Early closures

We found many places closed early while we were in Tassie. Our first experience of this was with fuel. We drove into Burnie, it was the only time we has booked ahead and we were looking for the caravan park where we had a motel room booked.

We did have dinner with us, a couple of microwave meals but as we were at a seaside town, we thought fish and chip would be the thing. Warren said that we should get fuel as well because the car's red light had been on for a few kilometres. We had passed a service station a few kms back and so we drove there, it looked deserted even though an hour earlier it had been doing a roaring trade. Sign on the door, closed at 6pm. Damn! so we headed into town and saw two more with the same, luckily there was a woollies servo open just across from the fish and chip place. I hadn't realised that the need was quite so desperate but apparently Warren was a bit concerned that we wouldn't have made it back to the caravan park.

On Sunday we drove out of Hobart to Richmond and then across to the East Coast before heading north and decided to take a break and thought that coffee overlooking the sea would be nice. We parked and walked across the road to a cafe, door was locked! It was 3.30 in the afternoon but they closed at 3 o'clock! It was a tourist town surely. Luckily for us there was a tavern and bakery a couple of blocks away that was open until 4pm, we just made it for coffee and a welcome break.

Finding a motel at Bicheno, we saw a sign advertising the motels with sea views from all rooms and only $79, sounded good so we drove in and found the reception. Warren walked over , it was locked and boxes etc were in the reception area. Again there was a sign advising bookings could be made at a caravan park but we decided to pass as it looked a though no-one had stayed there for awhile. We headed to another caravan park and got a cabin. Venturing across to the local shops for something to cook or heat for dinner as the cabin had a microwave as well as a stove and cooking facilities.  Yep, it was closed at 5.45pm!

I guess we are just so used to places being open and accessible for much longer hours. There was a Chinese restaurant next door and we got a meal and took it back to the cabin, there was enough for the next night as well.

Our Weekend Jaunt

After a few days of feeling blah! I requested that we go on a picnic. Just an aside, I cant think of the word picnic without being reminded of something I was told at the IT department the other week. I went with a student hoping that an adult presence would help to get the problem solved (it did!). The ID guy said to me that often IT problems are a PICNIC, standing for Problem In Chair Not In Computer, which is pretty funny only if they can fix the problem on the spot.

We drove to Mt Mee lookout and realised that it had been years since we have been there. The drive up is very pretty and the roads sign are all aimed at bikers as it is a well known loop for bikers to use on a day trip from Brisbane. Surprisingly we didn't see any on the road, the reason was evident when we pulled into the lookout, they were all parked there enjoying a coffee from the coffee van that is new since we have been there. Good business sense for the coffee van man.

This is from the lookout itself with the Glass House Mountains in the background.

The creek twists and turns.

When I suggested a picnic, my first thought was What have we got to take to eat? A forage in the freezer soon turned up, two muffins, a bacon and ham bread roll, some rice crackers and the rest of the garlic dip and then I cooked a couple of fish cakes that had been bought for one of those nights that I don't want to cook. A flask, coffee sugar and milk and we were well covered. 

It was cold up there thank goodness we had both taken jackets and we weren't the only ones in shorts and jackets.

One last photo from our picnic table, it doesn't show up as dark as it was getting. We turned for home before the rain came, we did have a few spots on the way home and it has been raining quite solidly for a couple of hours now. Glad we got our picnic in before it came and we do need the rain.

The Coat Hanger

Along with the Opera House, we saw this.

Just a little peek between  the trees.

And a little more.

We decided to have coffee and chips and do some people watching.

Last one.

Can see a group of people walking on top of the bridge (on the left of the left flag pole).

Black Vs White

 A couple of years ago I cut out milk and sugar in my coffee therefore saving a few calories.  This worked well and over time my coffee beans had reduced as well so much so that I have about a quarter of a teaspoon in one cup. Every now and then I feel the need to have a full teaspoon of of coffee, a teaspoon of sugar and some milk but I figure that's okay as I don't have much calcium so it could be the body crying out for more.

