20.7.2015

well Darryl's Dental work turned out to be a MAJOR problem with a split tooth and a large abscess :C
He had that removed but now needs more work in two weeks to put a bridge in where the tooth has been  removed.  He is on antibiotics for 2 weeks.

My brother Peter arrived from Bundaberg late on Saturday night and spent all of Sunday with us.
He left at 4am this morning to go to a job out at Tamborine where he will stay for the week.  We hope he will be here again this coming Saturday.

I went to a weaving day at Cleveland - Redlands Performing Arts Centre - on Saturday and it was a great day.  There were a total of 9 ladies from the Jajari Jimbaljin group present.

 waiting to learn 'coiling' weave

 learning how to weave a mat

 using recycled products

 Coiling using plastic 'rope' and paper-raffia

mat is taking shape - Sue and Anne-Marie

'weaving' a mobile phone holder using fabric strips and sewing blanket stitch to keep it together

 coiling with fabric strips over plastic 'rope'

 the coiling weaving ladies and children

a mat almost done with Chelsea and Alana

 finished mobile phone holder with plaited strap

There were about 30 women and children there on Saturday and the five hours just FLEW past.

Hoping to get across to Nth Stradbroke Island on Saturday for the 'Whale Festival' where they are going to have more weaving demo's.

This Thursday the ladies from Jajari Jimbaljin will be doing a trip to North Stradbroke to meet up with the Maroomba Milbool (all coming together) ladies group and hoping to be shown how to use natural products for weaving.

Our trip south has been delayed by a couple of weeks BUT we will get to Taree to check on Darryl's brother soon.

Keep safe all

4th July to 17 July

On the 4th July we travelled from Taree to Raymond Terrace and parked the car and van outside our dear friends - Doreen and Ken's - Home.  We then spent three wonderful days with them as they both had a flexi day on Friday.
On Sunday we were lucky enough to see Melissa and her two lovely daughters - Addison and Tayla - and also saw Bruce.  What a great time we had with Doreen and Ken - It was just like it had been when we lived next door.....
On Monday we drove to Maitland and stayed with our dear friends Jenni and Gordy.  Last time we spent time together was back in 2011 at Glen Innes.  A lot has happened in the intervening years, but it was so good to spend Quality time with them both.  We are going to make sure that it isn't three years between visits next time. :)
On Tuesday 8th we headed out of Rutherford to Cessnock and the airport where we were to meet up with our niece Amanda, her daughter Ally and Amanda's partner Mark.  When we got to the airport it was to find everything locked up and no-one home :(  We tried to phone but no response :C  So after leaving messages we decided that we would continue on our way.  We will try and meet up with Amanda, Mark and Ally next visit :)
We were going to travel via the Golden Highway out to Sleepy Hollow and then up through the Bylong Valley toward Rylestone and on to Wallerawang.  As we were making good time ( we were at Bylong at 1pm) we stopped to have lunch and decided to continue on to Karen and Trevor's home, getting there a day early.
Whilst at Karen and Trevor's I managed to get my hair trimmed with Karen's hairdresser, went into Lithgow several times :D and then did quite a lot of sewing on the craft for my stall that I am going to have when we go to the Australian Caravan Club's National Meet later this year.  With the main sewing completed I can now work on the handsewing and the knitting of Rebecca's cardigan.  I promise Beckie that it WILL get finished :D, regardless of the knobbly knuckles that I am starting to get on my fingers of my right hand.  Our good Doctor will check them out when we get home :).
We have been waiting on mail and it arrived on Thursday - now we have the new rego sticker for the car and are 'legal' again - the rego doesn't expire until the 17th but good to know we have the new sticker....  Ben contacted us today and will be sending us mail - so will wait for his mail to arrive too...
On sunday the 13th the temperature got down to MINUS 4.1 outside and MINUS 0.2 in the van overnight. brrrrrrr

 Frost on the spare wheel

 frost on the gas cylinder cover

 frost on the ground

 ice balls on the Patrol

 Ice on Trevor's Ute. 

