terrifying reality. Then referring to tourists as that became unwise. People get a little jumpy with words like terrorist, bomb, knife and gun.

Weigh Bridge. I think it might still work.

An old ‘cow catcher’ off the front of a train.

A rail spike hinged and used as paper weight for napkins. How clever.

Not just verandah supports but metal artwork.

It’s not really 7.30am. I remember the positive attitude saying, ‘Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.’

Lake Alford with about 20 or 30 species of birds and hundreds of them. Some migrating, some nesting and some full time residents.

Anne, about to make a hasty retreat as she believes this swan is about to charge. She may be right.

Birds, birds and more birds.

An Ibis, also known as ‘Bin Chickens.’

There was one bird that ‘s hair feathers turn yellow when they are in mating mode. That is all dressed up and ready to go. However, I think these are just chicks.

This handsome guy, or pretty gal is taking a bold stance.

Self adoration.

Cygnets. Hay! Hear that? I knew one.  N.B.  cygnet   /ˈsɪɡnɪt/   noun   plural noun: cygnets   a young swan. (and they were with swans. I said to Anne , leave them alone. If we approach, we will either disrupt them or they will ‘disrupt’ us.

I don’t know what this bird is but I wonder if it knows it has that on the back of its head.

It’s got to be some kind of Turkey with all that red stuff over it’s head. My guess only.

Mt Pleasant Hotel? There’s one in South Australia as well. Just googled it. Queensland, SA and NSW.

Dickabram Bridge. Built in the late 1800’s. There are four main round, metal columns which were filled with concrete. One worker and his wheel barrow went missing but no one noticed and just kept filling the columns. Later reality dawned on them but it was too late to do anything, so he is still in there. The story goes that when people are fishing there at night there is often heard a ‘tap tap tap’ and some moaning. Hence it has come to be locally accepted that it is now haunted and the noises are made by the ghost of the deceased trying to get out. Hmmm.

There is also a free camp adjacent but having told the story, how many would camp there?

There are the four steel columns. There is a similar situation with the Bridge at Murray Bridge in South Australia except no ghost story. Just one worker fell in and he is still in there.

The story of the bridge.

It’s wet and getting cold but she is still smiling.

Now on to the Theebine Hotel, built in 1909 and a great old pub. Only about 10 minutes from the haunted bridge and they have camping out the back. Perhaps a better alternative to the free camp at the bridge. Then again, I don’t know ghosts very well. Would they travel 10 minutes to spook a pub? Well that’s 10 minutes in a car. probably about a 40 minute walk. A ghost must have a lot of time on their hands. They probably wouldn’t mind a change of scenery and pop down the pub for a quick haunt. Hang on. It was tapping and moaning back at the bridge. No. Pub’s safe. The ghost is stuck in the column. Enough. Onto the pub.

Oh look. More shameless self adoration.

A bit soggy for the beer garden.

Old memories.

Dinning room.

Time to go home. The welcoming committee is forming.

Can you see the first arrival? I’ll zoom.

Here he is.

I just noticed a meaningful notice by our host Phil.

Deep. I agree.

A BBQ tonight. the usual libations and a movie. 1990 Cadillac Man staring the late and great Robin Williams. Bless him. Bed ….

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz              zzzzzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The late and great Robin Williams. Damn shame. Have  look.

Sunday, 17th October 2021

A cool morning evolves into a perfect morning.

Had to go back to bed for 20 minutes to warm the laptop. Yes. If it’s TOO cold it will rattle and make a din but not start. It has to be warmed. To save starting the diesel heater to blow hot air on it, we take it to bed and cuddle it warm.  So what’s so unusual about that?

Late rise and a look around. A few Roos or maybe Wallabies.

That’s where we live.

Lazy chat-chat morning on the house balcony.

Nice ‘nibbles’ type lunch. Stilton, Meredith Farm goat cheese, Maggie Beers Pheasant Farm Pate,  Pepperoni, sliced home grown  tomato courtesy of our lovely Hervey Bay mate, Jan B, Beetroot home processed by kitchen genius mate Leigh B in Darwin,. Avocado, crackers, toast with olive oil and …. ? I think that’s about it. Quite a lot really.

