G'Day as the title suggests it has been a while!!
Over the last three months, or so, a lot has been happening up here with Maree and I and the family so I will do my best to give a fairly broad overview in this posting to keep all of you, who are interested, updated.
When we arrived back from Queensland we finally got the opportunity to move into our newly built carport style covered caravan spot with built in verandah.
Prior to leaving it was not completely finished but now we have set it up in our own style so that we can live in it comfortably and brace ourselves for the oncoming cold and frosty winter. More about that later.
We had organised for a slab to be laid near our site while we were away as we had previously purchased a shed to put on it so that we could de-clutter the van and have some storage room for our stuff.
Due to the over priced local IGA store in Barraba we generally go to one of the bigger towns each month and do a bulk shop at about 60 - 70% less costs and we use the shed to store a most of the bulk buys that we make.
We also purchased a small freezer for the verandah for our perishables and utilise a small 40 year old, still going strong, engel fridge/freezer for the bulk of our frozen needs.
We assembled the shed on our return as we had stored most of our stuff in the cars and the caravan so it was difficult to move around. So below is our new home base.
We have parked the van in a North South direction which gives us an Easterly view out of our door and from the verandah. Below are two photos of our view.
The first photo below is of the sun rising over our shed and the second is of the sun setting and casting shadows over our mountain view as it sets in the West.
One of the major tasks that we needed to do after we arrived here was to complete last years tax return which we had to submit by mid May to avoid a fine.
The hardest part of that was finding all of our records and getting them all in the one place at the same time as they were scattered over many storage places.
To add to the workload our accountant advised that we also had to submit a BAS for this years tax and it was due also around mid May so we have been flat out for the last 4 - 6 weeks getting that all ready.
Hence my tardiness in this posting as it was a time consuming job which was difficult to compile.
Hence my tardiness in this posting as it was a time consuming job which was difficult to compile.
Finally we have now submitted all of the requirements and now we can take some time to sit back and get into a little relaxation.
This is the chick putting the finishing touches to the tax in our temporary outside office we utilise on the really nice days. Bloody poser!!!
Since our return to Barraba Maree has caught a bad cough, probably from sitting on the verandah posing, which she has not been able to shake despite taking 5 sets of anti-biotics, numerous puffers and visits to the doctors, a couple of stints on a nebuliser at the hospital and now after about 8 weeks is just coming good.
Although she still has this deep cough that is lingering, it is gradually going away. She will be glad when it does. It was not the type of sickness that required any bed time, however for the first couple of weeks she had to sit up in bed to sleep and it certainly has knocked her around some.
On Thursday nights we walk down to the RSL for a small raffle and the badge draw. We have been doing that ever since we have been up here.
While Maree was on one of her hospital nebuliser visits she was held up as they were busy and we did not get to the club in time for the draw.
You guessed it, her number came up and as with most of the draws if you are not in the club you forfeit so she missed out on $1400 badge draw. The bloke behind the bar never lets her live it down.
The bus run and Maree's mail run have been plodding along very well and keeping us financial so that we can keep our relaxing life style up to the standard that we want.
In April the bus was due for registration and to most people registration is just another thing that they have to do in the normal course of events. But not with a bus.
The bus needs to go over the RTA pits and be examined by RTA inspectors every six months and it goes through a rigorous testing procedure with absolutely no room for error.
It has to be planned down to the last detail in advance, to ensure that it is not defected, as the ramifications can be catastrophic.
For example if you are defected by the RTA at either pit inspection, the bus has six monthly inspections, then depending on the seriousness of the defect you are only able to drive it to the nearest repairer and no further until the defect is cleared.
As the RTA is in Tamworth and we are in Barraba that becomes very inconvenient, in particular if the defect needs serious repairs and may take time to complete, then you may not be able to perform your local school pickups - which in itself is a bigger problem.
Of course the other big problem is being able to get the repairer to drop everything that he has booked and work on your vehicle, which rarely happens.
