Month: November 2021

Tuesday, 30th November 2021.

Last day of spring and it has just started looking like spring. Just in time for Summer tomorrow.

Up 7.30am to finish the blog. Sunny calm, just a few clouds not cold and just about perfect but heating up.

Just found out there is a fire around somewhere and Anne thinks it is getting muggier.

It may be so but you can’t fight nature.

Friends arrive. Early. Supposed to be for noon, five minutes away and arrivals start 11.30am. Then again better than late, so not to be criticised.

Coobowie Hotel, just down (or up really) the road. Supposed to be good meals. Our group of seven are the only ones in the dining room.

Panic! Schnitzels BUT no Parmy! Panic, panic, panic …. but no. On the back, bottom right, ‘Extra Toppings …

…and there just over half way down …

Saved. and in due course they come out.

…. including my parmy.

Thoroughly enjoyed by us, this happy bunch of amateur gourmets.

Anne and I have doggy bag ‘leftovers.’ Why doggy bag? The dog isn’t going to get it. We are.

Back in time for a little R & R and the usual end of day kicks in with a drink (just one) at around 5.30 to 6pm and cheese and bics. We decide this IS the evening meal given the big lunch.

However, we (I) can have a couple of drinks while we watch a movie.

Kay has one recorded. An old classic.

Monday, 29th November 2021.

Up for computer  at 7am. Sunny, calm, a bit chilly but OK. By 8.30am, ready to have a crack at putting Anne’s vax certificate on her phone.

Now ….. I had already done mine. I had muddled through and picked things up along the way. It only took me three hours or something like that. Bit more maybe? We have exactly the same phones so …. one would think a very simple task. Maybe quicker because of what I picked up already.

Lunchtime. Anne has been doing washing and observing. I now have to keep Anne away because she gets easily frustrated and upset with this sort of ‘stuff.’

I have come to RESENT the repetitious assurance that it is an easy method of installing the facility. They have continually said the certificate can EASILY be installed by either using one system OR Medicare PLUS. I chose the other one. Frustration is overcoming by around 2pm.

There is a hiatus in the madness while I help install a large bar sign in the bar. Seemed the right place for it.

Back to frustration at around 3pm. I follow another path with an information sheet down a lonely system path. Two facts are listed on the sheet about three quarters of the way down it.

FIRSTLY, they say we should install the system/path I have been doing on their instruction, but then they do not say ‘OR’ Medicare PLUS but instead say ‘AND’ Medicare PLUS. (!!??!?!?##!!?!) YOU B*******S!!!! WHY didn’t you say ‘AND’ right from the start.

SECONDLY, in the same info sheet they state near the bottom as well, ‘We are aware that some SAMSUNG phones will have difficulty loading the program.’  (!!???!!!#!!!!??) So WHY wasn’t that across the top, at the start in big bold letters, CLEARLY telling you to WATCH OUT SUCKERS!

Other blind end lines of instructions. Here’s a good one, keeping in mind it is being provided THROUGH MEDICARE.

It reads, ‘Medicare online accounts are currently unavailable.’ which is very heartening to find when you have been stuffing around trying to make a medicare facilitated system work. (that is B***S*** of course. Sarcasm.)

It also says, ‘Please try again later or call Medicare on 132 011 for further assistance. Three things. We have to TRY again? (and again and again and again). Secondly, What do they mean FURTHER assistance. They haven’t given any. Thirdly, try calling them as suggested. I DARE you.

I keep chasing avenues and taking bold UNASKED FOR decisions and at almost 5pm on the dot, it works! 8.30am to 5pm, take an hour out for the sign, means 7.5hrs of my WASTED time because they hired a full time public servant who has never been in the testing world of ‘the private sector’ before.

Based on what I experienced, it would be similar to them providing instructions as to how to go to the toilet. They would go through all the steps very carefully except completely forgetting to mention, ‘lower your pants first’ and forgetting to mention retrieving toilet paper before the wiping process. YES. I AM ANGRY at these TWATS!

