28th Nov, "Oh dear what can the matter be.....Hervey Bay

Lin's up with the lark this morning, despite yesterdays wear and tear, she cant sleep, so rather than disturb me, she takes the ipod over to the ladies loo and starts messaging the girls. Well it might have something to do with yesterday or maybe she just spent to much time with her rear end exposed to the draft, cos when she tried to get up her knees gave out and from what I'm told, there was legs , arms and bum everywere, the good news was she never got stuck between the wall and the toilet, so no crowbar was called for, still, it was a close run thing though.

The bike has always been a crowd puller and the morning was spent with people coming over to ask questions and admire her. Lin got a little fed up and decided now was a good time to catch up on the sleep she couldn't get last night. I must admit, while talking to these people, I was praying Lin wasn't going to chime in with a few snores.

A lazy day today, so a walk along the beach (this country seems to have a surplus of pristen beaches) and a walk (yes, I can still walk, just) along the Esplanade seems to be the extent of today, so thats yer lot.

Another view of home...

Scarness beach...Hervey Bay... we look out on to this...this is to the right...

this is to the left..

This a jelly fish (not the stingy ones) but here are loads of these along the beach and sometimes in the water....YUK!!!!

This is our Billee-Jean.... look how proud she looks... she has just passed her "Masters in Nail Technician and drilling''..... she can do mine when I get back (can you book me in please Billee-Jean ?)..... We are so proud...xx

This is the photo we have been asking Roxanne for since late summer and only just got.... A degree...clever girly xxx...now she's an executive PA...  rock on xxx

Well thats enough for today... love to all xxx

27th Nov, Sore bott's, sore hearts and traffic, On the road

Six o'clock (yes,.... in the morning) and its a quick cup of coffee and into the shower, Lin got up even earlier to have hers, so I think she's really keen to get back on the road. Talking to Rod, he couldn't sleep and has been up since three thirty. I recon the cheeky bast**'s been having a quick check on the family silver before we leave..... By seven the last few things are all packed up, we're on the bike and waving goodbye. You can almost see by the smile on Rod's face the look of, bugger off and give us our house back, I think he was a little jealous cos the mutt seemed to prefer our company and wanted to sit by us rather than him.

I'm not to sure where we're off to today, I do know we're heading toward Hervey Bay but that's nearly five hours away, six with stops. I suggest Gladstone but Lin's being a bit vague, so I suggest Bunderburg, Lin's still being vague, looks like one of them trips where who knows where we'll end up, but I've got an idea. It takes an hour before we get through Rocky and I can feel somethings wrong on the back seat of the bike so I pull over to see whats up, Seems we've had I bit of sad new from home. A call to the girls sorts out our worries and with a slightly heavier hearts we move on.

Now for those of you that have a problem with the north circ (M25) just try driving in Queensland, some stupid git thought it a good idea to fix all the roads at once. Great, now no fu*ker can move. Every couple of kilometres theres some poor sod, frying out in the sun with a stop/go board and a couple a hundred metres of roadworks, not even Barking and Dagenham could make a better job of screwing things up. I've been told in the last two hundred k stretch, theres twenty one sets of roadworks, great if your a road worker, crap if you drive a bike...

Right I've had me rant, so back to the trip. We stop at Gladstone. Nice town but not really a lot here, lets try the next one.......  Bunderburg, to far off our route, lets press on. By now I've been sitting in the saddle for coming up to five hours and to say it starting to get a little uncomfortable is taking the pee. We get to Miriam Vale, not a lot here, Hervey Bays only another hour down the road, lets give it a go. Eight hours I sat on that bike and by now it feels like someones had a good go at kicking the crap out me ar*e, I would say I could walk like John Wayne, ha, walking at all would be good. Lin ain't to much better, but at least she made it across the road to ask directions to the camp. Ten minutes later we're hobbling round the site, picking out a spot for the tent. We picked out a good spot with a nice bit of shade and a view of the sea, now just got to get the tent up while it feels like I'm wearing a nappy, Believe me, not good....

