The Last Few Days - sadly

If you were reading the last blog you might remember that I said we had been invited to Steve &  Maria's for High Tea - well this is where High Tea was being served, and if you look closely you can see the delicious food on offer, Maria had been busy all day - the net result was delicious.  Sitting at the table are Rita (Maria's mum) on the left of the picture, and on the right is Dee, my darling sister. In the distance you can see a table tennis table and behind that the Outdoor BBQ kitchen - with a BBQ to die for - beyond that to the right - you can just see a blue cushion - is the smokers area !!! And behind Dee's head you can see a blue colour - that's the pool that stretches from the smokers area to the end of the entertainment area - beyond where I was standing to take the photo.  There is also a lovely little seating area behind Rite you can just see the backs of the chairs where there is a large TV of flat screen variety, (similar in size to our entire Lounge back home!)  We had a lovely afternoon, lots of giggles and chattering.  It was dark when we left (ok it gets dark early in W.A. so I didn't really outstay my welcome.  And I promise I did do the washing up !!!)    So once more driving back in the dark - this time from a different starting point.  Maria started to tell me the quick way home - by the 3rd roundabout in her dialogue I decided I would follow Linda and Dee in Dee's car to the petrol filling station, and I knew my way back from there - so much easier than getting lost in the Greater Perth Area !!!

On Friday - Linda and I decided we would take Dee to Pinnaroo, it is actually a Crematorium together with a garden of remembrance and a delightful coffee shop in acres of glorious gardens, with pools and water features little bridges over the streams and loads of places to sit and reflect, and its surrounded by bush.   Dee came across this lovely place when she was looking for level places for Arthur (her husband - he has been mentioned before - so keep up) when he was recovering from his heart attack.  She didn't realise at the time that it was a garden of remembrance or that there was a Crematorium attached with chapels there !  So feeling very proud of herself to have found this lovely area, she took a picnic and Arthur for his first of many walks to recovery.  He was highly amused that it was a burial ground - Dee was absolutely horrified - when he suggested that maybe she thought he was more in need of the place that she cared to admit !!!!! 

We had a lovely walk and finding a lovely shaded place wherein the wheelchair could fit, we just chatted about anything and everything including Arthurs' ashes being scattered in the sea - that she too would like that for hers, when the time comes.  After all, she said, we travelled so much together it would be nice to continue to do that !  What a lovely thought. 

We had a stroll about the gardens - it was very hot - so Dee remained in her chair - and by strange coincidence, we found the path to the café - where we not only had a glorious coffee, but shared a bowl of wedges - but had to beat off the crows who were very keen to help us eat them.  With the aid of Dee's umbrella we fought them off - there was absolutely NO way I was sharing the wedges they were absolutely delicious as were the accompanying dips !!!   Dee was quite tired and decided to have her nap as soon as we got home, and so I went back to Kinross.

Saturday dawned bright - as always - so after the dog walk - Vicky and I went off to shop for the necessary ingredients for Sunday's BBQ - this was for Vicky (and my) family - Dee was to be guest in chief, and we were to be joined by Linda, Laura and her two sons Joe & Fin, Nige (my nephew) his wife Rochelle and their little girl Skye (aged 4) as well as Maddi and Travis (Nige's daughter and son by his first wife) who are the most delightful kids imaginable.  Maddi looks after Dee on a Monday - she also looks after her little sister Skye - she is the epitome of an incredible caring and loving girl, not only is her character beautiful, but so is she in looks. Travis is such a gorgeous character too - you can't help but love him, his way out sense of humour - his dog is called Two Michaels - need I say more !!!   However, no matter how well you plan an event - something will go wrong.

Dee was admitted to hospital on Saturday, with chest pains, she has a congestive heart problem, as well as her dementia, and when she woke feeling very tired with pains in her back - Linda took the necessary "obs" and discovered her heart was racing - so into hospital was the only sensible option.

Dee - with the indomitable spirit said she would discharge herself as she didn't want to miss the family get together !  However, the girls prevailed on the understanding that all the family would visit her in hospital instead of her running the risk of getting worse by visiting them all at Vicky's & Craig's.  

Vicky had a txt from Andrew Rogers (also from Shipham now domicile in W.A.) to say he was going to some exhibition in Perth - it might be of interest to Vicky.  She txt back that she couldn't get there, but if he and Amanda had time after the event, it would be lovely if they could join us for the BBQ, with their two boys !

On Sunday - Vicky and I decided to take Jack and Millie to Quinns Rock Beach - its a dog beach about 10 minutes away from their place.

The dark upright shape in the distance by the rocks is Vicky - muffled up against the cold sand - at 6.30am the sand is cold believe me - and the little brown lump to the right of her is Jack - Millie is a little white blob somewhere between Jack and Vicky !  As you can see it's a glorious place to walk the dogs.

It was on Sunday as we were getting ready for the guests, that we heard of Dee's incarceration in hospital and that Kethrine had come up to share the night time duty in the hospital with Linda.  These girls are wonderful, one will always stay the nights in hospital with Dee, just in case she wakes up and is confused where she is.  The fact that Dee sleeps more soundly than anyone any of us have ever known - is besides the point, the girls will never leave their mum alone,  just in case!

We had a cracking BBQ - Craig cooked the meat - he's really got the hang of that, something to do with it being in the blood of Aussie men - I have to admit he is very good at BBQ-ing - he doesn't render the food either  a living sacrifice or a burnt offering, he pitches it to perfection.

Vicky make a wonderful dessert -

The Easter Rabbit from a Watermelon grown by Chris Spence (Kethrine's husband) and grown in Balingup in Chris' very productive veggie garden.

It tasted as good as it looked !!!

It was wonderful to catch up with all the family - the last time I saw Skye - was 3 years ago - so she's grown quite a bit, she is so well behaved and polite - and carries on a very adult conversation - left me looking a little silly - but there you go !  Obviously I hadn't seen her parents Rochelle and Nige for 3 years either, so it was just lovely to catch up with them all, and as for Travis and Maddi - well I guess 2009 was the last time I clapped eyes on them !  It was a wonderful reunion.  Sad that Dee was missing it, but Kethrine came - sadly K's daughter - Laura and the boys had been struck with some lurgy and were unable to make the occasion - however Andrew & Amanda and their two delightful boys Noah and Amos arrived.  The two boys were immediately at home with Skye - as they all went to Kindi and had lots to talk about !  They were just so adorable.  And it was just lovely to catch up with them all.  

My whole holiday has been made up of such delightful experiences, I've been oh so very lucky.

Monday came and with it a headache - I cannot explain why - could have had something to do with the wine that flowed so freely into and out of my glass, and once that was consumed the Cloudy Apple went down very well too !  So that might have had something to do with the problem.  Vicky and I walked off our excesses at Quinns Rock Beach once again.

We had a fairly lazy morning, and as Vicky had to go and see her consultant for the final check up after her gallbladder operation, she dropped me off at the Hospital to visit Dee, where Maddi, Linda and Kethrine were installed, Vicky came to join us once she had had the all clear from her Man !  The lunch looked absolutely delicious - and I believe Vicky very kindly finished one of her deserts - all heart that girl !

We went home to continue lazing - our days together were getting shorter - when Kethrine turned up with Laura's two boys - I am sure the boys wondered why on earth they were dragged from their homework to visit some old soul and be told she was their Great Great Aunty from the UK - they hadn't a clue who I was or why !   But it was good to catch up with them too.  Fin is all energy and into everything and very outgoing, Joe is a dedicated footballer - and his aspirations are to play for Barcelona !  We shall see - their move out to W.A. from Bromley in Essex certainly has been the best for the whole family.  (Kethrine is Laura's Mum therefore Fin & Joe's Granny !!! - just so you get the relationships sorted )   For those of you who are unsure of our family, (most folk are !)  Dee (my eldest sister) was married to Arthur they had 5 children Kethrine (known as K to the family & friends) Stephen (Steve to f&f) Linda, Sarah, (sometimes know as Sas) and Nigel (Nige)  all of whom have moved to W.A. in steady stages, to catch up with Dee & Arthur when they escaped the rigors of the English Climate back in 1982 !

Then we were given the good news that Dee had been discharged and was safely back at home and feeling much happier being in her own surroundings.