If they had just employed a ‘real’ person to go through what I did THEN write the instructions, it would have been a piece of cake. Then they would have  DISCOVERED ALL the pitfalls first hand and learnt how to steer around them.

Stuff it. It’s done.

Pre-dinner drinks with nibbles. Showers. Fab dinner of fresh prawns and salad, (Mateus Rose with prawns) a bit of TV, van, nightcap Port, bed …..

zzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzz         zzzzzzzzzzz

N.B. as a bit of humour, G.R. loaned me a book two years ago, which I am still reading. (Hey. I’ve been busy.) It is a mock up of a Lonely Planet type tourist book with a fictitious European country as it’s subject.

Here are two exerts to give you an idea.

If you can’t read it, I’ll give you just one line. ‘In 1743, street lighting was introduced. In 1744, the entire town burnt to the ground, prompting a re-think on the use of gun-powder-fuelled-lamps.

…and …

You can read this one.

I think it’s incredibly funny, but I will understand if you don’t think that’s a good enough recommendation.

Cheers.

 

Sunday, 28th November 2021.

Late up 9am-ish. Anne up shortly after. (?) It is clear, sunny and not much wind! I finish a few things on the computer.

A slow, short day, so here’s some filler.

Edithburgh was named for the wife of the Governor of South Australia, Sir James Fergusson [1869-1873], Lady Edith. The two main streets, Edith and Blanche, were named after their daughters. In 1882 the Corporation of Edithburgh was formed and lasted until its amalgamation with Yorketown in 1956.

…. and still more ….

Although now a holiday destination, Edithburgh was once the third busiest port in South Australia (after Adelaide and Wallaroo).

 

We want to finish the painting. so a concerted effort. Here, Anne and I finish the last wall together. We didn’t fight over the last patch. We don’t fight over such trivial things. There are lots more things we can fight over. Want a list?

There is another job. The ‘sign’, but that’s another story.

Big lunch of left over BBQ meat and salads. Very filling.

Odds and ends. Room straightened up.

Drinks. Nibbles. Off for showers.

Light evening meal of omelettes with tasty fillings.

Movie. Long, good one.

Kingsman: The Secret Service – Wikipedia   The film follows Gary “Eggsy” Unwin’s (Taron Egerton) recruitment and training into a secret spy organisation.

This is the original. Not ‘coming soon’. Looks like the third one is coming out this year, if it hasn’t already.

That’s the whole day. Where did it go? That’s what happens when you get up late. You blow the whole day.

Now confident with the fact that I actually got the vax certificate on my phone, the first job tomorrow is to do Annes. I’ll do that early. 8.30am-ish?Bed.

zzzzzzzz        zzzzzzzz        zzzzzzzzzzz

Not yet. Just one funny. (3)

This one’s always killed me.

 

 

Saturday, 27th November 2021.

Up 7am-ish. Still cold. Wind not as bad but still blowing. Clouds but some SUN!! Brilliant! We should go sacrifice a lamb or something. Appease the naughty gods. Well they have to be pretty damn  naughty to come up with the stuff they have been serving us.

What are the gods now? Which one should we make the sacrifice to?

Greek Name	Latin Name	Domain
Artemis	Diana	Moon (Daughter of Jupiter/Latona)
Ares	Mars	War (Son of Jupiter/Juno)
Hermes	Mercury	Messenger of gods; commerce, wrestling, thieving (son of Jupiter and Maia)
Athena (Pallas)	Minerva (Pallas)	Wisdom; arts and handicrafts

Others rarely spoken of and soon to be forgotten …

Pillockes            Penissium         Stupidity: Mishaps and clumsyness.

Arsemese        Rectumela         Vengeance: Bad deeds, practical jokes

Twatemis         Thickius               Son of Penissium and Rectumela. Poor planning                                                                and failed campaigns. Basket weaving. Wip                                                                       round collections.

