Day one of our big lap

I intended to blog every day but of course forgetting that blogging requires service and internet both of which were almost non existent yesterday and Monday.

We set off at 10.02 am, not bad considering that was the time I had set upon but always having a fudge factor of thirty minutes either side. The photo was taken at our first stop only 45 minutes from home but Warren always likes to check the load and how everything is travelling. All was good and as chance would have it, it was outside one of our haunts for morning coffee, although we have only ventured there on the bike before.

A pasty and an iced coffee to share after all it is going to be six months at least before we darken their doors again. Stop was at CJ's 

First day and within budget, $75 to fill the car and $25 for the caravan park at Moonie. I want to come in at around $100 a day, $700 a week may be $800. Of course it helps that we have taken a lot of food from home and eating from that.

This first week is just about getting to Melbourne so we are travelling each day and it is very hot.

Sewing room shut down

It was sad when I put the lid of my sewing machine on just now and shut the door.

I did manage to get some sewing done before then though. I fixed three pairs of pants, just the second seams on two of them and they hadnt bothered me before to fix but seeing as how I will be wearing them out in public, I sewed a second seam. The other pair of pants are my tennis shorts that I was given three years ago, I have just started wearing again and are okay when standing but too short to y liking when sitting so I let down the hem.

Then I made covers for Warren and my new tablets, I had already made one for him but he gave his old tablet to Aidan on Thursday and after seeing him juggle it with the cord and charger, decided that he should have the cover as well.

Warrens is on the left and I made that first. Then I thought that a pocket would be a good idea so my have a pocket on the front, his doesn't.

I did also cut a length of a dress and re-hemmed that so a reasonable amount of sewing after all.

I have packed a small bag of craft work for me to do, it will be interesting to see how much I do get done. There is about five different balls of wool, three sets of needles, they are different sizes and two cross stitches 

Less than 24 hours.

Yep, we are planning on leaving for our big trip at 10 am tomorrow. It has been a busy last two days, as we had visitors here for a few days, Friday was washing day. All the sheets and towels were washed and beds remade.

Moved lot of things in the pantry, I want to leave room for the house sitters as well as have food stuffs to take in the caravan. Fridge is on and later this afternoon, I will transfer what is left in our freezer to out there. Probably have a weeks worth of food so quite happy that we have been able to eat down the fridge, freezer and pantry to such a small amount.

The car is partly packed, I have bought some food for lunches, coffee milk, mugs etc are already out there.

This afternoon I will make two covers for our tablets, shouldn't take much more than an hour. I also have a dress that is too long, it is a pop over one that I will use to go back and forth to the shower block.

The last load of washing is out on the line, I was planning on washing in the morning but we will take a small amount of dirty stuff with us.

Getting ready t go this time seems to be very busy, far more busy than going to China for six months. I guess we are packing the caravan and that is an extra rater than just trowing clothes in a suitcase, making sure we had our meds and then catch a flight. At least we will be able to buy whatever (within reason) i we have forgotten something.

Just did our money available totals, I will be keeping a log of what we are or have spent. My challenge to myself is to keep between $800 and a thousand dollars a week, this will be for everything. I did think $700 a week but that may be too restricting so bumped it to $800, then if its unde, I will feel as though I have really achieved something. Warren just laughs at me and says "Yeah, whatever!"

PJs

I have a favorite pair of pjs that

I bought a few years ago and now they are all that I wear for sleeping and relaxing. When they need a wash, they are washed and then I wear them again that night. They have been to China with me a couple of times and they are very comfy. Often I will put them on after dinner and settle down to watch TV. They have been on three cruises, $20 well spent five years ago.

 However like everything they have become worn and thin but still useable except that the elastic is quite loose. I have worn them to the showers at caravan parks but the elastic is not to be trusted any more. Not a pretty sight seeing a mature women losing her pants out in the middle of a caravan park and that would be me fair out in the middle if it happened.

At the back of my mind, I was thinking to replace the elastic not a real easy job as they are machine stitched and would need considerable time to do it. It was on the back burner.

Shopping with my daughter yesterday and we ventured into the lounge wear area and there was a pair of comfy looking pants.

I selected the ones that had some purple/mauve n them to go with the current top. Then I saw T shirts for $4. Now I have a new pair of pjs for $14.

Should I take both pairs, the second pair wont take up a lot of room or weight but weight could be an issue.

Don't want to take too much but also dont want to be caught short.

Arrgh, decisions decisions!!! Just waiting for ten oclock on Monday and we can leave and then ts too bad what we have left behind or have too much. 

 

When plans fall over.

You just have to deal with it. Sold the car last week, delivered car, money in the bank and everything on it cancelled. This was all done on Thursday. Roll on to sometime Monday. Warren receives a call from new owner stating that there was something wrong with the brakes. Car had had a road worthy done on it and passed with flying colours!

Warren at first told her to get a quote and then we would look at what could/should be done. After a pretty sleepless night, we decided that, that cause of action could open a can of worms so we offered to take the car and give her back the money, which happened today.

She had been driving down a hill and applied the brakes and the car shuddered. I think she was probably going a bit fast and then hit the brakes hard. My car is quite a bit heavier and bigger than what she had been driving.

Rang a mechanic and when Warren told him what had happened, he suggested that she had over heated the brakes. Anyway the car is now back and it will have to stay at home for awhile while we are away as we dont have time to do anything with it. Monday is looming to leave on our big lap.

Brisbane International Tennis

This year Warren and I are again volunteering at the tennis.

This is the uniform for the event with dark blue shorts. The shorts are okay when standing but do ride up a bit when sitting. There is a wide brimmed hat that is also put of it, with open weave on the sides to breathe.

It hasnt been as hot this time which is good and yesterday was wet all day so some matches had to be changed, luckily there was one match were someone pulled out which meant one outside match could go inside and then that finished reasonably early and so they put anpther on as well. As these matches were schedules for outside, people could go into the arena on a ground pass so people were happy.

It was a quick turn around as they finished at 6.15 pm, it had to be emptied and cleaned before it was opened again for the night session. Tight but doable.

I am not working each day as the heat gets to be a bit so I am only working every second day, Warren is working every day but we wont do the finals. By then it is only the main stadium and only half of the volunteers are needed.

Swapped car for microwave

Not really but we did buy a new microwave after getting the money for the car. As we were both together and out at the same time, I had suggested to Warren that he bought some new shorts. He likes to wear shorts most of the time and has quite a few tennis shorts, thank to volunteering at the Brisbane International. These shorts are fine, for tennis, not so fine for socializing.

He grumbled a bit but agreed to look although he didnt want to go to a mens wear shop only to Kmart. As we were nearing the mens department, one of the smallest sections in the store, we past by jocks and socks and there were lots of jocks with the days on them. Joking, I said to Warren that he should buy a pack then he would know what day it was when we were travelling. He took me up on it and decided to buy a pack.

On the way to the check out to pay there was a microwave advertised for $49. I had been looking on-line at new ones and they were around $100 or so. Our old one had developed a few rust spots and I thought to replace it but it wasn't a high priority but at that price I couldn't go past it. Our house sitters will have a brand new microwave. It works well, thankfully it operates much the same as the old one and being smaller its takes up less space on the bench.