Even with all the aches and pains, we haven't lost the knack and the tents soon up and sorted. No way either me or Lin has got it in us to cook tonight, so its over the road for a takeaway. Sod it, that bed looks really good and that's were we're heading, back to sleeping on the floor.

Well someone likes her, cuz they painted this on the side of their house...

Leaving Yeppoon...ahhhhh

Back on the road with the big guys !!!!!

This is a memorial for the men of Miriam Vale who lost heir lives in the first world war....very moving...

This is the 'Fig tree of wisdom' in Miriam Vale. It was planted in the 1800 by some railway gangers... and has just grown and grown ever since. I had to stand on the other side of town to get the width of the tree in...it is massive and as you can see stands next to the war memorial..

A view looking up the main street ( the only shopping street) in Miriam Vale...we were going to stay here..but not quite enough going on...

All set up in Hervey Bay.. home again !

And I bet you thought there was only two of these but it appears there are three of them!!!! ( you'll have to think about that one, take your time... !)

Nite all, we love you lots  xxxx we are sending hugs to the kids who are in need of a bit of TLC at the moment. xxx
        

26th Nov, The return, Yeppoon

Rod and Diane are back today and we're off tomorrow, so now its time to pack up our things. The bike gets uncovered and run down the local garage for a fuel top up and the trailer gets dragged round to the shed so it can be re-packed. It seems like we've really spread out while we've been here and we've got stuff all over the place, so the outside table seems like a good place to form a heap of stuff thats got to be packed. Slowly but surely, it all finds a home in all the nooks and crannys on the bike and trailer. Lin's bought two new bags to pack the bedding in, so I offer to help. Not a chance in hell.... One of the reasons she's bought the bags is cos it makes hiding the stuff she dont think I know she's bought easer. What I do know is that when its packed, I can hardly lift the sodding thing. (I really must get me credit card back). Lin's doing all the house stuff still, washing the floors, packing clothes and hoovering. It take most of the day but finally, we're all packed and ready to go.

As we are all done we decide to take Sophie (and Lin) into town for fish and chips... yum yum ...

All that remains is to pick up the happy couple at the airport. It all go's like clockwork, we get to the airport in plenty of time and sit just outside  to avoid parking fee's. Rod makes a quick call and we drive in just as they come out of the terminal. Now its a short drive back to the house with a quick stop to pick up the pitza's ordered on the way back.
Its been a long day for everyone, so after a "how was yer holiday / how was the house" and a bit of "whats that smell", its off ta bed, got an early start in the morning.

Our last visit into town...

Love this little girl sooooo much.. I am gonna miss her xxx

and miss this !

A view up the main street..

 And yes `Soph does sit in the front... always... her last ride home with us... boohoo...

Sad... but onwards..... byeeee x love you lots x

25th Nov polish, dust and fly spray and BANG!!!!, Yeppoon

Its another Sunday, so its a roast dinner, gonna be beef today. Lin's gonna have a go at it this week cos I've got a few things to do around the place before Rod and Diane get back. They don't believe in rake's out here, so out comes the blower and all the leaves get blown to the back of the shed where they wont be seen, well, not till we've left anyway... That done, its out with the mower again. OK, so the lawn looks green, that is until it comes time to mow it, then it becomes very obvious that theres more dust than grass. then as its being mown, it just looks like a dust cloud moving round the lawn with a loud noise coming out of it. (part of the noise is me moaning about the dust). The smell of me dinner even makes it through the dust cloud and me mouth's watering.

Lin's in and out faster than a fiddler's elbow, doing all sorts of stuff like washing, moping and a lot of complaining, seems like something has crawled into the eave of the house and died and is currently making its presents known by stinking the place outside. The flys trying to get into the eave's after it and are getting liberal doses of fly spray every time Lin passes. Seeing as this is all happening outside, its doing absolutely nothing, cos the breeze is whipping the spray round the house and killing all the butterfly's on the bush out front!.