The list goes on. Skip the sacrifice and get on with this better day.

Painting outside today as it is a little sunny. Outside wall near the side fence and the side gable. Done by 3.30pm-ish.

Clean up, showers and at 4.15pm guests arrive. Cousin Bobby and wife Sue. First time I have ever talked one on one to Bobby and only seen him once before. I am 70 and he is heading for 60. Better late than never. We hit it off fine. Henderson trait I guess. My mum was a Henderson by the way. Along with two other couples, we make nine. Laughing, chatting, BBQ-ing, eating and drinking. We bring out our aged steak we have been carrying around. Expensive. $27 for a bit that would be a decent serve for two. Interesting but not a ‘must do a’gain. Good time had by all. Nice and cosy inside. Damn cold outside.

The two non resident couple head for home and the remainder do the same only the other three are already home and we only have five paces to the van.

That’s it for a condensed day so a quick funny or two…..  (or three)

To sleep, perchance to dream, but more likely nightmare.

zzzzzzzzz          zzzzzzzzzzz          zzzzzzzzzzz

Friday, 26th November 2021.    (Version 3)

Up late, around 8.50 am. Anne half hour later. A bit of sun by 11am but still windy and cold-ish. No. Cold! It’s the wind. The chill factor.

Ready to paint but Kay is busy with paperwork. What to do. Computer. Paid bills. fixed ‘things.’

The day started late but flew. It’s late (6pm) for end of work drinks and a few nibbles.

I don’t believe her. Mother bloody nature that is! She has lost the plot. It’s summer in four days and we are  wearing two layers and ugg boots. I  … me … who rarely gets cold cold, you know extra cold, had the ELECTRIC BLANKET on two days ago.

Showers. Fish meal. Salmon and salad. Healthy and tasty.

Cold, cold. The fire has been on since before lunch. Bright outside and fire inside.

 

(Photo removed by request) I make this comment to save removing text.

 

We go to the van. Outside, the little flash of light at left is the light from the van. The rest is dark as …..

A day of nothing and it’s over already.

Bloody cold and dark.

I need a cheer up.

Ahh! That’s better.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz                zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz             zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

Thursday, 25th November 2021.

Up at 6am as we are off to Gawler and also someone is coming around at 8am to pick up a few big sheets of panel board and I am needed. It’s nice to be needed. Still early. We do what has to be done like for example ‘ablute.’

N.B.  ‘Ablutions’ or ‘morning ablutions’ is the generic term for washing, toothbrushing, showering, bathing, toenail cutting, shaving, hairwashing, nose-hair clipping, and the usual bodily functions. … To wash oneself; to bathe.

Cold but the sun comes out. (!) We don’t usually have sun this early.

I am ready and willing but it is still before loading time of 8am, so I repair to the bathroom. I arrive at the loading area promptly at 7.55am to find everyone else arrived at 7.45am. I am apparently not as needed as I thought.

I help tie the load down. Another neighbour along to help arrives at 8.15am and even misses the tying down. He did how ever have time to say hello before they departed. I thought he was a bit lax, then wondered if he was instead a bit ‘clever.’

On the road to Gawler. Our mates at Coobowie give us a rousing farewell again. Nice people. and dedicated. Morning, noon and night.

So many deserted houses. How many people came here and just couldn’t make a go of it?

Two hours and 35 minutes to Gawler. Kay goes to her appointment. We go for a wander.

You think this church is OK? That top cross seems to be leaning under the weight of carrying so many sins from the parishioners. That’s the poetic interpretation. It may just have a weak supporting bracket.

The ‘rose’ amongst the thorns. Lots of ’em.  They didn’t have to work to produce a perfume bouquet. I notice it as I approached. There were hundreds. Three rows all the way around. Thick thorny ones. Either the owner likes roses or doesn’t like visitors.

