• Carolyn Arch
Jul – Sep 2020

Bumper & Tin Tin Tripping

A trip up the east coast of Australia from Melbourne to Coffs Harbour.
Then to Daryl’s in Sandy Beach.
Then Woolgoolga Lakeside Caravan Park....
Possibly further north.
Baca lagi
  • Brilliant job!

    22 Ogos 2020, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    So funny.
    We drove to Bunnings.
    We are used to Bunnings being closer.
    We had our list.
    Tried to think of everything.
    Didn’t want to have to drive back.

    Emily was hungry.
    And we all know from having to eat before being able to climb The Arc de Triumph that when Emily is hungry, she really has to eat.
    Really.

    We were an hour in Bunnings.
    I saw dogs in Bunnings so raced out to get Lacey from the van.
    I have never seen a happier dog.
    There she was being pushed around in a trolley with the biggest grin I have ever seen.
    If this is ‘shopping’ she wants in.

    OK.
    Got everything?
    Fingers crossed.
    “Emily, they have a cafe here.”
    “But, Mum, you have to wait so long!”

    Hungry Emily is a funny thing to watch.

    We stopped 2 minutes later for a pie at a service station.
    Only got sausage rolls...
    That’ll do.
    ( I got petrol.)
    And a sausage roll.
    ( Can’t beat ‘em..... )

    We were laughing as we demolished the sausage rolls.
    We had said last night that we would have this deck built by 2pm.
    It was 12.30 as we were driving back.
    Not a chance we thought.

    We were wrong.
    Emily was perched on her deck talking to everyone and sundry at 2.02pm.
    ( I only managed to screenshot the time at 2.05pm.)

    Done and dusted!

    So many people came to see the deck and laugh and chat.
    Our plan is working.
    Baca lagi

  • Sunday

    23 Ogos 2020, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Very, very windy night.
    And cold.
    Have the sleeping bag back on as an eiderdown.
    It’s lovely!

    So windy yesterday and seemed more so last night.
    The van was moving in the wind and small twigs where lashing into it over night.
    Blown from far away, I think.

    Two trees came down in the lake park next to us yesterday while we were building the deck.
    The first one fell across the road.
    But we were busy so didn’t really take that much notice.
    The second one fell with an almighty crash near the main boat ramp into the lake.
    We just went to the entrance of the caravan park to have a look.
    People just packed up their picnics and left.
    Very good idea, I think.

    I am camped under an enormous fig tree.
    Sincerely hoped it stayed there!
    It did.

    Got up twice last night.
    One ... remembered that I had not put my new aluminium chair under the van.
    Thought that could fly away.
    Two ... to fill a bucket of water to place on my sun shelter after the first half bucket was blown over.
    I lower the sun shelter at night.
    It’s still pegged but flat on the ground.
    Decided that I didn’t want to wake to it flapping at 3am.

    Emily went bike riding on the beach with Rhyll, the girl who came to visit about a week ago.
    They had a great time.
    She lives in a great A-Frame house in Sandy Beach.

    I drove to a Daryl’s.
    Had a lovely time.
    They were adding some weatherboard to the base of the cabin, after adding a new deck and steps up to the cabin door.
    Looks fantastic.
    And have planted more palms down the side fence.
    Martine cooked two tea cakes
    ( She is amazing.)
    And we sat at the table on the back deck and surveyed the back garden.

    Back to camp, via Woolworths.
    Set up the back deck.
    Read.
    Emily came home and put Winston on a lead outside for a couple of hours.
    He loved it!
    Much better on the lead now.

    Two couples came and checked out Emily’s bus.
    We chatted foe ages.
    The men are truck drivers.
    Very nice.
    They are encouraging Emily to go kayaking with them on the ocean tomorrow as the wind is forecast to be very light.
    If she goes, I am just not going to look.

    It is the sixth Anniversary since we lost Dad today.
    We miss him.

    Xxxx
    Baca lagi

  • She’s no artist.

    24 Ogos 2020, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Walked into Woopi via the road.
    Quickest way.
    ( Emily was out of coffee.)
    We had looked at maps and imagined ourselves walking this road to Blue Bottles Cafe so often.
    We can’t believe it as we actually do the walk.
    A coffee and a banana smoothie at Blue Bottles and a leisurely walk back along the beach in the sun.
    Hardly any waves and no wind.

    Emily took the paddle board out on the lake.
    I sat down to paint a picture.
    I was worried with Emily working, I wouldn’t have anything to do in the park.
    So, in my wisdom, I purchased some paints, 2 very small canvases etc.
    This was all while we were still staying at Daryl’s.

    So today was the day.
    I sat and watched a show at Daryl’s showing John Ross Learn To Paint.
    It was brilliant.
    If you are bored, watch him on you tube.
    I think the shows were made in the 60s.
    But he is so clever.
    Made it look like anyone could do it.
    Probably anyone with patience could.
    So I set up a video and away I went.
    Did not enjoy it at all.
    “Why wasn’t I reading,” I thought.
    I love reading.
    I hate this.

