Hi everyon, I ope the new year is going well for you.
I am once again struggling with the "ttablet". Have settled back into life on the road again after my trip to WA for Christmas . I picked up my gorgeous new motorhome on Friday 11th. Have been struggling ever since with trying to repack all my stuff back into the new one! Carol and Rob came to Loch for a night and we christened the motorhome with my last birthday bottle of Moet! Delicious, thanks to Anne, naturally we drank it, not a drop went on the vehicle!
Then i did a little trial to Lake Tyers Beach to visit with Marg, who dates back to Exmouth days.A pleasant fw days, I spent half of it glued to the tv watching the tennis. earler i went down to Melbourne for a couple of days , I met Lyn from Graldton, and we spent a wonderful day at Rod Laver Arena, watching , among others, Sam Stosu, our Australian girl who can't win a match on aussie soil! very frustrating!Ut it was a fabulous experience just being ther, another tick on my bucket list. After going back to Lch, again, I managed to get a few more things loaded in, including my recent wine club delivery! I needed that, and it is consumable, so the space will be needed later!
This eekend, I have been visiting Courtney Hall, my Exmouh friend Merrilyn's daughter. She wasburnt out in the 2009 fires in Ictoria, but has rebuilt. She and her partner Rob have a new daughter, born in August, so I met her, and to my delight, but some consternation, I have been invited to their wedding in March. It will mean a squeeze wih my time, but I am studying routes an mileages to see if it is doable. Tight, but possible, I hope. I am on my way to Adelaide to go o the pre Antarctic meer and greet and info night, so that is only 19 days away! That could well be the next blog. so good luck and safe travellingfor the year.
Love Icki
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Friday, January 4, 2013
Happy New Year
Hello to all and a Happy New Year to everyone.
Can you believe it, it's 2013 already.? I hope everyone had a lovely time with family and friends over the Festive Season. Personally mine was a health disaster, but I am looking for the good in it!
Backing up to my last post ,first, I drove the motorhome to +glenda and +Ray's in Woodleigh in Victoria.There ''we'' proceeded to try to empty out the ''donga'' ready for the handover to my new motorhome. Oh . the things I found! stuff i had forgotten I had with me. The pressies I had bought ! you name it I found it! Finally I had reduced it enough! ( Well still a bit to go. you can't rush these things!) Then I packed for my Christmas trip home to WA. Monday came, and Ray drove me the 100km or so over to Bayswater, to inspect the new ''donga''. Ooh she's lovely. (you will have to wait for next blog and pictures!).
Tuesday i flew back to WA, picked up a hire car and spent the night at Jill and John's. That was great, to catch up with them. John is Genevieve's god father, and I certainly haven't seen as much of them .as I would have liked, although I see Jill a couple of times a year as she started patchworking with her sister in law, Dorothy, who is my sister's friend. (6 degrees of separation at work!) Anyway next morning it was off to Geraldton, to stay with +Meg and Geoff, visit with son, Ben and family, and have a dental extraction. (in that order!)
Thats about when my visit went to the pack! Major pain, alcohol free day after wards, and soft foods! What on earth was I thinking , to have a molar removed before Christmas? Well the short story is that I drove down south to sister Jean's and her hubby Lawries' place and then all hell broke loose. After a visit to Mum, in Busselton, and a couple of days with sister Maxine, all pretensions to a Happy Christmas was over. I developed an infection plus a ''dry'' socket. Went on a very nasty anti biotic, alcohol free for 5 days, and swallowed masses of painkillers and anti inflammatories, plus had 2 visits to Jeans' dentist for syringing out infection and packing etc. I tell you I would willingly have cut my head off if I thought it would reduce the pain!!! I am such a wuss, but Ihave never experienced such pain before. Next tooth can rot in my head before I have another extraction!,
So here it is just 4 days til î fly back and I am just getting back towards normal. down to painkillers only twice a day now. The only benefit was I lost 3 kilos, while i exsisted on yoghurt and Jeans homemade soup.
To those of you I thought I was going to visit this trip, sorry, next time. I hope everybody had a much better cHristmas Seasonthan I did, I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy!
May you all have a wonderful, prosperous and healthy 2013. I will be in touch
Love Vicki
Can you believe it, it's 2013 already.? I hope everyone had a lovely time with family and friends over the Festive Season. Personally mine was a health disaster, but I am looking for the good in it!
