WEDNESDAY MAY 13    COWRA

We had rather a slow start to the day, again, though John was up earlier than was usual for him, in order to get on with fixing the TV aerial. He had to drive down town to a hardware store, in order to get things he thought he’d need.

The park owner was not allowed, for legal reasons, to lend us the necessary ladder to access the Bus roof, but there “just happened” to be one lying about on a cabin veranda.

So, with some help from me holding things, the winding mechanism was fixed, and a generous application of silicone spray was spread around to make its operation easier.

I always breathed easier when John descended safely from any ladder work. With two replaced hips, he was supposed to keep feet planted firmly on solid ground, of course!

There seemed to be quite an exodus from the park today, for no obvious reason.

After all was repaired  and lunch was had, we drove into the town. I was really rugged up in the warmest of winter layers I could find in Bus. It was freezing outside. I’d unearthed a wool beanie, knitted scarf ,and gloves, from the back of a cupboard.

We headed for the Information Centre, via back roads that took us past the railway station. Trains no longer came to Cowra and I thought some of the old infrastructure, and the rather substantial station, might offer some photography options. But it was just too cold to get out and go exploring for same.

At the Info Centre, I collected some material about places we planned to visit, and also some on the Cowra Rose Gardens, which were in front and to the side of, the Info Centre. Since we were already there, I went for an interesting wander amongst the roses. John and dog stayed in the warmth of the car.

I was sure that, on a better day, I’d have taken the trouble and time to note the names of some of the roses, with a view to obtaining same and planting them at home, where our rose garden needed a makeover. However, I was heartened to see that, despite presumed expertise, some of their specimens had the dreaded black spot, too.

We then drove an alternate road back across the river – a low level one that involved going under the main highway, past a number of decorated poles and pylons, and across a low bridge, almost a ford, across the river. The parklands in this part of town were very pleasant. In better weather Couey would have loved a walk there and a splosh in the river, but that was not going to happen today.

John dropped me at the Cowra Patchwork shop, whilst he went off to different shops. I had a colour plan emerging for my next quilting project and wanted to take any chance I could to hunt for fabrics. I bought some fat quarters – for the uninitiated, picture a yard piece of fabric, cut in half lengthways, then in half across, to create four “fat” quarters. Quilt shops pre-cut lots of these and put them out on display to tempt browsers like me. Also bought a couple of books showing quilt designs.

Back to Bus and a heater turned up to high.

John gave the park man some port – which he’d previously mentioned he liked – as a thank you for his help. This was certainly a caravan park that I’d come back to.

I made potato rosti, bacon and eggs for tea.