Keith moves to South Grafton - Sunset Caravan Park

 March 1-19:   The rain finally stopped.  Then it was time for the final  preparation for Tim's return to Tim's Rest, Chambigne:  mowing, whipper-snipping, slashing, weeding, mopping, sweeping, window cleaning and so on.  But we got it all done and Ray and Danny did a great job on the tractors to grade and roll the dirt track. 
Keith rolled out of there with no troubles and went to get fitted for his annex (thanks again Ray for that one). 


March 20, 21:  Keith moved into the Sunset Caravan Park, but we stayed on at Tim's to await his return.  Tim was very happy with the state of the track and property and we had a few beers with him and Ray to celebrate his home-coming.


March 22:   On Friday arvo, I caught the train and then bus up to Brisbane, while Danny and fur girls stayed on at Tim's.  The trip was interesting with a young man and a woman my age to chat to the whole way.  A gentleman near the rear of the bus had a nasty accident in his pants and the aircon carried the smell into all our noses.  It was hard work to get from gagging, but we managed to keep ourselves in check. 
I arrived late, and my mate Nase picked me up from Roma St station and drove me a few kms to his home in Paddington.  He cooked me a lovely vege risotto and we chatted on till about 1am. 

March 23:  Me and Nase drove down the road to Latrobe Tce and had breakfast for Lewis and Tracey.  It was good to see them after a 

year of being away.  Meahwhile, Danny left Indigo and Fuggles at Tim's and drove to Byron Bay.  He did camera on a multi-cam gig for one of our tutors, Andy Bambach.  It was a private party at the old Byron Bay Brewery with Mi-Sex playing and other bands.
I hung on in Reddo that arvo with Danny sister Linda, caught up with my mother-in-law Jean, then got ready for Sam's 30th Birthday Party down the road in Clontarf.  Everyone had to wear a cape:  I made mine out of Harry's curtain material and Linda had a nurse one that Jean made.  It was a fun party with lots of catching up. 
Glad I went and so was Sam.


March 24:  Danny had a good gig with Andy, some red wine into the early morning and a swim at Byron. After a quick visit to the Redcliffe Markets and the shops, (a girl can never have too much Sussans sleep wear)  it was time for me to get the train to Roma St and then the bus and train back to Grafton.
Danny had had some dramas after picking up the girls from Tim's as a big, fast storm blew in and brought down branches and collapsed the annex back at the caravan park.  Unfortunately I wasn't too sympathetic when he informed me about the hatch above the bed being left open.  But when I got back, it wasn't that wet at all and I just put the hair dryer over it for a while.  All good. 


March 25-31:  We settled into life at the Sunset Caravan Park with Danny building some dog fencing and proofing to keep the girls in. It isn't totally fool (or chihuahua) proof, but we will get the baby gate from Danny's folks place when we go up in the holidays.  We went back to Tim's to meet up with the mower man who fixed Tim's ride-on and pick up the last of our stuff. 
Tafe continues to be challenging and fun with our New Story assessment looming and ideas for our major project being researched.    We've been watching free movies from the caravan park collection, the best being American Beauty with the audio commentary on.  We have also discovered ABC and SBS's programs available online to watch. 
Most of Easter was spent doing our character bio homework for Tafe and we took the girls down to the river at South Grafton for a walk.  You can still see lots of debri from the floods and we found an old training shed with a few exercise bikes near it.  Danny took some cool photos, inc a shot that I will use in my New Story. 
We have been living at the Sunset Caravan Park for a week:  
life here is simple and drama free so far.

Tafe, Jean's 70th, Raw Comedy & another Flood!

 Feb 9:  Danny visited old Bazza in Scarborough and then drove back to Grafton. Meanwhile, I learnt my comedy routine.  It had been a quiet couple of days without Danny and Fuggles, but I had missed them.
Feb 10:    We took Harry Transit for a drive up the highway to Maclean and had lunch at the pub.  Then we met up with a guy at a Dirt Bike Meet who has a property that we were looking at staying on. (but on later inspection, we went decided it wasn't suitable as there were free range chickens and lots of ticks).













