Year off around Australia

Get here earlier than agreed 4pm, so Sam not home from work yet. We admire the view - looking out to sea from the front yard.
Sam arrives home - dropped off by a work mate. Take to him immediately - as he's friendly and welcoming. Naturally Sam takes us on the tour of the house and yard - we meet the dogs. Annie the Harrier, and Benge the Beagle. Both friendly dogs. Once preliminary introductions done, we go park up our caravan in the driveway, which we need to chock heavily to get level (steep driveway). We will stay in it tonight, while Sam still at home, and move into the house tomorrow once Sam leaves with his father in law to join the rest of his family in Perth. We sit out in the front porch area with Sam and enjoy a chat and a couple of drinks (Sam's non alcoholic 👏🫶). Then we head inside to get a few more housekeeping items sorted. Thankfully there is a list with contacts if we need to clarify or get some assistance. For our tea we go back to our caravan, Roger cooks some steak which we have with salad. Roger goes inside to read on the couch with the dogs. I'm happy to stay in our van and catch up on my writing and tidy up. Roger comes back to go for a shower, we're now relaxing before bed.
Well we sleep in and hear Sam get collected by his father in law at 6.30am. Dogs are in their backyard - and one of them starts to howl (gather they can tell something 'amiss' with their human heading out) so we decide to get up and move into the house and have breakfast so the dogs can be in as well. After we have our breakie (I've moved my Thermomix into the house - the Williamson's have one too and Alyse has taken theirs to Perth with them, along with their coffee machine) we take Annie and Benge for their 1st walk with us. Good fun - just as we were warned, they pull while their noses are in action, until they wear out a bit, but we'll manage. Get back from a 4.5km walk and decide to have an outing (will we aim for 1 a day?). So we get ourselves organised to go to the Museum.
Once we get back - we spend the afternoon as we feel, Roger sorting caravan food, me bringing in stuff we'll use inside. Then relax. Take the dogs for a walk before tea 3.5km. Tea tonight a Thermomix night with a chicken casserole and bread and butter pudding. Tidy up and relax. Roger showers and heads to bed before me - when I go to bed I find both dogs sleeping with Rog. Had to change sleeping arrangements - dogs went to a mattress on the floor at end of our bed.
Sunday morning sees us up around 6.30am - not the best sleep as the dogs (Annie mainly) kept trying to sneak on the bed with us! Will be interesting if this is an ongoing thing - who will win? Breakfast, shower for me (lovely ensuite bathroom), then once ready, walk the dogs - same track as yesterday morning 4.5km. Get a call from Tegan, lovely catch up, she's doing great with her dog walking business. I get ready for my morning outing - I'm going for a harbour cruise. Roger has declined (hasn't recovered from seasickness memories I gather). Roger drives me into Geraldton Wharf so he can check out the nearby Sunday Market while I'm off on the sailing boat.
When I get back, Roger's there to meet me, and we head off to get some grocery items at Woolworths before checking out the HMAS Sydney Memorial.
Once we've done this, we head back 'home' to the dogs and to have our lunch. Reheated chicken casserole - I have mine with toast, Roger has his in a sandwich. We rest and read until we head out again (when we go away we shut the dogs outside in their yard) to go to the Cathedral Church for a tour at 2.30pm.
We return to our housesitting to relax some more before taking the dogs on a evening walk 3km. Roger prepares tea, steak and vegetables. We finish off last night's bread and butter pudding. Tidy up. I catch up on my budgeting books. Roger showers, relaxing until bedtime.
Today Monday - we're up around 6.30am (so daylight here) and go with our routine of breakfast, get organised and walk Annie and Benge 4.5km. We are finding we're doing the same walk, as it's so convenient - walk to Bellimos Park that has a dog water station, then walk about the uninhabited area of land beside this park. This area has tracks throughout to follow and gives the dogs plenty of sniffing opportunities. End up walking back to the water station before heading home. Rog and I decide to have a day off from Tourist activities, we're happy just to hang around at our house sit. In between relaxing we do some odd jobs, cleaning and 1 load of clothes washing. We'll do another load of washing tomorrow - best 1 at a time with small washing line for drying.
Lunch today, sandwiches. Later in the afternoon we take the dogs for their evening walk 3km. Roger makes up mince into Chilli Con Carne which we have over boiled potatoes and serve with sour cream and grated parmesan. We're got so much milk (left in the fridge by the household family) that Roger also makes up another bread and butter pudding. After tidy up - we have use of a dishwasher here - I get to booking online a tour we've been looking at (comparing with others etc) and have decided which one we'll go with. Very excited, we're doing a scenic flight Abrolhos Island Discovery Tour on Thursday, should be beaut! Again, from listening to the audiobook on Batavia has me very interested to check out these islands, and we have the opportunity to snorkel at Turtle Beach too. Now just going to get on the laptop and check my emails, before some reading and bedtime.
