The repaired ensuite

Neville has beavered away on repairing the ensuite and has made it look like new. Today, he re-installed the toilet, stuck down some new vinyl and gave the walls a lick of paint.

All of the ensuites are doubles, so now Nev has to start work on the other side of ours. He thinks that the termites weren't quite so hungry on that side.

Library

The Library has new faces but our friends, Jeanie and Sherryl are still there.
When I was a kid, we had to whisper in libraries and got the big glare from the librarian if we spoke even a little bit loudly. Now, we speak in normal tones.
People have more resources now so I suppose they don't need to study in libraries as much.
Even so, I still wonder if there really was the need for such hushed tones.
Was it all only a hangover from the early days of Mechanics Institutes?
Or a way of perpetuating the mystique?

I took out a book called Trouble by Jesse Kellerman. I can never resist the books they put out on display! Featured on the front cover is a Publisher's note, "Love this book or your money back." How intriguing! I wonder how many people took up the offer?!!

Shopping

I found a swimsuit. It's chlorine resistant so I paid a bit more for it but that doesn't necessarily mean that it will last longer. Heated mineral water chews up swimsuits.
There are 2 shops here that I knew would have bathers. There's also Target but they only stock clothes in season. Never mind that it's always swimming season here!

Mrs. Heffernan's shop is very small and in the back streets but close to the public pool. It is tightly packed with ladies' clothes, shoes, jewellery and accessories plus one room full of used books. She is a sweet, friendly lady, closer to 90 than to 80. She told me that she has 2 sons who are retired but she has no intention of following them. She has run the shop for most of her life and doesn't know what she would do without it. She lives at the back and finds life very easy that way. She had a few pairs of bathers for me to choose from, whereas the big, classy shop had none in my size.

NO photos provided this time!!!!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom

First massage up here this afternoon. He doesn't hit the spot like Kathy does but he's way better than not having a massage at all.
Tom is a beautiful man. As always, he greeted me with a double handshake and bow, then quadruple kisses on the cheek. Ordinarily, that would make me feel rather uncomfortable but coming from Tom, it just feels warm.
He is Chinese and his English is very limited but we communicate quite well. I point at a particularly sore spot and Tom says, "Ahhh" in sympathetic tones! We discuss dates and appointments using the calendar, and our families using photos on his wall. I don't believe I ever made him understand when I went skydiving in 2007 ---- despite my charade of a plane, a parachute and a head first dive off the massage table.
Tom works 7 days a week, at times to suit his clients. He doesn't keep an appointment book but always remembers. How??

Man at Work

Despite the continuing drizzle, Nev is working on our en-suite. He removed the toilet today and sat it in the shower. There's no wood left now -- only steel beams.
He seems to be finding more termite nests and dumping them outside. I keep wondering if they will find wood to chew up elsewhere. The piece of cement sheet is at the right.

I have completely forgotten how yukkingly annoying MUD is! It has been years since I've had to navigate mud and pools of water. Of course, I wouldn't be nearly so annoyed if the mud was at home! I hold an illogical and optimistic hope that when we return, there will have been enough rain to restore my driveway of nearly 100 melaleuca trees.

RAIN

Beautiful, steady, gentle rain ---- all last night and still going today.
I checked the weather at home but no rain there, sadly.

The new floor for the termite eaten en-suite has arrived. It's a very thick piece of cement sheet. That should trick them! I don't know when it will go in.

Things

Remember that these posts always show the latest at the top. I would advise you to scroll down to the post called Day 1 and then read upwards.

A new 25 metre swimming pool is under construction and Nev tells us that it should be finished well before we go home. This has been planned for such a long time and I really thought that it had been shelved. I will be happy to have such a long pool so that I can walk for a distance, instead of going round in circles in the small pools.

I walked into our en suite (on the site) and fell through the floor! Nev dug underneath today and there were huge clumps of termite nests. He isn't sure how to go about fixing it. The floor was fine when we left here last December, so they are obviously quick workers! Fortunately, the en suites are mainly aluminium, with only a little wood. We have the use of one over the road until ours is fixed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

People

We've caught up with the permanents and the regulars and exchanged news, in this mini community. It's so easy to make friends and acquaintances in a caravan park.

The big news here is that Tracey, Lindy's youngest sister, is getting married on the long weekend in June. Her 6 year old daughter, Lilly, will be flowergirl and she is soooo excited.