That night as i was going out to the van it was only MINUS 1.1 outside at 10pm brrrrrrrr

Next morning it was MINUS 5.1 degrees and we had a frozen ice drip from the sullage hose and ice on the sullage bucket

 ice on the bucket

 icy drip

Tuesday 15th, checked with Ben what day he posted his mail ----- but he hasn't yet!!! So we will leave Karen and Trevors on Thursday and he can post the letter to us at Berry....... Duffer that he is..... :D

Thursday 17th we left Trevors at about 9.15 am and headed down to Rydal, Hampton and Oberon.  The weather beureau has been predicting snow for the past four mornings and we haven't got it yet.  Checked with Oberon Police Station before we left and all the roads are clear.

  Low cloud on the rise just after Rydal

 

 Wind Turbines at Hampton

The rest area after turning toward Oberon

Arriving Oberon

  The Big Trout at Oberon

 

We did not stop at Oberon but just drove through.

 Oberon Dam

 

 Looking toward Goulburn

 Moss growing on the side of the road

There was some steep decents and some tight hair-pin bends but it was a very lovely drive.

As we neared Goulburn we went through a Village named TARALGA.  This is also a village where some of our family's ancestors were based, so we stopped for a quick look.

We then kept driving and stopped at Goulburn for lunch.  It was bitterly cold there and there were sleet showers coming through as we ate.  We then decided that we would continue on to Moss Vale and make our way down to Kangaroo Valley.  We were having 35km/h winds with gusts up to 80km/h so decided to stop at the van park in Moss Vale and wait out the wind which is supposed to ease off on Saturday ( at this time any way).  So we are parked here for two nights and the heater is on :)

 

 

Taree

Arrived in Taree on Monday and there was a very Bitter wind blowing.  Went straight through you :C
We are camped at the Dawson River Caravan Park and back right onto the river.
The owners have done lots of work since we were last here and put up short walls around the camp kitchen, put in concrete slabs to most of the sites and the others they have put in road base.  Today they were cutting down and mulching some dead trees.
We no sooner set up the van and headed off to visit the family after calling in to the optometrist to fix Darryl's sunglasses as they had lost the screw that keeps the lens in, and got some food for lunch.
Had a good day and night with the family.

Tuesday we got up late (8.30am) and it was 1.8 degrees outside
Went and visited the family and took the computer to do some work on a photobook of our Trip from 2012.  I also did the washing and got that sorted out.  Very cold blustery winds again today.
We were there until quite late and Darryl cooked home-made fried rice and chicken Korma curry for dinner.  We had Samantha and John with us also.

Wednesday - another day with the family and back to the van and Darryl cooked pork and sweet potatoe chips for dinner on the camp kitchen BBQ.  Very nice indeeed.

Thursday (today) we arrived at the house just after 10 and finally headed out for a road trip about 11.30am and headed to Bulahdelah to go East to Blueys Beach, where nephew John Hobourn cooks in 'Twentybytwelve' Cafe.
We detoured to Seal Rocks on the way

 The road from Bulahdelah on 'The Lakes Way'

 

 

 Seal Rocks

 Road to Blueys Beach

 

 Our luncheon destination 'twentybytwelve'

Apparently the local beach used to be called 'twentybytwelve' until the cow 'Bluey' fell off the cliff and then it became Bluey's Beach.

 entrance to the path and steps down to the beach

 

 Blueys Beeach - proper.

 

Birdlife in the bushes along the path to the beach

 

We then drove back to the Lakes Way passing Boomerang and Elizabeth Beaches. We then had some lovely lakes on our left as we headed to Forster and Tuncurry.

 

 

 

We then headed back to Taree and took Shirley and Samantha home.  Because we had taken a lot of things out of the car for today's road trip - Darryl and I headed back to put it all back before it got too dark.  As we returned it was Sunset time.



 View as we got back

 and about 20 mins later.