    So, in the photos is the result.
    Because the actual thing is in the bin.
    ( It’s supposed to be the sea at sunset ....I think it looks better upside down or sideways ... either side.)

    “ Oh good. I can go back to reading!”

    Walked on the beach.
    The waves had come up a bit so too big for kayaking on the sea.
    Phew.

    Emily left to meet Crystal at the a Pub On The Hill at about 1.30.
    ( I don’t think it is actually called that.)

    I read on the deck.
    Then, because I was picking Emily up later, as the evening set in, I set myself up in Bumper.
    Dog, cat and a book.
    Reacher.... Killing Floor.

    Emily text about 7.30pm and went to pick her up.
    She had a ball.
    Crystal and a housemate and a friend and a couple of boyfriends.
    Great day.
    So they all put their heads together and are organising a Silent Disco on the town oval for Friday night.
    This is such a small town.
    I think it will be a blast.

    So set up Tin Tin for bed very late....

    Nigh nigh. Xxxx
    Baca lagi

  • We said goodbye to Matteo and Jess.

    25 Ogos 2020, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Walked into Woopi for breakfast at Bluebottles.
    Very cold wind on the beach so cut through to our road.
    And ... it’s the shortest route to town.

    Wonderful breakfast at Bluebottles.
    Our first time eating there.
    It is hugely popular.

    Bought hand cream.
    All this hand washing and sanitising takes it out on the hands.

    Walk home along the beach.
    Magnificent.

    I lay on my bed and read.
    And fell asleep.
    Not feeling that well today.
    So the nap must have been needed.

    Then read some more on the deck.

    Jess and Matteo arrived at 3pm.
    With ice cream.
    We had been telling them the joys of Milo on ice cream.
    I had the Milo.
    They bought the ice cream.
    It was a definite hit!

    We had to eat all the ice cream as none of us have a freezer big enough for left overs.
    We sat and talked for hours.
    They are going to Bryon Bay.
    That’s a bit of a change of plan but they were offered excellent positions and a 6 month contract to work at one of the exclusive resorts in Byron so they decided to take it.
    Will be bar work for both of them.

    So sad to say goodbye.
    But once Emily’s car is up here, she will drive up and stay with them for a few days.
    They will definitely stay in touch.

    By working for 6 months there, they can then take the next 6 months off to tour.
    Hoping to go to Tasmania after February, then Melbourne and then travel back up north.

    Lovely, lovely people.

    They left at 8.30pm.
    Straight into bed for me now.

    Nigh nigh xxxx
    Baca lagi

  • Food is fuel ...

    26 Ogos 2020, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    How did I forget that?
    I thought I had a great relationship with food.

    Seems I forgot.

    Monday ... Emily went to the Top of the Hill Pub.
    ( Still don’t think it is called that.)
    And she was there til about 8pm.
    So I read in her bus with the dog and cat.
    Munching occasionally on cheese and biscuits.

    Tuesday ... we had breakfast at Bluebottles.
    Were so full.
    Didn’t have lunch.
    Then Matteo and Jess came at 3pm and stayed till 8.30pm.
    We just sat outside and talked for hours.
    No one was drinking or anything.
    Just the ice cream and Milo thing at about 4 o’clock.
    ( Don’t think the sugar hit was that good either. Tasted good though.)
    Then ... nothing.

    It was a very, very cold night.
    I ended up going for a hot shower while they were still here.
    Then filled a hot water bottle and wrapped myself in a sleeping bag to sit back outside.
    No fires allowed unfortunately.
    We certainly could have done with one.

    Then, after they left, we just went to bed.
    So basically, nothing for dinner, Monday.
    And only breakfast on Tuesday.
    How did that happen?

    I fell in a heap.
    This morning, I was freezing cold.
    And it wasn’t that cold.
    And could barely put one foot after another.

    About 11am Emily finished her work meetings.
    ( One involved a Zoom meeting with everyone having saucepans on their heads and banging the bejesus out of them with steel spatulas.
    It was a team building exercise.
    If she hadn’t recorded it, I would not have believed it.
    They had fun!)

    Anyway....
    Emily took one look at me and jumped on Burner and hooned up to the butchers.
    A beautiful T-Bone steak and a lie down later, the body was back in full working order.
    So, it seems that skipping meals, even when I think I am not hungry turns me into a zombie.

    Never knew that.
    But I don’t really think I have ever missed a meal before.

    I am full of energy now.
    We had roast pork for dinner.

    Read most of the day.
    Found a wonderful Motorhome/camper that would suit me.
    Explorer Pathfinder.
    Shame about the $160,000 price tag.
    Tried to think of a way to be able to pay that.
    Haven’t come up with anything yet.

