Tassie Wanderer

Well I have had a great time in Sydney. Nothing major organised by Jacki and Petrina, but we have had fun undertaking all sorts of impromptu adventures. On Friday morning Benji headed off with 3 mates on a 100km walk for Oxfam. By soon after midnight he had to pull out at the 60km stage after suffering badly from hypothermia. He was unwell before he started so did well to get that far. One of the others pulled out soon after, but the other 2 made it all the way. Unlike Mel’s 100km walk which was controlled and catered for and spread over 4 days, Benji’s was a race. They want to do it again next year but being far more prepared and organised. Good on them for all they achieved. Congratulations. Anyone who walks 100km in any way deserves my admiration.

Friday evening Jacki, Petrina and I headed in to central Sydney to Chinatown where we had a delicious meal at a tiny restaurant where they take your order outside, then hope they can cram you into a seat when the order is ready. They make their own noodles and we all thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Then we wandered off around the area, realising that it was a special full moon celebration and we tasted some of the special mooncake delights they make for the occasion…..rather nice and topped off by Jacki’s very unusual pearl tea. Gave up trying to find somewhere to stop for a quick drink, and I was struggling to walk any further, so we headed home.

On Saturday morning Petrina undertook the delight of house-cleaning while workmen bagan some of the warranty work on their new unit. I headed to Bondi with Jacki where she did her long ocean swim. While she was exerting masses of energy, I explored the area, especially spending heaps of time in Aquabumps gallery http://www.aquabumps.com where there were totally amazing photos to be viewed. The photographer has spent many months, even years, photographing Bondi beach every day ….sunrises, sunsets, swimmers both on the beach and in the water and finally, fantastic photos from in the water of waves rising and breaking onto the beach. Wow…..I just loved it and was so very impressed with the ingenuity of the photographer.

Eventually headed back to the beach to see some swimmers coming in from their challenge, so took a chance and would you believe it I got 2 of Jacki reaching the end of her swim. We then sat around with her swimming buddies while they warmed up and relived their swim, then headed for home.

That evening Jacki & Jonathan, Petrina (Benji was recovering from his marathon effort!) and I walked several blocks down to a new restaurant which has opened up…an old warehouse which has been done up so well and provides fantastic food. We had a most enjoyable evening out and I even managed to walk there and back with the aid of my trusty stick and Jacki’s arm to lean on.

Yesterday Jacki, Petrina and I headed out for the inevitable shopping foray to the amazing warehouses in the area. The girls both got good bargains on sheets and doona covers and then next on the list was the clothing warehouse…..oh my, what masses of clothes and seething humanity trying to find the best bargains. Their price was 3 garments for $50, but when we got to the checkout I managed to totally confuse the manager and she finished up giving us a deal of 10 pieces of clothing for $100….yup, that’s $10 per garment and many of them well-known brand names. So of course we just HAD to get 10 garments between us!!! The girls even found some great, groovy clothing for me.

After a coffee and recovery from our expedition Petrina and I headed in to Pyrmont, a ritzy ocean front area to meet Benji’s Mum Jane and her hubby Phil. I had met them last time here and it was nice to catch up with them again. They are very easy to be around and we enjoyed a visit with them…even if we had to walk for ages until we found a pub open where we could get a drink…all the cafes had closed.

So the end of a very enjoyable weekend. Today I am taking it easy and doing some business and photo organisation on my computer, ready for a nice dinner party tonight with Ronene and Ean coming over…friends of Jacki’s who I have gotten to know quite well in past visits.

Then it is back to WA tomorrow, for a catchup with Kara and Jada and Dr’s appt for my last Hep A & B vaccinations, and to find out what is planned for my thyroid lump…so back to the reality of life. Yep, will definitely have to make more regular trips back to Sydney to spend time in this big city with the girls.

Well here I am in Sydney again. Strange to realise as I arrived that the last time I was here was Eric’s last visit to Sydney and leaving here meant the beginning of the end.

We were a half hour late leaving Perth yesterday, but the tail winds across were so strong that we arrived 10-15 minutes early in Sydney…so early in fact that the staff were not there yet to connect up the air-bridge to get off the plane…so we had to sit on the tarmac and wait.

Quickly got my luggage and a short taxi ride to Jacki’s…she was not even home from work yet, but arrived soon after. Was so good to catch up with Jacki and Jonathan and then Petrina arrived later for dinner and later on we dropped her off at her new unit and had a quick look. Very nice.

I am going to be playing musical beds while here…Jacki’s last night, then Petrina’s for 2 nights then Jacki’s for 2 nights, then ? for the last night. Fun, fun.