Just plain beautiful.

This is the church with the ‘wonky’ cross from the side.

‘The Church of the Transfiguration.’ What?

N.B.  For other uses, see Church of the Transfiguration (disambiguation)

The Church of the Transfiguration (Hebrew: כנסיית ההשתנות‎) is a Franciscan church located on Mount Tabor in Israel. It is traditionally believed to be the site where the Transfiguration of Jesus took place, an event in the Gospels in which Jesus is transfigured upon an unnamed mountain and speaks with Moses and Elijah.^{[1] WIkipedia}

The current church, part of a Franciscan monastery complex, was completed in 1924. The architect was Antonio Barluzzi.^[2] It was built on the ruins of an ancient (4th–6th-century) Byzantine church and a 12th-century church of the Crusader Kingdom period.^[3] There is a Greek Orthodox church located on Mount Tabor as well, dedicated to the same purpose.

…. and … there is one tucked away in little old Gawler South, South Australia. Address: LOT 734 Adelaide Rd, Gawler South SA 5118 (at the round about coming in from Adelaide and next to the ‘ROSE HOUSE.’) Look for the wonky cross to I.D. it for sure.

Jacaranda. A whole lot prettier than what this photo shows.

Nasty, thorny  bougainvillea. Natures barbed wire. Still knockout colours. They are pretty but can be harmful. Like a few humans I have met over the years.

Another ‘rose amongst the thorns’ shot.

I didn’t know Pizza Hut still existed. Tuesday special,  two large pizza’a for the price of one. Is it worth the drive. Maybe they deliver? it’s 42 kms from Gawler to Adelaide. Or at least Adelaide oval. I have run it a couple of times. Quite a while ago though actually.

Pizza and Yiros?  Italian, Greek restaurant? Maybe that’s why they are ‘Delivery only?’ How you gonna decorate to satisfy both?

… and then appears a chunk of history. The 1966 HR Holden, although they did make them up to 1968.

From the back.  Again I am reminded of Billy Connolly, in his ‘World tour of Scotland’ where he narrated  that he used to think he missed the ‘good old days’ but in retrospect he realised he just missed his youth. Hmmm. I can relate to that.

Out the front of the office where Kay went. More roses. How about that.

I think this is what the Americans call, ‘hamming it up.’

Rose house from a distance. You can almost see it.

Shopping before return to Edithburgh. Our first official shop at Aldi. After this experience, we can see it’s time we stopped buying genuine grand and look at generic or home brands. Avocado’s, small, but only 99 cents. Spinach ricotta triangles, $1.99. Had them last night. Small filling but tasty and good value at 16(ish) cents each.  Air fryer. $60.

Off to the bakery for good healthy food like my Cornish pasty with tomato sauce. Yes I know it’s not that good. Haven’t you ever heard of sarcasm before?

Then to Stratco. It is not just galv. iron products. In this case we were after, and get paint and plants.

I have it on good authority (Kay) that this is the very best mulch because it won’t have anything in it that will grow.

This is Wasleys.

N.B. Wasleys is a small town north-west of Gawler, South Australia. Roseworthy College is located around 6 km south of the town. At the 2016 census, Wasleys had a population of 348.Wikipedia

We are here because we took a wrong turn. We wanted to be heading for Mallala but were going in more or less the opposite direction to Freeling. I got on the GPS  facility of the phone and saved the day through two moves. The first was a good short cut but it included a dirt road. So a second double back and we are on the bitumen to Mallala – Balaclava – Port Wakefield.

I think this is at Mallala. Anne had the camera.

A good free camp with dump point and toilets for $10. It’s a different kind of free.

Just incase you missed the above photo.

N.B. Journey Uniting Church Mallala. 7 Balaklava Road, Mallala   Worship Time    Sunday 10.00am (Coffee from 9:30am)    About Us:   Contemporary Worship service each Sunday with great coffee & kids program.