Feb 11-21:  Our Tafe course: Diploma of Screen & Media began and we had a great first week.  Tutors very experienced and tailor the course to your individual goals.  At the end of the week, we did a couple of trips:  Dorrigo and Cascade where Danny's Dad is from which is beautiful rain forest country.  Also to Glenreah to look at another possible care taking property.  There were lots of animals - miniature donkeys, guinea fowl, geese, chooks, 5  cats and a dog.  We declined on this one too and decided to start looking for a rental in town.  Back to Tafe and then the rain came back.  We were tossing up about whether to go up to Redcliffe for the weekend.  If it wasn't heavy rain in the morning...we were off.
Feb 22-28:  Only light rain, so we dropped off Gandi the cattle dog to Tim's friends in Grafton and headed up to Qld.  It had been almost a year since I was in my state of origin.  That night, we caught up with Todd, Jill and Christie in Clontarf at their new place - Wow, what a house!  Next morning we went back to Pearl Street and got some stuff out of our storage in the old Jam Room.  So much stuff crammed in their, but we packed up some stuff and I got a haircut from our lovely renter, Gabby.  Then it was time to grab the family and make our way into The Valley for Jean's 70th birthday at The Vietnamese.  We had a good chat with our favourite waiter, Tyson who is training to be a pilot.  Jean even got a photo and kiss from him!

 It was a great night...we were supposed to go back to Grafton the next day.  But after speaking to our neighbour Ray, that wasn't going to happen. Over the next few days, the creek bridge went under and the river on the property came up higher than last time (to the guest house steps) and Ray towed Keith up the hill.  So we stayed in Redcliffe and we dropped into our old workplace, Cascade.  It was wonderful to see everyone again after a year away.  Then I had an idea:  do my Raw Comedy competition gig that night, Tuesday while we were already there.  So I did!  Danny's family and Mick, our old neighbour came and we had a fun night.  I was nervous - I had wanted to get over my fear of Stand Up for about 15 years.  I was on last as Bev the Bus Driver (pic above), but it went well and people laughed.  I didn't get through to the next round, but I had done it.  Mission accomplished.  On Thursday, we drove back to Grafton once we got the word from Ray that the creek was down.  We picked up Gandi from town and drove into Chambigne.  The dirt track wasn't in great shape when we left, but now it was much worse for wear after two floods and continuing rain.    The grass was long and the sandflies abundant and their was a dead rat at the house gate:  we were home.

Harry Transit MK2 gets Registered!

Friday, Feb 8:  Harry got his Queensland registration today. *sigh of relief * To say:  there's been a bit of drama, might be an understatement.  So I will take you back to where we left off...the floods.

Jan 28:  Rained all night, Tim's Toyota which is parked down a cement ramp got flooded in, water was cascading down the hill and onto the front porch area and the river was well over the bottom gate.  It continued to rain all day.

Jan 29-31:   The rain stopped but the flood waters kept rising.  Danny painted Harry with a roller, with me doing the fiddely inside the doors and front grill areas.  Oh, and Danny put his back out and became a crooked man, literally.  We went for a drive to the bridge for a look and it was well under.  The painting was finished by the end of Thursday, but would Harry be able to get out for his RWC the next day?  Feb 1-4:  Danny and I get all dressed and ready to take Harry to town but...the bridge has boards missing and needs repairs and so we can't go.  Pete, a friend of Tim the property owner, buys groceries for us and we walk them over the bridge.  Hoorah food!  We had been playing:  eat what's in the fridge and pantry and had run out of milk.  I started weeding the back of the guest house and Ray loaned Danny a 1970's vibrating massage pad for his back.. It was fun and seemed to help.  I shamois, vacuumed and wiped harry down...geez he looks good.

Ray and I went to the bridge to put sand on it and low and behold, Polly's boyfriend (who doesn't win any prizes for friendliness) had been with his tractor and done the job.  Good for him.  So all we had to do was spread it around a bit and rake it over.

