Brisbane

Friday 18 July, 2014

I arrived at the airport in good time for my flight to Brisbane to start my North Queensland holiday. Unfortunately the flight was cancelled due to strong cross winds at the airport so I spent another two hours hanging around the airport waiting for my new booking. At least it made for plenty of reading time and extra step opportunities.

I arrived in Brisbane at about 2:30 and after working out how to manage my carry on bag that broke as I was unloading I arrived at Aunty Dot and Uncle Des's by about 3pm. Uncle Des was able to take the broken handle off my bag so that it is now managable but not wheelable. It was great that Garry, Eliza and Alice were also there so we had lots of time chatting and catching up on family news. Dinner and bedtime in the “girls” dorm provided more time together.

Saturday 19 July 2014

After farewelling Garry and the girls for their flight home, Aunty Dot and Uncle Des drove me to Banyo station to catch my train to meet Bryan and Pam at Auchenflower station. I was a little early so had time for some reading. After we found parking we had a brisk walk down to Regatta Wharf and caught the CityCat downstream. It was a glorious day to be out on the water – not too windy, crisp and sunny.

By the time we got to the far end of the journey at Northshore Hamilton the day was really quite warm and pleasant. We spent a while looking at the historical snippets etched into the pavement then decided it was time for lunch. We shared 2 meals between three and it was plenty of food – chicken skewers and fish and chips – all delicious.

Back on the CityCat for our return journey. We got off again at Bulimba to take the tourist stroll along Oxford Street and have coffee and a shared dessert at Delizioso, one of the many cafes along the strip.

On the CityCat again (they come every 15 minutes) and retraced our journey out, found the car then drove home to Durak where Bryan and Pam live in a well established retirement village with fantastic gardens and views, pools, various games areas and a gym. Apparently there is a lot to become involved in. We had a stroll around the complex then settled in for the evening.

Dinner was a surprise – we were booked into the on-site restaurant and were joined by Caroline. After dinner Bryan and I stayed for dessert while Caroline and Pam went for a dip in the hydrotherapy heated pool.

The evening finished with a cuddle by pussy while I finished my diary for the day.

Sunday 20 July 2014

Up at 6am to be at church for the 7am service. St Matthews is an Anglican church where Bryan and Pam used to live. Church was followed by a light breakfast in the hall after which we drove to Auchenflower Station again, parked and caught the CityCat to QUT to look at The Cube, an interactive wall. Because there was a conference on there was only one display working – one about the relative gravity on each planet of the solar system. It was lots of fun trying to work out what the them actually was without reading any instructions.

We then went into Old Government House for a visit and had morning tea in the cafe there, entertained by a noisy miner who was intent on trying to get his share. We had to guard ourselves and defend our food quite actively.

This was followed by a long walk through the city looking at various art installations and historical plaques and signs. On fantastic site that Pam knew about was the roof top view from the new Four Points by Sheraton hotel. We were escorted to the top and had our own personal tour.

At Roma Street Station we caught the train back to the car and headed home for a quick lunch during which Deanna arrived to say hello.

David and son Ian also came for a chat then we took afternoon tea down to the tennis court where we were joined by Mary-Anne, Michael and their two, Fleur and Henry.

Much fun was had playing hit and giggle, looking after grand children and generally chatting before heading back to the house and getting ready to leave for dinner at Sang-Hee and David's.

Yum! What a delicious meal it was too. It was so great to just have a long hug with Sang-Hee as we both remembered very traumatic times we'd shared in 2008. How great too to see her in her home.

Back to Bryan and Pam's where we did a little on computers then had a relatively early night, in bed soon after 9pm.

Tree work in winter

This week I've been busy preparing some trees for the coming summer. First there was the pecan to be pollarded. It looks a bit bare now but should leaf up well by summer.

It gives a bit more light to the garden near the ramp which is looking particularly good at the moment. The birds just love the Grevillea at the back.

Arianne then helped me plant a persimmon in the chook yard. Hopefully it will be tall enough to deter the chooks from pruning it when the leaves grow. I'll also have to keep Ponyo out as she will think it is a stick to play with and liberate from its burial.

Unfortunately the bananas are still not ripening though. They are close though.

Winter holidays

What a busy time it's been for the last month or so. Ellen, Rod and the boys have been in the USA and Geoff and Jen have been in Europe. What a great time they have all had.

I have had lots of patchwork jobs to tidy up and finish off and lots of singing concerts.

The best part of it all has been that Ponyo has come to stay for a few weeks.

Lots of sticks to chew

Breakfast with Ma at the back window in the dark.

Naughty times. She gets black blotches when she anihilates my water gardens.

 

I've had visitors too. Pernilla has come to stay and we visited Camelia Gardens which is beautiful at the moment with all the camelias out.

This one is my favourite "Winter's Own" - Camelia reticulata.

I also love the Pyrocanthus around Sydney at the moment so bought one to grow in an ugly corner of my garden. It might look like this one day.

And of course I love violets.

Yu (from Japan) came to dinner with Karen and Alastair. And I had a special outing to see Strictly Ballroom (the musical) with the Ingold family.

Concerts over the last month or so have included one with the Sutherland Choral Society, Chorus Oz with the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and of course every Sunday and even a Friday funeral with the St Stephens Church choir. I am loving all the singing and the brain work of having to learn alto parts for at least four hymns and an anthem each week (sometimes more) must the doing the grey matter some good.

