Finishing off the beach blog

now where was I when the blog decided to do it's own thing and underwrite all my text. Of course it wasn't my fault........

This was a very beautiful headland at Brooms Head, walked out to the edge to be greeted with a brown snake. Back tracked very smartly.

We called into Grafton on the way through and caught up with some lovely friends. A couple of great nights by the fire side and Jo and I decided to coat some bananas with marshmallow fluff....well that turned into a hilarious event with lots of fluffy fingers, laughs and smokey smelling hair. Wouldn't have missed it for the world. What a great couple of days.

We are at Coffs Harbour at the moment and been here for a few days. AB grew up here so it's nice for him to reminisce a bit. We have a wonderful camp here and can see the sunrise and the sunset. The weather has been fantastic so we have been at the beach a fair bit and just chillin' around. Don't know why we didn't do this years ago...oh yes I do...we had to work to save up for this.

We went to a huge fishing shop today to get some new rods and reels. WOW there is so much stuff for fishing. Of course I wanted the pink rod with the free pink hat , but NO, so had to settle for a pullapart one that would fit in the vehicle easier. Funny story...walked out of the shop and stabbed myself in the leg with the very new...very sharp filleting knife. talk about bleed, and we haven't even thrown a line in yet so better stand away from me when I do. 
I had a lovely afternoon at the shops while AB visited a friend. I shopped, had a coffee and a phone call to a friend and now sitting at the camp site.
Better move my behind and get some dinner, till next blog, take care of yourself and loved ones and live life to the fullest. 

TP XX

Beaches

The Beaches and Rivers

I love the beach, I love a river, a lake, any kind of waterway, even a pond so the coast road from Qld to Victoria may be a very loooonnnngggg trip. Every turn off to another little beach side town beckons me to come and have a look.

After leaving home we stopped off at Coolangatta Beach, what an amazing beautiful piece of coast.

 

 

 

 

Byron Bay

We used to drive past this place a long time ago when the highway went right through it, now it is well and truly bypassed but this didn't stop the place from buzzing with tourists and locals. It was still school holidays and there were many children out enjoying the beautiful sunny day as well as the local surfers.

We had a lovely few hours there swimming and people watching. A very pleasant, relaxing day.

We wanted to see the  light house so headed up the steep windy road to be met with a sign stating that as it was part of the National Parks it would be $7 for the vehicle. Well the driver refused to pay that and after a 5 point turn around we headed down the road and found a park. I now know why the sign says no caravans. Would be impossible to turn one around. After a steep walk we made it to the top and had a good look around . This is the most Easterly point of mainland Australia so I'm glad we made the effort. Beautiful views north, south and east. The old caretakers cottage was beautifully maintained. A wonderful place to live.

I know that we have to preserve the parks but really , a charge to go up and park at the top!! Well the walk was great exercise.

 

 

 
 this blog is being silly so I'll publish it and move on to another.
All in all its a beautiful coast to follow.

 





 

 

 

 

The Big Trip
Started  finally........
Friday and delivering my gorgeous JM home to her Mums after a wonderful week with me, a beautiful Thai dinner and sleep stop at Maryborough.
After a return trip to gather forgotten articles, his and mine, we headed south to the Sunshine Coast, calling in to Gympie to drop off some special birthday pressies to some very special people.
Another wonderful meal and 2 bags of goodies to keep us nourished!!! well to satisfy our sweet tooth addiction, and off the next sunny morning to Brisbane.
By now I really have forgotten how to cook and stopping off to visit the Cuz and her wonderful family and a BBQ dinner, I don't want to ever cook again. Well all things must come to an end but after a loooong day travelling ( 100km's at least) stopped off at Ormeau and stayed the night at the Wrights, so with coffee, catch ups and lots of laughs, it was too late to cook ( it was, really )
we decided that pizza was in order. Very nice too.
Well its been days since we left home and we are still in Qld, only about 4 hours from home,
Going past Coomera we call in to see my Aunty Betty in the homestead retirement home. It's a wonderful surprise for her and at 86 she is quite frail but sharp as a tac and wanted to hear all our news and where we were headed. She is a very special part of my life and all my memories from childhood to now have her in them. After promising to send her post cards we head up the mountains to Tambourine where we were hit with an awful storm. We take shelter in a gravel pit and sleep the storm away. Waking up to a beautiful blue sky we head down to the Gold Coast again and a few photo stops later we have called it a day and resting in an off road rest stop.

The view from Tambourine Mountains looking west

Oh and look what he has on,,,,a few minor repairs were needed

The gorgeous Coolangatta Beach

Tomorrow we think we may head to the beach , something we both love and never had time to do till now.

Oh and a foot note

I found the perfect washing machine for the motorhome / caravan industry, I can arrange for one if anyone needs it (him) Lotta love a man who will wash the clothes.

Beautiful Rainbow Lorikeets

Mosman Gorge North Queensland

Paronella Park. One place you must see. Built by Jose Paronella

He built a castle as his house for his wife and then went on to build a swimming pool, ball room, picnic tables and stools, walk ways, and so much more

worth doing a search on google about this man and his dream place.

Part of a remaining room at Paronella Park. Everything is being taken over by the moss now but the new owners are trying to restore as much as possible. I love the way it is now, as you walk around the place , not wanting to leave, So many areas of beauty you come out with such a overwelming feeling , what it must have been in its hey days ,

even had an icecream parlor for his visitors.

Think it was nearly destroyed twice from flood waters.

The beautiful sunrises at Rainbow Beach.

The sun rises over the ocean and sets over the Sandy Straits.

Another beautiful place.





Driftwood on the beach near the Town of 1770

New skin for the Gum Tree.