Feb 5:  Harry goes to Reimers Mechanical for his RWC.  Oh dear.  He has Qld modification plates and they can't do it without an engineers certificate.  The nearest man is in Ballina.  So we ring him...$600!  Shissen.  We come back to Tim's Rest to have a big think about it all.  Do we go ahead with the NSW rego, do we get him registered over the border in Qld or do we sell him and buy something else?  It was doing our heads in.  Danny went up to see Ray and I got stuck into cleaning the chook house.  Felt much better after that!A decision was made and Danny booked Harry in for a gas inspection and RWC with old Smithy (who did Keith) both in Clontarf.                                                       Feb 6:  We take Harry back to Reimers Mechanical for a Pink Slip, which then got us an Unregistered Vehicle Sticker to allow Danny to drive him up to Redcliffe.  Phew.  But it wasn't over yet.      Feb 7:  Danny and I get at 5am and he drives off with Fuggles, the foxie / chihuahua as his co-pilot.  I stay and mind Gandi the cattle dog and Indigo Velvet, and do some mowing.  Danny rings me to say that the gas man can't do the gas cos it's out of date, but another guy says he can tomorrow. But will he certify it?

Feb 8:  Yes!  The gas is certified and then it's just up to Smithy to road worthy it.  I get the call from Danny about 12 with our new registration number.  Relief is not the word, but it will do.  Danny is staying in Redcliffe to get some acupuncture for his back and I managed to get most of the house yard mowed this morning before I ran out of fuel.  So we will both sleep, in separate States, but well tonight.  

What a big effort by Danny to not only restore Harry Transit, but to go on the journey to Qld for registration.  Good on ya, mate!

Heat Wave, Flooding Rains & Re-building Harry Transit

4 - 27 January:  Time to get down to business and start stripping and re-building Harry Transit our 1980 Mk2.  Our old neighbour Mick from Redcliffe, sent us down some materials bought from his suppliers and Danny got stuck into paint scaping, with a bit of help from me, cutting out rust, re-building using an old bbq lid and bogging.  Meanwhile, I kept myself busy with onion weeding the vege garden and then spreading sugar cane mulch.  I also tidied up the front garden (weeds & grass were creeping back in) and scattered some mulch there too.
We took our Foxiehuahua, Fuggles to the vet for desexing ( I told her she was going to a Day Spa!) and our neighbour here, Ray, helped fashion an Elizabethan collar made from a large yoghurt container, so she wouldn't lick her stitches.  Ray has been a real legend, loaning us his ute many times to go into town for food and van restoration supplies.

When I was at the vet, one of the ladies who worked there recognised my name on the diary and it was my old actor mate, Mark's wife Kate.
It turns out:  they live at Half Way Creek, about 50mins from here on 100acres.  So Mark came out one Saturday to say Gidday and promised he would be back soon with his family.
But before that happened, we had a heat wave for a few days:  42 degrees was the top and so we had to work early in the morning and late in the arvo/early evening to get anything done in the garden or on the van.  But finally it rained.  Just a little bit.  So we got some more done on Harry:  I used an old telephone book to mask up his windows, while Danny got serious with the orbital sander.  I had a run in, literally with one of the chilli bushes in my eye.  Luckily it didn't burn, just scratched it which was a annoying and throbbed for a few hours.  Fuggles recovered well from her surgery with help from the garden:  aloe vera.  Ray suggested it - he could write a book on Bush Remedies (and many other subjects!).  He's great for a yarn and cup of black tea.
So Australia Day was looming and so was heavy rain and talk of floods.  Mark, Kate and their daughter Maya came for a BBQ yesterday and we had a paddle in the river, home-made rissoles and some salad from the garden.  It's very cool to have long, lost friends living in the area.  Especially since we have decided to stay here for 2013.  Yes, Keith has had his nose tarped and has put down roots next to the Guest House here.  Danny applied for and got into a course at the Grafton Tafe:  Diploma of Screen & Media and I even applied for one:  Information, Digital Media and Web Technologies.  Don't know if I got in yet.  I also put my resume into a couple of businesses for some admin work.  So, we pulling up stumps for a while as they say. 

One of the neighbours, Polly just popped in, dressed in shorty dungaree overalls and gumboots and told us " the bridge is out".  So, we might get some flooding here from the river over the next couple of days.  We already pulled up the pump pipe and Danny took the pump on the tractor to the shed.  Hopefully water doesn't come into the house.  It has before, but only once. 
Even with the heat and the flooding rains, we are lovin' bush living.  Yee-haa!