A very happy 2nd birthday to mateya today…wow, 2 years old already. Pity I had to miss her birthday, but plenty more to come. Did have a quick hello to her on the phone…but Jett decided he had lots to say to me then. He is so good at talking on the phone and Mateya is learning fast.

Beautiful sunny day here in Sydney and great view from Jacki’s apartment across to a lovely park where lots of people run, exercise and take their dogs for walks.

Had my new Kindle waiting for me at Jacki’s with quite a few books installed already. Will be sooo good to take with me for all the plane travel…could have used it on the way over as even books get so unweildy on planes…especially when the person in front of you puts their seat RIGHT back…so annoying.

So here’s to a few good days in Sydney.

Here are a selection of the beautiful sun orchids I managed to catch out last weekend. I know I get carried away by putting up so many photos, but you can choose which ones to look at.

What truly exquisite flowers. You can see the relationship to the Queen of Sheba in the markings on the petals. Enjoy!

This is where I am living now. The house does not look much from the outside but is well done up on the inside.

I am trying a new process with my photos. If you click on the individual ones they will come up full size. should make it easier to read and follow.

Now to get to some more orchid photos!

Well before I head off to Sydney for a week tomorrow must update my blog. I have been so busy discovering orchids I have not had time to sort photos properly and edit to display. Promise I will get some done soon.

Last Saturday I awoke to a fabulous sunny day, so decided to head back up to York to the sun orchids we had found the weekend before…but lacking the sun. This time I found about 20 well open and displaying all their glory. Stunning once again. Also came across some of the other orchid people who had the same idea as me.

On Sunday, yesterday and today headed out to different sites and found heaps more orchids. Sure keeps the old hips and knees mobile as I waddle through the bush, often getting onto the ground to photograph the flowers…then wonder how I will get up again.

Went up to bronte and Bec’s last week and had yet another vaccination for China, as well as collecting my Visa, so almost all set to go now. Also had a scan on a lump which has appeared on my thyroid, but which has not affected the thyroid function results, so hoping it is just a cyst, something I am prone to getting. Will get results after I return from Sydney and probably need a biopsy. Not worrying now. Too much else to do.

Thoroughly enjoying my little house and it feels like home already. I have got the motorhome fully unpacked and will get it serviced and on the market when I return from Sydney. Anyone want to buy a well-loved and well-used motorhome???

Well at last I have moved into my new little rented house. Took over on Friday and actually moved in on Saturday. Drove my car in on Fri and left it at the house, then went home with Mel after work and drove the motorhome in on Saturday.

Mel had to pick Mateya up from Day Care on Friday lunch time after she vomited and was unwell, so I took both kids and brought them to the house…a very quick initiation. Mateya vomited all over the place again after going to bed that night and Jett was extremely flushed and unwell. Yesterday Mel struggled through the day with severe diarrhoea and vomiting. I have a bad cold, but that seems to be the extent for me so far.

Yesterday I arose bright and early and left at 6.30am to travel and meet up with the Orchid Group near York. When I left the sky was clear and I enjoyed watching the beautiful sunrise as I drove. But by the time I met the group it was overcast and raining and quite windy. However we headed off and got to see a nice lot of orchids, despite the cold, wind and occasional shower. At one spot we found about 12 buds of an orchid related to the Queen of Sheba, and it was quite comical to see us all huddled over a bud we had chosen….willing the sun to come out and trying to surround the bud with our coat or whatever we could find…trying to warm it up and make it come out. The sun appeared briefly from behind the clouds, but not enough to stimulate the flowers to open. Most frustrating!! Oh well, will have to go back there one day soon when it is sunny.

By early afternoon it was full sun and quite warm…but of course, by then we had moved on to other sites and found other orchids. Oh well, did get to see a nice lot and some new ones for me too, which is always a bonus.

At one spot I stopped at on my way to meet the others, there were literally thousands of orchids…mainly Donkeys and Blue Fairies. I have seen Donkeys this thick before, but never the Blue Fairies….you could not walk without stepping on them. Despite being common orchids, it is still stunning to see them in such numbers. Read in the newspaper last night that the Blue Fairies are very prolific all over the state. It seems that each year there is one orchid that proliferates and is a real stand-out….a different one each year.

Also saw a nice lot of very fine, blood-red spider orchids….my photos do not do them justice and do not show the darkness of the red, but they were so beautiful.

Today I have kept busy unpacking everything from the motorhome into the house…how on earth did I have so much stuff in there. More stuff going in the garbage bin!!! Amazing how well Thelma has designed this little house and how much stuff you can put away and see no sign of it. The old hips and knees have had enough for the day, so have to finish the job tomorrow hopefully. The weather also is no help. It is extremely windy, rainy and cold today…nice to snuggle up in my little house. So on to my new life that now has no connection with the past whatsoever. Now if the motorhome would sell soon all would be perfect.