Shedding all the old bark off the reveal beautiful clean trunk.

Not really in the wild but I love dolphins,

these ones are at Sea World on The Gold Coast

Australia

I'm going to do this post on My Beautiful Country Australia.

I love nothing better that to get out and take photos of the flora and fauna of this great country.


I've taken so many photos over the years and not thank goodness for digital I can take even more and they are so much easier to sort through . Only drawback is that I don't get enough printed. But as long as they are safe in the computer....dare I say safe, may have to get my back up system a bit more organised, I can always go back over them. Its great to leave them for a while then have a real photo day, nothing else gets done once I open up the photo file, I can sit for hours happily reminissing over the days and holidays gone by.

Enough chatting , time to upload some pics, hope you enjoy

Till next time, stay safe Teepee

Outings

With my souvenirs (looking pretty chuffed with myself )

Helmut Lotti Concert
well I have been very spoilt lately, My darling surprised me with concert tickets to see Helmut Lotti. "Who" I can hear you all asking, well he is a Belguim singer who has the most amazing voice and can sing everything from opera to pop and rock. Does the best Elvis since the king himself. I have 3 of his DVDs and 3 CD and just love to listen to him, he's pretty easy on the eye as well. The concert was at The Convention Centre so we got to stay next door at Conrad Jupiters on the Gold Coast. Great room and view. Was a really wonderful night and as my Darling organised it , it was even more special.

Lost Arts Day

baby Llama, how cute is she

Mud bricks being made into an oven

Making butter the hard way

Saturday we went to The Lost Arts Day in aid of Angel Flight.

Held at Wallu a small area about 50 kms from Gympie.

Was a lovely early start, slight drizzle of rain but then it heated up to a very hot and very dry dusty day. The heavy horses were doing their thing in the paddock which was stiring up a whole lot more dust, but lovely to watch. They had butter making , shearing sheep, cow milking, lots of stalls selling their produce. The scouts put on billy tea and damper for a gold coin...very cheap cuppa. We left about 4 pm but they were going to have a pig on the spit and a band playing later on in the evening.

Hope they made heaps of money for a great charity and well done to Darryl who put it on. Hopefully will be an annual event and bigger every year. I'll try and put some pics in but this blog page seems to get the better of me and my photo placements. ( Well well I did it)

Now I've played on the computer long enough so I'd better get some other work done

one more interesting pic, my ants

I Know "weird " my girls will say

they are actually eating the poison I put out for them

till next time, stay safe and happy....TP

Sundays

Sun sets over Sandy Strait

good morning all .......

It's sunday morning and all's well in the world, well at least at our house it is.

Got up early and read the paper before anyone was out of bed with my morning cuppa tea out side overlooking the pool. A slight breeze but the sun is shining and looks like its going to be a very warm one.

Everyone else drags themselves up and hour later and we make pancakes and coffee. I use the word make very loosly as at woolies yesterday they had ready made pancakes going out on sale so I'll have two packs thankyou very much fresh food people. I then toast then and crisp them up and they are really wonderful and no mess. Granny would be horrified as she is so wonderful at making everything herself, right down to the jam she would have put on them. Ok granny I'll try harder next time.

Had a busy day yesterday spring cleaning, getting ready for the party next weekend.

Boys got to do the outside, washed all the buildings down , hose down, pressure clean the patio and outdoor furniture, mow and whippersnipper and Tim even mowed the block next door for a carpark.Lauri and I got to clean out the bar, and then move inside to do the rest of those damm blinds and wash the windows. Lauri vacuumed the pool and much to our surprise she admitted that it was the first time she had ever had to clean the pool.....yikes , we have had pools since she was 3 and now nearly 23.. think maybe I have slacked off a bit in her training. She says that Shayne calls her a "princess" and as she is the baby of the family I guess her older siblings spoilt her....I wouldn't do any such thing...too smart for that hey!!!!

Well after everything was all spick and span over came a cloud of smoke and ash.....we raced around and shut all the windows and doors, was very hot so had to put the air con on. The pool is a little worse for wear and the patio had a bit of ash on it so I guess the roof is covered again. Such is life.. we then rewarded ourselves with dinner out, a rare occasion here, at my favourite restaurant Rim Talay Thai....yummy yummy yummy and watched the beautiful sunset over the Sandy Strait. Now can't get better that that can it. May be I will do a post on our Thailand trip soon as the sunset there were wonderful as well.

Busy week ahead getting all the last minute things done,

will be great to catch up with everyone on Saturday and meet the rest of Lauri's new family..

Well that is my Sunday so far, too hot to venture out in the garden yet so will have to find something inside to amuse myself with.....think I could find a few more cupboards that need a clean out... How is your Sunday so far?

so till next time...take care and enjoy your day where ever you may be.

My Garden

oh how I love spring....

the koel birds come home for summer, lots of people hate the sound of this bird but I absolutely love it, and the garden springs into life.

Ive got daisies flowering and a lot of hippies in bloom along with a new brunsfolia shrub in the front. The gardenias are about to pop open, hopefully for the engagement party next weekend.

A while ago I bought a garden gazebo from bunnings, much to my darlings disgust, it will rust out in 10 years or if you plant a vine on it it will only last 3 maybe.. Well he was wonderful and built a beautiful deck in the garden to put it on. Now in the afternoons we can have our drinks under the gazebo right amongst the garden....just love it. Oh and I did happen to plant a hardenbergia, purple flowering vine, just to slowly creep over it so as it's not too hot in the summer afternoons, well I wouldn't want his drink to get too warm would I.

Well I'm about to make yummy chicken # 4 and then head off to the shops to find something to wear to the party.

catch you all soon

TP