A Bush Christmas & New Year

Dec 23-Dec 27:  The festival of food, fun, family and friends began with Danny's folks, Jean and Jimbo and then continued on Xmas Eve with Linda, Clint, Liana, Guy and their dog Groover.  She took a while to relax, but eventually she came around to the charms of Gandi dog.

 We ate our Xmas lunch in the dance hall and . at night we watched Starsky & Hutch on the big screen.  Over the next couple of days, we swam in the river, the men-folk enjoyed the tractor, ride-on, yabbie pots and kayaks, while the chicks had some quality time with Fuggles Renee.
It was sooo good to spend time with everyone after 10 mths travelling Australia and like Jean said: it was a very relaxing Christmas.

Dec 28-Jan 3:  The Palmers from Pearl Street, our old Kiwi neighbours arrived:  Mick, Sue, Tamara (5) and Tasman (2).  It wasn't all drinks and disco lights, as we had decided months ago we would shoot a short film during this time with Mick in the title role.  My sister Melissa and her husband Buzzy came on New Year's Eve and he was straight to work as the ex-boyfriend baddie.  A little too convincing might I say in his flanno, singlet and copious profundities.  Next day I finally convinced my sister to be the woman in our film and as anticipated, she was great.  We all saw 2012 out with music videos on the big screen, frozen marguritas and beers.  Hello 2013 and  it was time for Buzzy and Lissie to go after a big goodbye from her new best friend, Tamara. (Pardon?) With most of the filming done, it was time for the next project - Trash My Wedding photos with the Palmers. The river was picked as the perfect location and even Gandi and I got in on the act... but I failed to catch the plastic bouquet!   On their last day we put them to work: Danny and Mick pulled off Harry Transit's bull and bumber bars and Sue and I weeded the front garden. 

 What a uniquely wonderful 10 days - Big Thanks to Danny's family, my family and the Palmers for coming on down to Tim's Rest. 

Where the hell is Chambigne?

 Dec 15-22:  After a brief stop at the Big Banana for a photo or two, we detoured off the highway to the fishing village of Wooli. Very cute and we had a fish and bit of a paddle in the inlet.

 We got to Chambigne, 15mins south west of Grafton, went through the gate with the 3 letter boxes and over a Billy Goat's Gruff bridge - I had to get out to direct Danny over so Keith's back wheels didn't fall off!  Up a 4km rough dirt track was Tim's Rest where we would property sit for 3 months.  And what a great property and we got on with Tim immediately. The blue Transit was there and he went like a rocket (could we just use him for parts?) and we settled in for a week of introductions to all aspects of the property:  chickens, vege patch, trouble-shooting the water pump, generator, tractor, solar / batteries, projector and ofcourse, Gandi - Tim's well behaved cattle dog.  (although he did play up just before Tim left with not wanted to go to bed outside and running off one morning)   Tim's sister, Neroli was here the first couple of nights and cooked us a great Asian meal, but after she left I took over the duties as Tim has just had a shoulder operation and is in a sling.

Danny helped Tim edit a demo film for Dunbe, his high school drumming group and I rescued the pot plants from their 2 yr excile in the shade house and adorned the main house and guest house with them. 
Tim's neices husband, Engie arrived to help out with cleaning windows and taking Tim to appointments in town as he couldn't drive. 

Lots of drinking and chatting was had, with me piking out and going to bed first as usual.  Tim left on the 21st for Ghana, where he has a property (that's a whole story in itself! More on that later...)
So it was just us, the 3 dogs and chickens and  preparations to be done to make the property look it's best for the arrival of Danny's family - slashing of paddocks, whipper snipping, cleaning of the guest house and the main house with some swimming in our birthday suits in the nearby river to cool down.
Danny found a liking and may I say, some talent for Tim's old piano that his late dad gave him when he was a boy.  I found a liking for the hammock and so did Fuggles!  
Dec 22 and we were ready and waiting for the arrival of our first guests who we hadn't seen for over 10 mths - Jim and Jean Loyden.