Tuesday morning - Vicky and  I made our daily pilgrimage to Quinns Rock Beach - before setting off for Freemantle - Vicky Driving - with Google Maps and sliding right !  I have to admit she is a very good driver, and we got there safe and sound.  Had a lovely explore around, bought the last of our gifts for Cameron & Archie - and found a wonderful craft shop full of the most exotic yarns and a most unusual little jacket type thing.  Vicky immediately decided that I had to knit that for her !  The wool there was horrendously expensive and I know that my wonderful local Time Out shop (in Cheddar ) sells the same yarn for half the price, so armed with the knitting pattern, I opted out of purchasing the wool there an then  - besides my case was heavy enough as it was !  (As an aside - every baggage drop off point have fastened a label bearing the legend - HEAVY - 23 kg  - surely not !?!?!  Until you try to lift the blessed thing - hernia alley !!!)

I had suggested to Vicky before we went to Freemantle that perhaps it would be nice to go out for a meal on Tuesday evening - how about Yanchep Inn - in Yanchep National Park -

The above is Vicky & Bella at our picnic table in Yanchep Park a couple of weeks previously.

Craig's Grandpa - Jasper - was a Park Ranger at Yanchep, Craig spent a lot of time with his Grandpa and his "spiritual home" is Yanchep National Park - so he was delighted when Vicky phoned him to ask if he would like our final evening up at the Yanchep Inn.   He came home from work early for that event.

When we got up there at about 5.30pm we were asked by the owner if we would like to feel the kookaburras - would we - hell yes - Vicky is mad about birds - sadly my battery on my phone was fast dying but I do have a rather blurred photo of Vicky with the birds.

The kookaburras liked the strips of raw meat, but turned their beaks up when squid was offered !!  Fussy little perishers.  They are related to the Kingfisher - thought you would like the educational aspect of the evening.  

There were galas and 28's (28's are a parrot type bird and called 28's as the farmers used 28 shot to kill them - great animal lovers the Aussies !) all flying around going to find roosting places for the night, and as the sun slipped out of sight - the kangaroos started to drift out of the bush to graze on the lawns in front of the Yanchep Inn - it was the most amazing sight - and by the time we left after a delicious meal - it was pitch dark - and there  must have been 40+ roos on the lawns, ranging from the BIG males to the tiniest of joeys - there couldn't have been a more fitting end to my holiday of a lifetime.

Earlier on in my holiday one of Craig's colleagues had called around for a drink and natter - it has to be said that I didn't warm to the man - and from his conversation overheard by both Vicky and me - I decided he was a dodgy character and was concerned about Craig's connection with him.  Vicky and I nicknamed him Dodgy Tony - well I had to eat my words - well not all of them - because Dodgy Tony lives at Yanchep and when he heard that I was treating Craig and Vicky to dinner on the Tuesday - he put $50 behind the bar, and he was there in fact when we arrived.   So my bill at the end of the evening was nicely reduced !  I did thank him at the time, but thought I should (as any well brought up English girl would have done) write and thank him for his generosity !  Which I did upon our return to No 7 Wishaw Loop !  

Craig came into my room to say good bye to me before he went to bed (he goes to bed at about 8pm because he's up for work at 4am !!!  And yes there is a 4am in the day - one I have got used to seeing over the last month !)  He very sweetly told me, yet again, that he enjoyed my visit and that I could come, visit and stay for as long as, or even for ever, with them, and he would be very happy with that arrangement.  Probably because I did his laundry .... but all the same it was very kind of him, he's a lovely chap, typical Aussie bold, brash but with a heart of gold.

Anyway when Vicky gave Craig my letter to dodgy Tony - Craig, knowing my opinion of the man, asked Vicky what I had written, was I telling him off !!!!  Vicky assured him that I wouldn't do that, but I probably was thanking him.  Apparently Dodgy Tony was totally over bowled that anyone should write and thank him, so he too thinks I'm a very lovely lady - that's two people in the world - my credibility is gaining !

So here we come to Wednesday morning - packing - that in itself was a bit of a effort - but I did manage to get everything in - and it weighed in at 33 kg.  Heavy !!!

I went around the house taking photos - as if I would ever forget a single inch of the place that had been my home for over 3 weeks !  It was incredibly difficult to say good bye - not only to Jack and Millie - but to leave Vicky after such a brilliant holiday where, and I never thought I would ever have thought this - but it happened - where Vicky and I moved from Mother and Daughter relationship to being the very best of friends.  It is the pinnacle of my holiday - worth every penny and more.

My lovely daughter, mad, infuriating, stubborn, loving, loveable and with the biggest heart of gold - how very difficult to say goodbye and not know when we will see each other again.    I'll leave you to imagine and then multiply that by 1,000 + times !  

It was one long 3 hour wait for my flight - it wasn't a full flight but sadly I was sat by a delightful gentleman who had a bit of an internal problem, coupled with the turbulence from the outside and the flatulence from inside the aircraft - it was an interesting flight !

Off to Kuala Lumpur on the 4.30pm Malaysian Airlines (at this time I hadn't heard - because Vicky refuses to have the TV news on as she says its too depressing - about the tragedy in France) flight.  Arriving at 22.00 hours - Rog and Sarah were there waiting for me- so very kind of them - because its 70k from their home to the Airport - and there is a perfectly good train service - but thankfully they are very kind hearted did the airport run for me.  The temperature was about 30 + C even at that time of night. 

The following day Sarah and I went down to Little India and had a browse amongst the market stalls - there is such a lot of wonderful craft, wood and material for sale - I could have filled my suitcase with so much beautiful and unusual work, but sadly - it was not to be.    We had a lovely lazy lunch in a beautiful store and just chatted about everything, Dee mainly needless to say, and Sarah has promised to keep me up to date - which is so reassuring.

Then re-packing my suitcase - and off to the station.  Where because I was flying Malaysian Airlines I could purchase my ticket for the airport train and then take my luggage to the Malaysian Airlines baggage drop, collect my boarding pass and my baggage claim ticket and I wouldn't have to worry about my luggage until I reached Bristol Airport !  Brilliant - although I have to say I was just a little concerned that it might not get to its destination the same time as me - but I was wrong - it did, and it was one of the first ones off the plane and onto the carrousel !

This train from KLSentral to the Airport is amazing - its non stop and covers the 70k in 30 minutes - spits you out at the airport very close to departures.  I had three hours to wait for my flight there !  As I left the train the girl sat next to me left alongside me - so I asked her where she was heading - she too was going to Amsterdam - so we decided to wait together to pass the hours, she was a delightful girl about late 20's and of Finish extraction about 6 foot tall, blond, with quite a few facial piercings - but absolutely charming and a very interesting character she had been on her 3rd gap year !!!

A full flight for our return to Amsterdam - 13 hours - of unremitting turbulence - the seat belt sign was on practically the whole of the time.  Well all the time I was awake - I think I dozed now and then, but with the chap in front having his seat fully reclined and the person behind using my head rest as an aid to get out of the seat - as well as the folk he was letting out of their incarceration in the middle seats, it wasn't the most peaceful or restful in my career !!!

We landed at 6.am local time and the flight left Amsterdam at  9.30am - thankfully it left on time because at about 10am the whole airport was closed as they experienced a major electrical outage.

It was lovely to fly in over the UK - Mel tracked our flight over the North Sea but lost us - because his programme locked out after 30 minutes, apparently we were flying in close formation - two other aircraft either side of us but behind us - and when Mel logged back on the two were still there, but out plane had disappeared.  We had obviously landed - I've never been through an airport quite so quickly - I was out and ready for Mel to collect me by 10am !!!  Worry not its not a 30 minute flight - Europe were on Daylight Saving I guess - as we are now - time zones are there to confuse the already befuddled mind !

Back home at No 6 Glovers Field by 10.30am - so very much better than that horrendous coach journey from Heathrow !!!  Its worth every penny extra to fly from Bristol !!!

Thus ends my Antipodean Odyssey - thanks for following it !

If you are brave enough - photos follow .......

This is part of the back garden at 7 Wishaw Loop (Vicky & Craig's pad) and some of the entertainment area  - Chicken, Mr & Biggles - live in the aviary that is situated between the two settees at the back of the pergola !