Backing up to my last post ,first, I drove the motorhome to +glenda and +Ray's in Woodleigh in Victoria.There ''we'' proceeded to try to empty out the ''donga'' ready for the handover to my new motorhome. Oh . the things I found! stuff i had forgotten I had with me. The pressies I had bought ! you name it I found it! Finally I had reduced it enough! ( Well still a bit to go. you can't rush these things!) Then I packed for my Christmas trip home to WA. Monday came, and Ray drove me the 100km or so over to Bayswater, to inspect the new ''donga''. Ooh she's lovely. (you will have to wait for next blog and pictures!).
Tuesday i flew back to WA, picked up a hire car and spent the night at Jill and John's. That was great, to catch up with them. John is Genevieve's god father, and I certainly haven't seen as much of them .as I would have liked, although I see Jill a couple of times a year as she started patchworking with her sister in law, Dorothy, who is my sister's friend. (6 degrees of separation at work!) Anyway next morning it was off to Geraldton, to stay with +Meg and Geoff, visit with son, Ben and family, and have a dental extraction. (in that order!)
Thats about when my visit went to the pack! Major pain, alcohol free day after wards, and soft foods! What on earth was I thinking , to have a molar removed before Christmas? Well the short story is that I drove down south to sister Jean's and her hubby Lawries' place and then all hell broke loose. After a visit to Mum, in Busselton, and a couple of days with sister Maxine, all pretensions to a Happy Christmas was over. I developed an infection plus a ''dry'' socket. Went on a very nasty anti biotic, alcohol free for 5 days, and swallowed masses of painkillers and anti inflammatories, plus had 2 visits to Jeans' dentist for syringing out infection and packing etc. I tell you I would willingly have cut my head off if I thought it would reduce the pain!!! I am such a wuss, but Ihave never experienced such pain before. Next tooth can rot in my head before I have another extraction!,
So here it is just 4 days til î fly back and I am just getting back towards normal. down to painkillers only twice a day now. The only benefit was I lost 3 kilos, while i exsisted on yoghurt and Jeans homemade soup.
To those of you I thought I was going to visit this trip, sorry, next time. I hope everybody had a much better cHristmas Seasonthan I did, I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy!
May you all have a wonderful, prosperous and healthy 2013. I will be in touch
Love Vicki
Monday, December 10, 2012
Lost months Part 2
Continued,
Sometimes I just can,t keep writing on this tablet. I really believe I need some lessons on it! So on with the saga! Kah and I had a nice cabin, aboard the Millenium, we enjoyed the ship for the lovely peole we met, we are always lucky with our table companions and as I said in part one, we made great friends with people as we queud to get aboard.we visited the "big" island to Hiloo, and Western Samoa, Pago Pago, where we went in 2010 also Fiji, where we went in 2011 and then the eclipse! Now that was something, the ship stopped for about 3 hours and we saw the whole thing, we were given special glasses to view it, there were talks by photographers to get maximum valeu with your camers, and a spe ialist talking us through it, when you could look safely without the glasses etc. It was quite special. worth having champagne at 9am thats for sure!
We had some good entertainers, a fellow singer, Jack Walker, whom we had come across in 2010 he has a great voice. also Jackie Love came on board. she still has IT! Then we sailed on to two ports in Nz. Tauranga and Aukland, before setting across the ditch to Sydney. W e had 2 nights on the ship before we got off. Kath flew back to w and Igot on the train back north to Toukley. I spent a few more days there with Hazel and Mike, getting my washing done and sorting myself out. Hazel and igot stuck into beading, I had sent for some more lovely patterns from Julia in England, she has some really unique patterns, you don't see many like it in Australia.Then I set off south.
Hazel and Mike came south to Gerringong with their caravan, and we visited a wonerful bead shop, annd picked up a few more bits I needed. Then we parted, me to continue south and they returned to Toukley, We will get together again. I stopped at Congo, an almost free camp beside the sea, where a river? flowed out also, very quiet, but lovely. Then on south to Nimmitabel, where I learnt I have been mispronouncing it for thirty years! Oh well, thems the breaks. I took my courage in both hands and drove over the great dividing range, via COOMA, JINDABYNE, PERISHER, and Khancoban to Corryong in Victoria. I was absolurely stuffed. The brakes were smoking and the poor old engine was really working. I don't reccommend it to anyone else in a motorhome. I didn't see a single truck on that bit of road. I was gobsmacked to see snow still on the tops of the ranges!!