    Tried to convince Emily to buy one for me.
    She didn’t seem too keen.

    Wonderful walk on the beach before dinner.
    And now blogging.

    Trying to find a pet friendly motel with vacancies in Byron Bay so we can drive there for 2 or 3 days.

    And possibly a trip back to Nambucca Heads and onto South West Rocks... just to check it out.

    Weather warming up again.
    21 tomorrow.
    The wind has been a bit cool the last few days and only about 18 degrees.

    That’s it.

    Xxxx
    Baca lagi

  • Solitary Islands Walk.

    27 Ogos 2020, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Something a bit different tonight.
    I am sitting in my van typing this.
    ( Feel like I am staying up late.)

    Beautiful sunny day, about 21 degrees.
    A bit of a wind still so that has a bit of a chill to it.

    Emily and I decided to do the Solitary Islands Walk this morning.
    So named because of 3 Islands that can be seen from shore.
    And, even though there are 3, as you walk you only see one at a time.
    From Woolgoolga to Mullaway.
    About an hour and a half.
    We were heading for the headland at Mullaway.
    We had been told that the view up and down the coast was amazing.

    Did a couple of loads of washing and headed off about 10.30am.
    We left the caravan park and crossed the Woopi creek at low tide.
    Wandered along the most pristine beaches ...
    Came to our first Headland.
    Oh....
    How do we get around that?
    The waves were pounding on the rocks at the beach side.
    Too risky to walk around there.
    Then we saw the pathway with the Solitary Islands Walk sign so we followed the sandy track...
    Up and up and up...
    To the most magnificent view.
    We sat for a while and just took it all in.
    ( Emily had a work call, no actually, I think it was from her wine supplier... she gets it by the dozen, delivered.)
    So that all sorted, off we went again.
    Tiny tracks through the bush, or wooden boardwalks or paths hugging the cliff edge.
    Back down to another beach.
    We were the only ones there.
    As far as you could see, no one else in sight.
    Lacey had a ball.
    Racing ahead and flying back to us ...
    “ You OK? OK.... bye....”
    And off she would fly again.

    Climbed up to the next headland.
    Beautiful views.
    We were there.
    Mullaway.
    Spectacular.

    We planned to then walk a little way to the Mullaway General Store and have something for lunch.
    While we were sitting gazing at the sea from the last headland, Daryl rang.
    “Where are you?”
    “Solitary Islands Walk ... on top of the Headland.”
    “OK ... meet you at the General Store.”
    “Great ... Hey, can you drive us back?”
    Basically, one way was fun.
    Back might have been excessive.

    So we wandered into Mullaway.
    There is only a General Store in Mullaway.
    Heaps of surfers though.
    Passed a mother duck and her brood on the way.

    Wonderful old fashioned store.
    Sat under a big umbrella at a huge wooden table and had toasted sandwiches in the sun.
    Then all piled into Daryl’s 2 seater Ute.
    It was a bit of a squash.
    Lacey jammed in the foot well.
    Me on Emily’s lap trying to look like I was the only one in the passenger seat.
    Very, very funny.
    Daryl dropped us at Safety Beach....
    Didn’t want to risk driving through Woopi.
    We were pretty obvious.
    Waved goodbye to Daryl.
    And had the most magnificent walk through bush from Safety Beach to our Lake.
    We hadn’t seen the Lake from the other side.
    Knew there was a walk there.
    Just hadn’t done it yet.

    Was wonderful.
    Crossed the creek and waded back to camp.
    Wonderful, wonderful morning.

    I went to Woolworths and then read on the hammock.
    Emily went off to Rhyll’s in Sandy Beach for a backyard working bee.

    Lacey and I walked the beach.
    Emily is staying the night so I am now settled in my van after closing up her bus and feeding Winston.

    Thinking about spending some time looking for a larger van to convert.

    Great day.

    Xxx
    Baca lagi

  • Emily is limping ...

    28 Ogos 2020, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Emily went to Sandy Beach yesterday to help Rhyll with a clean up in her back yard, kicked a pile of small branches and her ankle connected with a large bit of wood.
    It swelled overnight so by the time she got home this morning, she was limping quite badly.

    I got up at 7am.
    Magnificent day.
    And Emily wanted to wade in the cool water for her ankle so off we went, slowly.
    This was quite simply the best morning.
    All we could do was paddle and make our way slowly up the lake to the sea.
    So it was leisurely.
    And the difference was amazing.
    I loved it.
    We are usually going fast.
    This was so much better.

    Lacey and I crossed the creek.
    It was low tide.
    And walked part of the track on the other side.
    Emily kept slowly walking in the water.
    Lacey swam the creek several times.
    ( She seems so proud of herself!)

