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.

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.