Obviously There Isn't Much News Today!

One of the things which we have noticed about moving to live in another state is the need to update you gardening knowledge. We bought a couple of these plants (see left) and put them into a couple of large pots. What we didn't know was that as the plants grew taller the leaves at the lower levels of the plant would just fall off. So in the finish all you get is a couple of tall stems with some leaves growing from the head of the plant! Not a pleasant sight at all when you consider the cost of the plants and pots.

We were then told you can 'fill' the lower areas of the plant in by cutting the stem off at or about ground level and a new stem would grow giving you two stems of different heights. We tried this a kept our fingers crossed that a new shoot would grow. We tried it once and actually got two new shoots to grow.

About mid winter we tried it again, cutting a tall ugly stem off each of our two potplants. We are now into the midst of the growing season and have a look at what has happened! The plant on the left has three new shoots while the plant pictured below has five new shoots.

Cool weather continues with showers and some sunny breaks. Only low to mid 20's again. A bit hard to take while Melbourne is enjoying fine sunny days and temps in the mid 20's. The pool is really cooling off!

More Photos From Whitsundays Trip

The weather here continues on the 'cool' side. We had a couple of heavy showers overnight with Caloundra receiving another 11 mls of rain. The day is a windy from the south east and the heat is just not there. The Test cricket on TV gives me a bit to fill in the day.

I had a bit of a problem after mucking around with some 'controls' and my firewall would not run. A "System Restore" got things running again.

We were invited for a meal with our former neighbours Andrew and Naomi and family last night. It was a great 'family' night. Naomi is expecting their third child in February next year.

Here are some more photos taken on our recent Whitsundays trip. When in calm weather two of the girls made themselves at home on the bow of the Leopard Seal and enjoyed a glass of wine. Looks pretty impressive doesn't it? The photo below shows a yacht at anchor near the beach. The sea looks fantastic!


This photo is yet another of the spectacular Whitehaven Beach. Remember to click on each photo for a larger view. Then click on "Back" to return to this page. I hope you are enjoying the Whitsundays Trip photos!

Saturday's News

Life has returned to normal to a certain degree. We now have neighbours living either side of us. This is the first time this has been the case since February this year. A young family moved in next door between showers of rain late on Thursday. Things are still being organized in there.

After the cooler weather arrived on Tuesday, it has remained mid twenties the last few days. Nights are usually about 17 or so and hot weather is not expected again until mid next week. The pool has cooled off again.

We are back into the bike riding each morning again and we both manage to get about 10 kilometres per day. This morning Trish had her first brush with swooping magpies and they pursued her for quite a time. She stopped to protect herself and slid off the pedals giving her leg a nasty bruise. I offered to kiss it better for her but was told very quickly it wasn't quite that bad.

The first Cricket Test vs Sri Lanka is on TV at the moment (Thursday to Monday - if it goes that long) and I find watching the game fills most days in very easily. I enjoy watching cricket very much.

One of the places we frequently pass is a spot called The Duckponds. This photo shows what it used to look like. The one below shows how it looks today. The whole place has been cleaned out and cleared to make a pleasant family park area. Remember to click on the pictures for a larger view, then click on "Back" to return to this page.

Cool And Dismal Weather Continues

Melbourne Cup Day yesterday did not pan out as I had expected. We decided to head to the Dicky Beach Surf Club for lunch to enjoy the Cup Day festivities. Melbourne Cup Day is NOT a public holiday here in Queensland yet you would hardly notice it wasn't! Quite a few shops and small businesses in the main street had signs saying they were closing for business at 1:30 that afternoon. There was hardly a car on the road. It was like a 'quiet' Sunday.

Yet upon arrival at the Dicky Beach Surf Club you would hardly know it was a working day. Club car parking was at a premium and the TAB Bar (Betting Area) was standing room only. The dining area was packed too and it took some time before we could get what turned out to be the last available table. Does this look like a normal 'working day' crowd?

Remember you can click on the pictures for a bigger view, just click on "Back" to return to this page.

We sat and enjoyed a few more drinks and our meal. I am not a big betting person but Trish and Kim had a bet on most races. I had my first ever TAB bet on a horse race, $5 each way on Mahler in the 'Cup' and was pleased to pocket $20 when it ran third!

We drove Kim to the local Maroochydore Airport by 5:30 in time for her flight back to Melbourne. It is always great to have one of the family up for a visit and this was no exception. It was great to spend some quality time together.

We both got to bed fairly early and both will be enjoying an AFD (Alcohol Free Day) today. The cooler damp weather is continuing today with a top of about 23. A few showers are expected.

A Cold Outbreak For Cup Day

The trip to the sensational restaurant 'Spirit of Tibet' and Mooloolaba did not eventuate yesterday. Instead we ventured to the local 'Thai" restaurant. The food was quite good and the driving a lot less. It is also BYO for drinks so fairly inexpensive. From the restaurant we headed to the Caloundra RSL for a few more drinks and a flutter on the poker machines. Every Monday night at the RSL has good entertainment and the former local Queensland group Wickety Wack had reformed and was doing a tour of the state. They had a number one hit back in the 80's and were extremely popular up here in Queensland.

They put on a great show with lots of laughs and plenty of music from the 50's onwards for everyone to enjoy. This part of the world is well known for the number of retirees and the entertainment put on at the RSL often reflects the musical tastes of the older community. People in their 60's and 70's were joining in with the songs and everyone enjoyed themselves very much indeed.

As we left the club at about 11 pm we walked out into a light shower of rain. By 6:30 am this morning the light shower had become a 21 ml of sustained overnight rain. Currently the temperature is only in the hight teens and long sleeved shirts and jumpers have been dug out again.

A good day perhaps to sit by the TV and enjoy watching the Melbourne Cup from Melbourne where the sun is shining brightly.



Kim flies back to Melbourne tonight.