Nerang

 On our way to Hobart Tasmania. Lucy was picked this morning, her dog sitter drove and she was out the garage and into the van before Larelle could get out of the car. No issue at all about going without her.

After making a little detour and collecting two more back packs, our first break was a fuel stop and then a nearby park at Nerang.

Two guts were near the pucnic tables and I thought they were throwing a ball for a dog but couldnt see a dog.

Another four turned up 8ncluding a girl and they started to play disc golf. We have only seen the baskets before so it was exciting to watch them. 

They each had a back pack with the discs standing like in a dish drying rack. The back packs would have been specially made.

Nice big area.

Blue basket is in the background, hard to see.

Sun was very bright so I wasnt sure what I was able to a photo of. No caches were in the area.

Cat in the house.

 Two nights ago, we were reading in bed when suddenly Warren says whats that nouse.

I didnt hear anything and told him he was hearing things. Besides Lucy who was sleeping on the floor at the bottom of oyr bed hadnt moved a muscle.

Five minutes later, we all heard a noise and Lucy raced out the room and through her doggy door. Warren followed at a slower rate and me even slower. I am more of the opinion, shut the door and hope for the best.

Warren calls out and says, theres a cat inside, we dont own a cat. It had apparently come in Lucys dog door.

With the activity, it had gone up into the top rooms but Warren couldnt find it. I suggested the bathroom and sure enough it was perched up on the wash basin. He said that it seemed calm so moved to pick it up and carried it out and placed outside. We had opened and propped open the front before finding it. 

Very nice fluffy cat, obviously looked after but must have been prowling around, Warren reckoned the noise he heard was it moving Lucys dinner bowls out the back door. Of course she never lezves anything but a smell.

Mens toilet

 No often have I ventured into a mens toilet but in Maryborough, it is encouraged.

Last time I visited the public toilets, there was a couple of gentlemen using the facilities so I gave it a miss and only sighted the womens toilet which has a gold toilet.

These are the scenes in the male loos.

The above too are in the baby change/feeding room.

We met the woman whose idea it was to have the paintings done. There are usually two volunteers outside who give tours and give the clear to the opposite sex to view either toilet.

A rainy day

 Valentines day, which we dont celebrate, and we drove to Birtinya Islmand for parkr7n.It had rained quite heavily overnight and we were hop8ng that it would clear. No rain when we left and we had allowed an hour to get there but I guess at that hour of the morning and being a Saturday, our trip only took 40 minutes.

Warren took off for the start and a chat with other runners. I had found a cache, the only one on the island so I set off in the opposite durection.

Middle of summer and I wished I had taken a jacket.

Ginger flowers around the water.

Across the bridge was the island. Parkrun went around the whole of the island and a little more to get the 5kms. The water was grey and chopping from the wind.

This statue was on the rise leading down the the pkayground where I needed to be.

It started to sprinkle as I started to walk back, hoping that it wouldnt get too heavy as I was at least a kilometre away.

I was slightly wet when I returned and the rain got heavier and rain has continyed all weekend, much to Lucy's disgust. She did get a walk each afternoon but she was ready to go walking this morning but couldnt go until this afternoon. 

Friendships

 Its been a week of meeting up with old friends, yes, we are all getting older but these friendships go back decades.

Sunday we travelled into town to met a couple that we used to work with overseas. They live the closest but it is still over a two hour drive to get there. Six of us had lunch together catching up on families and day to day happenings.

Many memories were brought up and many laughs were enjoyed. After a great couple of hours, we left to catch our train home and they walked into the city to catch their bus. Fifty cent fares for travel is the greatest.

Yesterday we returned to the same cafe to meet another couple who live interstate, that friendship spans about 35 years as we both moved around the country.

The beauty of these friendships is there is never any akwardness and the conversations pick up as though it was only last week we saw them.

My only regret is that each couple live considerable distance from us, one in another country, one in another state the other on the other side of city.

Our ferry ride.

Goat curry

 We have ordered goat curry at the local Indian place and enjoyed it with rice and naan bread.

While on holidays, I went to a market and there was a butcher selling goat meat, I thought I would buy some. Unbeknown to me it was already packaged and frozen in kilo lots. I was also taken aback when the woman said it was $35 but paid the mobey as I had already committed myself.

We bought it home and put in our freezer until a later date, a kilo of meat is like four meals for just us. Had visitors staying and I thought what a treat to share one of our favourite meals.

I defrosted the pack and tumbled in into the slow cooker, on reccommendation from seller, we went out for the day. Six hours later, meat seemed tough and so many bones.

I changed my menu and cookedgoat meat went in the fridge.

Two days later when it was only us at home, I used a curry sauce, mild one and put the goat into it.

Well, the mild curry was HOT! I had some sour cream to tone it down. I served some up saying that it may or may not be good. If not good, maccas wasnt far away. I think we only had a couple of bites and yep maccas won out.

The sauce was still too hot even over rice, every piece of meat was attached to bone and it was tough and very chewy and basically tasteless. Doesnt even look appatising. 

S

Four wheel driving on the beach.

 Not me but I was asked along on a training course purely as a passenger.

I was a little unsure at first then bit the bullet and said yes. After all it was a training course.

I must admit I had forgotten the date, it had been put in the diary but on a tablet which did not transfer to our phones. Thank goodness for ak reminder phone call them night before. Once reminded, I recalled that I offered to make lunch for both of us.

Hum, no bread left so sandwiches were not an option. I did have a pack of sausage rolls so at 8.30pm, I am cooking them and boiling some eggs and some chocolate bars make lunch for two.

Pick up was 7.30am as we had a two hour trip to get to the beach. Coffee at the meeting place and when all thirteen Jimny's were there, all women, training commenced.

Tyres were let down and then it was follow the leader on to the beach.  Big dip and soft sand, yay made it. All vehicles had a radio and there were many cries of "made it" as each one got onto the sand.

One very happy and pleased daughter.

An instruction stop, all had to park next to each other facing the ocean, to show other traffic that your vehicle is stationary and it is also easier to drive off  slightly down hill.

Most of the girls

Being instructed about tow ropes and towing.

Not one the same

Trying to get bogged, which proved difficult to do.

Rainbow car pulled it out.

It was a fun day, not scary at all, even when we drove over deep ruts in the sand trying to bog the Jimny.

I think we probably drove 50 kms up the beach,  twice going back off the beach, lunch was at a lagoon.

Bit of rain coming back to the start point where everyone reinflated their tyres and set off home.

Not once did I reach for the Jesus's bar.

 

L