Transit.

Past Port Wakefield where we did a petrol fill up. Now heading around the top of the gulf and lots of road work. These concrete barriers are everywhere.

All those concrete barriers has this written on them. ….. So what’s this all about?

N.B. Googled, from McMahon Services:  ‘2010, the vision came to life and Intract Australia was launched as a business unit of McMahon Services. Today, Intract Australia is a standalone 51% Indigenous owned, managed and controlled enterprise. The civil contracting and general building organisation has bases in Darwin, Alice Springs and Adelaide, operating throughout Australia.’ (?)

The Hummocks in the distance?

Down the other side of the gulf.

They’re still there waiting.

Home, unpack, pre-dinner drinks, showers, dinner of  delicious  [Italian: deliziosa (feminine) delizioso(masculine)]  home made soup with fried flat bread and our Aldi spinach and ricotta triangles … and red wine of course.

Intellectual chat … well interesting any way, then … it’s been a long day. Bed.

zzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzzz              zzzzzzzzzzzz

 

 

Wednesday, 24th November 2021.   (Version 3)

Up at 6.45am and to the computer of course. Overcast but no rain and no wind. Anne rises at 9.45am

A slow … busy day. Work that one out. Well, it started slow but picked up.

We go for a walk towards Saltana Point.

First interest. Black swans,three of five.

Then …. every 50 metres or so, a wonderful mosaic …….

Another

Another swan, to break up the mosaics.

Oh look! A mosaic.

etc etc etc

If you squint it’s a broken line of 5 swans off the edge of shore.

See? I told you. Aren’t they beautiful?

Mosaics.

We get a bit short of half way, then turn back. That was about 35 to 40 minutes. This is the view to the end at Saltana Point …

… and that is where we started.

Back near the second jetty, we do a bit of self adoration.

Can you see it…? In the middle, with it’s own water reflection?

A Heron. Not to be confused with Egret which are white.

…and here. Can you see it?

The back end of a pelican in flight. The guy was right over me but by the time I got the camera up, turned it on, then realised it had been on and I just turned it off, then turned it back on again and lined it up, he was 100 metres away.

A naughty import.

Low tide.

Town, or part there of.

After the walk, a bit of a rest, then earning our keep.

We are painting … painting …. and … painting.

 

Photo removed on request –  I make this comment as explanation to save revising text.

 

Evening meal, Moroccan chicken with Hash browns and salad.

A long talk about heritage chasing and we adjourn to our separate oases to rest, for tomorrow Kay has to go to Gawler and we will keep her company.

Bed …

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz                     zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz                        zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

 

Tuesday, 23rd November, 2021.   (Version 3)

Me up 6.45am. Overcast and a little rain. It comes and goes but mainly comes.

View out the window.

 

 

Photo removed on request –  I make this comment as explanation to save revising text.

 

 

I’m on the computer. How about that. Anne stirs 8.30am-ish so kettle on. Kay is off to the Museum to officiate at 8.45am-ish. Wow! It’s all happening here. Actually it did take off and become a busy day.

We decide to walk to the museum and have a look before it closes. We take the long way for exercise. Off in the distance we can just make out Troubridge Island with a little mist.

If you squint you can see the light house on the left side. See other pic below.

The warning cannon on the Island. Well it was . Apparently it has been knocked off and Sydney collared it.

At the exercise area but it’s been raining and the only one you don’t have to sit or lay on is the twister. Not a tough workout but a bit stretching. Anything is good. Might improve my dance moves … if I danced that is … which I don’t.

We walk onto the wharf street.

This boat has been here a while this morning. I think it is swinging around it’s anchor. Either that or the skipper is a little undecided on which way he is going.

Turns out it’s a cruise ship doing islands and they have dropped people off at Troubridge Island.

Up past familiar sights to the museum on the left.

First thing. In the front yard this little 13 ft Carvel Fishing boat.