An afternoon snooze. Then a walk. About  30 mins.

Wallaby.

Another Wallaby.

State forest adjacent.

Is that old. Or OLD old?

Ups and downs. This is a down.

Now, this is for your education.

I think these used to be called black boys, but now they are grass trees.

Take note.

Another down.

House from under side.

I can never remember the name of these things. Hip…..? I cheated and googled again. I think they are Hippeastrum Hybrids.

Green chicken curry. Well done again AG.

New Movie. ‘Jason Bourne’, made in 2016. Forgot I had seen it. Derrr.

Van, Shower, ….

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz              zzzzzzzzzzzzzz              zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

A funny…. Three in fact. I think the tea one is a repeat.

Saturday, 16th October 2021.

Sunny again. Maybe I just imagined the rain yesterday.

Morning of departure.. A fruit whizz.

These are not the problem magpies. The problem ones are the stalkers after the food in the back yard. The food that we are eating. Having said that, there are heaps of them. You cant squint enough to see all the ones in this photo. Peripheral and behind times three.   Also, they are not human shy. You can get to within 1.5 metres from them and they will walk sideways out of the way and give you a dirty look over their shoulder.

I have discovered that my fly gun is good for discouraging magpies as well as flies. What is a fly gun? I was going to post photos of it but Anne has put it in a safe place. Very safe. Well safe from me anyway. When I asked , ‘Where did you put it?’, she gave me an abrupt if not moderately peeved, ‘In one of the doors!’ OK. Caravans are not that big but do you know how many doors there are? I count 20 without turning my head.  I’ll show you, perhaps next posting.

It’s never goodbye. It is only ever ‘See you later.’ Contact from Jan later on said Chilli the wonder dog sits looking out the window to where the van was, looking for us. We already miss Jan and Chilli and … Well Twiggy and Harry are fine cats but I have found about the best you can hope for, from a cat is acceptance  and we had that, so that’s good. See you later, when the covid ‘thing’ lifts and we can short cut across through NSW.

Not for but coffee fix needed. We see a sign at Tiaro. Interesting little town, most importantly for it’s little Retro Cafe. Cool counter.

With cool seats and tables made out of old metal barrels. This one made from an  Indonesian drum of all things.

Shady.

Banners, posters, photos and old memorabilia.

Airline bags

In case you can’t squint enough, across Malcolm Fraser’s head is emblazoned, ‘Crazed Farmer’ with an ‘Australian Democrats’ badge.

Here is a JFK promo poster declaring he will be the next President.

I googled. He was inaugurated 20th January 1961.

As I understand it, he started the arms race with the Russians. Shortly after his inauguration, in February 1961, he authorized the invasion plan for the Bay of Pigs in Cuba which was a costly flop. So then the soviets decided to send missiles to Cuba, perhaps due to the Bay of Pigs attempted invasion?  The USA  managed to pull that up, luckily. He meets with Khrushchev which was a flop. Shortly after the meeting, the Russians build the Berlin wall.  In the mean time he is committed to spending buckets on the space race and all the time a rampant womaniser, so they say.

He was assassinated 22nd November 1963, after only 2 years and 10 months in office. And he is held in high regard. (?)

Golden old posters.

Jamie Redfern …

… and his ‘Uncle Li.’ (!!?) (I saw him interviewed after his trip to meet Liberace  and he said Liberace asked him to call him that.)

… and well known in his time, Mr ‘Why are People so Unkind’ Kamahl.

There is something worth dying for.

Even more worth ….

You can never have too many Mix Masters.

Or spiffy phones.

They should have called her, ‘The Rake’ as in skinny as.

Serious butch RV.

Bike club outing.

A Leyland P76. People used to buy them on purpose.

They used to call them wedges.

The nice lady was just getting out of it and I said, ’69 model?’ She said , ‘Yes’. We got it for just $29,000 eight years ago.’ I said ‘It would have been a steal back then for that.’ She agreed and said the seller just wanted it to go to someone who would look after it.

