452. Sunday 16th August 2015. House sitting at Gymea, little excursions and constant frustration…

Monday 10^th August

After a late hearty breakfast we travelled the huge distance, 29 Klms, from La Perouse to Gymea. The trip took 45 minutes.

Bev n Pete are leaving in the morning for a cruise on the Rhine River and we are housesitting for the next few weeks.

Tuesday 11^th August

Sigh! Today was a rest day, one which I have been waiting on for several days. Thankfully the sun was shining and between my Endone and Panadene Forte managed some sleep during the day and at night.

Wednesday 12^th August

Today was a bit like yesterday, spent in a drugged haze although strong winds sprang up, clouds rolled in and it rained.

The sun returned in the afternoon but the wind had a strong cold biting edge.

Thursday 13^th August

Today we visited a local GP to arrange more pain relief and for the sutures to be removed next week. I am looking forward to the experience as I expect much of the pain will diminish or go away entirely.

Friday 14^th August.

I will get some housekeeping out of the way. Pain dominates my day, my conversation and fitful sleep.

So I do not also experience cabin fever, Donnis drove me to Corrimal to visit Nicole, Amelia and Hannah. Errol was at work in the skies over New South Wales. The family has been sick with the flu, passing it back and forth for the last few weeks. The visit was carried out with a certain amount of trepidation lest we also catch the same bug. After lunch we went to a playground at Bellambi Lagoon on East Corrimal Beach.

Hannah at the East Corrimal playground.

Amelia at East Corimal playground.

This is a delightful spot especially popular with parents and children. The playground is set in a picturesque location on a lagoon with the sandhills, beach, ocean and ships at anchor as a background.

Wrapped up at Bellambi Lagoon.

Bellambi Lagoon

More Bellambi Lagoon.

We realised we had visited this location in WWWGO and TERIOS in January 2012 at post 233. At the time we did not take any photos of this pretty location.

Wollongong seen from Bellambi Lagoon. On the far left is the lighthouse on Flagstaff Hill overlooking Wollongong Harbour. The chimneys in the middle are part of the steelworks at Port Kembla.

Wollongong city skyline.

Late in the afternoon we returned to Miranda Fair Shopping Centre to arrange new lenses in my Oakley Sunglasses which were damaged by my face plant when I broke my wrist two weeks ago.

Saturday 15^th August

Another lay day although we visited the optometrist to have my eyes checked and current prescription Oakley sunglasses repaired. Oakley lenses must be sent to the USA for repair and with a minimum cost of $500 and 6 weeks we decided something cheaper was our option.

In the evening Donnis started to feel unwell. Full body ache, sweating, headache, blocked nose and sore throat. Uh oh!

Sunday 16^th August.

How do you round off a week where very little travel was completed and very little else happened?

Donnis woke feeling refreshed and healthy with no sign of the flu which threatened her last night.

We drove to Wollongong and met Errol, Nicole and the girls at Bulli Markets. Regular readers will no doubt recall I do not like markets. My market tolerance level took a backseat to pain.  We sat on plastic chairs in the food area and listened to live market music. I was happy to find a comfortable place for my wrist and concentrate on willing pain away.

That did not happen but at least it filled my time with a worthwhile project. Later I snoozed on their lounge and later still we drove home. Donnis cooked a great fillet steak and cut it into small pieces for me.

Daughter Shelley called to tell me ex mother in law passed away on Thursday after a fall at home and a few days lingering in that place between life and death. Rest in Peace Joan. My heartfelt condolences to Diane, her sisters Vivian and Roslyn.

Soon my painkillers kicked in, my eyes became heavy and I fell asleep sitting in the lounge, my place of refuge for the last two weeks.

Sigh!

I hope to have more interesting things to report this coming week.

 

291. Sunday 30th December 2012. Long drive into Christmas…

Monday 24^th December – Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve sunrise looking over New England ranges.

We were on the road by 7am facing a journey of 596 klms and according to Google Maps would take 7 hours and 18 minutes. I chose the route which would take us through Armidale, Tamworth, Scone, Muswellbrook and Maitland to pick up the M1 Freeway to Wahroonga then pick up the M2 Tollway which includes a tunnel under the Lane Cove River and the tunnel under Sydney Harbour. Most of this avoided traffic until we reached Brighton Le Sands where we came to a standstill. The next two klms took twenty minutes. After stopping to change drivers twice, three fuel stops and morning coffee and lunch stops we eventually arrived at Bev n Pete’s house at Gymea 9 hours and 18 minutes after starting.

Tuesday 25^th December – Christmas Day.