Read the wrap. They were very popular.

This is a pic of the wharf and harbour in 1961 There was heaps of them.

Inside, a local chap restored this Buick ute from a rough pile of rusty metal. Here’s the original.

Look what he did with it. The man is (or was unfortunately) a genius.

They’re working on a 1927 Harley Davidson.

Heaps of other implements and some vehicles.

They also have a nautical section. One local man made these models. Amazing. The patience he must have had.

Yorketown donated their hospital when it was closed.

…and the same ‘genius who restored the Buick did this International fire truck. It still runs and is used for community events.

This was the bakers delivery cart. The steel horse was a display out the front of a local business. It hired ‘Gypsy Horse Drawn Wagon’ for hire. It was very popular. I knew people that had hired it.

How brave are you. A PETROL stove? The tank is round and on the right side below the burners and along side the control nobs. Too close for me. I’d want the tank out the back with a long hose. Not really. I wouldn’t use the damn thing.

The bakers in town. This is a mock up of the stove. It could cook hundreds of loaves at a time.

It was huge. Look at the scoop and length of handle to get to the back loaves. Up the top, sloping down.

… and this is the bread proving trough where the dough is placed for a short time for it to rise before baking.

The old lock was brought from Birkenhead in Port Adelaide  in 1981.

And the jetty had a beacon on the end till the mid 90’s

LOT’s of other historic items therein.

Kay’s stint in the museum is over so a bite to eat, then off to Yorketown to pick up her new wheel barrow and a 4 litre can of paint to finish our painting exercise and a special sauce for a neighbour..

A house with …

… a ‘serious’ cactus.

Back to neighbour/friends, Charlie and Debbie to drop the sauce, who also happen to be keen gardeners.

Tomatoes! My chance to use the ONLY bit of garden knowledge to show how terribly clever I am. Well terrible anyway. My father had shown me how to nip the extra shoots out of the joints to stop a big messy mass of green tangle.

Back home because it is ‘drinks time. This time at the front to see the passing traffic although Kay knows so many people, most of the passers stopped.

 

 

Photo removed on request –  I make this comment as explanation to save revising text.

 

 

Showers, tea time. Beef schnitzels with veg. Just great. Very tasty.

We all did a bit of, ‘how do I get the ‘mygov’ to take the covid vax record’ on the phone. High tech for this late at night during red wine consumption.

Van, bed …

zzzzzzzzzz         zzzzzzzzzzzzz               zzzzzzzzzzzz

 

Monday, 22nd November 2021.    (Version 2)

Overcast and a bit windy.

Got an sms from SA Pathology at 5.36am to say yesterdays test was negative. Anne also got likewise negative. So I guess SA Health will catch up and find out we did have the 13th day test and it is negative.

Odds and ends today.  Sorting stuff.

Some initial work on the laptop to get our vaccine results to appear on the smart phones which will include having the mygov App  installed.

MYgov??? MY BIG BROTHER more likely. I guess they think if we say, ‘my’ enough it will become a term of endearment and we will take ownership to feel it is ours and we are ….. a nurtured part of a lovely community organisation. More like … a screwed over part of the Fourth Reich.

I am reminded yet again of the third universal lie. ‘I’m from the Government …. I’m here to help you.’

I run into a brick wall trying to register. A Brick wall? I look at the list and immediately phone up the ‘contact us’  number and get a response quite quickly,  in the over all scheme of things. Furthermore, I get a quite UNDERSTANDING and helpful young lady.

I explain to her, we are travelling the country in a caravan. The following are the questions and my responses. 1. The address of the last doctor I saw? I saw a doctor to get 6 months worth of my high blood pressure tablets. I THINK we were in Carnarvon, WA.    2. When I saw them? I am on my last month and I had one to go when I applied, so that would be ABOUT six months ago.    3. How much was the complete bill?  Errrr ….?  4. The doctors family name?  Errrr … It was a Male doctor and I think he had an accent. That’s about it.  5.  Who was the last specialist I saw? I had my appendix out six years ago. I guess a surgeon is a specialist? I think his name was Murphy?

