2nd Oct, Emerald,Lazy days and the fossick glaze

Theres really no reason to rush and get up, the suns shining and Lin and me are all warm and cozy snuggled up in bed (and the first one up, makes the tea). Theres lots of noise going on outside, but that's not uncommon, lots of people really take this fossicking thing seriously and are up and out at the crack of dawn, heading for secret little holes the've been digging in the hillside. This place is like a rabbit warren with all the holes. If ever I commit murder, this is were I'd bury the body, I could walk out into any field and in plain sight, dig a hole and as long as no one saw me drop the body in, no one would take a blind bit of notice. (hope this don't give Lin any ideas. (I've already seen her checking out the shovels). Up at last, (I won, Lin made the tea) and after a very nice full English breakfast, it a quick shower and into Ruby vale, cos we're gonna have a go at the mine tour. This was a working Mine, but its been shut so they can take money off us tourists for having a look round.  I think they found that easier than all that digging. I must admit, it was really quite interesting, we got the special about how the mine was dug, where the sapphires can be found and we even got to look up an air shaft, didn't like that bit, its much like looking UP a 'long drop' and I half expected to see an arse suddenly block out the light. Before I did look up, I made sure I knew where Lin was. Got a wicked sense of humour that girl.

Tour over and as luck would have it, the've got a fossicking park. At twenty bucks a pop, I'm beginning to understand why they closed the mine. Oh well, you only live once and yer never know. Lin's got this game well sussed. I do all the sieving, shaking and washing and she checks it to see if we got any of the shiny stuff. Its good to work as a team, still, if anything sparkles, a woman can see it at twenty paces. We didn't do to bad and it looks like we got a couple of bits that will cut up nice.

Right, job done and its off to 'Pats Gems' for a late lunch. I think I got 'had' here. Lin orders wedges with sour cream and chilli dip, and very nice they were to. I ordered the special, minced beef, onions and gravy in a roll, what did I get?, a sodding hamburger. OK, got me!! wont get had on that one again. (tasty though).

Now this is called Pats Gems for a reason, they sell gems.... and guess what the've got out back?, seems like every where you go, theres a fossicking park and yea, its got us, so we pay the money and have a go. Again we do all right and come out with a couple of nice little cutters. (Sod this, I'm even getting the lingo, we gotta get out of here.....). Looks like Old Mick, the cutter is gonna get a visit from us tomorrow, well that is... if we don't have to pass any fossicking parks.    

So here come the piccies...

Naughty Dottie tries put her latest yoga pose.......(this ones for Kouy)

Miners in the woods, they just park, set up and dig....

and more...

No John we atre not buying a bloody mining rig....

Nothing left up there.... (wishful thinking!)

Down the mine...

Dig, dig and dig some more...

John meets Geoff.....hahahaha...

The view down a mine shaft..

The view up an air vent (if you dont know, a long drop is a bush toilet, they stand the loo over a deep hole and off you go , so to speak....) and while you are ok to stand under an air vent... it is not ok to stand under a long drop !!!!!!

Don't think I would wanna work down here...

Some old news...

How the land is made up...

John fossicks...he does it so well!!

You can just see them parked and set up....

All those mounds are where people have fossicked, specked and mined....its hard to walk about out here cuz you are always at risk of falling down a bloody hole !!!!

more digging done...

So thats all for today folks... love to all and see you in about 22 weeks time xxxx