Its the same everywhere

Yes it was the same temp in Bowen here this morning as the ones we were having in Melbourne ( 2600kms further south) last week - 6c which is cold. Was the same yesterday morning and by lunchtime it had risen to a really nice 24c so I can't complain can I lol

Arrived in town here on Wednesday pm, its now Friday and even tho' we did that long drive I feel really rested and comfortable. Have met up with friends from Adelaide and also others we met here last year so lots of dinners and happy hours arranged already.

Some of the ladies in the caravan park organise a craft afternoon on Thursdays so thats where I went yesterday (by the bbq area with a fabulous view over the golf course and the beach) and this morning I met up with some CWA ladies at their craft morning - so you can see what I'm going to be up to this next few weeks:)

Going to be brief today, there is a queue for the internet here at the library so will be back again another time.

My bags are packed, I'm ready to go

Well nearly:))

Tomorrow, Saturday, the cases are coming out and will be filled with warm weather clothing - 'cose 7am Sunday morning we are off on a trip up norf.

Yes after a four day drive we will be up north in Bowen, Far North Queensland, staying in a cabin close to Queens Beach and the golf course.

Share and share alike, we will share the driving, 2 hours on 2 hours off , something good for me and something good for him lol

The cats have had a good grooming session, coats brushed and combed, nails clipped and their monthly dab of Frontline applied interspersed with lots of cuddles as they will be off to the boarding cattery in the morning. That will be their home for the next 8 or maybe more weeks as we won't be back till mid September.

Today I was taken aback when a person (whom I'd only just met) said I was very priviledged to be able to go away, that with all the problems in the world it was the wrong thing for me to do. I wasn't quite sure how to answer her, yes there are lots of folk suffering and the unemployment rate has risen but for us its taken a lot of budgeting and careful planning to allow us to have this trip.

Next year we will be going overseas to visit friends and relations so we will have to plan and save to make that possible as well.

So how have we managed, I'll let you into our secret weapon - this exercise book and the figures you see written down assure Dh and I that we will be able to take off whenever we want.

For many years we have kept records of what we spend and I check the accounts online most days to make sure I haven't missed a payment. I did this even before there was such a thing as online banking, certainly that invention has made it easier but I still like to see the figures pencilled in longhand on the pages of my exercise book in front of me, put down in a system I can relate to





Unlike many people, in fact almost the reverse of the way of thinking that is suggested these days, we find it useful to use our credit card for most purchases; if I have cash in my pocket I spend it and even though Dh has cash (his monthly allowance lol) he is loathe to break a note so thinks twice when it comes to actually spending it. Also for us there is the benefit of the card providing FF points that we use to fly mainly to Adelaide. Pay the balance of by the due date and pay no interest. .

For some reason I've found this winter to be really cold, more so than usual so am desperately looking forward to our time away. Sounds a bit OTT but I love the warm weather and aim to lap up as much of the winter sunshine as I can. I'll have to use the internet at the local library so may not get to check any blogs but will try very hard to post here now and again.

So as the Two Ronnies used to say - Its Goodnight from Me and its Goodnight from Him - only he's in the other room watching the cricket from Wales.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Two_Ronnies

Go the Aussies

Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi

All in a days work

Decided I'd take some of the mob to lunch

and then chance a visit to the nursing home to see A Pam

I think I underestimate my young ones

They were normal at lunch meaning they weren't too obnoxious

but were generally well behaved

In other words didn't show me up in public :))

I have only taken them to the nursing home in 'ones' before and wasn't sure what sort of reception I'd get going there with several sometimes noisy boisterous kids.

I was so proud of them all as they even gave into their feelings about kissing old folks

and gave her a kiss

Yes even Master T who at 13 certainly doesn't like coming that close to a female

(had to promise an ice cream tho. lol)

And as you can see from the smiles on my Aunt's face

she was thrilled to see so many of them all at once

Mind you she couldn't remember their names and kept asking

'Who are you and who do you belong to'

Shivers down me spine

Now it really really was cold this morning - -1c/30f when I opened the door at 7am

I had to use the car first thing which meant water and brush to remove the ice and then the same a short while later when I came back to actually drive away as the windows had an icy coating on them again lol

We have had teenage grandchildren staying here this week and it will continue for a few more days so there won't be many posts. They take up so much time and don't seem to have a clock located in their body either so deadlines are not even getting a look in. Missed the planned cinema outing 'cose they were so slow - they didn't seem really bothered so I let them just mess around at home. Then of course when their parents ring I hear - we didn't do much just used the Wii and stayed at home. Can't win can you lol

And then of course they always seem to want to be on here at the same time as I do. Who knew they had so many 'friends' to talk to and guess what, the world will come to an end if they don't.

So this is just to say I'll be back sometime, maybe I'll just leave home and let them shriek the day away on their own. Oh no, thats what their parents are doing lol