She laughs and we take a different tact of I.D. After about 1.25 hours, I have link codes for both Anne and I and that will be a dramatic help.

After than I need a break so we  go inside and help sort the boxes of photos and paperwork which Kay is battling though.

 

I spot this somewhere. A couple of ‘past prime’ ladies and the quote is, ‘We’ve reached the age where we can’t function without our glasses. Especially if they’re empty.’ (I can see that)

A place to start chasing your Scottish heritage. ‘Old Parish Record Images, Births and Marriages 1553 – 1854 Now on Line. Free Surname search. www.Scotlandspeople.go

This is the Henderson Stone and Glencoe. Still haven’t got the significance.

We go for a walk late afternoon. Lots of ceramic/mosaic  parquetry along the foreshore.

Anne gives reference to the size of the rock with the huge mosaic.

…. and to the size of the wharf. At one stage, Edithburgh was the third busiest wharf in South Australia. They mined salt from the salt flats nearby, there was grain and also wool, amongst other crops.

Rugged coast.

Just up from the wharf.

I turn left 90 degrees from the same place the last photo was taken. The wharf is now behind me and I am looking up a main road towards the two main road intersection.

On the way up the hill, that was the Bakehouse and is now the museum.

…. and in the middle of the road is the Clan Ranald ship wrecks anchor. The crew buried at the cemetery is the largest mass grave in  Australia. Their were 5 British Officers buried in the main section and  main bulk of the crew were 31 Lascars and they make up the mass grave.

N.B.   lascar  /ˈlaskə/  noun  DATED   a sailor from India or SE Asia.   “the manning of British ships by lascar crews”

We were here a few times over the last couple of years and witnessed the anniversary celebration of the recovery of the anchor. It is a big one.

Still in the main street. Don’t know if this is still operating but I rather doubt it.

Now at the main two roads intersection, with my back to the two storey and aptly named Edithburgh  Hotel.

I am looking diagonally opposite to  the Troubridge Hotel.

I look right and there is the post office.

I look left and walk down to the very impressive Institute Building.

The next corner down is the convenience store.

Then past that is ‘the one that got away.’ This view is down the side. The front view is a tiny frontage, salt damp ridden cottage, BUT it was on the market for over a year and sold at about $80,000 and has a HUGE block.

Lovely roses.

Inside and back to the computer for hair pulling and wrestling bouts with the mygov online website. Big Brother.

Showers, lots of very tasty leftovers for evening meal and an in tense discussion about roses.

In my first house, Finniss Street, North Adelaide I had two huge ‘Lorraine Lee’s’ in the front yard. I could snip one stem, put it in a single stem vase, put the vase on the lounge  mantle piece and when I came home that night, I would open the door and the single rose would have permeated the whole house and hit me as soon as the door opened. A vivid memory.

I will buy a few when we move into the house in about 5 months.

N.B.  LORRAINE LEE   $18.70   An old favourite fondly remembered. Sweetly fragrant rosy-pink to salmon blooms are produce in mass display almost all year. This rose is unique – if pruned in April will produce winter flowers in mild climates. A tall bush with grey-green foliage. Bred by Alister Clark in 1924.  A famous rose in Australia.   Colour: Pink   Height: Tall   Scent: Strong   Categories: AUSTRALIAN, REPEAT FLOWERING OLD ROSES

From … ‘Ross Roses’ …. is Australia’s oldest specialist rose grower established in 1902.   Contact Us: (08) 8556 2555

 

You probably didn’t want to know so much about roses but I wanted to hear the story of Finniss Street roses again so ……

 

It’s been a good night. To van, a Port night cap, bed.

zzzzzzzzzz             zzzzzzzzzzzz              zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

Sunday, 21st November 2021.    (Version 2)

Bleak out the window again. We are off to Maitland for our final covid test because it is the closest.

