Green Heart Fair

Since most of the boxes had been emptied and collapsed we decided to go ahead with our plan to check out the Green Heart Fair. A promotion of sustainability, the opportunity to find out what services and organisations are operating in our community.

Lauren was feeling a bit rubbish with a sore throat, but such is her commitment to doing her part to save our planet she still wanted to go. As always, parking was the trickiest part, but we were lucky and fluked a space close to the entry.

There were electric vehicles, composting hub information, beekeeping, water conservation, food charities, workshops and presentations. As well there were some food trucks, coffee carts and a small market selling eco and sustainable products. The council had native plants to give away – we got two each and also went to hear Craig Reucassel from the ABC programme War OnWaste speak.

It was a good day, although the clouds were building and Lauren was fading fast so we headed home with our goodie bags.

NOTE: Strep and the common (but nasty) cold were on the doorstep and only one of us remained uninfected.

NOTE: It has come to my attention that as ratepayers we can get 2 native plants EACH year from the Council. This city is growing on me even faster than I thought it could.

Move In Day

Moving Day

What is worse ? Packing or unpacking ?

I had collected the keys on Friday afternoon having taken the day off to deal with any last minute unforeseen catastrophes. There were a couple, but nothing major and just like that we were homeowners.

During the day I had tried to reorganise the storage unit to make it easier for the moving guys the next morning. Some things were coming to the storage unit, others were to be removed to go to the new address. While doing that I had loaded the car with some boxes, which we intended to take over after Lauren finished work; and to make several more trips.

That done, and takeaways for dinner we went to bed, planning to be up bright and early to dismantle beds. We are pretty whizzy with allan keys these days.

With the car loaded and the truck packed we were off to the storage unit to supervise the “what goes to storage and what comes out” manoeuvre, and then meet them at our new home for the unloading.

All done before lunch ! Well the big stuff anyway – the endless trips to bring other stuff in the car seemed to go on forever. By the end of the day we had had enough and left the last couple for the next morning when we needed to go back to meet the cleaners anyway.

During the afternoon, we had reassembled beds and begun emptying boxes. Somewhere to sleep and knowing whereabouts of the kettle, cups and tea and coffee doings are priorities we have come to appreciate in this recent gypsy life.

We got a delicious takeaway locally – healthy too – and then carried on for a few more loads. While we were at the old place, the sky burst with an amazing display of fireworks. They marked the end of school fair in the park just over the road. We felt it was a fitting farewell from the neighbourhood to us !

We fell into bed and next morning made the last two trips while the cleaners did an amazing job on the rental. Still not good enough for the real estate though. We have never had so much trouble getting bond back at the end of a lease as we have in Australia this time. The property was 100% cleaner than it had been when we moved in, but they still disputed it.

If we had opted to clean the rental ourselves and then apply the same, if not more, elbow grease to clean the new place properly we would have been even more annoyed. If only the same fastidiousness applied to vacating homeowners. YUK.

But it was done. From now on there are just decisions to make, where to hang art, where to put furniture.

Home Sweet Home.

Tour Guides again

After an iffy start to their holiday – thanks foggy Auckland – Anne and Mark arrived for a week long holiday. They had booked an apartment in Fortitude Valley since there were no spare beds at our place.

We collected them from the airport and dropped their luggage off before heading out to find something to eat after the long day of travel. Next morning we met and walked through the city along the river to the Botanic Gardens and then to Southbank.

The main reason for their visit was attending the Truck Show later in the week, but we played tour guide when we could as well. My job had been extended, so my plans to have been able to do things with them during the day, or to loan them our car were quashed. However they hired a car and managed to get in a couple of days exploring without getting lost or frustrated in traffic.

We met them for dinner a couple of times through the week and again on the weekend, doing some sightseeing and truck viewing along the way.

Before you could blink it was the end of the week and time for them to squash everything back into their suitcase and head for the airport to begin the journey home.