Vicky with Jack (special needs Cocker Spaniel) and Millie (Vicky says she's a Maltese Cross - yeah right !!!)

Bella and Vicky sat in the Entertainment Area - Millie hiding behind Vicky - behind the settee is a lovely big table that seats 10 and beyond that is the double garage with the sauna in situ !  As if you need one of those in W.A.   To the left of the garage is the drying area - with a fixed washing line - brilliant !  Craig has big plans to re-design the back garden and the entertainment area including a much bigger aviary for the birds.  It should look fantastic when its done, but won't be started for a year or so - until they are financially sound.

This is the family lounge

that leads out in to the outdoor entertainment area - you can see the back of the red settee and a bit of the aviary to the left of Jack -

Vicky sitting at the dining room table (on the phone there's a surprise there then !) and you can see the door leading out into the garden !

Bella's  bedroom

 Early morning wake up call - with two mutts !

My Bedroom (Guest Bedroom) minus various occupants !

The guest bathroom complete with Jacuzzi and shower over ! plus the TV on the wall !!! Not seen in the photo !

The front door leading into another snug lounge on the left of the picture and to the right through the open door, Vicky & Craig's bedroom with en suite and dressing room!

The laundry with loo on the left of the  picture plus a huge cupboard for bedding and towels - washing machine and tumble dryer plus plenty of storage - a great area - the back door is located behind the steam mop - but not used by Vicky and Craig !

The hub of the house - with a door to the right of Vicky into the garage - a well thought out area- ergonomically designed.

Sorry out of order - this is the master bedroom - off from the front door - in the picture above x 2

Let me introduce you to Fish & Chips - sadly Fish died after the first weekend in residence in the Craig/Vicky establishment - Fish is the black one near the plastic Nemo - however they now have Shelly - another gold type that looks more like Chips - they were both alive when I left !

Kethrine & Chris's extension at Balingup Heights - the one storey with three windows above the main veranda is the original building the three storey bit is the extension - all of the above has been made with re-claimed materials - an amazing feat ! 

This is the entrance to the new extension - if anyone arrives expecting a religious service they could be forgiven - it really does look like a little village church with a bell tower !

A view from the middle window of middle storey of the extension !

And the Dunny - that can be gained from the original front of the house via the veranda nicely nestled in the trees !  If you look at the front of the house its situated out of the picture at the extreme right !

And this is an internal shot from the inside of the extension looking down into the living area of the original dwelling.

Hilary's Boat Yard

Another view of Hilary's boat yard - Dee in her wheelchair looking at the sculpture of 3 dolphins

A much better photo of Dee in her lounge - looking very well, and content.

I do have loads more photos - but will save those until you are brave enough to ask to see them !!!

Thank you so much for following my journey - its been such fun blogging - I hope you've had as much fun reading it !


 

Monday Plus Happenings with Wheelchairs.

I really feel that there was one HUGE omission regarding our stay at Settlers - and that was early on Sunday morning - trying to put behind me the horrors of the Portuguese Illegal Immigrants in Balingup - Vicky decided to walk the dogs round to paddock to get them used to the sheep !  I was sensibly sat on the deck with a cup of tea and my knitting - I certainly know how to have a good time !

So when Vicky shouted Mum come and have a look - I obediently left both items and journeyed down to the paddock where the most wonderful experience unfolded -- Mum Roo was there with two of her juvenile young !  They were in the bush just beyond the paddock fence - and watching us as we were watching them.  A truly magical moment - which tipped the scales - but only marginally from the horrors of the previous night !    I've seen Roos in the wild before but nothing so touching as in the early morning dawn in the middle of nowhere - just perfect.

Right where were we - back from Balingup and washing red mud off my feet - glorious thought I should discard that fairly swiftly dear reader !

Monday Vicky was off for her skills test - so I came down to Dee's - in Craig's car - a Toyota Landcruiser - V8   - quite tidy actually - and absolutely divine to drive.   I could get very used to it - he gave me $50 to fill up the spare tank (actually its got a proper name - but you know - getting used to the dementia bit of my future - I can't remember what its called !!!)

I happily chatted to the girls - Maddy was here and was going to take Dee to the hairdressers at 11am - so we had a chat before I blogged.  We had Maddy in fits of giggles when recounting her Grandfathers arrival in Shoreham by Sea  during the  weeks before his marriage to Dee - I should explain to those who don't know my family, that my brother-in-law Arthur - Maddy's grandpa on her paternal side - was Anglo/Dutch, he spoke 11 languages and was eventually the Commissioner of Police in Aden.  However in 1948 he was a lowly policeman in the Colonial Police in Lira a little town in Uganda, East Africa.  It was from there that Arthur had returned and would take Dee back as his bride after the wedding.  Well my mother - Granny Batten - was a terrible practical joker - so she devised a welcoming committee for Arthur's return (sufficient to put a less determined man off his goal of marrying the eldest daughter).  My Dad was detailed to wait at the railway station with a HUGE golfing umbrella and escort Arthur back to the family home, that was situated in the middle of the town, adjacent to the Church where the ceremony was to take place on the 19th August 1948.  On arriving at the ancestral home (we had lived in it for 5 years by that time) Arthur found the semi-circular driveway illuminated with many lighted candles, his future in-laws, lining the driveway with a selection of Pampas Grasses and muffled biscuit tins - just imagine the scene at dusk .... it took very little imagination for a passing cyclist (wobbling precariously at the vision before him) to report to friends and family that the Batten's daughter was marrying an African Prince and that they were performing a tribal welcoming ceremony !   Maddy thought this was hilarious bless her !  So did the family at the time.  Dee's long term memory is excellent and she added the various bits and pieces that made up this wonderful reunion - she hadn't seen him for 3 years from the time they got engaged to the time they met when his boat docked at Tilbury !!!  They had written to each other every day for those three years !  Dee's first and only love of her life ! 

Reminiscing is so lovely with Dee, she can remember every child, grandchild and great grandchild's name, date of birth and who they belong to - which is some feat - I'm just so glad I just have two grandsons and that's at a push to recount their full names and dates of birth !!!  Dee however is an absolute fount of all knowledge regarding the family.   However, what happened just a couple of minutes ago, sadly passes into the aeons of cyber space without trace.  It can be very upsetting for her and confusing, however she has three wonderful daughters who care for her in their own special ways, and she is so loved and cherished.  It has been oh so very worthwhile coming out here - now - to visit her.

It was decided on Monday that on Tuesday - Sarah would drive Dee and myself up to Kings Park - a beautiful park high up overlooking the city of Perth - it has the most glorious views of the surrounding area especially the Swan River and the foreshore (which is currently being dug up and replaced by something exotic at Barrack Street Pier where the pleasure boats moor up !  The Crystal Swan (owned by my nephews) is now in the middle of a building site, not that pleasant a demarking venue for a wedding or other up market occasion ! )

Vicky was married in the Japanese Tea pergola in Kings Park back in 2009 - I've not been back since and I so love the whole area, it is also one of Dee's favourite places.   Description really defies its ambiance - it has everything there.  The war memorial for the two World Wars are situated up there with the commanding view of the Narrows where the two rivers join and flow down to Freemantle and the sea.  Plus ALL of Perth and the surrounding area and hills beyond - its just glorious.  The park itself has the avenue of remembrance where each tree has a plague recalling the name of each of those who gave their lives  in those two conflicts.  These trees  are now HUGE and its just such a peaceful memorial with the breeze whispering through the leaves.

There are also the obligatory cafes and restaurants and gift shops there too, but its in good taste and much improved from the original structures of previous years, all nicely paved around the hospitality areas.  And the loos are MUCH improved.

Further away from the more commercialised area are the gardens, parkland, water features, Aboriginal art and a tree top walk !  Well Dee had her wheelchair and so we were able to take her further than she has been for some considerable time.  We actually managed to take her up along the tree top walk - and then down to the water gardens in memory of the women who served W.A. in the early years, in fact Australian women had the vote before we girls did in the UK - a forward thinking nation for certain sure.

We stopped for a breather after the hill into the Banksia gardens - golly how many types of Banksia are there for  heavens sake - they are all beautiful and so amazingly adapted to the somewhat harsh Australian climate.

Dee was ready for her nap when we returned to No 23 Halgania Drive,  and thus ended another lovely day with my darling, adorable, gracious and grateful sister.