With the lawns back and front cut and dead butterfly's sweeped up, its time for lunch and I've got to say, it was just the best... melt in the mouth Roast beef with all the trimmings, me mouths watering just thinking about it. With dinner tucked away, its back to the grind. Lin takes care of the washing up and I wash the car, (Rod left us a white car and I recon he wants a white one back) Out come the hoover and it really earns its money getting rid of the sand the fluff balls managed to smuggle in there from the beach., (I told Lin we should've put the dog in a plastic bag). Mean while, Lin's been dusting and polishing everything in sight and the place gleams, so with all that done..... so are we. Feet up,TV on, tomorrows another day.

Look what some sh*t did to Roxanne's car and just drove off, while she was  staying at a friends in Farnham..its times like these when you realise how far away you are......and how at times you wish you were home, xx
tard

24th Nov Preparing to go..

Saturday and time for the weekly shopping, ain't got to get to much this week, just enough to see us till Monday cos Tuesday, we're gone.... This has been one of them really quick house sits, but still, once again, time to move on. Shopping done, its time to bring the place back up, so out comes the blower and all the leafs disappear, now its the mowers turn. Now the grass may look green, but believe me, theres as much dust as grass and for the next couple of hours a dust cloud with me and the mower in the middle, gos up and down the lawn. Got to admit, does look good with it all done.

Lin's busy doing the inside and has got all the washing done.... (working well that girl). I don't see much of her for the rest of the day, been catching up with this bloody thing for what seems like forever. Anyway. That's about it for today, Nite all

Aka Bilk..  AKA Smith... acting the goatee in the supermarket ...

Yeppoon Beach..

Some very strange fruit growing locally...

and more of Yeppoon....

Day over and its time to sit and relax....love you all....

23rd Nov 2012... A load of old bull ..and a pot of gold... NOT!

We're out early this morning, we're off to the Gracemere livestock market and from there, we're off to the gem fields on some mountain or other. We're just going out the door, when Lin asks which way. I dash back in, punch up google, take a quick look at the brochure and print out directions. We're off.

The cattle markets about nine K's from Rocky, so by nine fifteen, we've parked the car and heading in. The auctions taking place round the pens and as we make our way over, its clear to see, we could be a little under dressed. Me and Lin in shorts, me in a vest, Lin in a flowery thing. Them, Sunday best Jeans, All in checked shirts, Polished cowboy boots (even the kids) and going to church Stetsons. If they played spot the tourist, everyone would be a winner. We stand and listen for a while, the auctioneer is trying to break the land speed record with his mouth and sounds like he's just shoved a hot roast potato in while trying to call a full house on his bingo card. God knows what he said, but seems like after he'd finished, some skinny git would paint a couple of the cows rumps blue with a roller, seemed a nice colour blue too, wouldn't mind a bedroom in that shade, perhaps its what was left over when he did his...... Anyway, we watch this going on for a while, not having a clue whats going on. It must have shown, cos the guy beside us (Kevey) turned and asked us if we understood whats happening, then explained it all. The cattle was being sold by the kilo, only you don't know how much they weigh, that comes later. The person bidding may only want two of the cattle in a pen of ten, so he lets the auctioneer know and they paint the two cows. After being sold the animals go off and get weighed, so if you bought a cow at one fifty a kilo and it weighs in at four hundred kilo, your down six hundred bucks. Not so good if you thought the dam cow only weighed three hundred kilo. Still, life can be a bitch. All the cattle seem to be Brahma's, Now these are the biggest fuc*ing cows I've ever seen, some almost as big as shire horses. Handy really, don't even have to bend down to milk um. We're told these are the best cattle for the area "good hardy stock". I look at Lin and she's standing there like rock, "whats up ?", seems she's don't want to move in case its taken as a bid and we end up looking for a home for a job lot of six Brahma's. I can just see um, roped up behind the bike, that'll keep me speed down. I let her know you got to register to be able to bid and I can see her relax. Next she asks if they sell the bulls somewhere else , I point out a "cow" with a backpack between its legs and a walking stick in the middle of its belly and let her figure that one out for herself!