I spent 2 nights at colaccolac, just passed Corryong, and then headed to Nagambie to visit my ex Exmouth and Collie friend, Merrilyn and Neil. I spent a lovely couple of days there on the front verge, but sadly Merrilyn was not at all well, with maybe foodpoisoning, so it was quite quiet.Then I set off, a bit backwards to Lima South to meet with the Estern Rosellas, whom I first met at St Arnauds last year. They were having a xmas party, which was greta food, we also had a chance to hold stalls as there was a market there, and a very good talk by the rural fire brigade #bout bushfire safety ans your motor home. very salient as it happened, as on Saturday they were off fighting a big bushfire at Seymour, near
Sometimes I just can,t keep writing on this tablet. I really believe I need some lessons on it! So on with the saga! Kah and I had a nice cabin, aboard the Millenium, we enjoyed the ship for the lovely peole we met, we are always lucky with our table companions and as I said in part one, we made great friends with people as we queud to get aboard.we visited the "big" island to Hiloo, and Western Samoa, Pago Pago, where we went in 2010 also Fiji, where we went in 2011 and then the eclipse! Now that was something, the ship stopped for about 3 hours and we saw the whole thing, we were given special glasses to view it, there were talks by photographers to get maximum valeu with your camers, and a spe ialist talking us through it, when you could look safely without the glasses etc. It was quite special. worth having champagne at 9am thats for sure!
We had some good entertainers, a fellow singer, Jack Walker, whom we had come across in 2010 he has a great voice. also Jackie Love came on board. she still has IT! Then we sailed on to two ports in Nz. Tauranga and Aukland, before setting across the ditch to Sydney. W e had 2 nights on the ship before we got off. Kath flew back to w and Igot on the train back north to Toukley. I spent a few more days there with Hazel and Mike, getting my washing done and sorting myself out. Hazel and igot stuck into beading, I had sent for some more lovely patterns from Julia in England, she has some really unique patterns, you don't see many like it in Australia.Then I set off south.
Hazel and Mike came south to Gerringong with their caravan, and we visited a wonerful bead shop, annd picked up a few more bits I needed. Then we parted, me to continue south and they returned to Toukley, We will get together again. I stopped at Congo, an almost free camp beside the sea, where a river? flowed out also, very quiet, but lovely. Then on south to Nimmitabel, where I learnt I have been mispronouncing it for thirty years! Oh well, thems the breaks. I took my courage in both hands and drove over the great dividing range, via COOMA, JINDABYNE, PERISHER, and Khancoban to Corryong in Victoria. I was absolurely stuffed. The brakes were smoking and the poor old engine was really working. I don't reccommend it to anyone else in a motorhome. I didn't see a single truck on that bit of road. I was gobsmacked to see snow still on the tops of the ranges!!
I spent 2 nights at colaccolac, just passed Corryong, and then headed to Nagambie to visit my ex Exmouth and Collie friend, Merrilyn and Neil. I spent a lovely couple of days there on the front verge, but sadly Merrilyn was not at all well, with maybe foodpoisoning, so it was quite quiet.Then I set off, a bit backwards to Lima South to meet with the Estern Rosellas, whom I first met at St Arnauds last year. They were having a xmas party, which was greta food, we also had a chance to hold stalls as there was a market there, and a very good talk by the rural fire brigade #bout bushfire safety ans your motor home. very salient as it happened, as on Saturday they were off fighting a big bushfire at Seymour, near
Lost Months part 11
Hi All, Well I have finally realised how long it has been sinyce I last posted. Sorry, life kinda got in my way!. I will try to bring you up to date in as brief a time as possible.
Way back in October, after I left Mildura/Wentworth and the country music festival, I
headed to Jingelic on the border of Nsw and Vic. I t was a pretty spotbehnd a great pub, and beside the early reaches of the Murray River. I met a great bunch of motorhomers there and spent 5 days there. great weather, a bit chilly in the mornings, but lovely sunny days we had wonderful campfires, with music and singalongs and some great people. From there I droeve north through Leura again and visited another patchworking friend, on my way nortth.