It is important and, mandatory from Transport NSW, for all bus operators to have a Management System in place to cover all contingencies that may occur which could prevent your contracted bus run to operate on a school day.
In Barraba it takes about two to three months to get into our local service centres so everything must be booked well in advance.
The RTA also requires 2 - 3 months advance notice to book the inspection or you could miss out.
My managemnet plan includes booking a pre registration check with our local repairer for the week prior to the pit inspection and also booking a service, allowing for any repairs or defects found at the inspection, the day after the pit inspection and doing it all in the school holidays.
The result of the April inspection was that the bus passed with flying colours and only required one shock absorber rubber to be replaced, so we were very happy with our management plan as it all happened within 4 days of each other and the bus is again registered.
We have been doing charter work with the travelling bowlers which entails taking them to nearby towns and waiting for them to play competition bowls and then bringing them home again. Usually a full day.
So we have had some signs made up for the bus and shirts embroidered to make ourselves look more professional and presentable as well as advertise our sideline business.
Not bad huh!!
After we organised the registration we decided that we would take a short break and head up to the Gold Coast and visit my sister and her kids and just generally "goof off and vegetate".
Maree had to do the mail run on Friday 15th April so we did not get away until about 3 o'clock & drove straight through to the Gold Coast we arrived at the Meriton Apartments on Broadbeach at about 10:00pm.
We were looking forward to a nice shower and clean up and then a couple of snorts and a nice early night and a fresh start to the holiday on Saturday.
We pulled up at the apartments and found a parking spot, out front, and headed up to reception to check in. The foyer was noisy and a lot of people lingering around the desk and as luck had it a bus load of Japanese tourists were checking in in front of us.
They sounded like a gaggle of geese with their jibbering and laughing and just being generally noisy and antics so we lined up and about 45 minutes later we got to the desk and checked in.
We were allocated an apartment on the 23rd floor with a magnificent view - check it out below.
By the time that we had parked the car under the building, moved our luggage upstairs and cracked the first coldie it was about midnight.
Turned on the TV and there was an old movie on so we watched that whilst supping on a couple of ales and savoury treats and then went to bed at around 2:00am.
Next day, Saturday, up fairly early, me that is, and cranked up the computer to work on the tax stuff while Maree was still in bed and then around 9:00am made the breakfast and woke the chick and had brekkie on the verandah.
Later in the morning we headed out to Labrador where there is as major DFO type shopping complex where we always go to when we are on the Coast.
Spent three or four hours shopping & lunching and then we drove back to the apartment for an afternoon nanny nap and then off to my Nephew's place to meet my sister and baby sit her grandkids.
We had a nice time and then we went home and watched the footy and stayed up late again and had a few snorts as I was the designated driver.
I had noticed at breakfast that the fridge was not very cool so I turned it up higher to see if it would get cooler during the day.
Trouble on the horizon as I flipped the top off a Crownie I noticed that it was not cold and it was getting late. Maree rang reception and complained and responded with I will send our maintenance man up to check it out.
5 minutes later our man turned up and looked at the fridge and said it was not cooling and needed repairs. (Thanks scoop I knew that). He said that they would be back soon with a new fridge and within 30 minutes the fridge was replaced with a brand new fridge and the old one taken away.
That is what I call "Great customer service" we will be going back to those apartments. You will notice in the photo that the fridge is a full size one not a bar fridge. We were stoked.
We caught the mono-rail back to our complex which was a run of about three stations and a nice way to see some of the sights at Broad beach.
Monday we strolled across the road into a small shopping complex with discounts stores etc and just bummed around until we received a call from my sister to meet her at a pub near her son's place. Could be dangerous I thought.
Tuesday and we left Broadbeach and drove out through Nerang, down to Warwick, left to Tenterfield and cross country through Inverell and home to Barraba. We had a lovely break.
