WEDNESDAY AUGUST 7

I slept in – until 8.20 am. Obviously so too did dog.

The daily temperatures were creeping up into the high 20’s, but the nights were still cool. Last night was 11 degrees. Too warm inside Bus for the doona, but the one thin throw I had was definitely inadequate. I hoped the fleece that daughter was sending arrived soon.

John cooked crumpets bought yesterday, for breakfast. He buttered mine before I realized. They were still raw and inedible, but couldn’t go back in the toaster with butter on. I threw mine out. John turned up the setting when cooking his and the results were better.

Our hairdresser neighbour left today, heading south. They were very amiable neighbours, but I would not miss the noise of their on-board washing machine, going flat-out every morning while I was sitting outside having breakfast. It seemed that such machines were so small that washing must be done every day. Not for me!

I cleaned and coated the interior vinyls of Terios, and put the sunshade up across the front. There was no shade here for my poor little car, through the day. I also took the hitch pin out of the tow receiver on Bus, and put in the lockable one, with a key on each of our key rings.

Walked Couey on the beach, to some distance beyond the last house. That’s the longest walk we’ve done together, this time, probably about 5kms all up. Last time here, we regularly walked south as far as the creek mouth, but I didn’t think John would manage that, this time. I’d noticed that, when I was walking Couey alone, and John was back at Bus, she was increasingly reluctant to go too far from the campground.

Today’s walking was hot. I must start taking some fresh water on walks, for dog, so she wouldn’t be tempted to drink sea water. She did do some playing in the shallows on this walk, but suffered no ill effects after.

We encountered a couple walking along the beach, who eyed off the dog – on her lead, as she always was around people. The guy commented that he thought tail docking was illegal these days. I would be rich if I had a dollar for every time I’d had to explain to people that she was a breed that naturally had a stumpy tail, etc…etc…

During the crazy period, last weekend, a couple with a Coaster bus and a couple of little dogs, had arrived and set up on a fairly uneven area down near the lit-up tents. Today they moved onto Site 22, which had a large cement slab to park on. It looked, at first glance, like one of the better sites in the park, but was a bit too close to the central rubbish skips, if the wind was in the wrong direction! They were also in line with the night time whiff of the over-loaded septic tanks. As we passed the site, on the way back to camp, had a chat with them. They lived in the Dandenongs, not far from us.

We had happy hour sitting out under our awning, with crisps and an extra beer each.

Tea was sweet and sour scallops, done in a tempura batter, with rice. Very nice too, with strawberries to follow for dessert.