I would have slept with it. Caressed it. Told it I loved it. I would have tucked it in at night and made sure it was comfortable and it would have been the sole beneficiary in my will. I would have married it.

Anne with a Morris Minor 1000. I can remember when people bought these as the family car.

Oldsmobile. all that’s missing is the Tommy gun and Al Capone.

Ford. Here’s one for my mate DPM.

The lady with the 69 stang above may have know her Fords but she didn’t know her Chryslers. She pointed to this white gem and called it an R type. I said I thought it was an S type but she said, ‘No. Look at the R in the number plate.’ The first Valiant in 1962 was an ‘R’ type and was easily recognised by its false wheel imprint on the boot lid. The second, ‘S’ type lost the wheel print and had a chrome insignia.

Copy and paste this link to see all about the R and S type Valiants.

https://www.whichcar.com.au/features/chrysler-valiant-history-r-series-s-series

Definitely ‘S‘ type

I think the lady got sucked in by the R on the plate. I think the plate  stands for Queensland R and S type Valiants of which both came out in 1962.

Here is a curiosity. What do you translate the line in the bottom of the number plate. I read it as this. N.B. The letters in bold are questionable.

“Eeeyaglimbfasplmatftzz!”

Is it like a heavy old Scottish accent? As in …

“Eee ya glimb fasp lmat ftzz!” ftzz as in foot or feet?

This an Morris Garage or MG.

Beetle. An oldie with the small oval rear window. I think they came out without a fuel gauge.  little inconvenient.

Indian. ‘Cost much wampum.’

N.B.  wampum    /ˈwɒmpəm/    noun    HISTORICAL

If I read the sticker correctly, it’s a Triumph, Speedmaster, Bonneville.

Took the pub sign to remember the name of the town.

We always attend the war memorials of small towns, in respect for those brave young people who paid the ultimate price.

“So, forever let it be thus,

we will care for those who dare,

place themselves in harm’s way for us”.

‘Lest we forget.’

We arrive at Phil M’s  early/mid afternoon. Great place. 1.5 acres.  Nice house, big shed and ‘bikes.’

Seen leaving.

A couple of beers, we have CCC as a pasta sauce, a few reds a long, long chat then to the van for R & R and …

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz              zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz               zzzzzzzzzzzzz

N.B. CCC  Chili Con Carne.

Friday, 15th October 2021.

Absolutely p*ssing down by 8.30am. We were going to do a serious wash.  By 10am, we were washed and now we are looking for a laundromat and it’s dryers.

I didn’t know they made 5 star laundromats.

I leave Anne with the drying and go for a hair cut. Only 5 in front of me. One young chap gets a phone call and leaves. Thank you. Only four in front. I text Anne to say ‘I am next’ and she replies with ‘I am finished.’ Go to a bakery says I. Coffee and tasty things.

I ponder this sign and question my grammar. I don’t know if they are right with ‘…. staff is …’ or it should be  ‘… staff are …’

I look at the damage list and believe I fall in  the category, ‘Pension Buzz … $19’

Action stations. There are three. My destiny is right and out of sight. Well at least I’m ‘right’ for a change.

So Anne has crossed the road up her end of town about 5 minutes away and I have just finished AND the rain is biblical. This is way past ‘p*ssing down.’ This is wrath of god stuff.

N.B.  Wrath of God (Latin:Ira Dei) may refer to: Suffering construed as divine retribution. Operation Wrath of God, an Israeli covert operation. The Wrath of God, a 1972 Western film. Aguirre, the Wrath of God, a 1972 epic historical drama film.

I meant the first one. The other stuff’s nice to know though.

I try to ring an ‘Ola’ which is a poor mans Uber but no luck. That is until the rain suddenly stops. Well that’s luck. Isn’t it? God must be happy again.

Laundry and hair cut done. Onto shopping. Woollies done. More rain so we got to talk to a lady who was originally from Adelaide but is now in Queensland. My, how interesting.  After 30 seconds, my guess is Rose Park but it could have been Unley.