    Long, slow walk.
    Up the rocks on the other side.
    Emily joined us as the cold water was doing the trick.
    Then we wandered into the waves.
    Magnificent.

    Back to camp.
    No wind and lots of sun.

    Emily put a cold pack on her foot and read.

    Barbara, a lady by herself, in her 70s who we chat to a lot, was sitting in the sun on an empty site opposite her van when a caravan pulled in to take that site so she moved into the sun on the next site ... closer to us.
    Then another van arrived for that site ... so I invited her for lunch.
    Chicken wrap.
    We sat and chatted for ages.
    She has been coming here for over 20 years.
    She lost her husband a couple of years ago but still comes as she knows so many people here.
    They have been coming for as many years.
    Wonderful to hear what the Park was like back then.
    And they used to waterski on the Lake!
    It has silted up a bit much for that now.

    More reading.
    Bit of walking.

    Emily headed into Coffs.
    Daryl and a Martine picked me up for an early dinner at the Seaview Tavern
    ( That’s what the pub on the hill is called.)
    Great food and a lot of fun.

    Emily is now visiting Crystal in Woolgoolga.

    Lovely day .

    Xxx
    Baca lagi

  • Horses on the sandbars ..

    29 Ogos 2020, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Each morning when we go for a walk there have been hoof prints in the sand.
    Lacey charges off, nose to the ground following these hoof prints until they disappear into the lake or perhaps the waves.

    This afternoon, we found the horses.
    Two girls ride here each day from Sandy Beach.
    They were having fun on the sandbar and playing in the water of the Lake.
    Lacey has never seen horses before.
    Was quite an eye opener!

    Very lazy day today.
    We went out to look at a Coaster that was for sale by Mitre 10 on the way to Sandy Beach.
    Looked magnificent.
    Still a bus but around 2010, I think.
    It had done 700,000kms though.
    Way too many..
    Interesting to see the newer bus.

    Looked at van conversions most of the afternoon as we sat in the sun.
    As I said, a very lazy day.

    Emily bought an outdoor chair from Mitre 10.
    She was very comfortable and not moving anywhere.

    Pasta and chicken for dinner.
    Watched several episodes of Mom.

    That’s it.

    Xxx
    Baca lagi

  • I have a situation here....

    30 Ogos 2020, Australia ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    And not for one second am I trying to compare this to your situation down there....
    But ....
    Up at 7am this morning.
    Glorious day.
    Walked Lacey near the Lake.
    Saw Martine and Scout in the distance ....
    Said, “ Look Lacey. There’s Scout.”
    Well that little dog spun her head around so quickly to see a Scout, I thought she has dislocated her neck.
    And off she went!
    So excited.
    They played.
    A lot.
    Martine and I talked as we walked back to the caravan park, along the lovely grassy banks.
    That’s where the situation arose.
    Lacey found something absolutely irresistible to roll in.
    Not once.
    But 4 times.
    Rubbing that little body into the grass for all she was worth.
    Don’t know what it was .... but it stank.

    So I had a very stinky little dog on my hands and we were off to Nambucca Heads for the day.
    ( See next blog. )

    Now, we are back from our day out.
    And it was too cold to give a Lacey a bath.
    Very chilly wind at 4pm and given that it is dark at 5pm, not able to get her dry.

    So I am in a van that is 4 foot 6 inches wide and 10 foot long not counting the driving bits.
    I am in bed with a very stinky dog laying at my feet.
    That’s sort of all right until about 2am when she will try to get under the covers with me.
    ( I have just put off everyone who does not have a dog. Sorry.)

    So, even though I have just got back from a steaming hot shower, tomorrow morning off I’ll go again.
    And all those bed clothes to the laundry as well.
    At $4 a load.
    On the plus side, the forecast is 26 degrees and sunny..

    So there...
    Stinky dog night!

    The other night when we sat outside with a Matteo and Jess and I was FROZEN, I dragged a Lacey, kicking and screaming under the covers early, just to be my hot water bottle., and quietly went off to sleep.

    😷
    Baca lagi

  • Nambucca Heads on a spectacular day.

    30 Ogos 2020, Australia ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    Left at 10.30am for the drive, about an hour south of us on the wonderful motorway.
    Pulled into a car park right by the water, near the waterside cafe.
    ( Emily is amazing at just following her nose and getting to the right place.)

    Ordered lunch and went for a walk along the Boardwalk while we waited.
    It was amazing.
    This boardwalk hugs the water all the way around to the magnificent breakwater.
    We wandered along, slowly.
    Stopping to gaze all the time.
    Then turned back and took a side track, up through the bush, up and up and up... to a wonderful view of the water.
    We were puffed though!