Turned on the TV and there was an old movie on so we watched that whilst supping on a couple of ales and savoury treats and then went to bed at around 2:00am.
Next day, Saturday, up fairly early, me that is, and cranked up the computer to work on the tax stuff while Maree was still in bed and then around 9:00am made the breakfast and woke the chick and had brekkie on the verandah.
Checked out the scenery from the balcony, Jupiters Casino across the road, Pacific Fair 3 minutes down the road and eating houses all around the apartments we were set for the next few days.
Later in the morning we headed out to Labrador where there is as major DFO type shopping complex where we always go to when we are on the Coast.
Spent three or four hours shopping & lunching and then we drove back to the apartment for an afternoon nanny nap and then off to my Nephew's place to meet my sister and baby sit her grandkids.
We had a nice time and then we went home and watched the footy and stayed up late again and had a few snorts as I was the designated driver.
I had noticed at breakfast that the fridge was not very cool so I turned it up higher to see if it would get cooler during the day.
Trouble on the horizon as I flipped the top off a Crownie I noticed that it was not cold and it was getting late. Maree rang reception and complained and responded with I will send our maintenance man up to check it out.
5 minutes later our man turned up and looked at the fridge and said it was not cooling and needed repairs. (Thanks scoop I knew that). He said that they would be back soon with a new fridge and within 30 minutes the fridge was replaced with a brand new fridge and the old one taken away.
That is what I call "Great customer service" we will be going back to those apartments. You will notice in the photo that the fridge is a full size one not a bar fridge. We were stoked.
The apartment was well set up and fully self contained and had everything going for it and the service was excellent. I recommend it to anyone who stays on the Gold Coast.
Sunday 17th April, brekkie on the verandah again, then we walked to the casino during the afternoon and had a nice time doing casino things and left there about 5:00pm.
Sunday 17th April, brekkie on the verandah again, then we walked to the casino during the afternoon and had a nice time doing casino things and left there about 5:00pm.
We caught the mono-rail back to our complex which was a run of about three stations and a nice way to see some of the sights at Broad beach.
Monday we strolled across the road into a small shopping complex with discounts stores etc and just bummed around until we received a call from my sister to meet her at a pub near her son's place. Could be dangerous I thought.
Arrived at the pub in Robina town centre and sat down to have a drink and then order. The women decided that I should be the designated driver again so they promptly ordered a bottle of wine for themselves.
Two bottles of wine later and a lot of giggling and catching up they decided it was time to leave so they started to look for me.
When the giggling started I headed for the poker machine room and while they were wasting time I had racked up $300 in credit so I was glad for them to come and get me.
I dropped my sister off at her place and we said our good-byes and headed back to Broadbeach to pack up and make an early get away so that we did not have to drive late into the day.
Tuesday and we left Broadbeach and drove out through Nerang, down to Warwick, left to Tenterfield and cross country through Inverell and home to Barraba. We had a lovely break.
Monday 25th April, Anzac Day, and as I mentioned above I had commitments with the local RSL Sub-branch for the March.
As soon as I arrived in Barraba, late last year, I had my membership from Campbelltown RSL sub-branch transferred up to the local Barraba RSL Sub-Branch so that I could participate in the local activities on the big day.
I attend all of the monthly meetings with the Sub-Branch and have my say on what goes on locally and I was given the honour of carrying the Australian flag at the head of the march as a welcome to Barraba gesture.
Our Anzac Day, like many other towns around Australia, started with the Dawn service at our town centre clock which is also the Cenotaph.
As always it is a moving service and although Barraba is a small town there was a fairly good roll up of people who attended the service to pay their tributes to family members and friends who did not return from the wars.
After the dawn service the RSL club served breakfast for everyone who had attended the service and the local Rotary club did the cooking.
After breakfast we walked back home and relaxed prior to the March uptown. It was a good break as it gave us the opportunity to watch the Sydney march on TV for a couple of hours prior to walking back up town for the local march.