Then onto real shopping. DAN MURPHY’S! Have a look at these guys. Crystal Head Aurora. Vodka. Product of Canada. Produit du Canada. 700ml.  Alc 40%vol.

Just a whee bit macabre thou thinketh.  N.B.   macabre    /məˈkɑːbr(ə)/    adjective    disturbing because concerned with or causing a fear of death.    “a macabre series of murders”    Similar:  gruesome  grisly  grim  gory  morbid  ghastly  unearthly  lurid. What say ye?

While we are on  ‘unusual’ drinks how about this? Hippocampus Vodka. Metropolitan distillery.

N.B. 1  Hippocampus Vodka is a local craft spirit that has recently come on to the Australian market. The vodka is produced at Hippocampus Metropolitan Distillery in Perth, Western Australia, an urban distillery located opposite the old Perth Metropolitan Markets.

BUT ….

N.B. 2    hippocampus    /ˌhɪpə(ʊ)ˈkampəs/    noun    ANATOMY    the elongated ridges on the floor of each lateral ventricle of the brain, thought to be the centre of emotion, memory, and the autonomic nervous system.

Huh?   And …

Hippocampus is a complex brain structure embedded deep into temporal lobe. It has a major role in learning and memory. It is a plastic and vulnerable structure that gets damaged by a variety of stimuli. Studies have shown that it also gets affected in a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Western Australia you say?

And the logo? My best guess is a well dressed seahorse? So ….? I’m sure they think they are very clever.

For old time sake (East Timor. Home for 18 years), we ponder all the Portuguese wines, in particular the PORTS. You can call these Ports because they are Ports from PORTugal.

And now to reimburse our spending we shall cash in my aluminium cans. They are very specific here about what they will accept. I think that’s why the guy gave a gasp when I presented him with my cache of carefully stamped on cans. They took them anyway.

I was a little bit disappointed to see the young lady take out her calculator to work out how much I should get for 76 cans at 10 cents each. We both got the same answer. I got it when she wrote down 76  on a bit of paper. She got it  about thirty seconds later. Bloody youth  of today. If she gets a flat battery in her calculator, she has to stop work.

And you thought it was easy?

Diesel then home.

Tonight we do Pizza’s! ‘Mr Pizza’ Leigh Biggs in Darwin makes damn good Pizza’s and was nice enough to show us his secret formula. I am not going to be so generous, as a show of respect for our culinary whizz kid. However, I will  share that he says this is the best sauce to use.

Results? the wrong background to present. Suffice to say we were all well pleased with the result. Thanks Leigh.

N.B. Notice our new Pizza cutter, first time used. We spotted it in Tully, identified it as the same as the Deegs Duo have and bought it on the basis they always think about things before they buy so we didn’t have to check it out. They had one so it must be good. Is that cheating? No. Just good sense.

This of course is all washed down with red wine, as Pizza is Italian. I am pretty sure it is illegal in Italy to NOT drink red wine with Italian food.

A film and as soon as we see the list it jumped out at us. (me)

The BEST Die Hard they made. The third one. Die Hard with a Vengeance. Action from start to finish with twists and turns. GOOD film. Bruce’s third DH film and he still has hair.

enough.

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Thursday, 14th October 2021.

Overcast. Now raining. Winter? What’s that?

Today, confirm all is good at the shipping containers. DONE OK.

I will call further south next short stop.  DONE . OK for Saturday.

Maybe a call from the windscreen people? They confirm if it is wet cannot do till dry and clean. So later on.

N.B. Now, just for a moment some info. I have not done any ‘origin of town/area names’ for a while . So ….

‘When Captain James Cook rounded Sandy Cape in 1770 and found what is now Fraser Island, he initially concluded it was part of the mainland. Cook named the area “Hervey’s Bay” after Augustus Hervey, at that time Britain’s First Lord of the Admiralty.’

These days that’s called ‘sucking up’ by the way.

Now, we decide to let Jan make us tourists again, so we are off to Burrum Heads, just 20 mind up, more or less north.