29/10/24 Tuesday. Roger up just after 6am, I hold off until closer to 7am. Breakfast and get another load of washing going. We take Annie and Benge on their morning walk 4.5km. Get back, hang out the washing and then get organised to go out into Geraldton for the rest of the morning and some of the afternoon. Roger packs our lunch - meat and salad sandwiches and bananas. We head off to do some shopping and go check out some of Geraldton's places.
We get back around 4pm, I put on another load of washing - new doona cover set I just got for the caravan along with some washing I discover of Sam's (in their wash basket, not much). Then make a banana cake (thermomix) as there are 4 bananas left in the family's fridge that need using. Roger's busy doing some fix it jobs (minor) in our van and in this house (ie curtain opener repair- part cost 50c). Next we take the dogs for their evening walk 4km. Then it's relax till tea time - reheat leftovers of last night - Chilli Con Carne (we do some microwave spuds to go with it) and bread and butter pudding. Tidy up, Roger has his shower, relaxing before bedtime.
30/10/24 Wednesday Wake up around 6am, Roger gets up, I follow later at around 6.30am. We have our breakfasts, then take Annie and Benge for their morning walk 4.3km. Roger decides we'll go for a drive this morning to checkout some surrounding places near Geraldton. We get ourselves organised and off we go.
Return back here around 4pm. Roger relaxes having a read (he's mowing through Lee Child books) and I have fun putting the new doona cover on out in the caravan, making the bed and tidying. I have a rest, then we take the dogs for their evening walk 2.7km. Tea tonight is chicken snitzels in toasted (oven baked) Turkish bread that's heated with avocado, cheese and chutney. When putting together to eat we add in tomato and lettuce - yum. Eating banana cake - today as afternoon smoko when we got back. Tidy up, relaxing, updating budget books - writing this up before heading to bed. Rog has showered and already gone to bed. Looking forward to our tour tomorrow.
31/10/24 Thursday. Well we're up nice and early Roger 5.30am, me about 5.45am to get the doggos walked before we head out to catch our scenic flight this morning. So breakfast and walk Annie and Benge 4km. Now to get tidied up and organised for today's touring - bathers, sunnies, hats, sunscreen etc. Plan to leave here 8.30am - which we do.
Get back from our amazing outing - had a fantastic time - around 3.45pm. Relax outside, in the entertaining area (under cover) with a bubbles and cheese and biscuits before we take Annie and Benge on their evening walk 2.7km. Roger prepares tea - a mince surprise, full of veggies, which we have over cooked potatoes served with parmesan cheese. Finish off the banana cake for dessert. We have showers, tidy up and relax until bedtime.
1/11/24 Friday. Up at 6.30am, have our breakfasts then take the doggos on their 1st walk of the day. Usual lap 4km, with the added excitement (for me who saw it happen) of seeing Roger and Annie, walking in front of Benge and I, go over longer grass in the track to have a small snake 'pop' out after they go over it - I watch as it moves very quickly away from us all into nearby thicker grass and scrub. Rog did glimpse it just before it disappeared. No idea what type of snake it was - 2ft long, thin, dark and fast! The dogs paid no attention to it what so ever - thank goodness! Back 'home' again I quickly have a shower to have nice clean hair before I get to my 9.30am hairdresser appointment. Roger happy to come along to go check out the streets while I get my hair cut. Afterwards, we meet up and walk around the streets together looking at the shops. I make a purchase in a baby wares shop called Possums and Peaches, of a baby wrap to gift to James and Sophie Tooley who are expecting their first child in March. We also get to the Geraldton Post Office to collect our ME Bank cards that Stacy has forwarded to us. Call into a shopping plaza and get a loaf of bread from Bakers Delight.
Now drive back 'home' to have some lunch. We have leftover mince surprise with fresh bread. I decide to cook up some Anzac biscuits. Rog enjoys having a cool down in the pool. We both just enjoy having a relax doing our own thing this afternoon. Reading mainly. Take the dogs for their evening walk 2.7km. Come back and start preparing tea. Roger doing a small lamb roast in the BBQ here, with roast vegetables and some steamed vegetables. I do instant gravy, and I make a mulberry tart, pastry with the Thermomix and use up fresh mulberries Rog and I got to pick the other day. We tidy up, Roger goes to shower and I'm writing this up. Won't be long and we'll both be in bed, reading before sleep.