Wednesday morning saw us up bright and early - okay you can dismiss the 'bright'  - Sarah was returning to KL on the 6.30am flight - so she needed to be at the Airport at 4.45am latest - Vicky woke me at 3.15am ( WOKE me - its the first time I've actually slept past 2am - and I was in a deep, deep sleep - so you can understand the removal of the word "bright" I txt Sarah at 3.30am when we left and she was obviously ready with her suitcase outside the front door when we arrived.  Vicky is an excellent driver and we found the airport in the dark without any slip ups.   Dropped Sarah off - and left her to find her flight  - I shall be seeing her again next Wednesday night - my plane arrives at 22.00 ! I fly out at 23.58 on Thursday 26th !   So that journey will be repeated yet again but at lunch time instead of  well before breakfast !   We got home with the dogs and it was raining - thankfully neither dog has much of a brain cell between them, so they were quite happy NOT to go for a walk - they had been out for a drive- so much more civilised.  Strange to relate both Vicky and I were somewhat tired, so we dozed until we had to really carry on with the rest of the day - i.e. seeing Nanna Welch !

Wednesday, Nanna Welch (Craig's Grandmother) had invited us down to her place - so off with went with Google Maps - now this is where Vicky nearly had a serious car accident, she was laughing so much - at my expense of course - what else.  Those of you who have Google maps will have a female voice telling you where to go, Sarah uses them in KL - I'm going deaf - (according to Vicky the better description would be "Gone" )   The voice uttered what I heard as "slide right" which I thought was a really silly thing to say - and when I mentioned this to Vicky - she just cracked up with laughter - I should have heard "Slight right'  - needless to say Vicky took it further - and made up some equally silly instructions - "hand break turn into that parking place"  "you idiot you've gone the wrong way - do a Uee NOW " - I'm not being allowed to forget that I'm somewhat hard of hearing !!!!

Nanna Welch is such a character, with a total heart of gold and a rod of steel running right through her, she obviously adores Craig - (as most Grandmothers adore their grandkids) but she doesn't have rose tinted glasses, she certainly calls a spade a spade !  She told me (and Vicky & she has told Craig) that Vicky is the best thing that had ever happened to Craig in his entire life, that she has wrought such a change in him, and the family are absolutely delighted and hope that she will continue to work with him, because he has so many rough spots that need rounding !!!!   I left her with the knowledge that not only my family out here will always be there for Vicky, but that Craig's family are there for her too.
Nanna also had Jack and Millie behaving -  she is some formidable lady to be able to do that !

Wednesday late afternoon and early evening - I was allowed by Linda - to take my turn at "looking after" Dee - Linda was off on airport duties - for a 5.30 afternoon flight and a delivery of passenger to some suburb of Perth.  So I came over to Doncraig - with my knitting - praise be I was on the sewing up stage of the garment and not before time.

Dee and I had a lovely evening - chattering as we knitted, but before that we decided to go for a walk around the block - with the wheelchair of course, I've not up graded to the Goffer yet.  Its a lovely area - very nice houses with well tended front yards, and the odd little park dotted about the place, we were out for a good hour or so, Dee walking on the flat bits and me pushing her up the hills, there are lots of uphills and very few down I've discovered at bit like the Mendips but nowhere so steep.  Linda arrived back at about 7.30pm - so for the first time I had to drive in the dark - its only 18 minutes from door to door - so it wasn't that much of a challenge.

Today, as I write, its Thursday - Dee and I have been to Hilary's Boat Yard, and had a lovely morning, just strolling around, looking at the shops and purchasing a gift for Sheila - to give to a friend as a birthday present.  There was no hurry - which of course I find amazing to comprehend - slowing down isn't an option normally.  However, Dee enjoyed the stroll and her carriage rides - we stopped at the Dome for a Berry Bliss (for me) and a Triple Ginger Beer (for Dee) plus some gluten free biscuits !  We both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  However slight panic - Dee lost her sun glasses - I know I should have been watching - but I wasn't - however retracing out steps to the Dome, and the loos - we eventually found the glasses in Dee's trouser pocket !!!!  Home and to the computer - for me, and for Dee to bed for her afternoon nap !  I was sure I would be "sacked" by the sisters if on my first tour of duty I failed and lost the glasses !!!  So glad we found them.

As we are off to Steve and Maria's for High Tea at 3.30pm I guess I had better sign off - go back to Vicky's change and be presentable for our social engagement - and remember to take Viv's gift of After 8's and polos to Steve !

Chat again soon.

Friday 13th evening through to Sunday Night

Friday 13th and on returning from Dee's to get ready and to collect Vicky for our Supper Party at Dee's - Craig was - I discovered - home  early it was lovely to see him, but he had to refuse our invitation to the Family Get together as he was leaving at midnight for his 18 hour round trip in his Road Train - they are such huge vehicles, and to be honest I can't remember the Mine he was hauling for - its out in the real outback miles from Perth !

Vicky drove us back - obviously not 100% concentrating as I had to remind her to turn off onto Warwick and then were to turn into Dee's road - bless her - I think its way too late to blame the anaesthetic - more likely the Canadian Club she had been drinking with Craig !

Foolishly, forgetting that although there is air con in Dee's family room, its NOT as cold as the fridge - and therefore it would have been more sensible to liberate and decorate the chilled lemon flan at the last possible moment rather than before the guests arrived.  Suffice it to say I have yet to see a more athletic dessert - however it tasted fine - should have been eaten with a straw - but you can't legislate for temperature in this neck of the woods.

A very convivial evening was enjoyed by all the family - lots of giggles, and very little silences - no silences in fact, a normal family get together with very, very palatable wine - Oyster Bay anyone ???

The following morning,  I walked the dogs whilst Vicky packed up their bags with food etc etc, and we set off just 5 minutes later than we had intended, but arrived at Dee's at the prescribed time to collect Kethrine and transport her back to Balingup - where we were staying for the night.

I should explain for those who don't know our family that well.  Kethrine (one of my many nieces) and Chris (her husband) moved out to WA about 17 years ago when they got married, and bought a lovely hill with its own genuine "bush/forest" of Jarrah, gum and other native trees, as well as a resident Kangaroo, that was home to some Cedar Holiday Chalets.  K and Chris spent a fortune bringing these slightly run down chalets into the 21st century with all mod cons and beautifully furnished and decorated.  They reaped the benefits and became very well known in the WA Tourist Guides winning many accolades and prizes !  Mel and I have stayed there many times and love it down there, snakes, fires and other hazards excluded !  K & Chris also bought Settlers Cottage, still within the boundary of Balingup but about 6 k from the Hill Top Idyll !  Vicky and I were to stay in Settlers as K & Chris sold Balingup Heights (as the collection of Holiday Cottages were called) some 5 years ago.  However, they retained the "Gallery" a property they built to "retire" to as well as a portion of the Bush plus several acres of land that boasts the most amazing views over the surrounding countryside.  

Chris & K NEVER stop working - they are an amazing couple and are now in the process of finishing off the extension (that doubles the floor area) that adjoins the Gallery - it is an unusual but glorious extension - a bit like a fairy tale castle from one side and a village church from the other !  All built with recycled material, wood (from an old sheep shearing shed) or from their bush/forest, recycled windows, reclaimed stone - they are amazing.

Settlers Cottage is just lovely it was built about 100 years ago on an original homesteaders plot of about 6 acres with the Balingup Brook running through the paddocks.  The garden surrounding the three bedroom property is just divine - with really mature lemon, lime trees, roses beautiful shrubs and mature specimen trees - its beautiful and the original homesteaders "house" is still standing in the grounds, it makes you wonder how in the heck they lived there with children in such a small abode.  The Cottage is surrounded by a lovely veranda and decking areas where you can sit in the shade at any time of the day, its beautiful.   So that was to be Vicky & my home for the weekend.  Fabulous - in fact we were the last guests to stay there as Chris & K have sold that property too, it was a rental property and they no longer want to play that game.  Its such hard work.  Not that they are shy of hard work believe you me.

