FRIDAY 9 APRIL     HOME

Saw our accountant in the morning and got some investment advice.

Did some shopping at Chirnside.

Back at home, moved our things from the house back out to the van. Cleaned up the house. Washed the bed linen we’d used and put it away when it was dry.

P and K arrived back after lunch. They’d had a great time in western USA, though they did not get to see the Grand Canyon, as planned, because it was snowing in the area!  It was P’s first overseas trip. I thought they were pretty chirpy after a 13 hour flight! They looked through my photos of the wedding.

John left to return the Disco to Frankston and collect Truck, which is ready. When he got back, he was not happy with the engine noise, though – thinks it has too much of a whistle. Tappet noise, maybe? We were not charged for this work, at all, which was great – thanks to the Service Manager of the dealership.

We all had fish and chips for tea, then P and K went out to see some friends.

We retired to bed in the van, again. This feels better!

WEDNESDAY 31 MARCH     HOME

John phoned the Landrover dealer, early. They said he was to take Truck to Frankston. We were rather nervous about this idea, and worried about “cooking” the motor, but he got there alright.

We were supposed to go to John’s nephew’s – H and M – for tea tonight, but due to our problems, I phoned and changed arrangements for them to come here.

So, I walked to the shops to get the items needed to make dinner.

H and M arrived about 4pm, ready for a good talk about our travels – we hadn’t seen them since we were all in Cairns, last year. We ate nibbly things and compared notes.

John got back from Frankston about 5pm – driving a new Discovery that he had on loan. While he’d waited at Frankston, Truck’s thermostat was replaced and the radiator flushed. It still boiled when they tested it. It might be a head gasket problem. All very uncertain and somewhat worrying. Still – like the fridge – it is lucky that it happened here, and not out somewhere remote. Thank heavens we took the extended warranty!

Rather more luxurious than we are used to!

Tea was pasta with ham, mushrooms and cream, followed by stewed figs and ice cream. Our fig tree in the back yard is cropping.

Apart from concerns about the Truck, it was a most enjoyable night.

TUESDAY 30 MARCH     HOME

I went to the doctor in the morning, for a routine check and script repeats. He is happy with my blood pressure, and even more happy that I have lost 7kg of weight since he last saw me!

Drove to Chirnside Park shops, to put the several rolls of film I had taken at the wedding, into the good shop there, for processing.

I then went on to my old school, to catch up with some of the former colleagues I’d missed seeing the other day. Sat in on a Senior Management Team Meeting – just like it used to be!

My visit was interrupted by a phone call from John – the dogs had gotten out and I was to go home immediately and help look for them! So I raced home, to find that it was only P and K’s little dog that had gone. She had somehow gotten out through the fence beside the pool, while John was cutting the cypress back further. There was much panic, and hunting up and down the street. She is so small she could have been hiding in any one of the front gardens and we’d miss her. She is totally disobedient about coming when called, at the best of times.

Then the lady from next door came out and said she had seen her at the doctor’s surgery, behind our place. They had taken her over the road, to the vet’s, where we went and picked her up. Apparently, at one stage she’d been running in the very busy main road there!

We were very relieved to get her back – John had been petrified. It would have been a major embarrassment to have lost P and K’s dog while they were on their honeymoon!

John finished his pruning, including along the fence behind the rented unit. I spent the rest of the day cleaning up a great mass of cut vegetation, after him. He had almost finished when the tenant came home. We had not met him before.

Late in the afternoon, John went and fetched the van back and we parked it back in its spot. I wiped the fridge out with vanilla water, and left the door open to try to get rid of the horrible smell.

Just before teatime, John went out to buy some wine, and Truck boiled – in that short distance. So it would appear that our problem is not coolant. It is intermittent, and very worrying.

Tea was soup and salad.

I was very tired at night – not used to these domestic exertions.

Butch has remembered bad habits – and Fox is a fast learner!

FRIDAY 26 MARCH   HEALESVILLE TO HOME     27kms

Today was moving day for the van. We had to pack everything up from scratch, as we’d had no time to prepare yesterday. As there had been much rain yesterday and through the night – the aftermath of the cyclone still – everything was wet. Later, at home, we spread the awning roof on the lawn to dry, and put out the table and chairs to do so, as well.

Drove home and had no problems parking the van in its old spot along the edge of the driveway.

As we were doing so, noticed that there was coolant coming out from under Truck. We were not sure if it was overheating, or if it was because of the slope on the driveway. John decided Landrover had overfilled it, and rang them to complain, but they said they do not touch the coolant on this service. Oh-oh! Could be ominous.

P had commenced her leave from work as of today, so she was getting final wedding things organized.

