Keith finally gets to go to Byron Bay

Oct 17-20
Keith had been waiting for this day for a long, long time.  Originally we were going to head south on our big trip last year...instead we made a b-line for Inskip Point and beyond.

So when the opportunity came up a few weeks ago to apply for a Quick Grant to do Screenworks 2 day screenwriting workshop with multi-platform guru Mike Jones
http://www.mikejones.tv/journal/2013/9/23/screenworks-immersive-writing-workshop.html, we jumped at it.

Once secured, we got Keith all read to go.  I didn't realise how much stuff was still unpacked inside, so the task was quite a big one.

Danny gave Keith a good old servicing and after a quick 'blow out of the cobwebs' down the highway, he was right to go.

We went the coast road to Ballina and Ketih stopped to pick up some supplies:  a big prawn and a couple of pillows (forgot to put them on my packing list).
It was a leisurely drive to our favourite caravan park, Clarkes Beach and Keith settled in.  The park certainly has got more 'shooshy' since we first camped there in the back of the ute.

It rained quite steadily one of the nights and the escape hatch above our bed acts as a drum-like resonator that kept up awake off and on through the night.
The workshop was great and our heads were full of new and mind expanding ideas for future projects.  I bought a cute Australian made skirt (thanks to a generous birthday voucher from Ms Fleming) and we found a new favourite place to eat:  Red Ginger yum cha and oriental groceries / homewares.

Keith enjoyed his visit to Byron Bay and now is back home in South Grafton.
But what the future holds for Keith and any of us...only time will tell.

Keith gets a new home in South Grafton

Wow, what a big 6 weeks...we can finally breathe deeply again.
We have waiting to buy a house in Sth Grafton, NSW after we put our house in beautiful Scarborough Qld on the market.  It sold in 4 days (thanks to Mat Freind, the best real estate agent in Redcliffe & a video effort by us and him) and even though we found another one...the contract was not signed!!!
Well, after much angst, the deal is done.
In between all that nonsense, we have been going to tafe and loving it.  Danny got a well deserved Distinction for his News Story and I got a Credit which I was very happy with.
We have been enjoying the wonderful South Grafton and making friends with locals listening to music and spinning some hula hoops. Now this is going to be our home.  Luckily it is only 4.5 hrs from our family and friends in Redcliffe and we have plenty of room for visitors...so come on down!
We came up to Redcliffe for nephew Guy's 18th and had a great night at the Hansons.  And a fun night, as always, at the Redcliffe Show.  I even went on the dodgem cars as co-pilot, for the first time in 25 years.  Show no mercy is Danny's motto I think!  Very amusing.

Then we did a quick trip down to Kempsey NSW this week (while Harry Transit got himself some work:  new head gasket, some wiring)  and did a multi-cam shocorporate shoot with our teacher Andy.  A great experience, with Danny doing some lovely work on the camera and me doing my best and excelling in lead coiling!

 Now we have one more day in Redcliffe...off to the handmade markets tomorrow in Woody Point and then home to South Grafton.  Can't wait to park Keith out the back of our place behind the 4 bay shed.
Danny won't know himself with all that space to hang out and play in.

House Sitting in South Grafton

May:  We have scored a great house sitting gig at Chester's place, right in the heart of Sth Grafton. 
The main street is 2 doors up and full of old shops and op shops with lots of very affordable stuff.  Today we got a feather doona, 2 mugs and a parka for $4.50. 
We were looking after Molly for a week, Chester's Shitzu/Jack Russell  then he came back from Balck Rocks and has taken her to Inskip Pt, Qld (one of the best camping spots ever) for some arty RnR for a month or so.  Before he left, he made up real pasta with a hand machine.  Yum.

We have been enjoying the local pubs:  the Walkers Marina has free pool on a Monday and Tuesday and at the moment, I am the reigning champion.  Until the next 3 game tournament with Danny that is. The Australian has cheap meals, around $12 most nights and the Post Office Hotel is open at 7am in the morning! 
We had a night at the South Grafton Bowls Club and a few wines later, I got up and sang a couple of Patsy Cline country tunes with the resident duo on stage. Tafe is good and challenging and we feel we are getting somewhere with it all.  We are making connections in the community to:  hula hoop workshop coming up and Danny took a pushy ride over the bridge today dropped his resume into a disability company for some part time work.

So we are pretty settled here...so much so that we have put our house in Scarborough, Qld on the market this week.  Yes, after much thought and discussion, we have decided to look at buying a place in Sth Grafton.  We have our eye on this one only a couple of streets from the main drag.  But there is lots to co-ordinate with buying and selling.  Luckily we have Matt, a good friend and real estate agent handling things up in Redcliffe.  Let's just wait and see what happens...

