SUNDAY 15 MARCH     QUEANBEYAN

A pleasantly warm day – mid 20’s.

Drove to the shops to get bread for lunch and a few groceries. I am not planning meals far ahead, or buying for more than a day or two at a time, because of the way the weather is. Prefer to see what the day will be like and then arrange meal accordingly.

We both played bowls at the RSL Club in the afternoon. There were only six players, two triples teams – our team lost. Rather humbling! As John pointed out, my play was inconsistent – but I thought his was, too. That club seems to attract the drinkers and pokies players; we were told that it has lost its keen bowlers to the town club, which is more serious about its bowls.

Tea was late, due to bowls – after 8pm. Salads, including my version of C’s pineapple salad. Yum.

SATURDAY 14 MARCH     QUEANBEYAN

Today was refreshingly cooler.

I drove to the shops, parked Truck well (yes – me!) and bought the Saturday Age. It cost $2.75 – air freighted. I really should switch to NSW papers, for economy’s sake! Bought a damper for lunch, put a film in for printing, and bought some hose fittings John wanted.

After lunch, John was off to bowls, at one of the Queanbeyan clubs.  He enjoyed the afternoon.

I read. Then phoned home; spoke briefly to P, then – pleasant surprise – to my daughter, who is staying there for the night. She has picked up some outdoor education camps work, has done two and is about to head off to Gippsland for another. We discussed their immediate plans and also those for when they go across to Perth – they hope to pick up outdoor ed work in the SW, or else get mine jobs up Meekatharra way. It was great to chat with her again.

Talked with K about hotel accommodation for John, for the night he will be in Melbourne.

Tea was fish and chips, which John went and got – but I cooked my own flake, bought this morning.

FRIDAY 13 MARCH     QUEANBEYAN

Another one of those horrible dates!

Stinking hot – 37.5 degrees, which was a record high for March for Canberra, since records have been kept. It was also their 21st Total Fire Ban day this summer – another record. The previous highest tally was 17. No wonder it seems so dry all around, and that the kangaroos are out in force in the suburbs, looking for food.

A bushfire started out near Bungendore, to the NE of us. It looked fairly serious, for much of the day. We could hear lots of sirens, regularly.

We decided it was too hot to do much. Stayed at the caravan park, except for a trip to the local shops for groceries.

It took John several trips to the phone box, and most of the day, to get through to his Melbourne physician. The news was that there is nothing wrong with John’s blood, it is normal – and therefore, he has no need of Warfarin. Hooray – but it confirmed what we already thought. Physician recommended that John take a half aspirin per day, though.

The air con in the van is great to have on a day like today. John reminds me that he was right to insist we have it installed!

I wrote a letter to my former in-laws and one to K. John printed them for me.

Tea was cold roast chook and salads.

Tried to phone K twice and got answering machine both times. Coming back from the phone box, could see a big fire glow over the back of the hills to the east.

It was a lovely warm night for sleeping – only needed a sheet for cover.

WEDNESDAY 11 MARCH     QUEANBEYAN

It was a hot, still, day.

We transferred the bikes and their carry rack to the back of truck, then drove to S’s place at Reid. Parked the Truck there and went off for a ride. We cycled in an anti-clockwise direction around Lake Burley Griffin, heading west first, and keeping to bike/walking paths where these were available. We rode 30kms – the longest ride to date. We got very hot and sweaty for much of the ride; tried to ensure that we kept up the water intake.

My bike speedo turned over 700kms along the way, and we took a photo to mark the occasion.

I have now cycled 700kms on this machine, but looking very hot and bothered today! Telstra Tower in background

The ride took us nearly four hours. Cycling around through many of Canberra’s landmarks was great, because we could both easily stop and look at places – not like when one is driving. I think it gave us a greater appreciation of the layout of the lake region too.

Lake Burley Griffin and the High Court of Australia

The Captain Cook Memorial Water Jet was a dominant feature that we could see for much of the ride. At one stage, we went through spray from it – most welcome.

Captain Cook Memorial Water Jet – and John being sprayed

In an area of parkland, on the south side of the Lake, just in front of Parliament House, there was a strange large structure of a stylized man, on top of a slight rise. We puzzled over what this could be – it obviously wasn’t something permanent. Someone told us later that it was to be part of a big bonfire during the Canberra Festival.

The strange effigy – with spire of new Parliament House behind it

Collected Truck at Reid, loaded up the bikes and headed back to the van. On the way, bought a spinach and fetta damper for our late lunch, thereby undoing all the good work of the cycling!

Relaxed for the rest of the day – we were both quite tired.

I roasted the bowls chook with vegies, for tea – outside in the electric frypan.

An early night was had by both – we were both a bit stiff and sore by then.

TUESDAY 10 MARCH     QUEANBEYAN

It was quite a warm day, but little wind.

In the morning, we rode the bikes down to the RSL Club, where John booked himself in for afternoon bowls. Bought rolls for lunch and then did enough riding around the streets to give us a 10.5km ride.

After lunch, John went off to bowls. I got him to drop me off in the main street, and set off to explore the shops. I bought some more embroidery things at Spotlight, 6 novels for $20 and a Caravan World magazine at newsagent. Went back to the Info Centre to have a more leisurely look in there; bought a SE NSW Forests map – quite detailed.

Walked the couple of kms back to the van, not appreciating the uphill walk at the end! Got back all hot and sweaty; a swim would have been lovely but I had to settle for a shower.

John came home with a chook he’d won at bowls, so he was happy.

We drove to John’s daughter’s place at Reid for tea,  getting there about 6pm to coincide with her return from work. We then had to walk to the Central shops with her, while she shopped for food for tea. John bought six bottles of the beer they drink – expensive! Our (late) tea was stir fried vegetables and tempeh. After that, we sat and talked.

John gave them our old binoculars and his Chinese Hasselblad style film camera. After some pressure, S did give John a photo he can make into a screen saver for his new laptop.

We got back to the van about 11pm.

SUNDAY 8 MARCH      QUEANBEYAN

The day was windy again.

We relaxed around camp in the morning. I, for one, was happy that we were not doing another big driving day. We drove to Safeway and bought rolls for lunch.

After an early lunch, we drove to the Showgrounds – back into Canberra and then to the NE – because I wanted to go to the Womens Weekly Craft Fair. Admission cost us $16. Wandered about for over two hours. I found much of it really interesting. There was no Hardanger work, though. Was really intrigued by the quilts on display – would love to try doing that, one day. I managed to be very strong and made no purchases of craft materials, though.

Used the park phone box to ring K to say we had reached here safely. No one home – left a message on the machine.

Tea was ham and salads again.

The moon is almost full and the night sky is brilliantly starry. Together with the town lights it is just beautiful. I feel really good!