Since I have been sick with this head cold I have been having white coffees with sugar. Today was my first day back at work and although I felt okay, I knew I wasn't 100%, I drank four small bottles of water and didn't have a coffee all day. Warren made me a coffee when I got home from work and I have just had a second one after dinner and I didnt really enjoy either of them.

Four cups of coffee with milk and sugar does add up to a lot of calories so I don't want to go back down that track, hopefully my taste for weak black coffee returns.

Parking Meters

Oh My Goodness, we pulled into a park in the centre of Dalby and there were parking meters lining the main street. Maybe I shop in strange places but I think it must be about five years since I have used a parking meter and then it was one where one had to go to a central place and enter in either money or a card and then take the ticket back to display on the dash board. That was at the old Royal Children's Hospital.

Luckily today we did have some change in the console of the jeep. There were no instructions on the meter so we started by putting a 20 cent coin and the meter immediately went to an hour. Then I saw a sign that said one hour parking, not bad 20 cents for an hour.

We went shopping, Warren to the chemist as he needed a script done and I "needed" some pants, my packing for the caravan trip wasn't as good as for the cruise, as I found that I had packed plenty of tops, jumpers and knickers but only two pairs of leggings. I don't usually wear those unless I have long tops, hence I "had" to shopping.

There was a Target country next to the pharmacy so I spent some time looking through there, sales were on, a bonus. Met up with Warren again and he decided that we should suss out the coffee shop. oops, got back to the car ten minutes after our allotted time, didn't see any traffic officers but put in another 20 cent piece before going to the newsagents and Warren to Mitre ten. TV cable in the van doesn't work so he and his screw driver plus other bits and pieces will fix it. Meanwhile we had the antenna in the van getting a good signal so we are by no means deprived of TV.

Biggest Morning Tea.

This is a fund raiser for cancer research and has been going for several years during the month of May. Our group of women the Red Hatters had had an invite for the group that helps us start our group. As it was also their tenth birthday the Queen (Maureen) and I felt that we should go.

We had to pay about two months ago $25, bit OTT I thought for morning tea but it was for charity.

Start time was 10.30am so we frocked up, we knew that there were be quite a lot of ladies there from many RH groups and we of course wanted to present at our best.

Time to get out the long purple skirt, the high heels (also in purple) and my purple Chinese silk jacket plus my fancy dancy hat. I don't wear my fancy hat very often as it is a bit too flash for me.I usually throw on a cap or just a head band that meets the criteria for having "red on the head"

One hundred and sixty women were there in all manner of red and purple, amazingly no two outfits were the same, I always find that incredible. There were some amazing hats as well, one group had similar hats, they had made them using a bra as the base. I asked one lady if I could take a photo but silly me, I didn't open the flap on my phone so my photo is a great pic of pink. (the colour of my phone cover)duh!

Cupcakes were on the tables when we found a seat and we helped ourselves to coffee, there were some speeches and then some music, a bit of dancing. Not sure who wants to dance with only women at 11 am in the morning but some did. Caught up with a few that I had meet before, then more food came out sandwiches, hot quiches and sausages rolls followed by pancakes, jam and cream. Too much food really as there was a lot left. I was ready to leave then as it was 12 noon but no, there was more.

Entertainment was a dance troupe from the host group, one lady recited a poem and talked about joining the navy 60 years ago and another talking about Op shop shopping.

New furniture

We have lived in this house for twelve years, although we have spent some time living and working away so it hasn't been a continuous time of living here. The problem is/has been the furniture that we came with doesn't really fit the size of the rooms even though this house is bigger or more rooms, the actual rooms are smaller or configured different.

We exchanged our table and chairs a few weeks ago as it just wasn't big enough when we have family over, now we have a table that we can easily fit six and even eight round, rather than four.