Drumming, Markets & Campdrafting

Anzac Day:  We popped into Mark and Kate's place to give them a hand with some steps / rabbit palace and rock shifting.  Then we had a camp at Corindi Beach down the highway.  Danny tried his luck fishing on the beach and we had our first real camp in the back of Harry Transit.  Comfortable, but the caravan park lighting was a bit bright.
Next day, we went off to Wooli for some more fishing.  You could see the brim in the clear river water...but they could also see us!  So no catchee.

April 27, 28: That weekend, we went to Tim's Rest for a drumming workshop.  Well, not to drum but to do some filming.  There was a jam session with some musicians from Byron and Barcelona and the next day a performance of the drumming routine they had been learning for 3 days.  Indigo and Fuggles especially liked the drumming ladies who gave them plenty of loving.

The Spanish fellow ( Contini? ) played the didge down by the dam for us.  He was good and the sounds echoed through Tim's property.

First half of May: 
We got stuck into Tafe work and finished filming for our News Stories.  We did some of our usual favourite things ie going to the Thai Restaurant in town and the Jam Night at the Naked Bean Cafe in South Grafton. 



We finally managed to catch a market at the Cathedral Fair.  Bit pricey to sell at $25 a stall, but we still managed to make some money on the trinkets we have been carrying around in Keith since we left Redcliffe last year.  And Danny met up with a bottle guy, Simon who knows all the ones we know in Qld.

We also have been going to the local Redmen Rugby games up the road from the caravan park.  You can sit on the hill with the dogs, have a beer and enjoy the countryside.
Next to it, is the horse grounds and last weekend, there was a Camp Draft on.  Having never been to one (and not really knowing what it was)
off we went with our camera for a look.  It was great and the riders really skillful in their attempts to herd the little bull around the guide posts. 
Autumn is definately in the air and so is a new plan for our future.  
But you will have to wait for the next blog to see if it all comes to pass.

Holidays in Redcliffe & the Grafton Show

April 1-20:  
We finished off Term 1 at Tafe with some filming of my news story.  I was supposed to interview one of the owners of our caravan park, but he doesn't do internet stuff (which is fair enough) and so we got his brother to fill in.  Turned out well and also got some shots of real estates and a written interview with The Salvos.
We were having some issues with keeping the Fuggles in the annex, but when we got to Redcliffe, our renters were chucking out an opening baby gate.  Perfect. They are also keen for long lease which suits us. 


We popped into a newish collectables shop in Reddo and Danny said:  "There's a picture of you, Sammy".  When we packed up to leave on our adventures, I gave the crayon picture of my 8 year old self  (which I never liked!) to a local op shop.  The shop owner was very excited and my sister Melissa wanted it to go with the one she has.  So we went back a couple of days later, but was the picture still there?  Melissa will have to wait and see.



Danny's dad, Jimbo is quite adept at caricature.  They always have a pronounced nose and are not what you would call flattering.   We had a great stay in Reddo:  managed to catch up with many friends this time  and had lots of laughs with the family.  Danny had a Gypsy Jam with Sean, I had a birthday lunch with Barb, Shazza & Trish and learned a new hoop trick with Sam, Lisa and Ginger Ninja.


We drove back to NSW on a beautiful clear day and stopped off again at Broadwater for lunch at a dog friendly, old church cafe.  I did the middle leg of driving Harry Transit - full of roadworks and a wrong turn at Chinderah.  I had my serious driving face on most of the time I think!




When we got back to the Sunset Caravan Park, nothing was amiss.  The fridge was still on and the annex still up.  We were happy to be back in our cubby and put up the baby gate for the dogs.  After a bit of food shopping and relaxing, we went off to the Grafton Agricultural Show yesterday arvo.  I was impressed with the Champion Pumpkin, while Danny couldn't resist a Dagwood Dog.  (instant regret after one bite!)

There was a Salvo's cafe and a man with a sign that said:  Live Band 6pm.  So we went in and had a cuppa and listened to the young band.  Loud, heavy rock with a few original ballads thrown it.  Happened to be their album launch with mum and dad doing the sound mixing and selling CDs.  They were good and rocked the hell out of the cafe clients and passes by (one lady with fairy  floss hair did some great dancing).

Danny was instructed to win another soft toy for Indigo and shot the required 4 ducks.  So Carnie Dog 2 was gratefully welcomed home by indigo.  Oh, we also saw this Transit at the show which is the same model as Keith. 

Show observation:   Grafton Carnies were definately not as interesting as the Redcliffe Carnies.