2/11/24 Saturday. Awake and up before 6.30am. Breakfast and then we walk Annie and Benge - very routine now. Rog wonders whether we'll go for a drive to Pink Lake - I was hesitant, as I know we're going out this evening, so Rog agrees good day to stay put. We'll get some jobs done at 'home'. I have a shower then. get stuck into changing our bedding - and the taking the cover off the mattress the dogs are sleeping on. Then get washing going. I also work on soaking the doona cover we've been using in the caravan - unfortunately it has become quite discoloured/stained from where our legs with sunscreen and red dust stuck to us have rubbed up against the doona cover. I can't remove it - but at least I know I've tried - and maybe improved it a bit. Roger gives the ute a thorough clean - outside and in. Lunch is roast meat salad sandwiches for Roger, and I make up a toasted salami, avocado, tomato, cheese and chutney sandwich for myself, after I finish my phone call with Barb. Also rang and checked up on Sally Reynolds-Johnson (Dunkeld) earlier on in the day - she is back home with her brother visiting to look after her while she recovers (has been warned it will take a while) from her hip surgery (major). Afternoon slips by, but I do manage to sew on some buttons (buttons cost $20!) and stitch up some tears in the doona cover that is on the bed we're using here. Just thought it would be nice to have that done for this busy household. Take Annie and Benge for an early afternoon walk so Rog and I can head into Geraldton 4.30pm to check out the Festival of Lights. We're home about 8.30pm. Have a cuppa and a small bowl of fresh strawberries each that need to be eaten. Rog has his shower, I bring in some washing of the clothesline, now writing this before going to bed. Roger already gone to bed - reading I'd guess.
3/11/24 Sunday. Up at 6.30am, breakfast and then walk Annie and Benge 4km. I have a shower, while Roger packing our lunch of sandwiches (?) - I question this, as what we're intending to do today will have food vendors...
We put the dogs out into their safe yard, then head off to go to the Geraldton Market held near the Geraldton Museum. After this we head to the Geraldton Blessing of the Fleet held at the Fisherman's Wharf. We return 'home' to the dogs at around 2pm. I am so full from the food and drink I've been having, I go have a nap. Rog relaxing, reading his book. I get up around 3.30pm and we decide to go check out the local distillery "30 Knots." Dogs put outside again and off we go. Back again around 5pm - in time to take the doggos on their evening walk 2.9km. We have some nibbles of cheese, biccies and dip with a bottle of bubbles, and decide we don't need much for tea. Turns out the sandwiches packed today (not required for lunch) work perfectly for tea toasted (and minus the lettuce). Fresh fruit for dessert. Tidy up, Roger showers - now relaxing before bedtime.
4/11/24 Monday I get up nice and early, before 6am, as I'm keen to make a batch of blueberry pancakes - as to recipe on Buttermilk in the fridge that needs to be used up (use by 6/11). Get this done - works out nicely, though the first lot in the pan were too dark! Still alright to eat. Roger and I take the dogs on their morning walk 4km - had a minor incident with Annie. While Roger was chatting on his mobile with Robert - we've come across an elderly lady with her small elderly dog on it's leash, our two have decided they'd like to go and meet this dog. Usually not a problem, we just keep to our line of motion and make our dogs move past with us (admittedly with pulling on their leashes involved) so they don't reach the other dog/s. Unfortunately, this time Annie's leash clasp has given away, and Annie is off like a rocket away from Rog to the other dog. I stood by helplessly, holding Benge from joining the dash, while asking the lady to try and put herself between the 2 dogs .....by now Rog has ended his call and done his dash to retrieve Annie. Thankfully, Annie's intent just to meet this dog, but she is much bigger and is standing over the little dog which is starting to react...phew Roger gets Annie back 'in hand' before any mischief done. Annie's leash still works, just came undone and her name tag broke off it's ring (Roger finds Annie's tag on our return with this walk). We all continue on our merry way. Once back at housesit, we get ready to go out for a drive. Roger's chosen Port Gregory to check out the Pink Lake. We head off, calling in at the Woolworths plaza on the way out, to get something from Baker's Delight to have for lunch. Off we go.
We get back to Geraldton about 3pm and fuel up, then go to BWS to stock up our drinks, next to Woolworths to replenish on groceries too. Get back to housesit, unload and relax with the dogs happy to see us. On the dogs' evening walk we go the opposite way from usual to change it up abit - paid off, we got to see a large lizard (goanna I guess) run across the empty paddock in front of us into the nearby bushes - dogs didn't care, but Rog and I happy to have seen it. Once back, we relax with nibbles and drinks, before I go shower while Roger cooks up tea, sausages and vegetables. Tidy up, Rog has his shower, now relaxing until bedtime. That's Rog reading - and me catching up on writing this.Read more