    Back to the cafe for an outside table in the sun.
    Fish and chips for me and a hamburger for Emily.
    Then off along the boardwalk again to the end.
    Where the sea meets the river.
    The waves were huge here.
    I took a video but it doesn’t really show how scary it was.
    You would not want to be in that water anywhere near that inlet.
    Yet back further, the water was calm and like glass.
    People were kayaking and swimming ( on the edges )
    Such a difference.

    We marvelled at all the painted rocks along the breakwater.
    It just makes it look so like summer somehow.

    Long walk back through the caravan park.
    This was magnificent.
    Sites backed up to the still water.
    Beautiful trees and lawn.
    And the cabins had to be seen to be believed.
    All with a water view.

    Then we walked out of the caravan park and RIGHT at the entrance was a beautiful hotel ...with water views.
    I know where I would be eating every night!

    Back along the boardwalk to the van and home.

    Nambucca Heads is simply beautiful.
    Lovely day.

    ( The smelly little dog loved it as well.)
    Baca lagi

  • We might be going ‘Stealth’.

    30 Ogos 2020, Australia ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    So it all started because I wanted to get out of the tent.
    Into a Tin Tent.
    Then I found a Tin Tin.
    Loved Tin Tin.
    ABSOLUTELY loved Tin Tin.

    Then Emily got her van.
    My van now.
    Then she wanted to go bigger.
    I said, “ You need a bus.”
    And she got a bus.

    Now, we are thinking we need new vans.
    But we like doing them up ourselves.
    And they are too expensive for us if they are Motorhomes.
    So.....

    On those windy last few afternoons....
    We have been investigating.

    Going to look at Iveco tomorrow in Coffs.

    This will be interesting.
    Emily might come back to Melbourne in March.
    To park in front of my place.
    In a brand new van.
    All ready to be converted into her home.

    Wow.
    How much fun would that be?

    Me?
    I want the shorter version.
    And in blue.

    Bet it won’t fit under the carport!

    Ha ha.
    Fun.
    Baca lagi

  • Look away now ...

    31 Ogos 2020, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    ... if you don’t go camping
    ... and cannot handle a little bit of dirt.

    I didn’t wash the sheet and doona today.
    Nor did I have another shower.

    Turns out Lacey was not that bad after all.
    ( Or I was smelling the same as her.)
    Either way, it didn’t matter ...
    It was sunny and 26 degrees today.
    No way I was wasting that stripping and remaking a bed.

    So off to Coffs we went, chasing a look at these Iveco vans.
    Wow.
    Are they big.
    And tall.

    Had fun.
    Took all the measurements .
    Salesman was not much chop.
    Took forever to get details from him.

    Called in at a caravan yard to check out some Motorhomes.
    Saw some lovely ones there.
    And saw a beautiful little van that sits on the back of a Ute.
    It had some years on it, but had everything you needed ... ( except the Ute )
    I loved it.
    And it was $14,000 ...
    And it was sold.
    Very clever design.

    Maccas for lunch in the shade at The Big Banana ( Yah!)
    Then home for a quick change into bathers and shorts and onto the Lake in the kayak and on the paddle board.
    This was magnificent.
    No wind, and hot.
    Exactly like the first 3 weeks here.
    We seem to have had a bit of a chilly wind for the past 2 weeks.
    Wind makes paddling not so much fun so haven’t been on the Lake for a while.

    I paddle boarded.
    And stood up ... and everything.
    So, so relaxing.
    More so than the kayak.
    I have to paddle more in that.

    We just sat and let the water take us.
    Paddling with our hands if we felt like it.
    Lacey jumped from kayak to paddle board, enjoying the drifting as much as us.

    That was fun.
    Then we headed for the beach.
    Bit colder than we expected....there was a wind there.
    I had a cork screw peg that I twisted in the sand to tie Lacey.
    That worked really well.
    We jumped waves for a while then headed back to the Lake.
    To that little area that has turquoise water and tiny sand bars and really large flat rocks just under the surface... and no wind.
    There we did sit in the water, walk in waste deep water on wonderful sand and experimented letting ourselves walk off sand into deep pools of water.
    This was simply magic.
    We marooned Lacey on a large rock in the middle of the water as we played.
    She sort of wanted to swim, then would change her mind.

    Wonderful afternoon.

    Back at camp looking up specifications of vans.
    Then Emily said, “ Quick. Go Mum. There is a Toyota Commuter. Talk to them. Get measurements!”
    ( We get pretty serious about this.)

    Talked to the poor woman who had just arrived.
    It was a brand new hire bus so she let me walk all over it with the tape measure.
    That was interesting.
    My head missed the ceiling by 1/4 inch.
    Not big enough.

    Shanks for dinner.

    Oh....
    I washed Lacey.
    Funny, did take her for a walk after her bath and she tried to roll in that same spot.
    Not on your life.
    Not going through that again!

    So clean, sweet smelling dog.
    Clean Carolyn.

    Forecast for showers tonight and tomorrow morning.
    High of 19 degrees.
    Nothing planned.
    May be a reading day.