We had plans to move our lounge room around to utilize the A/C better and long term plan to replace the lounge suite in about eighteen months time. Warren was looking on Gumtree and asked, is this something that you have in mind for the lounge and showed me a picture.

Something similar yes, although I had thought in black to match our coffee table. He then showed me another picture of a setting that we had both liked. (Aussie open on TV, young Chinese player playing Lleyton Hewitt atm)(and cat needs a new battery,I see)

We did want a four seater to go across the room. Upshot is we bought both pieces and quickly moved the room around. Problem is, the rooms are even more crowded but we have listed our old chairs and lounge suite plus the massive coffee table. hopefully they will be gone soon. The chairs have coffee/drink holders!

Now we need new curtins but cant decide what colour, chairs are a similar colour to the carpet, currently dark green but want a change, hum chocolate brown, blue, maroon????

New year's lunch

As we have been knocking around at home for the few days, I suggested taking a picnic to te bach for today's lunch. It was hot but not too hot. Warren agreed but suggested lunch at a cafe where we have been before to save me the hassle of preparing lunch.

Our Cafe was closed, how dare they take the holiday day off! There are lots of places to eat along the street as it is on the esplanade so we walked up the street a few metres and enjoyed a nice lunch at a different venue.

I had to laugh when my order came it looked so much like the lunch I prepared at home a few days ago. Turkish bread, lettuce, tomato and avocado, topped with smoked salmon and a drizzle of mayo on top. I had used mashed potato instead of avo.

Warren ordered his usual BLT which came with chips, I had not ordered chips with mine as I didn't like the scales this morning (they were probably quite relieved when I stepped off too). I know that I should have avoided the iced coffee that I had to go with my smoked salmon but it is a new year.

Salad for dinner tonight.

Bet wishes for 2015.

Sunday drives

Last Sunday Warren suggested we go out to lunch when I asked him what he wanted for lunch. Not one to knock back a meal out with no preparation or cleaning up afterwards and off we went to a seaside tavern. Very pleasant meal, I had Nacos and they were a bit different that I have had before. It was more like a light sauce made with tomatoes, onions and a meat sauce.

Today we had lunch at home and I started to do some sewing in the sewing room but didn't really feel like it, even though the weather was cool. I think my sewing room needs a lot of tidying and that makes it a bit depressing. I said to Warren that I felt like going somewhere just for a drive so we found ourselves on the road to Wamuram, we went the back way and it rained all the way. The back way is windy and a smaller road but of course less traffic and through country side rather than city driving. A cup of coffee and a shared treat set us up for the rest of the day.

Since being home, I have tidied a couple of cupboards, so just what I needed a change of scenery.

A Mug Bag

Last year  I was given a mug mat thank goodness it was explained on the card as I didnt know what it was. Basically it like an over grown coaster but about twice the length big enough to put a mug and a biscuit or a piece of cake on it. I use it every day, it sits on the coffee table by my lounge chair, mostlt though only for a coffee cup.

During the week, a friend of mine came for coffee and gave me a gift, saying that it was not a Christmas gift (we decided years ago not to exchange gifts). Inside was a mug bag with a mug inside.

We often go to places and need to take our own mugs and she had made one for herself and also made one for me. The fabric is like crazy patchwork, complete with fake stitching, but looks very real.

Catching up with friends and family

Long weekends are good for catching up. Our sister in law rang last week to say that she was in the area as I was working during the week, we had coffee with her and her daughter Saturday morning as she was flying home in the afternoon. Jan is almost twenty years older than me and when we were first married she helped me a lot and made me feel part of the family. Its two years since we have seen her but we keep in touch by email.

Today I met a friend for a quick coffee as we hadn't seen each other for awhile, then the kids came over for lunch and afternoon tea, later one son rang and the other was in touch via face book. Often on a weekend, its just us but being back working,then the weekend and esp a long weekend with the weather being fine and cool, it was ideal to get out and about.