I left Doigs Donga, (the motorhome) with friends Hazel and Mike at Toukley while I trained down to Sydney, where I caught up with Kath and we flew to Hawaii. We endured two halloween days as we crossed the international date line. Our hotel was at Waikiki, and the antics of the people there for Halloween was eye stopping!! After 3 Nights we were picked up by our transfer vehicle and taken to the pier to board our cruise ship. Did I tell you? I went on a 19 day cruise back to Sydney. I was on Celebrity Millenium, and the main thing was we were able to be in optimal position for the total eclipse out in the Pacific Ocean. But I get ahead of myself." First we had to board! not an easy thing in Hawaii. We were queued for almost 3 hours waiting to get on board. With no e:cuses offered, but apparently a problem with the xray equioment, not that anyo e kept us informed! or offered food and drink . The upside was that we made virm friends in that 3 hours with the people around us in the queue!
Way back in October, after I left Mildura/Wentworth and the country music festival, I
headed to Jingelic on the border of Nsw and Vic. I t was a pretty spotbehnd a great pub, and beside the early reaches of the Murray River. I met a great bunch of motorhomers there and spent 5 days there. great weather, a bit chilly in the mornings, but lovely sunny days we had wonderful campfires, with music and singalongs and some great people. From there I droeve north through Leura again and visited another patchworking friend, on my way nortth.
I left Doigs Donga, (the motorhome) with friends Hazel and Mike at Toukley while I trained down to Sydney, where I caught up with Kath and we flew to Hawaii. We endured two halloween days as we crossed the international date line. Our hotel was at Waikiki, and the antics of the people there for Halloween was eye stopping!! After 3 Nights we were picked up by our transfer vehicle and taken to the pier to board our cruise ship. Did I tell you? I went on a 19 day cruise back to Sydney. I was on Celebrity Millenium, and the main thing was we were able to be in optimal position for the total eclipse out in the Pacific Ocean. But I get ahead of myself." First we had to board! not an easy thing in Hawaii. We were queued for almost 3 hours waiting to get on board. With no e:cuses offered, but apparently a problem with the xray equioment, not that anyo e kept us informed! or offered food and drink . The upside was that we made virm friends in that 3 hours with the people around us in the queue!
Friday, October 19, 2012
Wandering NSW
Hellio
Here I am giving the tablet another go. My pre paid wi fi ran out!
I parted company with Rob and Carol, and Graeme and Hazel, on Monday,( i think)! I h
keaded east, and they south. I went as far as Nyah, a pretty freeU Camp, along the Murray. Conditions were good, as far as access goes to the riveSor. It is flowing quite strongly, but not overly high. When i pulled in there were arouen 30 odd vans parked, around the place, both caravans and motorhomes, also the occasionakil tent! The spot, is behind the Nyah harness racing track, with a large "parkland area', amongst shady river gums. there are toilets and hot showers available across the track, also drinking water. and the most essential! a dump point! The present occupiers where i parked, were a group of 3 motorhomers and 2 caravans, with room for me nearby. Happy hour was underway, and I was invited to join, as soon as I got set up. Very pleasant couples, the motorhomers were a variety of vehicles, but all were towing small cars. It certainly makes life easier. I spent 3 nights there, and gradually they drifted off, being replaced daily by new neighbours!
I headed further east, retracing my tracks, through Swan Hill and Kerang, before heading notrth to Deniliquin. This is nice town, where a big raly had bee n held, just after i left Tasmania, in 2011. Somehow, i had kept missing it. I parked at mIUa "carotel" within walking distance of the centre of town, and across the road, diagonally, from the RSL Club, ( very important!). I was back to using caravan parks, as it was very cold at nights! I could only stop 2 nights as there was a big geneaology conference on over the weekend, and the town was booked out! I did a long walk into town, lovely old buildings, and pubs and shop frontages, and found the visitors info centre,housed in the Peppin -House/museum. A good display of early history of merino pedigree, wool history and breeding rams, look like the ones on the australian shilling, also WW2 airforce bases from around the area.
I was pretty gobsmacked, as I drove north away from the Murray, at the extent of the irrigation, systems in place over here. Miles away from the river and you are driving along and over, these huge channels/canals, carrying water inland to farming properties. We are growing rice, down herE! This is inland Australiah, not south east asia, with big annual rainfalls. No wonder SA is screaming for mor water to be let down the river. I consider myself fairly well educated, about my country, but I am really amazed. I certainly can't see why we in WA cannot do a proper job of moving the Ord river water south with channels, even with high evaporation, there must be lots of water loss from these channels, in the summer. Well thats my political rant, for this month!
