Wednesday

What a busy week we've had so far ... and it's only Wednesday. Of course, you have to start the week from the last blog entry ... and in that time we've been to Toowoomba for a couple of nights, and to Swell a couple of times, and managed to do some walks down at the Broadwater, a night food market, and to fit in some reading (but not a lot) and maybe a couple of viewings of "Only Murders In The Building". Yes, it's been busy busy busy since I put in my last assignment to TAFE.

It was good in Toowoomba .. we managed to catch up with the bro' who has been off and about tripping around Australia since March. He is in town to swap out his T-Van for a new off-road self-contained van that will hopefully be ready by the end of October - they keep pushing back the delivery date ... I'm wondering if that's because of supply issues or because so many folk are now spending their dollars touring Australia since they can't really do that much overseas travelling - is it harder to get motel bookings or caravan sites?

Wa has so many stories about his travels so far - because he really does intend to do a lot more - and once he has his self-contained van he will be able to go into National Parks - something he really wants to do but is only allowed if your travelling vehicles are totally self-contained - for both black water and grey water.

While he's around he's doing some odd jobs for Mum (and maybe the others) - because he's really good at that. We're expecting him to come down and see us in the next little while, and he doesn't realise it yet but we may have some handyperson jobs lined up for him ... for us, and also for Pe. She's after someone to help her with five small-ish jobs around her apartment - which may become six if she does decide to move her television onto a wall mount (because she has two cats and I told her about Mimi and her altercation with M and Mouse's television).

The flowers are out in Toowoomba and there were heaps of folk out and about having a look-see. We went up to Picnic Point to see that display before driving past Queens Parks where there was absolutely no change of getting a park, before we met Ma and We for lunch at Cafe Guitar, one of We and Ma's new favourite hangouts. They have live music on a Saturday afternoon - and an impressive array of guitars hanging from the walls - and there was even a sitar made out of a pumpkin.

On Saturday night we went out to Westbrook where they were having a night food market. We met the others there and then went on to Ch and Te's to celebrate El, Ch and Ma's birthday's - how amazing that they have birthdays on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday!

Back on the Coast, on Monday morning I went off to Swell to see what they have on offer this year. There are some spectacular pieces but you have to be fast if you want to make an offer on some of them. The Guardian was put on display on Wednesday at lunch time, and it had sold by that evening for $45,000. Of course it looks to be worth every cent of that, and more.

I managed to restrict myself to just under 700 photos and it took a good chunk of time to look through them to sort down to what I thought was the best selection. As always there were some I couldn't decide between and I'm hoping Sooz will be able to choose between the ones where I still have five or six very similar but still different shots.

We were back at Swell on Tuesday morning - Sooz, Pe and I. We had breakfast at the Surf Club - their first breakfast offering in four weeks as they had been unable to get their staff over the border. As we sat watching, a gentleman at the next table took out his camera and focussed out to sea ... and that's how we noticed the pod of dolphins. Very special. There were a few more people walking in and around the Swell sculptures this morning - it's good to see there are so many folk interested and excited about art and prepared to walk on the sand to see the sculptures.

Monday

They are going to have to do away with the mandatory mask requirement in a minute because, judging by the OfficeWorks shoppers, a lot of them are just ignoring it anyway. There is absolutely no point in having a "mask required before entry" sign at the front door if no-one takes note of it, or enforces it. Or maybe it's the way it's worded ... they might have their mask on "before entry" but certainly it seems to have fallen off - or be firmly fixed underneath noses - by the time they're in the store. Am I just over the whole CoVid thing - following the rules when so many people seem to not give a hoot? At least they haven't plunged us back into lockdown yet ... which I was fairly sure they would have done today - after the footie on Saturday night, and Fathers Day yesterday. But there's still time ... and when we were at Trivia tonight (only two points off third tonight!), Pene thought it could be within the next fortnight or so ... because we are coming up to school holidays again, and that seems to have been a trigger in the past.

 
Morning down at the Broadwater was marvellous again today - and I hate to be biased about it, but the sunrise is so much prettier when there are clouds about. We're still enjoying our coffee down at Pelicans after the walk - Ruth and her colleagues make an excellent brew, using Byron Bay Coffee - just like The Coffee Box used to. We are getting to be more familiar with the dogs and their walkers ... and I'm not sure about Sooz but I know I am starting to have favourites. Some of them might be birds though ... there are a couple of egrets and herons that make regular appearances - they might not be the same ones - it's hard to tell because they're a fair way away and I haven't been carrying my longest lens down there (yet!).

Morning at the Broadwater ... with clouds. 

I spent a good chunk of time on my TAFE assignment yesterday (consolidating what I'd managed to get done on Saturday) and after a format check and final read through today, I submitted it this morning. I'm waiting for the results now, but in the meantime, I'm working on the next (and final) assignment for this intake: digital images. Because I'd started it a while ago, I now have to find out where the bits I've already done ... I had made a note that they were on OneDrive, but for whatever reason, I hadn't actually put them there. It's not a big deal because I know they're ... somewhere ... and I know that at this point I'm really only missing four images which are destined to be in my mock-up for the gallery app.