However, my aluminium can box is full. So, on the way is Cleanaway which came up as the closest recycle place to us when I googled recycle.  I tried to phone from the google enquiry number and got the message, either wrong number or phone not connected. I wanted to talk to them first because some places recycle but have limitations and only a few places cash aluminium cans. So looks like we will have to drop in.

Ladies wait in the car, I enter but while doing so I notice a different phone number on the front. There is a lady, past her prime on the solo reception who asks me what I want. That’s fair enough. That’s what I would have asked as well. Except she did it like I had phoned her at home after hours while she was putting medication on the cats boil.

(N.B. Overview. “Furuncle” is another word for a “boil.” Boils are bacterial infections of hair follicles that also involve the surrounding tissue.)

As soon as I mentioned cash for cans, ‘Oh no. We don’t do that. A place around the corner takes them but doesn’t pay. There may be a place closer to town near the airport. U Can Recycle or something like that. Not here, no, no.’ I got the message.

Door opened and foot out the door I say, ‘By the way, your phone doesn’t work when I googled you.’ Oh yest it does.’ ‘Well when I googled, that number didn’t work. ‘ ‘Yes it does. The number is on the front of the building.’ ‘Yes I noticed that but it is not the same as the one when you google.’ ‘We get lots of phone calls. The number on the building is advertised all over Australia. We get lots of phone calls.’ ‘I’m sure you do but the one that comes up from a google enquiry  doesn’t work.’ ‘We get calls all the time.’ ‘Yes, but I think you are missing the point. If someone wants to do business with you but does NOT have your number so GOOGLES your name, they cannot get through. That different number doesn’t work. Perhaps you should tell your boss so you can get that business which you may be MISSING out on now’. ‘No the phone works fine. It rings all the time.’ ‘ ….. (?!) … OK. Have a nice day.’ Stupid, stupid (stupid) woman.

That’s it for recycling today. On to Burrum Heads and what a nice tidy little place it is. A sort of subdued spectacular. Focal point, seaside of course. Several parking and launching places along the foreshore. This one’s a little gem.

The ladies.

The ladies closer.

A fisher person with bike and pelican observers.

The locals have taken a particular interest in this spot and decorated stones with text and pictures.

They have also stuck a photo of Edgar from the original Men in Black. In the movie, a giant cockroach alien has skinned a farmer called ‘Edgar’ and dressed in his skin as a disguise. Some local here has used it to play up the covid vaccine.  Ignore the principle and look for the humour.

This is a generic photo of what’s on the tree …..

… with the caption, ‘Waiting in line for the 56th booster shot to stop the 89th variant that comes with the 23rd wave.’

… and for the analyticals who haven’t see Men in Black but want to know what I mean ……

They have also put up all sorts of funnies and ‘tongue in cheek’ amusements.

This one I am sure was one of Rodney Dangerfield’s.

It says 4 out of 3 people have trouble with fractions.

This one is a bit rude but so true. Can’t read it?

‘All of you who are panic buying, make sure you stock up on condoms, so you don’t breed anymore f*****g idiots.’

I heard this on the radio an about 1972. I don’t know where it has been and what it has been doing since then.

… and they chose a knobbly bit and painted it into a crocodile. Well done.

… and a face.

The beach wardens.

Us loitering.

Black rocks.

… lots with cockle and oyster shells on them.

You can’t see it. This is a ‘thong’ tree.

This little house name says ‘Linga Longa’.

The only other time I have ever seen it is when we used to holiday every Christmas as a family when I was a kid, at Stansbury on the Yorke Peninsular. It was a house on the foreshore.

Houses.

Nice houses.

Lots of sea front.

Now the one and only pub for lunch.  Perhaps I should be here (see sign) but we sat elsewhere.

Pub on departure. They all came out to wave us goodbye.

Mustang. 68 or 69 I think. There is a god.

Home. A big cook up of Chili Con Carne and a nice feed with lots of left over for freezing and pulling out down the track.

Another early night without even a movie!!

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No movie? Well a funny then. These were on facebook recently.

Wednesday, 13th October 2021.

Sunny day.

Shock of shocks.  A windscreen person actually phones us back. ‘Lyn’ calls. We don’t know her. She sounds like neither of the two we called.