On our way down to Balingup - about a 3 + hour drive down a new Freeway ( built since Mel and I were last out there) - we have to pass the Miami Pie Shop - well you don't have to - but you would be oh so foolish if you did, because their pies are to die for.  The original Miami Pie shop was sited on the old main road down South to Bunbury and beyond - so when the New Freeway was in the planning stages, the owners of the Pie Shop bought an acreage from a farmer on the planned route that had a couple of big barns - converted one in to toilets - the other was for storage and they put a mobile food "caravan" on the site with Freezers and Fridges in the container at the back - and into business they went on the NEW Freeway - not too much of an outlay - but boy is it busy - from 7am in the morning till dusk - there is always a queue ! They also serve coffee and other beverages but NO alcohol !  It is a gold mine.  Needless to say we stopped on the way down (and strange to relate - we stopped on the way back - probably more of that later !!!)

After a lovely lunch Vicky & I drove out to Settlers to meet one of Vicky's old Balingup friends - but of course she had to stop off at this shop and that place en route - catching up with all the folk she knew from when she lived out there in 1999 & 2006 !     It took a while to get there ..........

Eventually we arrived and settled in - K had already arrived much earlier than us - so she and I had a great catch up whilst Vicky caught up with her friend.

We were expected back at The Gallery for dinner and duly arrived - I was driving as Vicky and Lizette had celebrated their reunion fairly copiously !  The drive up from the Nannup Road to Balingup Heights is a challenge incredibly steep with a series of hairpin bends and a sheer drop one side and the hill (solid rocks and that sort of unforgiving stuff) on the other !  In the light its not a problem but in the dark coming down, the headlights don't actually point where you want to see !!!

It was raining - something that was welcomed with open arms by the residents of Balingup they had NOT seen any rain since October and they had experienced lots of fires - this rain was heaven sent.  Unfortunately I was NOT aware what came with the rain - water is lovely and cooling and thirst quenching but there is something entirely revolting that comes with the rain in that location.  They are Portuguese Millipedes  - they are black, with an armour coating and they wriggle and squirm - and they invade every property where there is a light - and NOTHING kills them other than sweeping them up (in their thousands - I kid you NOT) and drowning them or burning them and they smell disgusting !  One resident was so appalled by them (I know exactly how he felt) spent hundreds of pounds having a trench built all round his property - basically a small moat - had it lined, water proofed and filled with water - no worries they just slithered into it and drowned but more followed until they made a bridge of dead relatives and continued to slither across them and headed into the house - and this happens every time it rains and a light is on in the house.  The agricultural agency have agreed that NOTHING will kill them, even pure thick bleach has no effect on them at all, they continue to march !  

K hates them - and I fully understand her revulsion - I couldn't wait to get away and back to Settlers - because she assured me that they don't live down by Settlers - oh yes they do - when we got back - and we had left a light on in the house and on the veranda - they were there to greet us.  If I could have been transported back to Shipham there and then I would have gone without a second thought !

Vicky and I switched out ALL the lights bar one - being the furthest away from our bedrooms - and swept up these devilish creations whilst I found more and more for her to sweep up - from the walls, the skirtings coming in through the closed doors - they were like a nightmare science fiction B movie - they were gross.  I cannot emphasise just how ghastly the whole scenario was.

Sleep didn't come too easily and trips to the bathroom during the night was fraught.

The next morning we were awake by 6am and out of the house on the veranda - waiting until we could go up to the Gallery for breakfast at a more sociable time for a Sunday.  I elected to spent the time with personal hygiene - the plumber had been there fixing the loo or some such task ready for the sale to go through - so the water from the bore hole was probably not as clear as it should have been !  The speed of the water dribbling out of the hot tap indicated that it would be a ducks puddle rather than a full blown bath !  Sadly I didn't have War and Peace handy to read whilst the bath filled - and the cold tap was producing distinctly earth quality coloured liquid.  My face cloths suffered seriously when I washed my feet !!!   Its ALL and adventure living in the Sticks - if ANY ONE even remotely tells me that Shipham is a backwater - please stand back for my reaction !!!

On leaving Settlers - I suggested to Vicky that she drop me at the road when we reached the drive so I could walked up the mile track with the dogs to give all of  us some much needed exercise.  What did I discover ?  Those dreadful black things were still progressing upwards to the dwellings at the top of the hill !  I must have stepped on hundreds of them but I kept walking there was NO way I would stop in case they crawled up my trainers !  Oh yuck, yuck, and double yuck !

My love for Balingup certainly took a dive - there is no way I could ever live in those conditions.

Mel always said I would NOT have made a good 'Early Settler" I am sure he would have given me away for a string of beads that's if of course anyone would have wanted to give something as valuable away in payment for me !!!  

After a tour of the property and lots of photo taking - which I cannot down load onto Dee's computer because I don't have the necessary equipment with me - ok I know it should be all on Google + but it doesn't seem to want to work and I'm not a technical sort of person as you ALL know by now !  So the photos will have to wait 12 days until I get home and get it sorted for my final blog.

We went down to the Packing Shed - owned by Chris & K and Birdwood Vinery - to catch up with folk I know from my previous visits to Balingup and to have a lovely salad and (whisper this - a large bowl of chips to be shared between us all) for our lunch and then we left about 2pm to drive back to Perth and civilisation  once more.   The Packing Shed, K's brilliant idea,  was a thriving collection of bijou shops and outlets in the old Packing Shed, including the Birdwood Vinery, it still houses the Balingup Museum as well as a lovely café - sadly many of the lovely little shops haven't survived and K has decided that she is to retire at the end of June this year.

My phone decided it really didn't like being in the sticks and although Vicky had good service on her Telstra driven phone - my Telstra driven phone said there was NO way it was going to work, probably it had heard about the Portuguese invasion !    As soon as we got out of the area and to a wonderful Vinery where Vicky purchased a crate of glorious white wine - my phone decided that the threat to life and limb was now over and came back to life - just how weird is that ?- so I was able to contact Mel - who had been in blissful ignorance of the ordeal his beloved wife and daughter had endured - and Ben - who wished me Happy Mothering Sunday and sent me a lovely photo of Archie dressed ready for another Party - what a social animal he is turning out to be, love him.

A fill up of fuel was necessary to ensure a safe trip home, and then to look out for Midway - and the Miami Pie shop on our way home.  Midway is the name of the area - its obviously mid way between somewhere and another - but not too sue what or where !  Shock horror - we drove past - there isn't a sign on the North side of the Freeway - only on the South side - so we had to drive up to the next intersection down a the road and do a U-turn where the road was wide enough and back onto the Freeway South - apparently its illegal to do a U-turn at the freeway intersections - even when a pie is the reason for such drastic actions.

The glorious smell of the pies in the car on our way home was almost too much to bear.  Vicky had bought Craig - a box of uncooked prawn pies (at his request) she bought me a steak and kidney pie, she had a sherried lamb pie and a cooked Mushroom Pie for Craig  !  They were so worth doing the extra miles .......  I must ask why did Craig get three pies and Vicky and I only one each ?????

So lovely to be back in No 7 Wishaw Drive, a shower to remove the Balingup Red dust - I had to soak my face cloths in Vanish all night and it still didn't remove the stains my filthy red dust stained feet had left  !    So another weekend bites the dust - literally !

Yanchep National Park - Wednesday 11th March

Another glorious clear blue sky day with constant sunshine - ok so why should I rub it in - when most of my readers are coping with highs of a balmy 11 degrees C !  Well I don't get suntanned so I need to let you know that there has been sunshine because when I come home you would never have suspected I had even seen the sun  from the colour of my skin !

So Wednesday after walking Millie and Jack - that really is a travesty of terms - I don't walk them - they bound about towing me from one lovely smelling site to another - I walk at 6am to avoid other dogs as Millie is a nightmare (her owner adores her so I've got to be careful how I describe her - I'll post a photos at some stage and then you will know)  Jack, however is a proper dog, he too has absolutely no manners when on a lead - but of course he was on Vicky's block in Gingin had three or more acres to guard - he felt it his duty to patrol the neighbours blocks either side as the fences were not Jack proof !!!  Therefore the entire area in which he now resides, he feels is somewhat over crowded by other canines, and they should be told in no uncertain terms that they are trespassing - when he sees them.  Actually when he's out without Millie (who kicks off at the slightest imagined sight of another dog) he is far better, and I really believe that deep down, he wants to be friendly - its just that it would be totally embarrassing if he wasn't as friendly as we believe he is !