Trust me! Out of the mouths of babes.

My youngest grandson is in hospital at the moment and I went to visit him yesterday. I arrive and hes watching cartoons on TV as well as being hooked up to an IV drip, "Hi Nana!" he says and goes back watching. I said to him that I saw on the wall that he had gym later that morning, "Yep" he says without taking eyes off the cartoons. "You can go and have a coffee" "I have just got here" "Not now" he says "When you take me to gym, big people can go and have a coffee then." Nothing like being told what to do from a six year!

The physio girl comes in and asks if he's ready to do his huffs and puffs (they need to paddle his back etc to loosen the mucus on his lungs)everyone gets real excited when he is able to cough and spit after each position. Another physio person comes in to ask if I was taking him down to gym (it saves one of the nurses having to walk him down). He got dressed after, must have street clothes and shoes and socks to go to gym and we wander down thru the lifts, outside the hospital and past the cafe. "Oh Nana, when you get a coffee, could I have a coke please?" "Sure, I'll bring one for you when I pick you up." The calories in coke are good for him. The receptionists know him of course and tell us to go thru to see Stu, Aidan likes "the boy" at the gym. Memory like an elephant except for names so he just refers to him as "That boy" (Stu would probably be mid thirties!) Aidan checks out what he is doing that morning and sees me still there, "Go on Nana, coffee time!" I leave after checking what time to collect him.

After gym, Aidan wants to go back to his room via the lifts, I'm not as confident using the lifts to get back but he is insistent that he knows the way and presses 4 in the lift. No, not that way so we go back down to the first floor and walk to the main entrance,I was intending to walk around to the lifts by the car park and then up. Aidan tells me that we can use the lifts in the main foyer, I'm not so sure. "Come on Nana, Trust me!" says the boy. Again we go up to the fourth floor and as soon as we step out, he says "Whoops, wrong one!"
Back to the bottom and then we go the way that I knew, finally getting to his room, where the clown doctors were waiting for him. Six months ago when he was last in hospital, he didn't want to know them but this time he was quite happy to spend a few minutes with them.

Seeing him is like a breath of fresh air, he always makes me chuckle.

Electric jugs!

Last Saturday while we were at Lake Boondoonma, Warren had boiled the jug and made me a coffee for breakfast as per usual. A couple were visiting the camp site and wanted some info so they had wandered over and were chatting to us, I continued to drink my coffee and I thought hat Warren must have put sugar in it, I drink it weak and black. The taste got the better of me and the last half was too bad to drink. After the people left, I asked him if he had put sugar in it, he said that as he wasn't having sugar any more, (a recent change)so we hadn't packed any, I had forgotten that. I suggested that he try my coffee to see what was wrong with it. He agreed that it tasted a bit funny and told me to make another one, which I did and still the taste was there.

Talking about it and checking the cupboard where we keep the jug, we discovered the packet of softly that we had put in there to keep it smelling nicely. Yep the inside of the jug smelt just the same. As our camper is a fold down one and therefore shut up when not in use, I worry that it is going to smell musty. There is only a couple of cupboards in it. One holds plates and cups and cooking stuff the other has jug, toaster, gas stoves and lights, plus a kettle for when we go without power.

We used the kettle on the gas for the rest of the trip and binned the jug.

Arriving home, I boiled the jug in between unpacking the car, a sit down with a cup of coffee was welcome after packing up and then driving four hours home and unpacking again.

The next morning, Warren who is always up before me, tells me that he had lifted the lid of the jug to fill it, very unusual, and he had found a cockroach inside it. He did say that it was dead! He had washed it out,

boiled and rinsed several times and said that his coffee tasted alright. I made mine in the microwave, as soon as the shops were open, I headed out to buy new ones, one for home and one for the camper. Last time I bought one they were priced at $9 on special, yesterday they were $7.50 each, I didn't care, I wasn't going to use a jug that had had a cockroach in it, dead or alive.