So i headed further north to Jerilderie, once again utilising a caravan park, met another solo widowed woman, she more recent than me, but we had lots in common, we spent apleasant couple of happy hours, and swapped addresses, and then we parted our ways, she for the south and me to turn easterly towards Wagga Wagga. I came across some lovely rolling hilly vountry, but higher, than what I would call hills in WA! Saw a magnificent "wedgetail"(I think) , eagle, sitting on a fence post, with his wings partly out. Fabulous site, but of course, the camera out of reach! It is certainly not as convenient, having the bigger, fancier, camera. It is not readily to hand, and also in a case, so not so quick, for these unexpected photo ops! I don't often see live, animals! Mostly it is roadkill!
I came across a small town, Lockhart, known as the verandah town, traffic everywhere. So I pulled over and parked, walked along to see what was happening. It was a local, art/sculpture/music festival, over 3 days, the picnic races had been on Friday, this was saturday. The place was hopping, BIG DETOUR AROUND TOWN, THE MAIN DRAG, THE HIGHWAY, WAS CLOSED, STALLS, FOOD, AND THESE FASCINATING OUTBACKTYPE SCULPTURES, MADE FROM FARM "JUNK". Big prize money paid, they looked very good. also lots of "stuff" made from barbwire, other "parts" turned into light fittings, garden pots, really interesting! plus the prices were quite "high"end!
Here I am giving the tablet another go. My pre paid wi fi ran out!
I parted company with Rob and Carol, and Graeme and Hazel, on Monday,( i think)! I h
keaded east, and they south. I went as far as Nyah, a pretty freeU Camp, along the Murray. Conditions were good, as far as access goes to the riveSor. It is flowing quite strongly, but not overly high. When i pulled in there were arouen 30 odd vans parked, around the place, both caravans and motorhomes, also the occasionakil tent! The spot, is behind the Nyah harness racing track, with a large "parkland area', amongst shady river gums. there are toilets and hot showers available across the track, also drinking water. and the most essential! a dump point! The present occupiers where i parked, were a group of 3 motorhomers and 2 caravans, with room for me nearby. Happy hour was underway, and I was invited to join, as soon as I got set up. Very pleasant couples, the motorhomers were a variety of vehicles, but all were towing small cars. It certainly makes life easier. I spent 3 nights there, and gradually they drifted off, being replaced daily by new neighbours!
I headed further east, retracing my tracks, through Swan Hill and Kerang, before heading notrth to Deniliquin. This is nice town, where a big raly had bee n held, just after i left Tasmania, in 2011. Somehow, i had kept missing it. I parked at mIUa "carotel" within walking distance of the centre of town, and across the road, diagonally, from the RSL Club, ( very important!). I was back to using caravan parks, as it was very cold at nights! I could only stop 2 nights as there was a big geneaology conference on over the weekend, and the town was booked out! I did a long walk into town, lovely old buildings, and pubs and shop frontages, and found the visitors info centre,housed in the Peppin -House/museum. A good display of early history of merino pedigree, wool history and breeding rams, look like the ones on the australian shilling, also WW2 airforce bases from around the area.
I was pretty gobsmacked, as I drove north away from the Murray, at the extent of the irrigation, systems in place over here. Miles away from the river and you are driving along and over, these huge channels/canals, carrying water inland to farming properties. We are growing rice, down herE! This is inland Australiah, not south east asia, with big annual rainfalls. No wonder SA is screaming for mor water to be let down the river. I consider myself fairly well educated, about my country, but I am really amazed. I certainly can't see why we in WA cannot do a proper job of moving the Ord river water south with channels, even with high evaporation, there must be lots of water loss from these channels, in the summer. Well thats my political rant, for this month!
So i headed further north to Jerilderie, once again utilising a caravan park, met another solo widowed woman, she more recent than me, but we had lots in common, we spent apleasant couple of happy hours, and swapped addresses, and then we parted our ways, she for the south and me to turn easterly towards Wagga Wagga. I came across some lovely rolling hilly vountry, but higher, than what I would call hills in WA! Saw a magnificent "wedgetail"(I think) , eagle, sitting on a fence post, with his wings partly out. Fabulous site, but of course, the camera out of reach! It is certainly not as convenient, having the bigger, fancier, camera. It is not readily to hand, and also in a case, so not so quick, for these unexpected photo ops! I don't often see live, animals! Mostly it is roadkill!