After my arm exercise (being pulled by two dogs is quite a challenge) its back home for a shower and breakfast, cope with one small person - who actually was remarkably well behaved on Wednesday.  At 10.30am we duly set off with picnic, wet wipes and determination to enjoy the day.  Which we did in bucket fulls.

Yanchep is lovely, there are Koalas and Kangaroos plus all the wonderful native birds - who are stunningly beautiful !  There is a lake upon which you can row your boat - when there is sufficient water - currently it is at low ebb and fairly well populated with mosquitoes - so NOT the best place to sit near.  We organised our picnic table mid way between the café and the Visitor Information Centre - and not too far away from the loos - in all a perfect site.  The picnic table was sited underneath a beautiful old Oak tree so we were in shade for the whole of the time we where there - which was great as it was an exceedingly hot day - around 30 + something !   Vicky and I indulged in freshly squeezed Orange and Apple juice - just divine - Bella opted for a bottle of  Guava, while we waited for Dee and Sarah to join us. 

Bella and I opted to find the Koalas - it being daytime, the little darlings were to be found high in the gum trees in the crook of branches looking highly uncomfortable and in danger of falling out of their sleeping accommodation.  In total we saw 6 -they are so difficult to find as they really camouflage themselves so well in the shade of the leaves and branches.  They are so cute though.

After our picnic we just lazed about - Bella and I then made the intrepid journey down to the aforementioned empty lake - and found loads of dragon flies as well as what appeared to be tadpoles - 100's of them wiggling about in the odd bits of water that remained.   We walked on the wooden pontoons where - in the marginally wetter seasons - row boats would be tied up.  I was terrified she would fall into the mud - from the deck - but thankfully all was calm and no disasters occurred.

One tired little girl fell asleep on the journey home. 

Thursday, Vicky was driving - she drove to Yanchep the day before - stating she could drive after 7 days - her week was obviously somewhat longer than the week everyone else had !  It should have been  7 days after the operation - she decided it was 7 days including the operation !  Bless her - I have to say she is one tough cookie - she has recovered remarkably well from the operation and other than allowing me to walk Jack - she's back to full power !    I digress - we took Bella to school and then made our way to do some shopping (as you do) unfortunately there was a lot of police activity first on the Freeway - pretty flashing lights and sirens - then after we turned off on to Ocean Drive -there seemed to be a fair amount of traffic and it wasn't until we had delivered Bella and were trying to get back to Joondalup that we were really held up !  We caught up with the problem - eventually - and saw 7 cars - all totalled - with several police cars in attendance the odd ambulance and lots of folk on the central reservation on phones or exchanging details with each other and the police.   How in the wide world can 7 cars get totalled ALL going the same way on a stretch of road that is dual carriage way and with a 70kpm speed limit ????  It beats me - you can expect that on a motorway - but in an urban situation ???

Last night Bella went back to her Mum -  Craig was understandably downcast -  to cheer him up - Vicky cooked us the most delicious Rib Eye steak - I really thought mine could feed a family of four - but strange to relate I managed - manfully - to finish it ALL and it was totally delicious.

This mornings tasks were - after walking the dogs - Vicky with Millie me with Jack - to get Jack shampooed and set for his weekend away (Millie had her wash and brush up earlier in the week) and Jack had to have a grade one hair cut !  I therefore had two showers this morning - one with Jack as he came out of the shower and one that I had scheduled for my own personal hygiene.

Today I am with Dee and Kethrine, we decided to take her in her "Goffer" for a walk in the park - but first you have to cross the traffic !  This may sound simple to you - but we didn't listen to Dee - we decided we would cross at the lights - we got half way across the dual carriage way when the lights changed against us  - and guess what - there is no button to push when you are between the two carriage ways on the island.   Having waited for several changes of lights - we were concerned we would still be there by nightfall - so when I preserved that it was clear for me to make the 100 yard dash to the opposite side of the carriage way - I did - and there I was able to press the  button - then dash back - so I could help Dee across when the lights changed in our favour - cos K was driving the Goffer !  What an oversight of the Department of Transport - how could young mums with buggies and toddlers actually manage to cross the two carriage ways - three lanes each way - when the pedestrian lights give you about 10 seconds to cross.  K thought I did the carriageway dash in excellent style - I certainly have had my exercise for the day - I'm going to have to go home for a shower and change before I return to Dee's for our family dinner tonight !

I'm looking forward to that - I cooked the casserole in Craig's slow cooker and transported it over this morning - now there are way too many roundabouts between Kinross and Dee's house to successfully transport a overfull slow cooker !  Isn't Clingfilm a wonderful thing ????  I made it over with absolutely NO spillage in Vicky's car - and the chilled lemon and lime flan - arrived safely too - no accidents - so unlike my catering days !!!!!

So there you are folks - bang up to date  - and tomorrow we go down to Balingup.

Photos of my wonderful 4 day experience in Kuala Lumpur thanks to Sarah & Rog

Sarah in her gorgeous apartment in Kuala Lumpur - where I was royally treated for 4 glorious days of sight seeing, wonderful meals and good giggles.

This is THE BEST street restaurant in all of KL - the food was just wonderful - photo (hopefully below) I so loved it that Sarah and I went returned to feast,  when Rog had to fly out for work !  It was the most delicious Thai food -

 

 



This was our first meal - the item that looks like a large round bread roll is in fact a fresh Coconut with the (blue) straw (for the fresh milk)  and a spoon so you can dig out the coconut flesh - its the BEST drink !  The Satay Chicken on the purple dish was my choice - but these guys didn't make/ cook it, but they knew a restaurant across the road who did - so they got the order from them.  Just so lovely, friendly and accommodating.  This meal along with two bottles of beer for Rog came to the princely sum of 17.50 UK pounds !  For the three of us - I've always been generous to a fault !!!  I was so worried I wouldn't have sufficient money and these restaurants certainly don't take credit cards - I need  not have been anxious - three of your can "stuff yourself for well under 20 quid !  Bargain !

Sarah and Rog at the restaurant - not a good photo - but the only one I can find !!!

This was our Saturday morning destination the Batu Caves - absolutely amazing - one of the oldest and most popular Hindu shrines - and you can see in the background the 272 steps that lead up to the caves - this Gold statue guards the cave entrance.

Sarah at the start of our climb into the Cave system.   We took the middle staircase to avoid the monkeys - yeah right - and then discovered that the centre staircase was for pilgrims - whoops !

This Statue / shrine was one of many inside the cave system - in fact this one was right at the furthest point where the cave opens up to the sky many hundreds of feet above - so there is some vague daylight there - I reckon ALL women should have the benefit of two pairs of arms !!!  Just a personal suggestion but so useful when you are unloading the car, trying to cope with small children or dogs. It should be looked into with genetic engineering !  Clothing might be a  problem initially but someone would come up with a designer label !!!

This was Friday morning's first sightseeing tour of the Malaysian Indian and Chinese Quarters - this was the one of the many Indian Shrines/temples, and the view I saw when I came out of the car park - so unlike the views in Weston !!!

This lion/dragon and highly decorated statue guard the entrance to a local Chinese temple (almost opposite to the Indian Shrine above)- the lion is carved out of one piece of stone - (granite I believe) and in his mouth is a ball - carved in situ and it cannot be taken out of its mouth - I believe it is symbolic - but can't remember why !  There is another identical dragon/lion and statue on the other side of the temple entrance.

 

 

 

And this is the temple the Lions and their statues were guarding - we arrived at the Chinese were celebrating their New Year - so lots of incense and fire crackers as well as Dragon Dances - all very noisy but great fun and lanterns stretching all down the roads and alley ways in the Chinese Quarter.(The temple isn't on a slant - it was the photographer who was)

 

The Entrance to one of the many Market's this one was air conditioned - thankfully - I've taken the photo from the front of Sarah's car as we waited to cross the traffic.KL.

And those sort of yellow marking indicates you could cross the road - but you really took your life in your hands if you did - it seems that pedestrians were fair game a sport for adding  another notch on the steering wheel !