All this has happened squished in between my normal activities so I've been busy but this has been good because there is absolutely nothing on TV with the world cup interrupting a lot of my normal shows.

Keeping Busy in June

Winter has set in and June has meant harvest and pruning in my garden...

Two are orchids in flower at my back window.

I harvested my water chestnuts - thanks Rauri.

The last rose buds gathered as I pruned my roses and added lots of my lovely new soil.

Moving in at last

Elaine and I, Terry and Ellie spent Thursday/Friday this week moving into the new Underhill 'shed'.

The lounge room complete with very old Persian Rug.

The dining room

The kitchen area complete with servery

Terry and Ellie came to help move the caravan into its new position and to cut some firewood for themselves

Nothing is ever simple - the tow ball would not fit.

Luckily I was equiped with towing chain and then had to walk along beside with the solar panel

Decisions had to be made about where to put it

Here is where it ended up until we can actually move it into the carport area - reconditioned tyres needed for manouvering

 

 Sleeping in the caravan in its new temporary position was fine.

Elaine gave it a wash and now we can see out of the windows

Homemaking in our new space was lots of fun but quite exhausting.

Thank you Elaine, Terry and Ellie for coming to help with this new adventure.

Underhill - guess what we found yesterday!

Yesterday Geoff and I (and Ponyo) visited Underhill to inspect the new 'shed' and start tidying up after the building. Here are a few pics...

Two medlars were ripe and squishy. Apparently they tasted fantastic raw.

The fear of having the rooves falling on us is now over and it is amazing the new feeling both Geoff and I have for the place. I can't wait to get down there again.

There is now a lot of work to do to tidy up and tow the caravan into its new home so if you'd like to come and help some time or just come to inspect the new space please just let me know.

Dirt, girls and cockatoos

Last week I had 3 cubic metres of vegie mix soil delivered. Unfortunately the truck was too big to get up the drive way but the driver did try. So I ended up with a large pile of beautiful topping for my vegetable gardens on my front drive.

 I started moving it that evening but to my delight Leigha came to stay that night and in the morning Leigha and Arianne helped move the huge pile onto my vegie gardens and stockpiled the remainder in my back carport ready for various areas that need to wait until further into winter.

 The driveway is now clear in less than 24 hours after deliver. Thank you so much Leigha and Arianne. At least getting my steps up two days this week have been quite easy (see previous entry).

 The cockatoos have invaded the street again as they do each year. They are after the Podocarpus fruits and leave a sticky mess all over the cars. So if you come to visit do not park your car under a tree at the moment.

Steps, steps and more steps

I've been wearing a Fitbit since Christmas to gauge just how active I am in my normal daily routine. Sometimes I can achieve a mere 2000 steps all day and my highest has been 20000 steps in one day. However, for the last four weeks I have set my goal at a minimum of 10000 steps each day. Today I achieved my goal and Fitbit has provided me with the graph below.

They decided I was an overachiever but I had to prove to myself that I could do it. On the occasions where the green bars just reach the 10000 line are probably days when I have had to jog on the spot to actually get there but I feel that is a legitimate exercise anyway and that I'm quite justified in counting it.

So the conclusion is YES - I can do a minimum of 10000 steps per day. Sometimes if I want a lazy day I just have to do a 10 minute row, some jogging on the spot or take a walk around the block to achieve my goal.

One thing I have noticed is that my core body muscles are much stronger than they have been for a long time with my combination of steps and Pilates.

Music, music, music!

Wow! April has been a month of music and it is going to continue. My musical commitments include...

The Sylvantones (the Sylvanvale choir) continues to practice every Monday after lunch in various retirement centres and performs at a variety of extra venues. Here we are at a dinner in 2013. Tonight we are performing at another dinner at Cronulla.

The Sutherland Shire Choral Society will be performing on Sunday 18 May. If you'd like tickets I have some for sale or you can buy them at the door. Details are on the website.

On Good Friday I performed Olivet to Calvary (Maunder) at St Stephen's Uniting Church in Macquarie Street. What an uplifting experience. I had never heard the work before and only had a week to learn it so it was quite a challenge.

At the afternoon tea that followed I expressed my love of sacred music and would love the opportunity to sing in such a choir and was immediately offered a position as an alto. So now I have a huge commitement to sing from 9-12am each Sunday in the St Stephen's Choir in the city. This means I'll be learning something new each week plus the alto parts for all the hymns. The psalms and some prayers are also sung for each service. I'd been invited to join this choir about 10 years ago but lifestyle commitments did not allow it. Now I can commit to at least half the Sundays in the year and am still allowed to take leave for various travel opportunities. This will also give me an opportunity to visit Mum more often as she lives just a few train stops away.

I will be performing Rutter's Gloria and the Duruflé Requiem with the Sydney Philharmonia Chorus Oz choir in the Opera House on Sunday 8 June. Tickets are available so please come along. This is a fabulous opportunity and again I have to learn it on my own with only the Saturday and Sunday of the long weekend to practise it en masse before the performance. I have joined this choir each year and this will be my 10th year I think.

So can I maintain all this music action? We'll see what happens.

Underhill Demolition Continues

Yesterday the demolition of rooves began and was completed in just 6 hours. One neighbour Cal and another neighbour Laurie worked like trojans to complete the job on a beautifully fine day.

From this...

...to this

Even the caravan roof was taken off safely.

The caravan was moved away from the new building site too. Apparently it only has two flat tyres.

Thanks Cal and Laurie.

Now the building of the new roof can begin as soon as the builders are ready.