I came across a small town, Lockhart, known as the verandah town, traffic everywhere. So I pulled over and parked, walked along to see what was happening. It was a local, art/sculpture/music festival, over 3 days, the picnic races had been on Friday, this was saturday. The place was hopping, BIG DETOUR AROUND TOWN, THE MAIN DRAG, THE HIGHWAY, WAS CLOSED, STALLS, FOOD, AND THESE FASCINATING OUTBACKTYPE SCULPTURES, MADE FROM FARM "JUNK". Big prize money paid, they looked very good. also lots of "stuff" made from barbwire, other "parts" turned into light fittings, garden pots, really interesting! plus the prices were quite "high"end!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Patchwork and Country Music
Hi All! I have given up on the tablet, as far as writing my blog goes, at least! I always re read my last one so I don't double up one the story and I can hardly believe it was so bad! I know I was frustrated by using the touch screen typing keyboard, but really!! I could barely understand it and I wrote it! Never again!! Promise!!
Well back to my life! when I landed in Brisbane, I discovered I had accidently left the fridge door closed, and with the moisture from the defrost, and a mopnth closed, you can imagine the state of it? or can you? I know I have never seen a more revolting sight!! I spent about 4 hours scrubbing and cleaning and pulling all the shelving and partitions out and using bleach etc! finally it was clean! there is still the occasional whiff! though. I have tried wiping it over with vanilla and hope that will finally do the trick! I pushed off from Brisbane, down to the goldcoast to Miami!! whoo! and then to Mullumbimby, trying to find a different route to Dorrigo It is beautiful driving through the mountains and winding across the ridges. I love the trees and then the vistas opening out across valleys and more mountain views! beautiful! From Mullimbimby I headed south westerly towards Grafton, but free camped at a lovely spot beside a river, then headed down to Dorrigo through the Nymboida national Park. Making sure I was not on last years road! I was sort of parrallel to it! but definitely all sealed! Came in past the showgrounds where I had enquired about parking, but realised it was firther out than Dangar Falls lodge camp ground. So I booked in again for the first 4 days and waited to catch up with my friend Caroline. The tutors all stay at Dangar Falls lodge, so I can always "bum" a ride into town with them. I didn't have the optima;l parking space, only 1! so I was looking for other options! Caroline took me to meet her aunt who lives in town, at the end of the firstday, and joy of joys, she had a lovely flat 20 0dd foot verge for me to park on! At the end of my 4th day I move the "donga" into town to "aunt Lou's " verge. Easier for Caroline to drive me and me not bothering the tutors each morning for a ride! On to the patchwork! I did a 2 day course with Margaret Macdonald using circles, different techniques demystifying the difficulties of using circles. Very stressful for me as I didn't seem to have the "right" fabrics, so I was back and forward to the shop getting more! I achieved 3 blocks finished! Then I moved onto Jane Mcdonalds Tesselations, using Japanese fabrics, I chose to do the small version, not thinking that that meant tiny pieces of fabric! At least it was done with the machine! after a day I had managed about a third of the finished size, which is a wall hanging about 24" by 36". So that was positive. I had a day off between the next project, which is handy as I can unkink my back and neck and shoulders , by having a massage! (does anyone else notice the vast difference in massage styles?) still i felt better for it! Then my third project! Another reproduction quilt! At least this one is done by machine! Anne Sommerlad is the designer and she has some beautiful patterns, based on reproduction quilts. I am tackling Johanna Southcotts coverlet. After lots of quibbling over the fabric choices I finally settled on some of mine and lots from the shop!!! Helen in the shop is marvellous at helping with your choices! So it was nose down to the machine and I achieved about half finished and it is a big quilt, (are there any other sizes?). As usual we had some l;ovely meals, a welcome and closing dinner at 2 different restaurants, all our lunches are spread around the towns businesses too. everyone gets a piece of us being there! About 200 of us ladies hiting a small town like dorrigo for a week, must give them a boost! Apart from the massage, I restricted myself to fuel, fabric and meals and drinks! plus droppped into the local butcher as I was heading out of town. gorgeous meat! And I won one of the daily raffles! more fabric and patterns, I shared it with Caroline for all her driving me a round.