K drove to Tullamarine to collect his father and family who had flown in from Brisbane.

In the afternoon, I picked up my suit from the cleaners – it looks good.

We visited the motel in Lilydale where members of K’s family are staying, in order to see his Adelaide grandparents, who we have not seen since 1996. They seem to be ageing well.

P and K went out for a counter tea with the family. We opted for fish and chips, at the van. Much better! We have eaten at the chosen hotel before, and it was very forgettable.

It seems rather strange to be sleeping in the van in our own driveway. On rather a lean, too, but at least our heads are uphill!

THURSDAY 14 JANUARY     TOOWOOMBA

After breakfast, returned the borrowed Defender and collected Truck.

It is great to have it back and now to feel free to drive, without worrying about damaging one that is not ours! It looks good. The repairs they made have strengthened the roof.

It cost $120 for the panel beating they did to beat the tree dent out of the top – good value, we think.

Back at camp, we cleaned out the inside, thoroughly, taking advantage of having it empty. Then repacked it. This took quite some time.

In the afternoon, we went for a walk around the streets and the creek area. On the way back, rented another video.

Blue herons at the wetland park area

Tea was soup and cold pasties again – John made so many of them!

We started watching the new video – Absolute Power. But it would not track properly, so we gave up on it.

TUESDAY 22 DECEMBER     TOOWOOMBA

In the morning, I read and sewed. John spent time on the computer. I began work on a small tablecloth, on cheap blue fabric I bought way back in Queanbeyan. I am using a Hardanger style pattern on it – not sure how well it will work. Will use the tablecloth on our small folding table, when we have picnics.

Flohr Motors phoned and we took Truck to them. The State Manager was very nice. They will arrange for the panel work to be done, to fix the roof; they will also repair where John backed into the tree at Lake Maraboon, but we will have to pay for that! Maybe $100? They will also arrange a new roof rack, as they agree the paint should not have peeled on the one we have. They are not sure when they can fit us in for the work – will phone us. We were very satisfied with the service we are receiving, to date.

Did a big grocery shop, at Woolworths. Bought some Tattslotto tickets – live in hope! Bought ourselves a little portable chess/backgammon set, and John bought two very high quality kitchen knives – a small and larger chef’s knives. Cost $85! They are very sharp – good finger slicing implements for me, I suspect.

Drove to the edge of town, to the Woolworths fuel outlet, for cheaper diesel – 70cpl. With the Xmas holidays coming up, I think the price of fuel is elevated.

Had a late lunch, after all that.

Later in the day, went for a walk around the streets, and along a creek/drain, several blocks  to the east of us, that is being done up as a water garden. It was a good walk.

Tea was chicken maryland pieces, marinated Greek style before cooking, with salads.

The TV signals here, as one would expect, are good, so John is happy.

FRIDAY 26 JUNE     WONGA BEACH

John resumed tax and financial work in the morning. This meant that I could not do much in the way of packing, as going in and out the van door, past him, would have been too distracting.Rather than just jotting notes on paper for the accountant, he is determined to do it all on the laptop, making spreadsheets and the like, which has been very time consuming.

In the afternoon, we were able to get onto the packing and organising the switch from van to Truck based camping. At least, we have done this once before, for Fraser Island, so it should – in theory – be a bit easier! But this time, we are going away for a lot of weeks! That means more food supplies, more clothes – and thinking of things we will not be able to buy when remote.

John was feeling under pressure and was not very happy. He is worried that his hip will not stand up to the extended camping period, with its attendant packing and unpacking. I tell him that I am quite capable of doing the brunt of it, but he does not find it easy to be helped like that.

One of the packing tasks was to move the spare wheel that is normally on the back of the van, onto the roof rack of Truck. That way, we will have two spare wheels with us. When we had the van built, we deliberately had them fit it with Defender wheels, so we could use the spare this way.

We also packed the two metal jerry cans that are usually in their carriers on the back of the van (again, installed as part of the build, so their weight when loaded was taken into account in the build) onto the roof rack. They will start out empty and be filled at a time when we may need extra fuel. We always have one plastic 20L jerry can full of diesel in the back of Truck. Heavy work and not good for John’s leg.

I defrosted the fridge, so that when we turn it off again, in the morning, there will be almost no defrost water to accumulate.

I packed our fruit and vegetable supplies by wrapping each piece individually in torn up newspaper, before putting them in the box they will travel in.This method is supposed to make them last longer, but it is a tedious task. And a grubby one that turns hands black from ink.

At the end of the day, there was still a lot to do.

Tea was frozen oven-fried fish, with a few fries for John, as I only had two potatoes left unpacked. During the afternoon, I cooked some chicken maryland pieces for tomorrow.