WEDNESDAY 17 FEBRUARY     WOOLGOOLGA

It was a hot, blue sky day, that reached 30 degrees. There was some occasional cloud building in the distance, but that dissipated.

John slept in until 10am. Before he got up, I did the washing, then after he was out of it, stripped the bedding and went and washed that. There is a sign in the laundry warning about theft of clothes from lines here. It is a very public caravan park, with people walking through, on their way to the beach, all the time. The local paper indicates that there is quite a bit of theft from parked vehicles too.

After late breakfast, we went to the bowls club, and practiced, until 1pm. It was very hot work.

After lunch at the van, relaxed through the afternoon, as it was hot and a little bit humid. John read. I got the washing in, made up the bed, then sewed.

At 5pm, we went for a walk on the beach. There was less direct sun at that time of day, to affect John’s burned feet. Got back at 6.

It was too hot to do much cooking, so we had soup, which was easy to reheat. Then tinned smoked tuna, mashed potato, and salad. We had bananas for dessert – from John’s purchase the other day. They were very yummy ones. It was a nice, cool tea – makes a change to need it this way.

John says we will go visit one of the more distant National Parks tomorrow – Dorrigo seems like a good idea.

I worked on my diary write ups until 10.30pm and then went to bed, but John stayed up, on the computer game, until 2.30am.

TUESDAY 16 FEBRUARY     WOOLGOOLGA

When I woke up this morning, the headache had gone. A good sign.

The morning was one of clear, blue skies and glorious sunshine, but it clouded over in the afternoon. But it actually got quite hot, reaching nearly 30 degrees.

We had a late breakfast again, as John did not get up until 10m.

I walked to the shops and picked up the photo reprints I’d ordered, of the Toowoomba gardens. John printed off the digital photos he’d taken of TB and me, there. I walked back to the shops and mailed these to TB, along with a couple of postcards, to other people. I found a book exchange in the township, and traded in a heap of books for three others.

John went to bowls in the afternoon.

I went for a walk on the beach. There are great heaps of weed down in front of the other caravan park, near the creek mouth. It covers the entire beach and is up to five feet deep, in places. It smells awful. I am glad we are not in that caravan park!

I walked for an hour and came back quite hot and sweaty. While I was walking, an army helicopter flew along the beach – quite low. One had earlier flown over the township. They are so noisy.

Spent some time putting photos in the new album, then had a shower.

John was late back from bowls, so we had a late tea – the leftovers from yesterday.

It feels summery again, as it is still warm after sunset. We needed the fan on in the van.

There was a moon eclipse of the sun, this afternoon and evening, but we couldn’t see it, because of cloud.

I read in today’s paper that Beam is trying to sell its games division and will then probably de-list. I wonder if that means we will just lose the money we have invested in Beam shares? I do not really know how such a process works, or affects shareholders. Maybe John can investigate further, as it was his choice of share – he liked it because it made his favourite computer game.

SATURDAY 13 FEBRUARY     WOOLGOOLGA

It seems to be fining up – there were some blue skies today.

I walked to the shops and bought the weekend papers. Collected my photos – they were alright. I ordered copies made of five of the Toowoomba Japanese Gardens ones, which I will send to T.

While John read the morning papers I went to the Saturday markets, and browsed their offerings. I bought some bargain price mangoes and apples.

John went off to bowls in the early afternoon, at the Park Club, in Coffs Harbour.

I cleaned the van, then mounted photos until I ran out of album space.

I went for a walk on the beach, for over an hour. It was very pleasant to walk along on the sand with blue skies and sunshine around, for a change. The seas are still quite large, though. The huge piles of weed, sea cabbage or whatever, that were on the beach yesterday, seem to have gone back out to sea – the beach is much clearer.

Woolgoolga Beach

I made soup – tomato and herb – for the next few days, then read the papers for the rest of the afternoon.

John was satisfied with his bowls game, even though he didn’t win. He informed me that he has entered us in the pairs game at Woopi Bowls Club, tomorrow, at 5pm. That is awful timing, as far as meals go!

Tea was the last of the barley soup, chicken noodle soup chow mein, and a mango.