So Fridy i started the mad dash to Wentworth for the Mildura Country Music Festival. I allowed myself 3 days this time, the gps told me it was 1426kms from Dorrigo, and I wanted to do a bit different route, but of course the quickest is the way I have already been! So only a few minor route changes. My first stop was a camp spot at Premer, I pulled in about 2.30 ish, only did about 374kms I think. I filled up with water, using the neighbours hose (with his permission) and was on power, only 12 dollars a night, honesty box. Walked up to the pub for a meal, and when I came back, this couple (the neighbours!) were grizzling to some other couple that i was parked too close to them! I have very sharp ears! I put my purse in my van and then I went and fronted them! Asked them why didn;t they ask me to move further away earlier? I had been there for several hours in the daylight, and that they shouldn't bitch behind my back! frankly I was stunned! these were motorhomers! (well 5th wheleers actually). I thought they would have been a bit more tolerant. Of course, I stewed all night over it, (it was a first!) and took off at bout 6 am for my next leg, Lake Cargelligo. Punching into a head wind all day, and the previous one too, chewing up fuel like mad! These sort of travelling days cost the earth, refuelling etc. Got to Lake C and they had the camp fire burning and everyone lovely and friendly, restored my faith in the travelling public! On my way from Premer I called into Coolah, where a motorhoming couple have set up a "homebase" for motorhomers. They were flogging it at Yarram and Sale rallies, and sounds very feasible, If only it was closer to WA! I dropped in on them and was shown around, they are alovely couple, I reckon it could be set up in WA if you could find the right property to connvert. From Lake C I did a 551km run to Wentworth. Certainly easier than last years mammoth runs of 700kms plus a day! Started off with no power for the first night then moved to a powered site, a fair way away from Rob and Carol, but closer to the music venues! Now I am getting my fix, of country music for the year. Some old faces and voices! and some new ones, I am getting a "few" new cd's to put on my ipod and keep me bopping along as I drive the highways! The weather has turned hot and it is hard to find a shady spot down at the Wentworth wharf for the outdoor concerts! Noone is on the sunny lawns, we are all crowding under the beautiful shady rivergums! Still a few days to go but it is well worth the visit.
So keep smiling and hopefully keep healthy, and I will keep you informed of my travels! love vicki
Well back to my life! when I landed in Brisbane, I discovered I had accidently left the fridge door closed, and with the moisture from the defrost, and a mopnth closed, you can imagine the state of it? or can you? I know I have never seen a more revolting sight!! I spent about 4 hours scrubbing and cleaning and pulling all the shelving and partitions out and using bleach etc! finally it was clean! there is still the occasional whiff! though. I have tried wiping it over with vanilla and hope that will finally do the trick! I pushed off from Brisbane, down to the goldcoast to Miami!! whoo! and then to Mullumbimby, trying to find a different route to Dorrigo It is beautiful driving through the mountains and winding across the ridges. I love the trees and then the vistas opening out across valleys and more mountain views! beautiful! From Mullimbimby I headed south westerly towards Grafton, but free camped at a lovely spot beside a river, then headed down to Dorrigo through the Nymboida national Park. Making sure I was not on last years road! I was sort of parrallel to it! but definitely all sealed! Came in past the showgrounds where I had enquired about parking, but realised it was firther out than Dangar Falls lodge camp ground. So I booked in again for the first 4 days and waited to catch up with my friend Caroline. The tutors all stay at Dangar Falls lodge, so I can always "bum" a ride into town with them. I didn't have the optima;l parking space, only 1! so I was looking for other options! Caroline took me to meet her aunt who lives in town, at the end of the firstday, and joy of joys, she had a lovely flat 20 0dd foot verge for me to park on! At the end of my 4th day I move the "donga" into town to "aunt Lou's " verge. Easier for Caroline to drive me and me not bothering the tutors each morning for a ride! On to the patchwork! I did a 2 day course with Margaret Macdonald using circles, different techniques demystifying the difficulties of using circles. Very stressful for me as I didn't seem to have the "right" fabrics, so I was back and forward to the shop getting more! I achieved 3 blocks finished! Then I moved onto Jane Mcdonalds Tesselations, using Japanese fabrics, I chose to do the small version, not thinking that that meant tiny pieces of fabric! At least it was done with the machine! after a day I had managed about a third of the finished size, which is a wall hanging about 24" by 36". So that was positive. I had a day off between the next project, which is handy as I can unkink my back and neck and shoulders , by having a massage! (does anyone else notice the vast difference in massage styles?) still i felt better for it! Then my third project! Another reproduction quilt! At least this one is done by machine! Anne Sommerlad is the designer and she has some beautiful patterns, based on reproduction quilts. I am tackling Johanna Southcotts coverlet. After lots of quibbling over the fabric choices I finally settled on some of mine and lots from the shop!!! Helen in the shop is marvellous at helping with your choices! So it was nose down to the machine and I achieved about half finished and it is a big quilt, (are there any other sizes?). As usual we had some l;ovely meals, a welcome and closing dinner at 2 different restaurants, all our lunches are spread around the towns businesses too. everyone gets a piece of us being there! About 200 of us ladies hiting a small town like dorrigo for a week, must give them a boost! Apart from the massage, I restricted myself to fuel, fabric and meals and drinks! plus droppped into the local butcher as I was heading out of town. gorgeous meat! And I won one of the daily raffles! more fabric and patterns, I shared it with Caroline for all her driving me a round.