We can come Monday?

We won’t be here.

You can try XYZ Company.

We called them already.

Turns out the two we called work together in a sort of reciprocating arrangement and Lyn owns one of them.  Anyway they will call tomorrow for a possible Friday visit.

Now … we have not seen Marcia and Dave since about March or April 2019. We had just got the van and car and were in Levi Park Van Park in Adelaide.

They were passing through and dropped in. M & D are masters at travelling Australia. They left East Timor a few years before we did and bought ‘Harvey the RV’ and toured for I think 3 to 5 years. That range is because they have picked up work and without the full story, I will just sum it up like this.

So now they have traded Harvey for a RAM and a very ‘spiffy’ off-road van with sink cooker and fridge inside and outside.

They have also temporarily pulled up travelling and bought  a house. It is perched atop a hill. You can’t see a thing but the gate from the outside and the word ‘security’ comes to mind. I asked, ‘When did you join the Mafia?’ No. They haven’t. They just wanted security and privacy and they have got them both.

We chat and lunch on the balcony of this unique residence, with it’s own infinity pool and spectacular sweeping views.

Cute little Lily has had her own notoriety as in their blog, ‘Touring Oz with Lily’ (or similar) however the little lovely is dozing as she has been a bit crook and has been sedated. By the way, the little soldier is 18 years old in human terms which is 126 in doggy terms. I’d say she is probably doing better than me in my  human 70 years.

Out the front door.

Generally from front door to balcony.

Up, up, UP from the front door to the front gate.

Front door. I mentioned it a few times so I thought I had better show it.

Adjacent, trailer, caravan, car, visitors car park.

Damn nice sloping garden a la tropical. (the white blob at the top is a boat. Up here if you are near the water many/most people have them)

M & D and part of the fab view. It really is a perfect spot.

Hosts and visitors. Great to chat old and new times. The quickest 4.5 hours we  have spent for a while.

N.B. Blew into the breath gadget …. Two beers, one and a half (call it two) wines in said time. 0.00. Thanks guys for a great afternoon. catching up was so good.

N.B. 2 Notice Dave’s blatant promo of ‘Shimano.’ Obviously on the payroll but, he didn’t give us any samples though.

Down the hill and I click this in a hurry in bad/glarey light. What is it?

This is the best I can do with adjustments.  It’s a full sized horse statue with a dog on it’s back with a cat on the dogs back and I can’t work out what is above the cat. It would have been worth stopping I guess.

Long slow hill. A few of them here.

Back to the inviting psychological warmth of host Jan’s house and her companionship, together with bonus entertainment and friends, Chilli the wonder dog, Twiggy the fluff ball cat and Harry the also fluff ball cat but all good company. It feels like home.

We have had a big day so an easy, light meal and a little TV. Jan allows me the choice. Big mistake. We end up with a ‘Dirty Harry’/ Inspector Harry Callahan/ Clint Eastwood 1983 oldie, ‘Sudden Impact.’ It also stars his ex-wife Sondra Locke.  She wasn’t ‘ex’ at the time.  In fact, most of her better known films were with our hero ‘Clint. How about that.

Yes, It was a big day. Jan ends up alone when Anne then I bail. I was in bed at 9pm and asleep at 9.01pm

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Got to do it …

An Oldie but a Goodie.

Tuesday, 12th October 2021.

Overcast, raining a little even. Inside stuff today.

Have to make sure everyone has their money for the  container delivery, So the ladies go out and I sit at the computer again for half the day. Crossing T’s and dotting i’s it’s called.

Well just as well, After my very long winded and extremely explicit instructions, it turns out the transport group does not receive ‘gmail’. Now I personally …. let’s just say, ‘dislike’ gmail.  However I use it because the current but soon to desist storage group  U Store It does not receive hotmail so when I deal with the containers I go straight to gmail. Not so from now on. Back to dirty old hotmail. It’s called progress.

I also plotted and planned our next step in the tour, called two window repair places for the chip in the windscreen. Both preach ‘home visit’. Neither deliver, etc etc etc. Anyway done what I can and the  day is running out.