Gracemere Stockyards....dont worry these are all being sold to go on to farms .....

 Off to be weighed...after being sold..

 Being sold ...

Ready and waiting to be sold ...

The cowgirl rounding up the sold ones and moving them on to be weighed...

Turns out we had a really good morning, but time to move on and round about one we headed out to Mount Morgan for a bit of fossicking. So twenty minutes down the road, we're standing in the information bureau asking were we go for a bit of fossicking, "wrong mountain mate, that's Mount Hay, bloody miles from here.....". Great!!! in my hurry this morning I grabbed the wrong brochure. "OK, so what ya got here?".... "goldmine tour ?, great, book us on". Next thing ya know, we're on a tour bus, getting the run down on the town and local area, then up to the open cast mine and into the old managers house/ pay office/ museum. It ended up being a very good two and a half hour tour, not bad for a last minute thing.

All good things must come to an end and so its time for home and finally get there just before five, which is good cos we're supposed to feed the dog at four. Dog fed, Lin makes a really wicked Shepperd's pie which gos down a real treat and in Lin's case really quick cos she got craft night tonight and shes running late. Anyway out the door by seven. Eleven o'clock and in she comes with a smile from end to end, had a great time. Some days are good, some days are great....

The chapel in Mount Morgan Town

 A bush fire well on its way to  being a problem...but we've got used to seeing these now...

 A view across the valley, take on the way to the mine...it seems strange that you go up into the mountains to go down a gold mine...

This is a water catchment pit put in place to try and reduce the amount of acid from the mine running through into the towns water. The mine is owned by the government now , so they have the expensive job of making sure the towns water remains good...

This is the gold bullion safe house used in the 1900's and no one ever successfully broke in !!!!

This is the management offices... its now a museum...

An ariel view of the mine taken many years ago...
 .

John.... 'Not' being the manager... in your dreams Smith...

The old gold mine...

A view across the open pit...

Back into town...

A view across the valley taken while driving home down through the mountains..

A great day comes to an end....love to all...

20, 21st and 22nd Nov Fish and Stitch and sand . Yeppoon

Just fishin, eating, sewing , sleeping and chillaxing ....x

22nd Nov, Sun sea and lots of sand ....So the start of another new day. Now being out in a nice sunny country's fine, but when you cant get a sodding lay in co's yer all wrapped up in hot sheets, yer ar*e is frying, puddles of sweat are starting to form and its still only six thirty, it really is time to get up.

Well me foots feeling much better, I don't think I'll be able to waltz on it though, probably because I couldn't waltz in the first place. ...Anyway, cos she's been cooped up for the last day or so, its decided to take the pooch down the beach for a walk, so poo bags, lead, drinking bowl, ball chucker (its worse than taking a baby) its in the car and off to the beach. Not long later we're pulling in to the parking area at the edge of the sand, the dog jumps out and the first thing it does is have a dump, great, this is where the poo bags come in. With a lighter dog, we toss our shoes in the back of car. Lin decides not to take the ball chucker cos shes fed up with everyone watching her run down the beach after the ball, so we just make for the ramp, onto the beach. As soon as we hit the sand, we knew we made a mistake, I never knew sand could get so hot before it turned to glass. Lin and me both had a quick go at the jitter bug, jive and the can, can before giving up and just run into the water. At this point I came to realise that my hopes of walking on hot coals would never happen. The dog seem to think its all a game and just dashed out into the water up to her arm pits, came running out, then dived head first into the sand, using its face as a break, just as we both thought the dog had tripped, up it got, ran back into the water and did the whole thing over again, not once, a couple of times, each time ending in laying on her back and squirming like a worm. I think the sun must have finally fried her brain, still the trip home sitting on Lin's lap should be interesting.