Is it Autumn yet ?

There are some towns with reputations or attractions that just need to be visited. Stanthorpe is one of them.

It is in the Granite Belt, a little further inland and south from Allora where we went once before to see the sunflowers. The region is known for its microclimate and winemaking, but there are also microbreweries and an abundance of fruit and vegetables.

It also gets quite cold there in winter. Well cold for Queensland anyway. It seems to share the competition for the title of coldest town with nearby Applethorpe where for many years 100% of the apples in Queensland have been grown.

We went to see if autumn might be hiding there – if it gets frosty and sometimes even snow, you would think there might be some colour in the foliage.

We found some, but not as much as we had wished for. So renown for the chilly winter temperatures is the town, there is a giant thermometer in the park.

Then it was time for the drive home and to continue the packing and organising for our upcoming move. Only weekends and evenings available for those tasks since we were both working. 

Crystal Castle

Another journey across the border. This time into the hills near Mullumbimby where we had heard about Crystal Castle and Shambhala Gardens. A tranquil sanctuary, home to the largest crystals in the world set in peaceful gardens on the hillside.

It was a little more up and down than I had envisaged, but the pathways were good and despite the crowds it did not “feel” crowded. We spent a LOT longer there than we had thought we would, but the pace was slow and the atmosphere calm.

It truly is a magical place – and the cake at the café !! There are no words.

 

 

ANZAC Day

It was a pretty good first week at work, although there were less days for training.

The last two weeks in April were very disjointed; filled with Public Holidays. First Easter shortened the work week by one day, then the following week as well as Easter Monday, there was ANZAC Day. It isn’t over there – another Public Holiday loomed in early May. Labour Day. Every other state has it in October, but not Queensland.

Anyway, ANZAC Day. I had thought I might go to a service in the local park, but I was a bit tired from the first day at my new job – so much to learn. But we decided we should take advantage of a midweek holiday and go for a drive.

It wasn’t a brilliant sunny day, but we thought we would head into the hinterland a bit. Well, it was my idea, and I didn’t do enough research so we changed plans part way.

We headed for Samford which was surprisingly busy for a small town on a public holiday. I have heard there are some amazing café’s there so another trip may need to be planned. From Dayboro we decided as it was getting late in the afternoon that we would head back toward the coast and perhaps catch the sunset and have fish and chips.

After a slight detour to Bribie Island, to say we had driven to another island, and added it to the revisiting MUST-DO list, we headed for our favourite fish and chip eatery. Timing wasn’t on our side though and we were too late for the sunset.

But we did catch these amazing reflections on Bramble Bay.

BluesFest

A week or so after our trip to Byron Bay it was Easter and BluesFest time.

BluesFest was 30 this year, a music festival held over Easter weekend attracting all manner of artists from all over the world. I have always thought about going, Lauren decided she was going this year and bought two tickets for one day.

We dithered about it for so long that we ran out of time to find any accommodation so we drove down for one day only. It meant that some people we would have liked to see weren’t playing on the day we would be there, but there was still a pretty impressive line-up.

We were quite unprepared for the conditions – nothing rainproof and completely unsuitable footwear. It poured, several monsoonal type downpours. Mostly we were lucky, and were undercover in marquees listening to music as the rain teemed down outside.

 I'm with Her

 Arlo Guthrie

 Norah Jones

We wandered about the market stalls in between and by the end of the evening (well not even the end) we were both reminded that festivals were not our favourite types of events. Why do people go to these events if they just want to talk to their friends and drink instead of enjoying the performance. Each to their own – and I’m not against their behaviour; I just don’t see what the point is. The jostling and disregard for the artist got to us in the end and we left part way through one act which we had been looking forward to and completely missing a headline act or two which were scheduled for later.

Walking back to the car we weren’t so lucky with the rain and got drenched, but at least we had had fun (for the most part) and could look forward to hot showers when we got home.