Archive for December, 2007

I hope everyone had a really good Christmas and ate too much as we usually do.  Thank you all for your cards and emails and calls, it’s nice to know you haven’t forgotten us

Well we arrived on Christmas Eve and since then we have had rain every day.  This in an area with Stage 6 water restrictions.  So you weren’t far from the mark Gary about hiring ourselves out as bringers of rain.  The winds have been around the 30 to 40 kmh with much bigger gusts and the temperature has been around the 20 degrees as a high I think.

Jeans, jackets, socks and shoes have replaced the shorts and tshirts

When the poptop roof was raised when we arrived it broke one of it’s struts, Ben repaired it and we can open and close the roof but it is now out of alignment by about an inch and a half and it is difficult if not impossible to close the top zipper flap.

Add to that that the seat has broken and will have to be next in line for repair and you will gather we have plenty to keep us occupied. 

It has been a bit too wet and windy to enjoy any drives around the area so unfortunately we haven’t seen as much as we would have liked.

It’s been nice seeing Ben’s grandchildren.  They have all grown up since we last saw them.

We hope perhaps for better weather soon and we may have some pictures to post.

This is the latest member of the Clan, his name is Stumpy and he joined the Queensland branch on Christmas day.

Till next time….

Well we have been here for three weeks now and both feeling it’s past time to move to pastures new.  We have a market on Sunday and then we are off again on our travels. 

We missed Newark, Janet but did go for a wee walk in Molendinar before heading for this hotspot !

Ben has been getting a lot of bike riding in this last week and has taken to photographing planes as we are near the runway here and he can cycle almost alongside it.   Here is a shot of a Jetstar landing, a Tiger Airways taking off, my favourite shot of all the plane shots and believe me there are plenty .  Do you think he was getting a little too close when he took this one?

When not photographing planes he is fascinated by the lizards which inhabit the rocks around here.  They are quite big and spend hours just sitting with their faces to the sun.

I usually find myself a nice shady spot to read and have gone through more books recently than I have for years.

We had dinner out with Motley1’s sister and nephew and great niece last week.   Bev, it was the best smogasbord I have ben to for ages.  Chinese, Thai, roasts, steaks, seafood ( all the prawns I could eat….) and hot and cold desserts…not to mention the boring things like vegetables, salads that type of thing:)

I have included here a wee picture of myself for those who are having withdrawal symptoms and might think I have become camera shy again ….not mentioning any names Gary  ..ooops….

Last but not least a picture that Ben likes…

 So we have a market tomorrow and on Christmas Eve we head inland to spend Christmas.  The weather forecast is for a cool Christmas Day ( that’s 24 degrees centrigrade for our Scottish readers…hehehehe….cool ..they don’t know the meaning of the word here).  I nearly missed mentioning the weather..yes we still have rain regularly..check the sky in this shot!

 There is a message here for all the regular and not so regular readers and we miss you all and love the fact that you keep in touch.

It’s still not been too much of a fun time here.  It continues to rain often..last night especially..all night long but the big downside is the “mozzie bites” which I have acquired.  I am covered all over my legs, feet and hands in bites.  Was forced to go to the chemist yesterday and ask if they could give me something and got a local anaesthetic cream which has helped a little.

Janet, this gps of ours just goes haywire and takes us all over the place ..check out where we have been now. 

 As I write it is just starting to rain heavily again.  It is hard to believe that the country is in drought.  Water restrictions still in place.

As a little aside to how much water has been around, this picture was taken in the showers last night

 We have had a good market though and if you have a look you’ll see how close to the sea we were. 

 Surfers Paradise is in the distance in this shot.  Way too busy for my liking but about to get much much busier as Christmas holidays approach.

We will be heading away from the coast soon as prices become prohibitive and the crowds descend.

Will be able to post more soon and add more pictures as we will have good internet access.

Till then….Keep those emails coming Bev, really enjoy hearing from you.

Just a quick post to let you know we are still alive and kicking.  Had a terrible week with mozzie bites.  My little toe is bigger than my big toe which means I cannot wear shoes of any description without irritation.  So we haven’t been out much either.

Got two stone chips on the windscreen of the car on the way here from trucks passing, so that was fun

It continues to rain and thunderstorms almost daily.  Although not on the scale that Sydney has experienced over the past couple of days, it still amounts to a lot of water.

On a more positive note, I dug out of one of our many boxes a little usb digital tv receiver we bought before our trip.  Didn’t hold out much hope of it being very good but it is incredible.  Beats the tv reception on our 12v/240v Tv any day and this is with the little aerial that came supplied.  So I can see the tv being sold at the next market we go to

Not a lot of luck with markets here either in the lead up to Christmas.  As casuals we can’t get booked in.

What a depressing post this one this

Hopefully better next time !