    ( I may wash the bedding.)

    Xxx
    Baca lagi

  • I think it’s Tuesday...

    1 September 2020, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Really have no idea what day it is.
    Really.

    Emily is thrilled as she actually has work to do.
    She has been assigned 4 new clients so she’s head down now.

    Very quiet day today.
    Temp 19 but the wind was there again.
    Early morning walk with Lacey on the beach.
    Then off to Woolworths.
    ( I have just got used to where everything is!)

    Bought Emily a lovely cane basket for her small outdoor table outside the door of Bumper for all the odds and ends.
    Looks lovely.

    Lay in Tin Tin reading or watching van conversion videos.

    A few problems to solve.
    Where do you park 2 huge trucks when you are trying to work on them?
    And they are really, really big.
    Not in the street I don’t think.
    You can get away with an old bus ...
    And, not that there is room for 2 in my driveway, even the smaller one is too wide to fit through the gate.

    So still thinking... ( perhaps wishful thinking ...)

    Beautiful evening walk on the beach.
    The wind had dropped.
    Magnificent rolls of chicken that Emily got from the butcher for dinner.

    Tomorrow is 2nd of September.
    In 2 years tomorrow, I hit 66.5 years old.
    Pension qualifying age.
    One part of me is a bit excited.
    The other bit wants to know how the hell that happened.

    Oh well, happening anyway.

    Phyll would be pleased... trying to put into action my next ‘ Five Year Plan’.

    Haha.

    That’s it.

    Xxx
    Baca lagi

  • Spring in Woolgoolga ...

    2 September 2020, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Daryl - “Well, Spring has really sprung!”
    Me - “Yes. Hang on. What do you mean?”
    Daryl - “The wind is fierce in Spring”

    You are telling me!
    Perfectly still overnight and early morning.
    Then the wind comes up about 9am and dies down about 5pm.
    So we are into the walks before the wind comes up.
    Absolute perfection on the beach in the early morning.

    Read, inside Tin Tin, laying on the bed.
    Emily working away.
    Wandered in the wind ... and that was fun.
    Back to reading.

    Didn’t do that much today 😎

    Walking tonight though.
    Perfect night.
    No wind.
    Warm.
    And a full moon over the ocean.
    Baca lagi

  • Magnificent 26 degrees today.

    3 September 2020, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Up early.
    Walked with Emily along the Beach to Woopi.
    She was meeting Crystal for breakfast at a cafe there.

    Lacey and I continued on to the high headland for some whale watching.

    Up the street to the left after we left the beach.
    Walking in lovely little parks with incredible views back down to the beach and out across the ocean.
    Took a scenic walk along the cliff face of the headland, beautiful boardwalks and paths leading all the way round and a steep walk to the very top of the headland.
    We can see this lookout from our beach.
    It has a large, tall water tank right on top painted to show whales swimming.
    Very colourful.

    I leaned on the fence looking out to sea, all the time chatting to people who were doing exactly the same thing.
    I saw whale’s tails flip out of the water, fins/flippers, spouts of gushing water being shot up into the air and huge heads.
    Did not see a full breach .... but it was amazing and very, very relaxing.
    Was there about an hour.
    Watched a whole heaps of surfers on the next beach from my high vantage point.

    And the sun was hot.
    Not really much of a wind.

    Headed back down to was Woopi and decided an ice cream was in order so to the Main Street we went.
    Very enjoyable.
    Strolled.
    Saw a lady on a ‘Trike Bike’
    Now, that looked like fun.

    Back long the beach to home.
    Lacey and I were a bit worn out.
    She went to sleep on my bed while I read.
    Then I went to sleep too.

    Spaghetti on toast for lunch.
    Quiet afternoon.
    Shower and Daryl and Martine picked us up at 6pm for dinner and live music eat Ground Earth.
    Wonderful night.
    Perfect weather.

    Great day.
    Loved it.
    26 forecast again tomorrow.

    Xxx
    Baca lagi

  • More fun photos

    4 September 2020, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    This really was so much fun.

    After lunch Emily headed to Woolworths on Burner.
    Having a Zoom cook and eat together tonight.

    She came back so excited.
    She has booked a site at a Sunset Caravan Park, just down the road, for 3 months from 1st December.
    She can only stay here til then.
    Only allowed to stay 150 days of any one calendar year in the park.
    We really though she may be in trouble finding a park over Christmas.
    Very exciting.

    Checked out the map of the park and the walkway to the beach.
    And went in search of it from our park.
    About 5 minutes along our road, a hard right hand turn on a track through the bush, over a wonderful bridge over the Woopi creek and the track opens up to the Sunset Caravan Park.
    Very nice.
    On the edge of the Woopi creek, just further down.
    Mainly all permanent cabins.
    She has one of only 17 powered sites.
    Wow.
    Very nice park.
    It has a swimming pool too!
    She is set.
    Baca lagi

  • BEST DAY EVER!!!!!

