SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY     CRESCENT HEAD

This is the last day of summer. The season has certainly been a wet one, on the NSW north coast!

I walked on the beach, before breakfast, then walked up to the shops for the Sunday paper. John slept in after another late night.

I made some salads and a plate of cold meats, for lunch.

Z and C arrived about midday – after Z had been to church.

C enjoyed being able to have a couple of beers with us – so did we! Not something he would normally have at lunchtime on a Sunday. He brought with him some oddments that he’d accumulated as prizes in his bowling days, that he thought might be of use to us – some cloths, badges, a tie pin and a bottle opener. He also brought photos to show us – of a radio cabinet that had been his and John’s parents’, that he had restored and his daughter now has. It looked lovely – he is certainly an old-style craftsman.

They seemed to enjoy the meal.

After lunch, and much talk, C drove us up to the water tower on top of Big Nobby, to look at the views, which were excellent. There were some houses on the really steep hillside, on the way up there, that had great views, too. From the crest of Big Nobby, the hill slopes down towards the sea, where the headland that is by the creek mouth is called Little Nobby.

After they left, we went for a walk out to the end of Little Nobby Headland. It was a walk with some great, dramatic views. I didn’t take the camera though, as rain was threatening again. We’d had some spells of light rain, through the day.

We decided to stay another day, as we have not really looked around the area much.

Tea was leftover salads, tinned tuna, and fruit.

SATURDAY 27 FEBRUARY     CRESCENT HEAD

Before John got up, I did my usual walk on the beach, then walked up to the shops for the Saturday papers.

I read those for a while, then walked back to the shops to do a little food shopping. It is a very expensive little supermarket, here.

Our up-close neighbours seem to be pleasant enough – could be worse, I guess.

After an early lunch , John went to bowls.

I read some more of the papers, then went walking on the beach, but not for as long as I’d have liked, because rain was coming in. The skies had turned a deep black! There was some rain.

I cooked a batch of split pea soup. We had some of that for tea, with kedgeree and fruit.

At dusk, John and I went for a beach walk, but not very far, because John’s hip was hurting.

The ti-tree oil does seem to be helping to heal my scalp sores. Strange occurrence – I am not normally allergic to much.

There is quite a lot of pub or club entertainment noise in the evenings, here.

However, once it began to rain again, after dark, the campground noise from the surfing fraternity – who are mostly in tents – quietened down, at least!

John continued his quest for perfection at the computer game, until late.

FRIDAY 26 FEBRUARY     CRESCENT HEAD

I went walking on the beach before John eventually got up. It was an enjoyable walk.

Little Nobby at Crescent Head

We had a phone message from R, thanking us for her birthday card and cheque. In an earlier phone conversation, John had asked her if she would like to come visit us and have a break by the sea, before starting back at uni. The message said she can’t do that. because she has a weekend job.

We drove into Kempsey and had lunch with Z and C. There was much talk, of family, and of our travels. They are going to Melbourne in late March, to visit N – one of the older sisters.

We ended up staying there for tea too, but went out during the afternoon and bought them a voucher for a meal for two at the local motel restaurant that is a favourite of theirs. That is a present for Z’s birthday, and for the big wedding anniversary coming up.

We did not get back to the van until nearly 11pm. Found we have new camping neighbours – surfer types – whose set up has extended well onto our site, too, to the point where it was hard to squeeze Truck in. Extremely bad manners on their part, so I made sure we were not quiet in our movement from Truck to van!

There was much background noise from the cabaret at the bowls.RSL club, until late.

I went to bed, but John was back playing his computer game until much later.

TUESDAY 23 FEBRUARY     WOOLGOOLGA

I had another lovely, long, early morning walk on the beach. When we move away from coastal locations, I am really going to miss this.

We pottered about through the morning. I walked to the Post Office and paid our rates installment for home, and the Telstra bill. Bought a box of 100 stamps – $45 – I use a lot doing postcards and letters.

John went to bowls in the afternoon.

I went for another long walk on the beach. I find this almost meditative, just wandering along, letting my thoughts go where they will, and living in the moment.

On the beach at Woolgoolga

I made Irish stew for tea, boiling lamb BBQ chops with potatoes, onion, carrots and peas and when the meat is falling off the bones, thickening it all with some flour and milk. It was a favourite meal of mine, growing up – not elegant, but tasty. Followed it with the ever reliable fruit.

John stayed up till late, playing his computer game.

SATURDAY 20 FEBRUARY     WOOLGOOLGA

It was a cloudy day, with some rain.

I walked around the township, in the morning before John got up, and bought the papers.

After lunch, I washed some clothes, by hand, as there was not enough to make up a machine load. Hung the washed things under the awning roof, to dry. Read the papers.

In the late afternoon, we went for a walk on the beach. John’s leg was hurting in an unusual way – not sure why.

I made a batch of sweet potato soup. We had some of that for tea, followed by a stir fry – chicken with water chestnuts – and then fruit.

John spent the evening playing computer game. I did some diary writing, then retreated to bed and read for a while.

FRIDAY 19 FEBRUARY     WOOLGOOLGA

The day was warm, but there was a considerable amount of cloud about.

Late morning, I walked over to the shops, where I’d made an appointment to have a haircut. I was pleased with the result, but it cost $25! Whilst over there, I posted a birthday card for R. Also had our scripts filled at the chemist – cost $40. Staying healthy can be expensive!

We went bowling in the afternoon. It was extremely windy, so hard to play well. John did not play well at all. My game was only average. No more to be said!

During the afternoon, my yellow sapphire ring, from Rubyvale, broke in two places. I think they were where the band had been enlarged. After bowls, John phoned J at Rubyvale, and she said she will get it repaired, if we send it up to her. I should think so!

A huge rig has arrived in the caravan park and is the subject of much curiosity and talk amongst us. It has certainly led to a rise in the number of strollers around the park! It is an American style, a long, long, van, articulated onto a large American vehicle. It has obviously been imported, as the door and awning are on the “wrong” side. It must be an enormous thing to tow and I suspect would not be great on some of our roads. It seems obscenely big, and occupies more than one site. There is gossip that it was used in the USA by the wife of the film actor, Danny de Vito – on location.

A new style of monster sized caravan

Tea: soup, scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and mango.

We watched some TV after tea, and had a reasonably early night.