The March commenced at 11:00am precisely and involved a parade of ex-servicemen and women, local school kids, the emergency services and services clubs marching to the cenotaph and many others who were entitled to march.
At the cenotaph the sub-branch held a service and wreath laying which took about 40 minutes including some interesting guest speakers and then a small church service afterwards.
We walked home at about 7:00pm. (Only just it was a slow trip)
Lucky Tuesday was a public holiday as we probably would have had the day off anyway.
Winter is setting in very quickly up here in Barraba and we have had several sub-zero days and morning frosts which cause all sorts of problems.
Yesterday Tuesday 17th May was -5.9 degrees and it was cold. The frosts generally cause the water to our van to freeze up at the taps and we don't have water until 9:00am or 10:00am each morning.
We have tried all sorts of things to protect the taps and hoses from freezing but nothing seems to work. However I came up with a brain wave yesterday to cover them and avoid the freezing and you will note in the photos below the result.
It didn't work but we had a ball emptying the cartons!!!! - Ah well back to the drawing board!!!!
The frost plays havoc with the windscreens of the vehicles so we have to cover them each night or you have to spend time scraping the ice off the screens.
I can assure you that this does work and saves time in the mornings which allows you to get into the bus and get the heaters going for the trip.
Although the nights are cold up here we have set ourselves up with heaters and warm clothes etc. so that it is not very noticeable.
We prefer to do our cooking outside as the space is limited in the van and we like to have a bit of room to move around when we make the meals.
I purchased a BBQ and a patio gas heater for the balcony and we utilise that on most nights which gives us the opportunity to cook with a bit of space around us.
Below are some photos of our outside kitchen which is very simple but totally viable and suits our needs exactly, especially in the warmer months and during daylight saving.
Heater on, dinner cooking - what more do two people need in semi-retirement.
We have plans over the coming weeks to install some form of wind breaks around the BBQ/heater area as the wind chill up here will become intense.
We have not felt the brunt of winter yet but when we walk to the club and back we feel how cold it can get on the face even though we are rugged up to the nines.
Now that we have more time to do things and as Maree is only working 2 days per week she has started doing more home cooking which she is good at.
She makes our own bread, which is brilliant when served hot with home made soup, and below is a sample of her handy work.
We managed to see the alignment of the planets the other night and as we are located down the back of the park in an isolated spot we do not have any lights and we could see them perfectly.
Unfortunately my camera is not good enough to get shots of them otherwise I would have taken some and posted them.
We saw the planets on three or four very clear nights but then we started to get overcast nights and they were not visible.
So you will have to take second prize and have a look at our moon rises instead.
Anyway it is now mid May and I will finish this posting now and I will be more frequent with my postings from now on.
In July we are going to Tasmania and doing a B&B trip around Tas as well as taking the car across on the Spirit of Tasmania boat which we are looking forward to.
I will do a posting on that trip. In the mean time we have other things that we will be doing between now and then so we will keep you posted.
See ya all soon.
Bill and Maree
Now that we have more time to do things and as Maree is only working 2 days per week she has started doing more home cooking which she is good at.
She makes our own bread, which is brilliant when served hot with home made soup, and below is a sample of her handy work.
Not bad huh!!
We managed to see the alignment of the planets the other night and as we are located down the back of the park in an isolated spot we do not have any lights and we could see them perfectly.
Unfortunately my camera is not good enough to get shots of them otherwise I would have taken some and posted them.
We saw the planets on three or four very clear nights but then we started to get overcast nights and they were not visible.
So you will have to take second prize and have a look at our moon rises instead.
Anyway it is now mid May and I will finish this posting now and I will be more frequent with my postings from now on.
In July we are going to Tasmania and doing a B&B trip around Tas as well as taking the car across on the Spirit of Tasmania boat which we are looking forward to.
I will do a posting on that trip. In the mean time we have other things that we will be doing between now and then so we will keep you posted.
See ya all soon.
Bill and Maree