    4 September 2020, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Up at 7am.
    Warm already.
    Going to be 26 degrees today.
    Light winds.

    Emily had a one on one with her CEO in Chicago.
    I could hear them laughing from my van.
    Best employee ever.
    ( Or words to that effect)
    Emily was stoked!

    Off for a walk early.
    Magnificent day.
    Emily had a meeting at 9am... and took the rest of the day off.
    Basically, she has been assigned 6 new clients now.
    Best to get the time off when you can.

    We took the kayak and paddle board to the Lake.
    It was high tide so after launching, we wanted to see if we could paddle from the lake to where the water runs into the sea.
    If it was deep enough.
    We wanted to stop and swim in that beautiful turquoise water near the entrance to the sea..
    So absolutely beautiful, quietly paddling along.
    Yep we reached the turquoise water and the wonderful flat rocks.
    We pulled the kayak and paddle board up on the far side of the creek ... and swam and floated and splashed.
    It was simply magnificent.
    Absolutely magnificent!

    We spent 2 and a half hours playing here.
    And further along the waterway, out to sea as we decided to kayak into the sea and the waves.
    This was SO MUCH FUN!
    Mind you the waves coming into the lake were probably only 18 inches high.
    But we thought we were climbing Mt Everest.

    Emily then went back and grabbed her paddle board for the waves.
    Did OK, till I heard the scream.... yep she was off.
    So funny.

    And Lacey was riding point on the kayak.
    Head on into the waves.
    Getting pounded by 18 inch high waves.
    Straight in the face.
    ( Hey, she is only 10 inches high. She was magnificent!!!!!!)
    And then we would do a u-turn and, I swear, I was surfing ... in a kayak!

    OMG.
    This was amazing!
    Best fun ever.

    More swimming.
    Dodging 2 huge poodles that were swimming near us.
    We know them from the caravan park, Whiskey and Conyac.
    ( And I think I have a problem. )

    They think Lacey is their new best friend, but one paw just crushes her.
    So 8 is a bit much.
    Besides, if they both tried to say hello to Lacey by leaning on one side of the kayak as we paddled past, they would have capsized me.... into 18 inches of water!
    Was taking no chances.

    Absolutely brilliant morning.
    So much fun.

    Headed back to camp for lunch at 12.30pm.
    We were starving.
    Baca lagi

  • Head east from the motorway ....

    5 September 2020, Australia ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    And you run into a beautiful beach.
    Big beaches.
    Tiny beaches.
    All with magnificent green parks and huge shady trees.
    And tiny towns.

    The views are stunning.
    Everywhere.

    Daryl and Martine took us on another road trip today.
    We left at 8.30am and arrived back at 6pm.
    It was a big day.

    We went to Sawtell first, for breakfast.
    Small town, on a beautiful beach and river.
    Rivers are everywhere here.
    Huge, huge fig trees are in the centre of the Main Street.
    There branches reach out across the road on both sides.
    They must be so old.
    And fascinating to see the roots growing down from branches way up high.
    Lovely cafe and sat at a table looking at the trees.

    A tour of the beach and river.
    On the road again.
    Daryl took a road to the east and into a very tiny town, Valla.
    You could live there easily.
    Magnificent beach.
    The dogs went for a huge run across this pristine white sand.

    Back in the car.
    Into Nambucca Heads.
    Love this place.
    Martine buys clothes at this one shop here.
    She is very tall and they always have clothes that suit her.
    So all of us trouped in.
    OMG.
    You could have bought everything in this shop.
    Everything was stunning.
    And that is saying a lot.
    I’m not a shopper.

    Except, I could not pass on these pair of shoes.
    See the photo.
    Love them.

    Shopping done and Martine very pleased, down to the water for another look.
    Martine waded in the water with Scout loving every second.

    On to South West Rocks.
    Beautiful holiday town.
    Caravan park right on the water and backed onto the tiny Main Street.
    Everything you need.
    Spectacular parks leading to the water.
    We waded around the huge rocks on the beach at the river mouth.
    Yep.
    Another river.

    Then Martine, who has to be the biggest water fan I have ever seen, went for a swim.
    At another beach.
    She was up and down in the surf, loving every minute.
    We sat on the grass and watched.

    Oh, except, Daryl washed the sand off his feet at one of those shower things at the beach.
    I went after him to start to rinse mine.
    Now there are 2 buttons on the shower thing.
    The lower button turns on the lower spout for feet washing.
    The top button turns on the water for the shower, doesn’t it?
    Guess which one I pressed?
    Hahaha.
    That was a surprise!
    Emily thought it was hysterical.
    So basically, I was pretty clean all over.