 

We are off to Raymond Terrace in the morning and will stay with our great friends (and ex-neighbours) Ken and Doreen.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 



28th May to 26th June

Well a month has come and gone since our last update------------

We have not been updating much because we have had to come to terms with the death of our four-legged fur child – BUSTER. L L - who passed peacefully on the 3^rd June 2014.

 

So here is what we have been doing………….

31^st May – Beckie, Brad, Gemma, Max and Luke and Andy (Beckie’s Cavalier King Charles) and Ben came to visit and spent the day with us and Buster.  He wasn’t real well and got exhausted quite quickly during their visit.  He didn’t have a terrible cough but just an intermittent one.  His walking was a bit off – doing a crab walk and falling over his own feet. Which was so sad to see.  He usually got very excited when Ben arrived but this time his reaction was very slow and subdued.

On 3^rd June we had to take him back to the Vet for a checkup.  After a couple of minutes of examination the verdict was not good and the decision was made. Buster passed very peacefully in my arms.  He is so sorely missed but we know that he is far better off running in Heaven with Buddy, Daisy and Benji – his canine friends who passed before him.  I   still wait for the tinkle of his name tags, telling me he needs to go out, and having him curled up at my feet. :C  He was such a great little mate and it will take a long time to settle the tears that roll, ohh so frequently.  We are going to stick with our decision NOT to replace him.  We will just have to get our ‘puppy fix’ from our friends dogs.

4^th June – the Queensland Caravan, Camping and Touring show is on.  Darryl is still wanting to get a slightly larger van and has a list of about 9 manufacturers that he wants to SEE.  They look good on paper – he says – but wants to see them in person.  So off we go.  We caught the train from Cleveland at 8.24am and arrived at the Ekka grounds at 9.40am.

We spent all day checking out 6 van manufacturers and still didn’t see all the ones he wanted to see J

We arrived back at the house at 8pm.  A long day.

5^th June – my Cousin Julie came for the day.  Was so great to see her and spend time BUT time went sooooo quickly (as it always does when we visit each other).

6^th June we headed back to the Caravan show to see some more of the manufacturers.  We now have a more concise list of vans and checked them off on Darryl’s Check sheet of must haves and would likes and is it possible………  He now has to narrow it down and we need to make a decision.  J

7^th June – we hitched up the van and went for our first camp without our companion.  We camped with the Campertrailers group at Atkinsons Dam out at Coominya near Fernvale Qld and it was  good to be with friends but sad at the same time.

  21 Campers on the banks of Atkinsons Dam

 

 

   Wildlife at the Dam




 

    

  Darryl’s Sunset shots

 

  

 Darryl’s Arty-farty Moon shots

9^th June – Gemma Walker is turning 8 today, Happy Birthday granddaughter.  So we packed up the van and headed to Jimboomba to celebrate.  We had a lovely time with the family and then went out to dinner at the Greenbank Chinese restaurant with Margie and Lucy from next door and had a nice meal.

and we can’t leave out Max  

or Luke 

10^th of June was a sad day as we remembered the loss of our dear friend John McKenzie, and thinking our dear friend Gloria.

11^th June – Bradley Beckett is turning 15 today, Happy Birthday grandson.  I was not having a good day as my balance was shot to pieces and so I was horizontal until about 11am.  Darryl and I then did a trip home to collect some things we had forgotten and to see Rhonda and Graeme and ‘Rita’.  We then returned to Jimboomba and waited for Brad to get home from school to give him his birthday presents.  That night we had a lovely BBQ dinner with Margie and Lucy from next door.

 Love them all dearly J

13^th June – we went shopping with Beckie getting the final preparations for Gemma’s Pamper Party for tomorrow.  She is having 7 young classmates join her for a few hours.

14^th June – Darryl’s Birthday, Happy Birthday lovely.  We have all the preparations on the go for another BBQ dinner tonight to celebrate.

16^th June – Today we left Beckie and Matt’s house and headed down the coast.  We stopped at Evans Head for – initially two nights and then increased it to – three nights.  It is a lovely spot right on the water and Darryl tried his hand at fishing and caught a whiting and a bream and will have another go tomorrow.  Our niece – Holly Menz turned 17 today – WOW.  Such a lovely young lady.