Saturday

Just breathe ... 

Okay, hands up anyone else who wants to have a big rave about how non-efficient the roll-out of the CoVid-19 "vaccinations" is - especially the Pfizer which I have been waiting to access from the local medical practice. When I put my name on the waiting list, it was supposed to be available "in two weeks" ... that was about three months ago now. With the increasing number of "infected" (sounds like something out of "The Walking Dead" or "Outbreak") it seemed prudent to start thinking about getting vaccinated sooner rather than later. But where to access the Pfizer? M did find some in Surfers Paradise on Thursday and when I fronted up there early on Friday morning, there were already about 70 folk waiting ... and the receptionist (obviously very busy and not having a wonderful time) said they weren't able to do anyone else then, but there may be openings later in the afternoon, or the next morning ... and no, they weren't taking bookings. Hmmmm. I would have tried again but there seemed to be absolutely no system in place ... how difficult is it to know how many doses you have, how long each vaccination takes, and how many you can get through in a day? Pretty difficult it seems. Me, I would have had a form drawn up and in use days ago. And don't get me started about trying to get an Astra Zenaca jab from the chemist ... starting with that they weren't taking bookings over the phone or from walk-ins. Grrr. Booking online was required so they could collect information ... the very same information they had you fill out when you arrived! Definitely not happy Jan.  But I have now had my first dose, and will have the second (although not the last as it seems we will be having boosters for the rest of our lives) in 12 weeks.

The good (?) thing about CoVid is that there is always something to talk about ... including indepth topics like: why did the truck driver who was infectious in the community visit a nail salon.

 
We met Ro and M for breakfast at L'Etranger this morning ... and for people who have lives, we all certainly lingered there. We didn't beat Wednesday's record but given we were there over three hours, we took a fair tilt at it! It was enjoyable though and, to be fair, we only ordered the third round of drinks when it was obvious that the rain wasn't going to let up any time soon.

Once home, I settled in to work on the TAFE assignment that has had me scratching my head for the last little while. I have been whittling away at it, doing the easier bits, but I had set aside the afternoon for making some real inroads. I am happy with the progress to date.

Wednesday

Le Vintage Boutique Cafe - a little of what we saw.

We set a new record at Brunch this morning when we met AM, Ri and M at the Vintage Boutique Cafe. We were due there at 10 and M beat all of us there - by a good 25 minutes. We were impressed! The jury is still out on whether she can "bank" those early minutes. Heh huh, we say that like it's true ...

And while that could qualify as a record, the real record was how surprised we all were when we realised what time it was as we were standing up from the table and ready to head home. We had been there three and a half hours! M had been planning to be back with Mouse at 12:30 but given we weren't leaving Le Vintage until 1:30 (how did that happen?) she was not going to be running early again! Hmmmm ... maybe we are going to have to look at the banking of that early time.

Le Vintage has changed since we were last there. It is still as quirky as ever but the things we really liked have gone - that would be the snake and the bird cages and their birds. Yes, yes, they can fit more tables in now but it just doesn't have the same ambiance. It was good, then, when the parrot made an appearance ... I'm not sure where they keep it, and we haven't seen it before, but the caique was very colourful and friendly and its wings must have been a bit tired because it's all the way from South America - although chances are it hadn't flown in today!

Saturday

What a busy couple of days! Well maybe not for everyone but I've certainly been nose to the grindstone working on an assignment that's due tomorrow. All that's left is to proof it - and make sure I change the text colour from blue to black! 

Update (30 August 2021):  Oops, may not have done that - I wonder if Pedro (my teacher) will get any other assignments in a blue font. Ah well, at least I remembered to write and submit Part 3 of the assignment!

We were down at the Broadwater to see the sun rise this morning - that makes our third time since Friday. It is so beautiful down there at dawn - especially as the Pelicans cafe opens early ... so coffee is plentiful.

As always, we remain in awe at the changing scenery down there - it is so different each and every morning, from the folk who wander along the path with their furry friends to those in their watercraft. 

We had company this morning: it is Ro's friend Po's last day on the Coast and she came along for dawn photography. She walked down from the Air BnB and was disappointed she hadn't stopped to take photos of the three swans she saw on her way down to meet us. I'm not sure the dolphin that came along while we were doing the dawn pics made up for it - but I hope it did a little. It's the first dolphin we've seen down there in the morning - and we are always on the look out for them.

Nigey has been back out into the yard since Norm did weed-spraying, but not as much as she'd like. While I sat out there with the camping table and chair working on my TAFE assignment over the weekend, she spent a bit of time at the window and door telling me that if I was allowed out - so was she. "I can keep a lookout for Cecils for you" may have been one of the lines she tried.

While Sooz and I were at Mr Brown's Tuckshop grabbing some lunch the other day we were surprised when a chap came along with his black and white cat on its lead. It was incredibly well-behaved for a feline too - although as they were leaving, it was not so much heeling as doing whatever it wanted; but at least it wasn't bothering the birds.