However, did arrange  a visit with Marcia and Dave tomorrow. …. Tomorrow is a big day.  My one and only sibling, Sister Jan is to have an operation tomorrow and our two containers are to be delivered tomorrow.

Now what is this? Road kill?  Look closer.

I get them muddled up. I think this is Harry in mid snooze.

Wait! What’s that?

Nothing. Back to it.

What’s that? A little face at the van door. Lets get closer.

That’s our lovely Chilli, the wonder dog! Let’s clarify ….

Colour light adjust. Of course it is. Now here’s something. I must like her. I LET HER IN THE VAN!

Now this is around 5-ish and the damn magpies are gathering. Looks like the Hitchcock movie, ‘The Birds.’

I think they are more like a large moving ‘Poo.’ I stood back out of direct gravity range and inside of 10 seconds I watch three splats hit the ground.

Squint.

These are the over the road neighbours.

Back from the walk. Yes. Another one. A new batch of flowers have opened in Jan’s garden. Haven’t seen these before, or at least not the colour. I do a short google.

With google, this is the closest I could get. Not spot on but damn close.

Generic photo.  Hippeastrum Hybrid * Red White Amaryllis * Rare Tropical Flower Plant * 3 Seeds.

Thats it.  Scrub up. Take care of a few things. Butchers (as in not woolies or Coles) Chicken Schnitzel with mash and veg. An Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, ‘The Last Stand’. Got it. Seen it several times. Good one.

Skip the advert to watch the trailer.

Good movie. Bed.

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Monday, 11th October 2021.

Sunny yet again. 9.30am and time for COFFEE.

Danger! Danger! My left Achilles tendon is a little sore. No walk today.

Anne does two of her wonderful Nasi-Gorengs for breakfast, made of almost entirely left overs.

Today I almost lived on the computer.

The final step of a three week process to relocate our two, twenty foot containers. I had to co-ordinate, confirm and verify the attendance, co-operation, expectations and make payment for all three of the current storage facility, future storage facility and side lift transporter of our two storage containers.

We were contacted and told we had to remove the containers as they were going to develop the site. Of course we have been coming and going from that facility for seven years and we have not packed for transport. The only reasonably confidence packing factor was that we had been packing so much stuff in there, it is almost but not quite jammed in anyway.

From three thousand kilometres away we had a few challenges. So due  to the unprepared aspect, it had to be a side lift as opposed to a tilt tray. Direct lift up as opposed to tilt 30 degrees.

Anyway, tomorrow I will confirm everyone got paid in the hope there is nothing can go wrong on Wednesday. Famous last words.

I finally get off the computer at 4pm. We go to the windscreen man to talk about the chip in the front. Already gone, but made inquiries and he does house calls.

Now to the caravan place to do some home work. What is ours worth. First comparison. A new one while ours is 2019 model. New counts for a lot, so while it has many of our features is lacks many of our additions BUT it is new. So not this much. (i’e’ not $71,000)

Then the other end.  Eight years old or three times our vans age. Quite a few similar features and lacking some of our add ons. So ours is younger so more than this. (i.e.over $49,000)

Now, this one is our vans age and many of the same features and some add ons. Besides this, we have a BBQ on a slide, a second tunnel slide from the other end, four solar panels, two batteries, and other odds and ends BUT an automatic sat dish worth about $2500.. So we should be somewhere between $60,000 and  $65000. (perhaps) Keep in mind these are asking prices.

Home. Anne and Jan are off for a walk and my tendon is still tender (a tender tendon?) so I choose to have a beer and a talk with the neighbour instead.

Evening comes and we migrate inside. We are having Jan’s Lasagna with salad for evening meal and she shows us a few of her components.

A movie. Die Hard 2. We watch it under the close scrutiny of Harry and Twiggy. Harry up the top and twiggy below. Chilli is omni present but in the back stalls of the theatre.

Twiggy swapping to the high ground. Military wise, whoever has the high ground has the advantage.

The film is good but I have seen it perhaps 10 times before so we retire.

However for those who have not seen it ….

in the mean time from us ….

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