 

We arrived at Low tide     

   towards the Entrance of the Evans River          

 Darryl in his element – fishing.

 


 

17^th June – Sister-in-law Wendy has a birthday today.  Darryl went fishing and although he had lots of bites – he did not catch any fish L.  He had dolphins playing in the deeper water in front of him and stingrays coming in behind him.

18^th June – Brother-in-law Peter Fulmer having a birthday, as is Darryl’s Aunty Marie. Cold, wet and very windy day today.  So glad I got the washing done yesterday :D

19^th June – we travelled the 50kms to Iluka and have a nice spot in a quiet caravan park.  It is cold and wet and we have been for a couple of little drives to check out the area.  We went to the ‘Sedger’s Reef Hotel’ for a very nice dinner.

Iluka Beach on our arrival

20^th June – Happy Birthday to Lucas Downes and Greg Cockerell. Today we travelled into Maclean and checked out the town before meeting up with Roslyn Smith (nee Hollis) who I completed my Midwifery training with in 1990.  It was so good to spend lunch time with her BUT it went far too quickly.  Back to the van and trying to catch up with emails etc.  This evening we learnt of the passing of one of my young Midwives :C – Rest In Peace with the Angels Vanessa.  You gave a very strong fight and now it is time to rest – our hearts and prayers go to Vanessa’s family and friends.

  Ros and Barb

21^st June – today we travelled to Grafton (59km down the road :D) and stopped with our dear friends Mandy and Peter Harper , Jared and Alyssa and their friend Chas.  We had two lovely days with them.

23^rd June – Happy Birthday to Carol Moore-Kelly.   We left Mandy and Peter’s just after 8 and headed south.  We stopped at Halfway Creek and met up with Mandy for morning tea before continuing on our way.  We were going to stop at a reserve east of Macksville, but with the rain over the past two days we decided to keep going and are camped at the Jacaranda Caravan Park at North Haven.  It is still very cold and blustery.

looking up the Camden haven to North (Big Brother) Mountain Taken on 24^th – beautiful day BUT the wind is predicted to increase throughout the day.

24^th June – we went for a look-see at some of the fishing spots that Darryl and his Dad used to go – Gogley’s Lagoon and ‘the hole in the wall’ before making our way to Harrington to join friends Carol and Greg Eade and Carol and Trevor Watson for lunch.  We had a lovely couple of hours at ‘Inspirations’ Restaurant before going our separate ways again.  We last saw Carol and Greg in Broome in 2012 and Carol and Trevor in Moama in 2011.  Happy Birthday to Hailee Withers.

Gogley’s Lagoon [according to the map but Googley’s Lagoon according to Darryl J] 

 Not real clear but can you see the fish???

There were pleanty of Angler’s out trying to catch black fish.

When we returned we found this in the grounds of the caravan park ----  A lovely FAIRY STUMP

   Some people are just sooo clever.  What a great idea to incorporate in the childrens playground area.

25^th June – we headed into Port Macquarie for the next 24 hours.  Arriving at Uncle Max and Aunty Kath’s to a lovely reception.  We always feel so good when we are with them.

A pleasant day of eating and chattering was had by us all and then we went to the club for the raffles [unfortunately Darryl and my numbers were not drawn L] but Aunty Kath won a lovely piece of Corned meat.

26 June – Happy birthday to Carrissa Hugler.  We left Uncle Max and Aunty Kath just after 10 and went and visited Darryl’s Mum and Dad at Innes Gardens Memorial Park.  We then continued back to the caravan and Darryl has now gone out fishing – and hope that he is able to bring home some fish for dinner.

A photo of 88 Lord Street, Laurieton

Not at all what it looked like when Darryl's Mum and Dad lived there.

We will be here until Monday morning before heading to Taree.

So that is what we have done and what we are doing ------ for now.

Take care.