So Fridy i started the mad dash to Wentworth for the Mildura Country Music Festival. I allowed myself 3 days this time, the gps told me it was 1426kms from Dorrigo, and I wanted to do a bit different route, but of course the quickest is the way I have already been! So only a few minor route changes. My first stop was a camp spot at Premer, I pulled in about 2.30 ish, only did about 374kms I think. I filled up with water, using the neighbours hose (with his permission) and was on power, only 12 dollars a night, honesty box. Walked up to the pub for a meal, and when I came back, this couple (the neighbours!) were grizzling to some other couple that i was parked too close to them! I have very sharp ears! I put my purse in my van and then I went and fronted them! Asked them why didn;t they ask me to move further away earlier? I had been there for several hours in the daylight, and that they shouldn't bitch behind my back! frankly I was stunned! these were motorhomers! (well 5th wheleers actually). I thought they would have been a bit more tolerant. Of course, I stewed all night over it, (it was a first!) and took off at bout 6 am for my next leg, Lake Cargelligo. Punching into a head wind all day, and the previous one too, chewing up fuel like mad! These sort of travelling days cost the earth, refuelling etc. Got to Lake C and they had the camp fire burning and everyone lovely and friendly, restored my faith in the travelling public! On my way from Premer I called into Coolah, where a motorhoming couple have set up a "homebase" for motorhomers. They were flogging it at Yarram and Sale rallies, and sounds very feasible, If only it was closer to WA! I dropped in on them and was shown around, they are alovely couple, I reckon it could be set up in WA if you could find the right property to connvert. From Lake C I did a 551km run to Wentworth. Certainly easier than last years mammoth runs of 700kms plus a day! Started off with no power for the first night then moved to a powered site, a fair way away from Rob and Carol, but closer to the music venues! Now I am getting my fix, of country music for the year. Some old faces and voices! and some new ones, I am getting a "few" new cd's to put on my ipod and keep me bopping along as I drive the highways! The weather has turned hot and it is hard to find a shady spot down at the Wentworth wharf for the outdoor concerts! Noone is on the sunny lawns, we are all crowding under the beautiful shady rivergums! Still a few days to go but it is well worth the visit.
So keep smiling and hopefully keep healthy, and I will keep you informed of my travels! love vicki
Friday, September 14, 2012
Long time episode 2
Next I went back up to Geraldton, to see GP, also another dentist visit, and it ain't over yet! get a haircut from my favorite hairdresser, catch upwith son Ben and his family, so you can see I haven't stopped. Also saw tax accountant, financial planner and arthritis specialist! Finally it was down to Juien Bay for some sewing R and R.Once again our ptchwork retreat was a great time! I wouldn,t miss it for quids. To top off a great vsit, my footy team, Fremantle Dockers are having a good run! I was soo excited to watch them beat Geelong, but alas, all good things come to an end, and last night w ended the sason a Adelaide Crows beat us.
I sadly packed up m stuff an went back to Perth for my flight back to Brisbane and to continue my travels. Not that I am sad to be still travelling! oh no! So until I get a better hang of this tablet i will close for now and hope the next blog is better! Please allow for all the mistakes and I promise I will be more organised soon. Happy Travels
Vicki
I sadly packed up m stuff an went back to Perth for my flight back to Brisbane and to continue my travels. Not that I am sad to be still travelling! oh no! So until I get a better hang of this tablet i will close for now and hope the next blog is better! Please allow for all the mistakes and I promise I will be more organised soon. Happy Travels
Vicki
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)