Wow and wow again. I had the most fantastic orchid weekend away down south at Denmark, Walpole, Albany and Mt Barker with other orchid fanatics. We saw about a dozen different types of orchids.

But the absolute highlight of the trip was the 20 or so Queen of Sheba orchids I saw at Albany…..even better because it was unplanned and unexpected.

I will put some photos up of the other orchids later, but for now you can enjoy some of the beautiful Queens. Each flower is different and has its own unique pattern on the petals, so these are just a selection…figured 20 was too many for you to work through.

Just had to share this photo Mel took last weekend of all 4 of my grandkids together having lots of fun…eating snakes!

They are each at such a gorgeous age and so very special in their own way. A hug from any one of them is enough to melt the heart. Of course they are the bestest grandkids in the world.

I travelled down to Denmark (the town, not the country!) today, stopping at a couple of places to discover some orchids. Discovered the most wonderful orchid habitat I had not found before….only an hour’s drive from Narrogin so will be paying lots of visits there over the coming months as the orchids change. A beautiful site alongside a river which is running and overflowing at present after recent rains. Drove right back along a little track and at one stage had to decide whether to risk driving through water over the road…..oh well I had my mobile phone so took the risk….all fine and no problems! Heaps of mosquitos already the only downer.

Had the biggest frost at Mel & Mark’s this morning, but the day finished up bright and sunny and quite warm driving in the car. Found a carwash here thank goodness, as travelling the muddy dirt roads to and from Mel’s the poor little thing was more brown than white. Paid extra for a super-duper car wash, but it was worth it….I now have a white car again with ALL the mud removed. Hoping the weather stays at least partly fine for our orchid field trip tomorrow.

Got a phone call late this afty after I had settled in from my friend Kathy from Esperance. I told her I was in Denmark and she said …guess what…they are too!! So will catch up with Kathy and Terry after my day out tomorrow. That is if I can still walk!!

Have been out to dinner and think it is early to bed tonight to rest the weary limbs and recover for tomorrow.

Boy, has Winter ever hit South-West WA. I am down on the farm, on my way to moving into my house. Came down here last week and then worked in the Nursery for Mel on Sat morning so she and family could have an extended weekend holiday in Perth. They also met up with Bronte and Bec and kids and had a great time at the Aqua centre. Jett has told me all about the shark he saw…which apparently terrified Mateya, and left her screaming and screaming.

So I was the farm-keeper for the weekend. On Sunday I planned to head out after some orchids, but at about 10am the gales and rain blew in and I decided it was far smarter to stay put. A cement sheet was blown off the end of the shed at the back gate, but there was no way I was going to try to handle it in the massive wind, so it too stayed put. Was all I could do to stand up in the wind.

Monday improved a little and I did get to head out but found very few orchids at Popanyinning (Popo to the locals). Just got home and the gale and rain started so I times it well. Later in the day the others arrived home, Mark driving my motorhome down this way. Ao at present I am finding it most frustrating…..sleeping inside the house so that I don’t have to climb up and down the motorhome bed and with some of my stuff inside. But then I need something from the motorhome so have to trot out in the cold to get it. so I am so, so ready to move into my house and have everything in one place.

On Saturday spent about 3 hours chatting to Thelma, the lady I am renting the house from. She is my age and we have had such similar difficulties in life…it is like we have known one another for years. She is leaving everything in the house for me, so I will not have to purchase any furniture etc at this stage, which suits me fine. Also discovered she has a pull-out couch in the lounge room which folds out to a queen size bed…so lots of room if you come to visit!!

Yesterday Thelma messaged me to say she has friends who might be interested in purchasing the motorhome…so might all happen very quickly. And it might be 12 months before it sells. Whatever. I am not concerned.

Yesterday Mel worked and the kids were at Day Care so I went out about 40 km away after some orchids. found heaps with masses and masses of leaves and buds so will certainly be visiting that area again in a couple of weeks. Then picked the kids up early abd brought them home, so that Mel could go to hockey training and come home later in my car.

Babysitting the kids on the farm today and then tomorrow I head down south to Walpole for the weekend to join the orchid group and hopefully find heap of orchids. Weather not looking good so think changes of clothes and wet weather gear are in order. It is totally freezing here today. This morning as she left Mel had the brilliant idea that the kids could come out and have breakfast in the motorhome….it was 2 degrees out there!! Thanks Mel. And even tho it is a small space, the heater still took ages to warm it up at all.

Soooo looking forward to getting into my new house next week, after babysitting Jada on Wednesday, and going into Perth to get visa for China on Thursday. Lyn and I have definitely booked our next fly/cruise trip too. So Exciting.