I cant get over this beach, its so wide, flat and clean and the waters so warm and clear. We've been down here a few times now, and there never seems to be more than one or two other people on it, if that. Mabe its the sight of the dogs going face first into the sand that keeps em away, who knows?, thinking about it, who cares?. Well me foot starts to kick back in, (ha, ha, pun) and by now the dogs coat is so full of sand, its going bandy legged with the weight, so its time to head back. once again, its a few excerpts from Saturday night fever before we break into the runny hoppy thing across the hot sand, back to the car.

We're out, its lunch time and thoughts of our favourite fish bar come to mind. Ten minuets later, the ball of sand jumps off Lin's lap and we find a table outside. Red Snapper for me, fish bites for Lin and a bowl of water for 'Sandy'. There something about eating outside in the shade on a warm day, good food, good coffee and a drooling dog watching ya eat, that really screams Australia.

Time to head home and wash some of the sand out the dog. Some kid tried patting it into the shape of a sand castle, but when it tried to pour water into the dungeon, I had to draw the line.

Back home, out comes the bath and the dog knows whats coming and don't want none. Lin had to drag it into the water and the dog was soon looking like a drowned rat standing in an inch of sand. I don't think the dog thought much of the bath, but as sure as sh*t, it loved the towelling off. That just leaves cleaning out the car. Just a quick tip. Do not, under any circumstance, put a dog, full of sand, into a car, BEFORE it shakes....

Bendigo beach ....

Sophie leaps in ..

Sophie wants to leap out lol ...

All done but clearly not impressed ....

Thats it.... another busy, hectic day in sunny Oz..

19th Nov A whole lot of shopping

Like a woman possessed, Lin's up and getting ready to go to market. Sod the shower, it was all I could do to get dressed and get a coffee down me neck. Believe me, it wernt long before we were in the car and on our way to Emu park, I must admit, I'm a bit curious to see what the Ozzie's are gonna come up with for a Christmas market. Thirty odd k later we arrive and much to my surprise it seems a decent size for a market out here. Now when someone says CHRISTMAS market, an image comes to mind of shiny baubles, tinsel and blow up old geezers with white beards, not out here, try camel rides, insect eating plants and of course, home made craft. It feels as christmas'sy as emptying the cat litter tray. I must admit, their got some interesting stuff here, so its worth a look (had to happen some time). bloody typical ain't it, half way round and I ain't so much limping, more like hobbling. Cant hack it any more so I'm off back to the car, while with the promise of bringing back coffee, Lin rolls up her sleeve's and get stuck in. After forty five Minuit's the cars getting rather warm and the hint of squid is making its presents known, when Lin comes up to the side of the car with paper trays of mini Dutch pancakes with ice cream and apple....stuff. Ice cream was nice. Lin couldn't find anywhere for coffee, which is not surprising cos of all the markets we've been down. I've only seen one coffee stall, one stall that did hamburgers and not even a sniff of anyone selling tools, battery's, mobile phone accessory's or even fuzzy slippers. These Ozzie's have really got a lot to learn. Right, we're on our way home to put on dinner and all of a sudden, "stop, stop, stop, Garage sale, got to have a look", how does she spot these things?. Its gonna be fun trying to get all these things back on the bike when it comes time to pack up.

Back at the house, Sunday takes the more femular route. Roast Lamb, Yorkshire, three veg and LOADS of roasties. The rest of the day justs drifts by trying to digest the meal of the week.

18th Nov Christmas carol .. Yeppoon

Like a woman possessed, Lin's up and getting ready to go to market again. Sod the shower, it was all I could do to get dressed and get a coffee down me neck. Believe me, it wernt long before we were in the car and on our way to Emu park, I must admit, I'm a bit curious to see what the Ozzie's are gonna come up with for a Christmas market. Thirty odd k later we arrive and much to my surprise it seems a decent size for a market out here. Now when someone says CHRISTMAS market, an image comes to mind of shiny baubles, tinsel and blow up old geezers with white beards, not out here, try camel rides, insect eating plants and of course, home made craft. It feels as christmas'sy as emptying the cat litter tray. I must admit, the've got some interesting stuff here, so its worth a look (had to happen some time). bloody typical ain't it, half way round and I ain't so much limping, more like hobbling. Can't hack it any more so I'm off back to the car, while with the promise of bringing back coffee.