After breakfast with Bev n Pete, we drove the 60 or so Klms to Corrimal via the steep, winding and breathtaking views of Bulli Pass. We spent Christmas Day with Errol

Errol

and Nicole

Nicole.

and the two children Amelia

Amelia Christmas Day.

and Hannah. Nicoles mother, Merilyn, flew from Melbourne as did Nicole’s brother Scott and his wife Monica.

Hannah and Monica.

Nicoles other brother Greg flew from the Gold Coast. The day was mostly cold wet and windy but we enjoyed Christmas lunch of Turkey and Ham with trimmings. Dinner was Prawns and salad. Donnis and I drove back to Sydney for the night.

Errol and Frank

Wednesday 26^th December – Boxing Day.

After breakfast we once more drove to Corrimal via Bulli Pass. At least the sun was out today but only on a casual basis. We drove to Austinmer Beach for coffee and a stroll around the north and south headlands.    http://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/south-coast/wollongong-and-surrounds/thirroul/attractions/austinmer-beach

Frank at Northern Austinmer headland

More Austinmer south coastline

Austinmer south Coastline

Donnis braved the chill breeze to swim the two rock pools.

After dinner we all drove to Woonona to look at a street where all the houses were lit with Christmas lights.

Amelia in lights.

Nicole, Amelia, Merilyn, Donnis

Nicole, Errol, Monica, Scott, Frank, Merilyn, Greg and Amelia

After saying our farewells to the family we drove back to Gymea.

Thursday 27^th December.

We had a big day with Bev n Pete who organised a walking tour of “The Rocks”, part of the original settlement of Australia by Europeans. The day was so big and with lots of photographs I have decided to break this post into two parts. The first being the normal weekly post followed by a post about our walking tour of The Rocks. The Rocks post will be presented within a day or two…once I have edited the photos down to an acceptable twenty or so.

In the evening another sister, Enid, arrived from the Sunshine Coast. Bev n Petes three sons David, Christopher and Mitch with his girlfriend Sam all arrived about the same time. It was a loud and lively dinner table for a post Christmas get together.

Friday 28^th December.

After a leisurely breakfast and saying our good-byes to family we left Gymea and headed north. There was more traffic today with a good portion  of it heading out of town…in the same direction  as us. The traffic flowed well and we once again took the Sydney Harbour Tunnel then the Lane Cove River Tunnel and joined the M2 until the Beecroft Road off ramp. Traffic was still flowing well until we hit the Pennant Hills Road where traffic was bumper to bumper, creeping and crawling for the next seven Klms until we reached the M1 Freeway. At the Beresfield off ramp (near Newcastle) we turned left onto the New England Highway and enjoyed a reasonable run home. The traffic heading further north joined a traffic grid lock which spread for 35 Klms! We are sure glad we decided not to take the alternate route!  We stopped for dinner at a Thai Restaurant at Armidale. The trip today, including meal and fuel stops took 10 hours and 18 minutes.

Saturday 29^th December

After all the travel of the previous 5 days I thought we might have a quiet day at home. However we did drive to Armidale for a top up of groceries.

Sunday 30^th December

Today was officially a rest day. We are still tired from the driving this week and Donnis is suffering from hay fever. I cut the grass for a couple of hours and I suppose the grass dust did not help her condition.

The report on The Rocks should appear in a day or two.

252. Sunday 13th May 2012. We bounce between Sydney & Wollongong and a child is born…

Monday 7^th May.

Ummm. What did we do today?

Nuthin’ really.

We just hung around the house in Corrimal. Errol went to work and we just spent time with Nicole n Amelia.

Tuesday 8^th May

Today was like a mirror image of yesterday only warmer.

Wednesday 9^th May

Today was different. Very much so.

Merrilyn, Nicoles mum, was due to arrive and we were to move back to Sydney to stay with Bev n Pete. Nicole was not due to give birth for another 10 days or so. Errol woke us at 7am (yes. We slept in until 7am. Scandalous!) He was pointing a video camera at us and said he and Nicole were off to the hospital. Hmmm!

Baby Hannah Joy was born at 12.23pm. We went to the hospital to visit Nicole who was still in the birthing centre, not yet moved to the maternity ward.

Amelia with little sister Hannah and mum Nicole.

Proud Dad errol, proud Grandmother Donnis and Hannah.

By now Merrilyn had arrived so it was quite a crowded room with Nicole, baby Hannah, toddler Amelia, Merrilyn, Errol, Donnis and myself with most of us gooing and gaaing, all talking at once and taking photos and all the stuff you do when in a hospital room with a newborn.

Some of the crowd including Nicole, Merrilyn, Frank, baby Hannah and Amelia.

About 20 minutes into the visit an official looking nurse came into the room to tell us we had to move. Leave? We asked. No. Move, was her reply. We need this room and Nicole is being moved to the maternity ward. So we all trooped along hallways and around corners and past all types of rooms with strange names printed on the doors until we arrived at Nicoles new room.