Emily and Carissa greeted us enthusiastically. Lindy and Nev had told them that we weren't coming this year!! Carissa, nearly 12, is way taller than me now.

Day 7 and onwards

We're here, in our own site, and happy.

The caravan park is very full. Apart from this being the season to travel north, there is a Veterans 3 day Golf event, finishing on Monday.
Our site has been cleaned up and looks very tidy (but less interesting.) This is all due to Lindy's parents, Marion and Richard. He works for the Shire and she runs the kiosk here. When the kiosk contract runs out in October, Marion and Richard will live beside our site until Richard retires. After Hannah died a year ago, her partner Bernie sold the van and annexe to Marion, bought a little campervan and took off around Australia.

Marion knows what beautiful bulbs are planted around our site and she wants to move them so that they can be looked after when we aren't here. Planted between our two sites, they will be a pleasure for both of us. I call this "our site" because we are the only people who have occupied it since the original long term occupant, Eric, died. It's on a large corner block and it's very difficult to back in, especially when someone occupies the little site in front, as they are now. Steve can manage it no trouble.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Day 6

Friday May 15

450 kilometres ahead of us. We normally wouldn't travel that far in a day but Steve had the bit between his teeth. I reminded him that we would have to keep stopping to check the radiator and he reminded me that the truck gave no trouble at all on the last trip. Strangely, I had forgotten that.

I realised that I had been travelling fearfully, ever since the first hose blew.
It was good to relax and look around.

It was dark when we arrived in Moree. The welcoming committee was sitting outside reception, having drinks and we were greeted with cheers and jeers and lots of cuddles! They had decided for us that it would be too difficult to back in at night, so they had saved us a drive-through spot.

Day 4 and Day 5

Wednesday May 13

We drove from Narrandera to Peak Hill, WITHOUT INCIDENT.
We didn't trust the truck to behave so we carried lots of water, drove fairly slowly and stopped quite often to check the motor, (which meant tipping the cab, remember!)

Before we left, I had anticipated climbing in and out of that truck no more than twice a day.
By the time we reached Peak Hill, my back was in a horrible spasm. Can't imagine why!!!!! :-)

It was a pleasure to reach "friendly surroundings". Leighton and Pauline were as hospitable as usual and we appreciated the scones, jam and cream. They had a new scheme for their wireless internet -- $5 for 24 hours, so we made good use of this. They found a massage person for me and I made plans to see her the next day. In the interim, Steve gave me an excellent massage, using the vibrating machine and I felt a different person by next morning.
Steve woke up with a hacking cough. He would have pressed on but I felt that we both needed a rest, so we stayed there for another night.
During that rest day, I took a tour of Peak Hill on the gopher. Alone. Independence!!! This little town has amazingly friendly people. As I wandered along, many locals greeted me, gave me information and offered ideas of what I might like to see. Many of the shops have the original pressed tin verandas. Although there are many unoccupied buildings, the essentials are there --- little supermarket, cafes, butcher, hotel, solicitor, library, a beautiful little hospital, primary and Catholic schools and an incredible array of craft and antiques. One day I will take the tour of the old gold mine.

Peak Hill is situated between Parkes and Dubbo.

View Larger Map

Day 3

Tuesday May 12

My optimism was slightly dented but we set off and had almost 100kms of worry free travel.
Then BANG.
A different radiator hose this time. Once again, Steve patched it with duct tape, filled up the radiator and we wandered slowly into Narrandera. Here he was able to buy the correct hose. This one wasn't easy to fit because the thermostat housing had to come off first and the thermostat broke. Ditch that bit ---- I was sick of watching that dial go higher anyway!

Old bit with duct tape, beside new hose.

We had just got through the town when the truck boiled again and Steve found that there was a leak in the housing gasket. I think that it was at this point that he decided that returning home was a good option!! Instead, we returned to my least favourite caravan park for the night.
During the evening, he made a new gasket (on my lovely laminated bench!).
















-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Day 2

Monday 11th May


Off to a good start!

We travelled comfortably for about 2 hours, then heard a bang. We stopped
and waited for the steam to clear.

As the motor is underneath the cab, there's nothing so simple as lifting
the bonnet for a look at the motor. First the bull bar must come off,
then the cab is released and tipped forward. Naturally, the
people can't stay inside while this is happening. Well, I suppose you
could if you fancied plastering yourself to the windscreen.

