Brisbane and back

The swimming hole at Alum Creek

Gum trees at Alum creek

Edd at the Bamboo garden Brisbane

June 6. 2015

Edd and I arrived home on Monday evening after a long drive back from Brisbane where we had been visiting Josh and his partner. We were just in time to experience the coldest morning in our area for 40 years. This translates as our coldest morning since we moved here 36 years ago!  In world terms it was not very cold but after the blissful warm weather in Queensland it felt terrible. Our house had dropped down to somewhere between nineteen and twenty degrees whilst we were away so the first job was to light fires. Luckily it got back to twenty-two degrees over night.

Indi and Bo had done a great job caring for all the plants and animals and the yield of milk and eggs had even gone up. (We need to  look for calves to consume our excess milk now that the goat kids are weaned, but first I need to prepare a place for them to live.) The only problem was that the electricity line people had come in to do something and had got bogged on the lawn by the dairy and made a terrible mess. They keep doing this and I am somehow going to get it stopped. Large rocks, a strategic fence and official complaints are things I am considering.

There is still an over whelming amount of work to be done, but we feel better able to tackle things after 10 days holiday. On our first night away we stayed at a motel in Cooma. It was very warm which was essential as the temperature went down to minus 9 degrees! We woke to heavy frost and clear sunny skies: typical mountain weather.  Sadly the car spent the night out in the cold and was not so happy, the battery was totally dead when we tried to leave. Luckily it was an easy walk into town and a kind garage man drove us back to the motel with a new battery. Edd had been worried about the old one so we felt glad it had given up in such a convenient setting.

We then talked to an estate agent because we are considering selling our block at Alum Creek. In the afternoon we went out to the block, which was sad because it might be saying goodbye. The land had never looked more beautiful. The creek was flowing clear, and its gentle sound was the only thing we could hear in the totally peaceful surroundings. The sun shone, the gum trees glistened and we knew that we still loved the place as much as ever. Some one had drawn a heart on the little beach by the swimming hole and it seemed very appropriate.

We left with mixed feelings and drove on beyond Canberra to find a new motel for the night. The following night was better because by then we arrived at Moree and stayed at a motel that had artesian bore spa pools. It also had a very nice restaurant so we were glad that we were staying two nights. The hottest of the pools was pure luxury. The water was like a hot bath and the minerals in the water made our skin feel soft and silky. Next day we explored Moree and decided we liked the town. It had interesting shops but visits to the pecan nut farm and cotton mills were not possible in the short time we were there, so we had a good excuse just to relax.

Josh had been in hospital having an operation on his sinuses so he was feeling pretty low when we arrived at his apartment. We had filled the back of the ute with his books and scientific stuff.  Indi and Pip had sent up honey from their bees too, so at least we arrived with something for him to think about. We found a really good place to stay fairly close with a kitchenette and a garden on the second floor.

Three days later when we had to start the trip home Josh was well on the way to recovery. This was a great relief. He felt well enough to organise us to pick up a new fish tank in the back of the ute. They do not have much in the way of furniture but they have a room for their rats and the fish tank on the table. The lizard in his tank is about the only thing in their living room. They explained that the lease on the apartment is only for seven months so they are trying not to get things that are difficult to move.

Once again it was sad to say goodbye. We really miss Josh and his partner who are such good company. At least we all went out for evening meals and spent the time together. The first night we ate at a Mexican restaurant and rather to my surprise I loved the food. The next night they took us to “the Hogs Breath” where the staff were all dressed as Disney characters. We were greeted by a very tall, slender man dressed as the beast, (from beauty and the beast) with a hairy mask covering all his face. I felt like I had landed in the alien bar in the first star wars movie.

The final night we visited the city beach. On the escarpment above the river they have constructed an artificial beach and pool that twists along forming a huge water play area. It was a warm enough evening for some people to be actually swimming. The landscaping was fantastic and all along South bank there were restaurants. Josh took us for Turkish food that brought back all our memories from turkey. We left early next morning and this did not feel too bad because we were heading back to Moree and another soak in the hot pools.