Errol plants a loving kiss.

Grandmother Donnis, Love is in the Air.

Dinner was leftovers and  Errol n I shared a few rum n cokes with neighbours who came over.

Thursday 10^th May

Today was the warmest Autmn day in 70 years.

Donnis spent much of the day looking for flowers to make into several arrangements.  In the afternoon we visited Nicole and were surprised that meals are no longer brought to you. Instead you are given a meal “ticket”. Then when the meals arrive “down the hall” the patient must get out of bed and present her ticket down the hall for a meal. The meal is on a disposable plastic tray, complete with disposable cutlery, disposable drink container, disposable dessert cup and the complete package can be thrown away in a bin without any washing up. The meal looked about the worst type of meal I have ever seen or experienced in a hospital. Nicole ate the meal with the same amount of gusto you would expect with plastic food.

Yuk! To the quality of food and Yuk to the disposable plastic profit oriented society we live in.

Merrilyn stayed home and prepared dinner for us after which I packed TERIOS and drove back to Gymea. The CO-PILOT will stay at least another night in order to finish her flower arrangements and wait until Nicole arrives home from hospital before joining me.

Friday 11^th May.

Last week I had a blood test and today I met with the doctor to discuss the findings.

PSA, normal. Good.

Good cholesterol, good.

Bad Cholesterol, elevated but acceptable.

Diabetes elevated and on the edge of concern.

Not good.

There are now tests which can determine more accurately the risks. I have scheduled a test for Monday.

While at the surgery I also had a once only pneumonia injection, recommended for persons over the age of 65.

The CO-PILOT arrived by train late in the afternoon.

Saturday12th May

We drove through horrendous, creeping, braking, slow, miserable, narrow streets, Saturday morning traffic from Gymea to Redfern to visit our Aunt Gwen. Gwen is 89 and still tough as nails and a whizz on the computer, scanner and printer and makes jewellery. She was a very accomplished dancer and dance teacher up until only a few years ago.

Gwen with Frank and Bev.

If you have never been to Redfern there is not much going for it. I was not inclined to take photos. I was more interested in somehow hiding the camera and ensuring TERIOS was locked and no visible possessions. I was also warned to take the GPS with me or risk a smashed window. Redfern, after all, has a deserved reputation. Aunt Gwen has lived in this street since 1958 and has lived in the current one bedroom flat for 14 years. Security grilles are on all ground floor flats and entrance is by way of a security card or push a button to be buzzed into the foyer. Then more security screens and locks on steel doors. No. this is not a wealthy enclave. It was intended for retired persons on a pension . Now the Housing Commission moves drug addicts and other dubious characters in amongst the pensioners. Why? Because younger people will make more complaints. Pensioners are more likely to stay indoors with locks locked and not complain about strange goings on.

Bev with Gwen and Donnis

After our visit we once again joined the slow bumper to bumper traffic. Originally I wanted to have fish n chips at Doyles Seafood at Watsons Bay, a long time ambition of mine. Ten minutes of annoying traffic and I decided to drive to Coogee Beach

Typical Coogee Beach…no surf.

instead and find the nearest fish n chip shop. I have not been to Coogee Beach for 40 or more years.

My hankering for deep fried fish n chips has been satisfied for another 6 months. The fish was good but the chips were too oily. Yuk!

Here is the entry to the Coogee Beach Rock Pool. Typical of Sydney pools of this type, they are known as “BATHS”.

An unusual feature of this rock bath is a natural formation has been enhanced with additional rock and cement. One end and part of one side are left open so the “bath” is continually washed clean by wave and tidal action.

Another view of the rock baths.

Inside the Baths entry is this tribute memorial to some of those killed in the Bali Bombing Saturday 12th October 2002. This is best viewed by double clicking the image.

Coogee Beach is on the flight path to Mascot Airport. Most planes flew lower than this and seemed to be flying out of the hillside. Planes flew over at approximately two minute intervals.

If you ever go to Coogee Beach be aware that parking is fee payable. $1.20 for the first hour, money in slot, place ticket on dash. Parking police check at regular intervals…even on weekends. We arrived back at TERIOS ten minutes late and three parking police were making a sweep through the area.

Sunday 13^th May 2012. Mothers Day.

The day started with brilliant sun shine but strong very cold south westerly winds buffeted the area all day.

We drove to Corrimal to have a Mothers Day breakfast with Nicole, Merrilyn, Errol, toddler Amelia and baby Hannah. Without going into the reasons we finally drove to Shellharbour for a Mothers Day lunch at 3pm!!!

When we left at 4.30 there were still people arriving for lunch!

We drove back to Bev n Petes for dinner.