The traffic - totally manic - suicidal motorcyclists mixing it with the other road uses with very little thought for their own safety or anyone else for that matter.  I was SO glad I didn't have to drive in



Sadly (or probably heaving a sign of relief) that's all the photos I have managed to find - on Dee's computer that I've down loaded from my phone !  The other day when I looked on her computer - I found all the photos - that I had taken - about 500 or so - but they've certainly taken off, probably shy not wishing to be viewed by the general public.  So I'll sign off for now - and try to get up to date with the Australian Odyssey - you see I can spell it if I really try !!!

 

 

Friday Evening and the Weekend

I have now been away from home for an entire week and a bit - in some aspects it seems so long ago I left the misty Mendip Hills and my lovely husband - so  you've seen it in print - it must be true !

Back to Kinross - Kat would be very much at home here - as the name suggests - Kinross is an area where all the roads are named after towns, villages, rivers and mountains in Scotland. Its very strange driving past Edinburgh en route to Dee's house.

Friday evening, two of Vicky's ex-colleagues from the mine turned up with the most wonderful arrangement of a dozen red roses, that was a great morale boost for Vicky !  They stayed for a while - politely  refusing my offer of chilli for their supper !  What did Vicky tell them about my culinary expertise ?  It was lovely to meet Vicky's friends and know that she has such a wonderful support system out here !

Saturday Morning Craig was in fine form - it was because Bella his 4 year old daughter was coming to stay for her 5 days with her Daddy.  Vicky decided we needed to do a shop - although the previous evening she was sure she could come with me - I suggested it was best if she rested.  I was proved correct (for once) Vicky didn't have the best nights sleep and was in some discomfort so she wrote me a list and sent me on my way with Google Maps on my phone ! I saw where I had to go on the phone - which didn't coincide with Vicky's directions.  However, I thought it seemed simple enough and it would have been, had I not balanced my phone on my knee - in the absence of anything in the car that could accommodate the instrument and that allowed visual access !!!  Regretfully on going round the first roundabout - the phone slipped from its resting place and was unobtainable for the rest of the journey - thankfully I had remembered the name of the road that was to lead me to the Shopping Mall.  Success I found my way and parked up !  What an achievement !   However on arriving in Woolworths - I was absolutely horrified at the cost of peppers - we think we pay through the nose - try shopping over here - own brand freshly baked bread is about the same price as in the UK - all depending on where you shop - but fruit is a horrendous price as are veg and salad stuff-- the basics of life !!! 

Now au fait with the new route to the Shopping Mall, I retraced my tyre tracks and rocked up at Vicky & Craig's just an hour after my departure, feeling very smug and self satisfied.  We had a quiet day waiting for Craig to return with his little girl, and spent the rest of the day, entertaining one small person, she loves the dogs and the birds so is happy enough !  Quite a shy little girl, but soon thawed out and was playing hide and seek whilst I endeavoured to knit !  I sadly have abandoned the knitting subsequently until I can have an afternoon, free from ALL other distractions and maybe - just maybe I'll finish the shrug I started in Amsterdam. 

I didn't visit Dee on Saturday as she was going with the rest of the family to watch Viv (the newly engaged grandson) play cricket in Freemantle.  Sadly they arrived just after Viv took an amazing catch, they didn't see him bowl, and his team got the opposing ones out fairly swiftly.  Viv was batting at No 5 - but once more a disappointment for Granny - the team had over shot the oppositions score, with batsman No 4 - so other than it was a lovely day out at Cricket - Granny (Dee) didn't witness her grandson's prowess.

Sunday - Craig had invited some of his family over for a BBQ at 5.00pm - Vicky had had a marginally less uncomfortable nights sleep and felt better on Sunday morning, she was determined to get the salads made - she's so much better than I am at it - that I very happily acquiesced to her plans.  I left in a marked manner to visit Dee and had a lovely lazy time with the family prior to Linda, Rol and Antonia leaving for Albany after their splendid time in Malaysia !  Such excitement in the family with the wedding just six weeks away. 

I returned as requested by my daughter to the family home, in time to shower and tart myself up for meeting Craig's Nan, his Aunty Jane and her husband and their daughter plus Uncle Graham -  they were a delight, so friendly and welcoming and Nan has invited us down to her home, when we get back from Balingup - that is planned for next weekend.

It was a late night for the residents of No 7 Wishaw Drive - we didn't retired until 10.30pm - I'm normally in bed by 8.30 pm - 9 pm tops - well with Craig leaving for work at 4am - he has to get his beauty sleep - so we might all cash in on that experience.

So bright and early this morning I walked Jack and Millie once more - whilst Vicky persuaded Bella to get dressed and have breakfast before the drive to School.   Vicky is just amazing with Bella - she is very firm, but adores the little girl, the feelings are mutual, which is lovely to see.

One small  person looking just so cute in her school uniform was duly dispatched to her place of education !  Then it was off to the Shopping Mall for the odd things that Vicky needed, and home - sort out the wash and come down the freeway to visit Dee again, its 30 degrees today - so it was pretty warm in the back garden with Dee - Maddy (a great niece of mine and one of Dee's many grand childlren) was here, she comes every Monday to take Dee to the hairdresser and then stay and play scrabble or something similar with Dee, allowing the daughter in charge of the house (Sarah this week) a little time to get odd jobs done, like go to the library and such like.

I am now totally up to date - and hopefully will find my way back to Vicky's without a second thought - and onward to do the school run.  My next update will be when I do something amazingly clever - like drive down to Balingup - and tell you all about that beautiful little village in the middle of nowhere at the back of beyond - you think Shipham is in the sticks -you ain't seen nothing .......

Thanks for reading - I promise the sense of humour will return.

G'day - its hot amd breezy ! What's not to like it here !

I know I should download some photos - but I really haven't plucked up the courage to be discouraged at my inability to come to terms with that technology - I promise that at the end of this blog - which might go on rather longer than I am sure you would have hoped - I will endeavour to do a photo blog - how about that ?  Deal ?  Okay don't drown me with replies then !

Following on from Tuesday morning,  Vicky decided we needed a food shop so off we went (I hasten to add AFTER I had showered and washed my hair so looked more or less human !)  we drove into Ocean Reef something or other Mall - it seemed to take ages, but Vicky's driving is great (after all who taught her ?  I think it was Mel - I only took over the mantle when she was actually pretty good and I didn't have kittens every time we went out or argued).

Once there we found the Post Office- and then KMart - where I purchased a couple of pairs of 3/4 jean type trousers and a pair of "thongs" Ozzy parlance for flip flops so don't get too excited.  As my lovely ones (as previously stated) had a blow out in KL !!!  All this for $35 bargain - exchange rate is currently just over $1.80 to the pound - (Dee's computer doesn't sport the pound sign as far as I can fathom).   The major reason for the shop - I now recall, was to get me back into contact with the outside world - using my UK phone would bankrupt us within seconds - so a sim card was the first major purchase $30 for 250 texts and minutes - can't be bad  (as an aside Vicky checked the balance on day 2 and I had $190 credit - I'm not querying the amount - just thankful that Telstra or whoever I am with is so generous !!!)

Home with all the shopping - and a chill out in the garden - oh Vicky & Craig's place is just lovely - it only lacks a pool, according to them and a redesigned entertainment area, I think its perfect as it is now and not a priority - but can see in the years to come to update it and incorporate the Aviary into the design would be fantastic.  Vicky and Craig had erected the "new" aviary for Chicken, Biggles and Mr - Craig was somewhat fed up with the birds flying free in the house - there is a lot of mess and feathers to clear up every day in the house ! (I'm certainly with him on that one)  So a flat pack metal aviary was purchased, unpacked, several items found missing, and when it was more or less erected, Craig went off to play golf.  The text he received from Vicky would not have passed any censors in the UK for certain sure, she was experiencing a problem with attaching the wire mesh to the frame - a fairly important procedure - and the fixings were the items that were missing !  So she resorted to string - it works - it may not be the best form of fixings but for the moment - its fine.  The birds are way happier - I keep telling Vicky - I may be lying - as their area is considerably reduced ..... maybe I should have said - I'm much happier with their accommodation.  It has a half door - so any human over 2'6" has to double up to get in there - why would you do that ? because its the only way to feed the birds.  Hold on to this bit of information - it will come in useful later on !