Steve investigated and found a blown radiator hose, which is what we expected.
He wrapped it in duct tape, bucketed water for the radiator from a
nearby channel and off we set for the 15km trip into Deniliquin.

The duct tape held and we managed to limp into town.

Deniliquin is quite a large town with a lot of through traffic and we expected
to have no trouble getting a new radiator hose, especially as there were
at least 7 businesses that provided such goodies. Silly, optimistic
fools!!!! After 4 hours, Steve combined the talents of two tradesmen,
who were willing to make something to his specifications. One welded
together the inner curved piece while another supplied the straight rubber
hoses for each end and the hose clamps. And they both charged like
wounded bulls!!

Tipped cab















Note blue duct tape
















New radiator hose

With constant checking, (climb down, tip cab, refill with water, climb back)
we finally managed to get to Jerilderie before dark and ate toasted sandwiches before collapsing into bed.
Eight hours for the trip that usually takes three!!!!!

Day 1

Sunday May 10th.

Dom called in to wish me happy Mothers's Day, just after we returned home
following the first "incident." (He had just had his head shaved for
charity.) He gave me a lovely Darryl Lee bag of all sorts of chocolates
and other lollies. How handy that was during the next few days!!!!

He was in time to see the damage done to the caravan 5
minutes after we set out from home the first time!

As we turned out of our driveway, Steve asked, "Have you got your stick?"
I was noncommital, as I had seen him with it. He turned into
a clear paddock, less than ½ mile from home, to go back for the stick.
As he made the turn, there was a sickening crunch. The van had
hit the tool box at the front of the truck.
The air turned blue!
(I hummed a little tune inside my head!) We then spent quite a long time
unloading the tools into various crates and boxes, (which then obstructed
our movements inside the van for the rest of the trip.)
It was so disappointing. A simple miscalculation.
We decided to stay at home for the night and leave the next day.
Oh, by the way, Steve had himself put the stick into a holder on the Gopher, so it was with us all the time!

Oh dear oh dear oh dear

Peak Hill, New South Wales

There is much to tell but I will wait until I can upload photos, which will help to tell the story. (I can't find the camera cord at the moment.)

We will stay in this caravan park for 2 nights to give my poor back a rest. It went into painful spasms yesterday. While Steve's driver's seat has air suspension, my seat is only comfortable when the truck isn't moving!! I swear I have gravel rash on my bum!!!

Peak Hill is a nice little place to stay. http://www.peakhillcaravanpark.com.au/ Pauline and Leighton gave us the traditional welcome of scones, jam and cream. It's good to have wireless internet.

Predictable!!!

The new plan is to leave on Sunday, Mothers' Day!!!

Steve will have finished everything he wants done by the end of today, but I won't!
For starters, I like to leave the house neat and tidy and I need some help with that. For seconds, we will both need clothes put in the wardrobe ---- Steve would no doubt make do with an oil covered shirt and a torn pair of jeans. I like a little more. Clean out the fridge and freezer, wash the clothes we're wearing, download some files to a pen drive .... de da de da de da ....

My Home Helpers came yesterday and helped me to clean the van, make the bed and stack the pantry. Cleaning the venetian blinds was the longest chore. If I had remembered how hard they were to keep clean, I wouldn't have put them in! Still, I love their color (purple, of course!)

I still haven't decided what to do with my few plants in pots/water. I want to take something and the others I will have to give to someone for safekeeping.

Preparation

Three more sleeps until we leave ----- Saturday May 9th.

It has got cool-cold in the mornings and evenings here, so it's time to go. Either that or we buy some firewood! We're making do with sticks picked up from around the farm.

When we set off last year, there was a lot left to be done on the van. There's still a lot left to be done! We seem to have been so busy since we arrived home in Dec.08 --- visiting, visitors, house/ baby/dog sitting, Christmas and 5 family birthdays. No complaints from me ---- it was much nicer having kids for two lots of holidays than it is to have a nice, finished van.

We have bought another truck to tow the 5th wheeler. It's an old Mitsubishi, an FK415. It's going well but the inside is pretty crappy. Steve took the tray off it and shortened the chassis. Then he put the Dodge tray on it. Between the cab and the upright part of the tray, he has made a platform, where Gertie the Gopher can live safely. An electric winch gets her up and down. The vehicle can fit in a normal parking spot lengthwise but is a little wide for narrow spaces.

Truck before being shortened.