Lin rolls up her sleeve's and gets stuck in. After forty five minutes the cars getting rather warm and the hint of squid is making its presents known, when Lin comes up to the side of the car with paper trays of mini Dutch pancakes with ice cream and apple....stuff. Ice cream was nice. Lin couldn't find anywhere for coffee, which is not surprising cos of all the markets we've been down, I've only seen one coffee stall, one stall that did hamburgers and not even a sniff of anyone selling tools, battery's, mobile phone accessory's or even fuzzy slippers. These Ozzie's have really got a lot to learn.

Right, we're on our way home to put on dinner and all of a sudden, "stop, stop, stop, Garage sale, got to have a look", how does she spot these things?. Its gonna be fun trying to get all these things back on the bike when it comes time to pack up.

Back at the house, Sunday takes the more familuar route.... Roast Lamb, Yorkshire, three veg and LOADS of roasties. The rest of the day just drifts by trying to digest the meal of the week....

The sun goes down at the front of the house...

And Sophie has the sunday evening... I've eaten too much feelin....(know that one oh so well...).

17th Nov Fairy cake to die for...

Now somewhere or other, Lin's spotted that theres a christmas market taking place on Sunday at Emu Park, (Jesus, that woman can sniff um out) and has suggested I spend the day with me leg up resting me foot, so I'll be fit and well to drive her down there. Well now who I'm I to argue? so most of me day was spent with me foot on the table, with me mind going numb, watching TV. Lin even made some fairy cakes which turned out really well and helped me foot get better no end.

Come tea time, foot or no foot, I'm making tea. Peppered steak with the trimmings. Now I fancy a bit of crusty bread to go with it and I've got a recipe for Damper ( a kind'a bushmans bread), so in for a pennie.... It all turns out really well, Steak done to a turn, Mushrooms, onion and,brandy sauce, spot on. I thought the damper tuned out really well and tastes like American breakfast bisquits, which I really like, but Lin's not to keen, so we wont be having that again.

Oh well, at least me foot feels a bit better.

Damper bread, made with Flour and water and a dab of butter and salt... it was a bit to cakey for me...

Thats all for today folks, we've been too busy shopping and eating lol ...

Love to all..

Problems still.. sorry folks..

16th Nov.. Itchy and stinky......... Bendigo beach..

Today feels like one of like one of them slow days, so after bum creaming duty, its off to the tackle shop and grab a bit of bait. Lin's gonna be doing a bit of the arty crafty stuff that she's so good at and would keep the local fruit and veg market going for weeks, so I'm better off out of it, gonna give Kepple bay Marina a go. The ball of me foot has swollen up a bit and I've been limping for the last couple of days, so I've got a choice of fishing the coast on one side or the Marina (if me foot plays up) on the other, so as Lin digs out the needles and felt, I grab me squid with one hand, me rod with the other and I'm off. Seven k later and I'm pulling into the car park in the marina, I check out the coast side and it ain't to bad, lots of rocks but worth a go. First cast and I hook something nice, bloody thing dives into the rocks and I lose me tackle..... OK I'm gonna give it another go. Sod this, after hooking five fish and losing four lots of tackle, (and that's painful for a fella) I finally get one of the buggers ashore (nice rock cod) and in me excitment, kick a rock with me bad foot taking the top off one of me toes. Blood and fish scales everywere, I've had enough and limp round to the marina side, gonna have a go there. After five minutes, I pull out some sort of silver type fish, bout the size and shape of a saucer I look at it and figure one of us needs a bit of luck and toss it back in. It had only just touched the water when a Comerant came out of nowere and with one gulp, it was gone. It looked like something out of a cartoon as it swam away with a huge sauser shaped lump in its throat. Seems like the fish is having the same sort of day as me. Anyway, after a couple more hours and a few of them saucer type fish later, I load the fishing gear into the car, after all, I've got a bum to face when I get home....

Love to all.

Bendigo Beach.... busy as usual..