Off to bed after one of Vicky's lovely meals - oh she is such a great cook - it was going to be my turn the shortly and she sets a very high standard - bless her, she served her Speg.Bog - how cruel - that's my signature dish !  No way could I follow that ! 

Wednesday morning Vicky decided we would have a dummy run to the hospital and then on to Dee's for coffee - which was fine - I knew driving to the hospital wasn't going to be an issue - she was going to be doing that - it was the finding my way back at 7am in the morning when the rush hour was getting up to speed, that was going to be my major issue.

We came down to Dee's and had coffee sitting in the garden - it was lovely and relaxed, and great to catch up.  Needless to say we couldn't leave the dogs for long - Millie had tried to make a break for freedom when Vicky went shopping and left me at home - Vicky was of the opinion that Millie was just wanting human company - but its HER company that Millie craves.  So another 2' square slab was positioned against the back gate that had been the point of  her departure on Monday morning !
Vicky and I had a baking afternoon - me curried butternut squash, sweet potato and carrot soup - Vicky Banana bread - and preparation for the night's meal.  We so know how to have a good time.

Early night - and very little sleep - a result of my anxiety of being transport manager for the next few days, so at 6am we set off for the Hospital and arrived some 10 minutes later (strange how I made the journey back last so much longer !!!)  I stayed with her until she was called and then - with fingers crossed - made the journey home - result I got there - safe and sound without getting lost !  To be honest it would have been almost impossible to get lost - the Freeway is signposted from the Hospital - but ....... you can understand anxiety makes you do very strange things.   Arriving home to an uproarious welcome from two canines, I treated myself to a Mocha Coffee - and a sit in the sun.  I then decided I would do some housework - I know - Mel will be surprised that I am capable of such duties.  A wash and all that sort of stuff.  Oh doing a wash here is just wonderful - no sooner is it out on the line but it dry and ready for ironing - so unlike back home !  Day after day out here of clear blue skies, glorious sunshine and a great drying breeze - being just 5 minutes from the ocean - its so wonderfully cooling and never stops- the breeze that is not the washing & ironing - oh I don't know though !!!  The next challenge was the ironing - Vicky does have an iron - I don't expect its been used too often - its still in its original box - but she doesn't possess an ironing board, using my girl guide skills (I was never in that organisation - they wouldn't have me) with a spare duvet cover folded as a pretend ironing board - I was able to do the business.

Around 10am I txt Sarah (my niece) to see if I could pop down for an hour or two to a) see the family and b) get on with the blog.  Affirmative was the response - so flushed with my successes of the morning - finding my way home from hospital (keep up now - I don't want to have to repeat myself too much - I'm not that good at typing)  I set off - but sadly I missed the roundabout that I should have taken the 3rd exit - but went straight on  !!!!! Whoops - I knew I was going the wrong way - but thought - I'll soon find a road name that I'll remember !  And I did - I found Burns Beach Road - great - the only snag being it was heading for the beach - lovely place I understand, and I checked out the real estate on the way - which too was pretty desirable - however wasn't getting me that much closer to my ultimate goal !   Then I saw another road I remembered so jumped onto that one - and joy of joys I found a sign for the Freeway - result - the only snag being I went north instead of South - but hey at the next junction (and strangely the end of the Freeway) I went around the roundabout and headed South - once heading in the right direction it took no time at all to get to Dee's and a welcome cup of coffee to restore the somewhat punctured the previously  inflated opinion I had of my ability to navigate in W.A. 

However I had to wait for that drink as the idea was to proceed to Hilary's (a wonderful marina resort) that Mel I just love as did Ben & Cameron back in 2009 and have visited on numerous occasions during our various stays in Perth - this time I had a mission - from Sheila (yet another niece - we do have a large family) - however I had forgotten to bring the picture of the item she required - it was on my UK phone that was lurking on my bedside table at Vicky's !  I went into the prescribed shop and found all sorts of wonderful items - but NOT the one I was sure was on the email.  So took photos and sent them to Sheila for verification.  Duty done - we went off to the Dome (there are everywhere) and had that restorative cup of coffee and very welcome it was too.  I sat with my legs in the sun and on my right shoulder - my left arm is now a different colour to the right - dear old Zebra features once again !  It was a great family gathering, Linda (yet another niece) her husband Rol and their daughter had just come back from Malaysia, where they spent 5 days as guests of their son's future in-laws to celebrate their children's engagement  ! Viv (their son) is converting to Islam, as his future wife is from a strict Muslim family and refused permission unless he embraced the Islamic faith.  Their wedding is in 6 weeks time.  It was so interesting learning of the customs and hearing all about the family and their gracious hospitality.  They sounded absolutely delightful, and a very close knit, loving family.

Talking about knitting - oh why did I choose such a complicated pattern - I guess it would be okay if I actually concentrated on it instead of chattering and loosing my place - there are 24 rows to the pattern - and being a bear of very little brain ..... and yes Pat I do have your wonderful counter - if only I used it !!!

That evening Craig and I went to visit Vicky - Craig bought the most beautiful bouquet of glorious flowers and a magazine - I took some of her banana cake - which sadly she didn't feel like eating - so I ate it for her - I am all heart when it comes to my daughter and food !!!  Poor Vicky - she was doing amazingly well and put on a tremendous show for us - but to be honest as any mother - I hated seeing her in a hospital bed.  Her gall bladder operation had gone perfectly apparently her inside is text book - there is not an gram of fat around any of the organs - in fact Vicky is in perfect shape inside - to which her response was "I knew I was a skinny person inside trying to escape !"  she was so thrilled that inside her body its all good.   Vicky, being Vicky, had decided on staying overnight (thankfully) for she was having her colon oscapy the following morning - sort of two procedures for the price of one night in a private hospital - buy one get one free sort of bargain.   I thought it was pushing the limits somewhat but she decided that was what she wanted.

An early night was called for - I had been up since 5am - this early morning lark is getting a bit of a habit.   Next morning Craig left for work at 4am (needless to say I didn't hear him go - I was snoozing happily - plus their master bedroom is in the front of the house and mine is at the back !)  Craig had very thoughtfully left the back door open so the dogs could go out into the garden, which was a blessing.    I did get up at 6am and walked Millie and Jack - well I thought I had problems with Henry - no way - he was just so super behaved and obedient if not a show dog in comparison to those two.  I am sure on their own they would be better behaved.  Millie (as all small dogs) has the BIG dog aggression - and as soon as she sees another dog, or bicycle she shouts all kinds of threats of retribution should they get anywhere near her.  Which of course encourages Jack to join the cause !  Nightmare and pull !!! Thankfully there weren't too many folk around for the two to be so badly behaved about !  They didn't get a second walk that day - nor on Friday either ! 

Once home it was the turn of the birds - remember the half size door - try going in there with their feeders, ensuring you shut the door behind you swiftly (and it doesn't fit properly because of the slope of the site) and fasten it !  Actually they are quite sweet - just incredibly noisy - I hadn't put the containers down, when they all three alighted on me to sup their 'nectar' - it comes in power form and you mix it with hot water a bit like Ready Brek - they love it - Chicken was a little nonplussed that I wasn't Vicky - so I put the big container down for the boys and stuck my finger in the mixture and held it to her - she was so gentle and licked it off my finger it was an amazing experience, so, so gentle. I can understand Vicky's love for them.    Removing myself from the aviary was another challenge - and I was so glad no one was available with a mobile phone - although 250 pounds would be useful if shown on You've been framed !!!

Vicky was in a great hurry to get home, called me at 12 and at 1 and said she would be ready at 2pm - I duly (as doting mother ?!?) arrived at 3pm - paid for my hours parking and txt her to say I was in reception.  She was still in bed - she hadn't been discharged, so I returned to the car and collected my knitting and started up to her ward.  Only there a few minutes - when she was able to get dressed after her wounds had been examined and her obs taken.  Thus we drove home.  Well we got to the first set of traffic lights and I made the wrong turn - as her phone rang - she had left her charger in the bedroom !

It was good to have her home.  Poor love - she finds it so very hard to rest and relax - she is such a busy person.  Honestly trying to contain her is a problem, I reckon shark wrestling would be an easier option.

Next instalment - when I come over to Dee's again.  Thanks for reading - I know its totally mad - but its the only way to be out here !  Just lovely to be with the family though.