    Across to a cafe for chips and dim sims.
    Then a walk along the river to see a long white bridge with kids jumping from huge heights.
    Up we went.
    Watched the jumpers for a while, then continued on a track through the bush to end up on the beach again.
    Lacey was wonderful.
    Racing ahead with Martine and Scout.
    Turning round and finding us again on the track.
    “ You OK? Good.”
    And fly back to find Martine.
    When the 3 of us with shorter legs than the beach baby Martine emerged from the bush, Martine, Lacey and Scout were all having a wonderful time playing in the water.

    Long walk back to the white bridge again to cross the river.
    Back to the car.
    Off to check out the old jail on the headland.
    Amazing place. Huge oils sandstone walls and buildings.

    And we stood on this headland and watched whales come and glide across the surface before diving back down again.

    Headed home.
    Thunder and lightening and very heavy rain.
    Really heavy.
    Emily looked at me.
    She had left all the windows open on her bus.
    Didn’t bear thinking about.

    Arrived back at Woopi.
    It didn’t seem to have rained much here.
    Got everything closed up and set up before the rain hit us.
    Very lucky.

    Emily has also found a border collie litter that will be ready for homes in 3 weeks time..
    So we were talking about this a bit over chips and dim sims.
    The photos, of course, are lovely.
    She can go to have a look next weekend.
    They will be 6 weeks old then.

    She is a bit excited.
    Would be amazing for her to have a dog here with the beach lifestyle.
    And a guard dog as well.

    Winston, the cat will be a bit miffed to start, but they will work it out.

    Fingers crossed. Xxxx
    Baca lagi

  • Snakes Alive ...

    6 September 2020, Australia ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    Emily - “ Mum, come and have a look at this”.

    There was quite a crowd around the awning of a caravan ....
    And there was an 8 foot python who had made it’s way up a broomstick and curled itself up on top on an electric frypan on the table in the awning.
    Quite a sight to see.

    Then one man said, “I think I saw it’s mother this morning going across the path to the beach.
    It was 4 times as big as this one.”

    Oh.
    I will be watching my step a bit more carefully.
    Lacey and Winston sleep inside of a night.
    And are never left alone during the day.
    ( Even more so now.)

    After much excitement, one man went in, caught the snake behind the head and walked to release it in the bush.
    It was amazing to watch the snake curl round and round his arm though.
    Wouldn’t want to meet the big one.

    Walk on the beach this morning.
    Emily was exercising at camp before we left .
    She has a sore knee and hip.
    Trying to get it moving.
    Seems much better tonight.
    Slightly overcast after very heavy rain last night.

    We drove into Woopi ( feeling lazy) for hamburgers from the Burger Box.
    Shot to Woolies while they were being made.
    Quick trip.
    Very crowded.
    Everyone shopping on a Sunday.
    Then headed to the beach to eat the burgers and watch the surfers.
    There was a boy and girl about 8 - 10 years old, surfing like pros.
    The Dads were out there helping them along.

    Back to camp.
    Read on the deck.

    Then Emily took the One Wheel to the beach at dusk.
    I was still reading and thought that I won’t be here to watch her soon so Lace and I shot off to the beach to join her.
    Lovely evening.
    Great fun.
    Baca lagi

  • Forgot.

    6 September 2020, Australia ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    The sun came out about 2pm.
    Lace and I raced to check the amount of water in the creek.
    There was still a lot but the tide was flowing out, pretty fast.

    So Emily grabbed the paddle board and I grabbed the kayak.
    Lacey on point again ...
    And launched at a spot that would take us all the way past our turquoise swimming spot towards the sea.

    This was hysterical.
    The tide was so strong ... no paddles needed.
    Then we would get stuck on a sandbar and feet were necessary over the side to push us along to deeper water.

    Well, we passed that turquoise swimming spot at a rate of knots!
    And raced towards the sea.
    ( The water is only 12 inches deep so all OK.)
    Laugh.
    We were getting spun around.
    Went backwards....
    Great fun.

    Then Lacey and I finally got control of the kayak and paddled furiously in the sea and the waves.
    Again, only about 18 inches deep, I am not being silly here.
    And we turned and surfed back.
    We actually caught a wave.
    It was so much fun.

    Then we came to a dead stop when the wave hit the water racing out of the creek.
    Honestly, I was paddling uphill.

    Emily took the kayak then.
    Out into the waves....
    Turned to catch a wave...
    Not fast enough as it turns out...
    The wave hit her sideways and capsized her boat and out she went.
    So funny.

    She recovered and caught a wave in.
    I went again.
    Lacey on shore with Emily this time.
    I was hit as the current turned me sideways and over I went.

    We had the best time.
    This kayak is just so much fun.
    You can lay on it and just float or you can pretend to be a great surfer!
    Doesn’t matter.
    Both are fun.

    Xxx
    Baca lagi