This, the last one, is  required to be done day 13 after entering the state. However because there was no testing at the border, we could only be tested  for the first one on day three at Port Augusta and Day 7 instead of day 5 again at PortAugusta. We went away and came back.

So this last one is meant to be on the thirteenth day in the state but it is infact the fifteenth. Does that make sense? Pain in the neck. If we had left Alice Springs one day earlier, we would have avoided all this.

It was 1 hour and 15 minutes to Maitland.  As usual the GPS led us down the wrong direction in town, but it was easily spotted at the front, drop off drive through at the hospital. So a stick in the throat and up the nose again and we are clear.

There will be a BBQ tonight so we visit the Foodland before we leave.  This trolley ladder would be pretty good for cleaning the van, but would not stack well though.

I am sick of seeing signs to tell us the toilets don’t work. Either fix them or install new ones. What’s wrong with people.

They also had a boozerama, so got some vitals.

Maitland is a nice little town. Two pubs and a Foodland AND a hospital.

N.B.  Located at the centre of Yorke Peninsula, Maitland is the main service and shopping town for this productive agricultural area.

It’s come around again. 169,000km. Country driving runs the kilometers up.  We got it at I think around 120,000km so we have done roughly 49,000km February 2019. Mind you a lot of non driving time. In Europe for two months and in self isolation for six weeks and a few lock downs, so not constant driving.

Back from Maitland to Ardrossan sweeping views and the gulf coming towards us.

N.B. Ardrossan is a town in the Australian state of South Australia located on the eastern coast of the Yorke Peninsula, about 150 kilometres by road from the Adelaide city centre. It is notable for its deepwater shipping port and its towering coastal cliffs of red clay. Wikipedia

Also has huge  grain silo’s.

Picturesque.

I think this is Coobowie about 5km from Edithburgh. The residents of the house facing the main road have a sense of humour. They change the dummies from time to time. I haven’t seen this lot before.

N.B.  Coobowie   The beach is ideal for swimming and fishing, as well as long walks. Take a walk or cycle along the coastal trail between Coobowie and Edithburgh. … The bird hide has been built by the Coobowie Progress Association, and offers views of birds feeding on the low water line in the Estuary.

We get back about 12.45pm with a roast chook from Foodland for lunch.

Spot this guy. Apparently mum and dad live around the place there.

 

 

Photo removed on request –  I make this comment as explanation to save revising text.

 

 

 

Lunch and Kay is off for meetings. (On Sunday?)

Now some real excitement. Anne cuts my hair. I have my own clippers. It’s a bit windy but we manage to retain most of it and stash in a plastic bag. There is no end to the excitement of country living. (In fact Country living is nice)

At 2.49pm I receive an sms phone message SA Health ‘… as records show that you have not had your 13th day test’. Check again brain drain.  We did it nearly 5 hours ago.

The guests arrive and the greet drinks flow. The BBQ comes sooner rather than later and there is an abundance. We all over-ate and …. did the wrong think? I beg your pardon! I googled ‘abundance’ and got some interesting facts. This one suits me perfectly. A quote, believe it or not, from the bible.

Ecclesiastes 9:7 says, “So go eat your food and enjoy it; drink your wine and be happy, because that is what God wants you to do.” God wants us to enjoy food, good tasting food without guilt. … Therefore enjoying food, fun food, dense food, all food does not constitute overeating, nor is it a sin.

There ya go! GOD wants us to over-indulge and it’s NOT a sin but a good thing!

The night goes on but unlike younger days, it does not evolve into a swim through. The crowd thins. There was only seven of us so two couples leaving thinned the crown down to the three of us residents. A good night.

We adjourn to the comfort of our house on wheels. A little TV bed …

zzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzz         zzzzzzzzz