It's hard not to fall into a “Them" and "Us" mentality with Covid restrictions, I was at the Laundromat yesterday and the two people who came in while I was there were not wearing masks and did not bother to do the electronic check-in either.  I was so not impressed that I found myself thinking punitive thoughts ... something about "teaching then a lesson" ... which would have been turning off their machines.  Hmmmm, I didn't even think about throwing their laundry on the floor until just then.  And I'm appalled at myself for even considering any of that ... I consider myself a sane, rational person and I can't even imagine what it's like for folk who aren't.

Tuesday

Yippee... we came equal third at Trivia tonight. We were playing at Seagulls Club and as well as our normal team, Ro was back and her friend Po (who is staying with her for the next little while Ro is recuperating from her hip replacement) came as well. We missed out on the Jackpot Questions - we managed O out of 3 for that but we weren't the only ones: only one team managed to get all three correct, but, alas, they didn't manage to pull the ball with the "x" out of the bag. So we're down to 20 balls to choose from next week - if we get all the questions correct.

Ro was able to come to Trivia tonight because she is out of Rehab. She does have some "conditions" to meet to aid her recovery and that's why we took one of our camping chairs to offer an option in case their chairs were not suitable. 

On the BMW (Broadwater Morning Walk) this morning I decided to try something different - I remembered M's mother telling us about Russian walking - actually I think it was marching - where instead of moving your arms back and forth in different directions as you walk – you swing swinging them in the same direction. I did it for a bit but then went back to “normal” walking. Imagine my surprise when, on the way back, I saw an older gentleman walking towards us doing ... Russian walking. I was even more amazed when I caught up to Sooz and she commented on having seen him too. How weird was that?

Full moon was earlier this week and according to someone on the local FaceBook group it was awesome - not just because it's the Full Moon - although that would be enough - but because there was an osprey fishing down at the Broadwater at the same time. One of the locals has a photograph of the osprey on a boat mast in front of the full moon - good stuff. 

Norm came this morning and did a great job on the yard - including weeding. I really don't like doing the weeding that much. Norm did some spraying as well while he was here - which is why Nigey was not allowed out today - and may not be allowed out tomorrow: a small matter of it not being good for her. She didn't seen to mind though - she's been spending the day with the ironing board or in with Sooz. She couldn't be with me as I had locked her out of the study so I could do some work without Nigey helping ... she likes to help.

Friday

We had breakfast at Cafe Alfons over at Chevron Island this morning - not because it was our usual Saturday breakfast - it couldn't be because it was Friday - but because it was the last day for one of their floor staff:  the wonderful Sharni who has been making us feel welcome for years - calling us by our names, remembering our orders (quirky and otherwise) - was having her last day there. At first we thought Sharni was amazing because she was so young - I'm not good with ages but I would have said she was under 20. As it turns out, she has just turned 23, is married, and they have two young children (both under 7 or so). As well as being wait staff, she is one of the floor walkers at the cafe. She is so competent ... so nice ... and so going to be missed. It just won't be the same without her - we know because we have been there on days when she hasn't. No one else brings us enough butter! (What is it about butter in restaurants ... will an extra pat really make that much difference to the bottom line?) We are still hoping to catch up with Sharni from time to time ... we have previously seen her at one of our local cafes and as confirmed with her this morning, she and her family will be frequenting there - so we hope to see them there.

 
We dropped in to see Ro on the way back from Chevron Island. She had just finished her OT and physio so was able to join us at the downstairs, on-premises cafe for a coffee. They serve Merlo there so it's quite good, and the cafe's not so busy that they feel compelled to move us along when we've stayed chatting for more than an hour and a half. I can't imagine what it must be like to fill time in a Rehab centre - especially as only an hour and a half or so of each day is devoted to rehab activities! Sure, there are meals to fill in part of the rest of the day, and television (if you could watch without risking an injury with your neck having to be craned at an unnatural angle to be able to see the screen properly) and reading "Better Homes & Gardens", maybe playing a hand or two of "Logo" (board game), and having an afternoon "nana nap", but that still leaves a lot of hours to be filled in. No wonder that visitors are welcomed.

 
Trivia was fun on Wednesday night, but we were nowhere near the Podium yet again ... although, to be fair, we were only one point away from the 6th Place Bottle of Wine - not that we would really have anything to do with it - although Pe did say that she could always cook with it. And speaking of Pe, she is still in training at her new chef's job (trying out "all the stations in the kitchen" I think she called it) and liking it, except for the minor but necessary requirement that she wears steel-capped boots there. As it turns out walking around with them on for a couple of hours a day in the week leading up to the start didn't really prepare her for working full shifts with them on. Pe has been trying new/different combinations of socks to see if she can find the best combination - but she hadn't found it when we last spoke with her.

 
Our morning walks continue down at the Broadwater. We have been rewarded with some wonderful sunrises ... and today we saw four egrets hanging out with the cormorants, seagulls and pelicans.

Oops, quite far away ... need to take a bigger lens with me on the morning walks!