Bee Careful

 The drive back from Meeniyan was plain driving, no roadworks and no breakdowns. We stopped in Meeniyan for breakfast at Moo's. This is a local cafe that Franster has used numerous times.  They do a good breakfast.  I received a birthday SMS message this morning via a phone number I did not know. It was all happy this and birthday that and can you also send me your home address and email address.  It came from Fam who I had never heard of.  1st Be Careful and on your guard.  We walked over to the supermarket, as when we tried to park earlier the Funeral Parlour next door had overflowed and filled all the Woollies car  parks.  On the walk back we found a bee hive by the path that had been constructed out of the leaves of a tree and I swear we did not notice it 30 mins earlier. It was football size. Can they do it that quick?  2nd Bee Careful.

Camapania Casa house

Moos

Old station site

Fish Creek Pub

40km ride

The actual rail trail was 36km but I did not factor the 2km there and back from our house.  Some parts were forest with a number of water crossings and plenty of paddocks. The wildlife was good as well with echidnas and wombats getting in our way right on the trail. We had lunch at the Fish Creek pub and I told the  publican my story of getting off the train in 1974 and walking into the same spot I was standing now and asked if there was a taxi available.  There was none then and no taxies now.  While sitting at the table a waiter came and said 'complements of Tim and Julie here is your bottle of champagne'. How did they know exactly when we were there?  The other good thing about this ride is that Franster got to see her old town being Stony Creek. The trail went passed the netball court she played on and the town hall where the parties were held.  

After we got back the birthday cakes were already in place. What a different birthday this is.

Fish Creek Rail Trail

It was a bit coincidental that the world bike ride champs meant that the drive back became timed with a birthday bike ride.  We are just outside of Meeniyan and the rail trail from here will take us to Fish Creek.  I think I am a bit underdone as practice has been scarce however I will find out soon enough.  Debbie is not going to ride as she will meet us in Fish Creek. It is only 18km  but with a lunch stop there the return will be a case of riding the lunch off.  It was 48 yar ago when a group of us caught the train from Melbourne to Fish Creek. That line closed in 1993, so this is the only time I can say I'll have ridden on the same line that I used the train back in 1974. 

A good clear morning

Campania Casa

We have managed to rescue the tail end of a trip mainly because Ross got stuck in and turned our previously cancelled Meeniyan stay back into an activity again.  We paid a small extra charge and can now share a house here for two nights.  It is quite a large house and surrounded by paddocks and forest.  We also have a pool but most likely wont get to use it.  It will be a barbie for tonight rather than driving into town.

Photo Start

I have been messing around with an old scanner and Debbie's newer laptop at Williamstown today.  I did not want to install any drivers on my machine in case it conflicted with what I already have.  Eventually I got the newer machine to recognise the older scanner.  I have brought one shoebox of photos here, as an on going project and plucked one packet out.  They feature a trip to Sydney to Tony's relos.  They are doing things with boats, there is a wedding on and a resort type hotel with a large pool area.  These photos maybe 20 years old and the only clue is that seaworld is printed on the back of some.

Tony watching on

Seaworld ?

In the Steps

 Tom Bergin is a veteranarian who decided to re-enact the South to North crossing of Australia by Burke & Wills.  He found it just as hard as they did and had a lot more help but even then they had to stop after eaching the Gulf of Carpentaria becuase his camels were so worn out.  He found that Burke's main problems were covering too much ground per day and doing it in the wet season.  The original diary entries make for grim reading.  One of the sponsors was Channel 2 and I can vaguely remember watching a show about this.  

This book has come back to me after 40 yar

Asher's Hip Step

 I have a few phone clips I have put together.  Asher started showing us some dance moves that weren't quite going right.  It was a long day and after the GF action maybe we wanted to sit however these three year olds (nearly four) have other ideas.

A roll on the grass

The Day After

 It is not bad living in the town that wins the GF.  Everything is happy town at the moment.  Asher came to play yesterday as well as new baby Olive who, at three weeks did not do any playing. It is a reminder that more babies are on the way.  Asher and Estelle did do a lot of playing and only a few times were they getting in each others face.  James got the lamb on the spit going perfectly for the half time break. Now that is up market half time fare and no one felt like a large meal after the game. There was still lots of fruit, cheese and biscuits etc.  We  took plenty of time to wind down and our bathroom was the busiest we have seen with kiddy bathtimes and Daniel and Bianca saving time by using ours instead of the the shower block back at the park. We were supposed to be watching the bikes in Wollongong but this was a very good alternative, espcially for Debbie.  It is good to have the house fully in use.  Next time will be Christmas with Laura, Rick, Evie and baby coming down.

Preparation

The taste of lemon

Watching the Spit

Jules and Ryan are longtime friends of our kids.

Half Time outside

Bubbly Estelle

 I find myself with a time gap, so this is being typed now before the Grand Finalists start.  There are some more small people coming around midday.  The idea is that it will be small grazing type food through the day however we could only get sausage rolls, there is not a party pie to be found anywhere in the last two days.  We also have premium snags and rolls with salad.  James is timing a spit with a roll of lamb for after the match. There are only eight adults, two kids and a baby so we are set, given that we weren't supposed to be here.  Estelle just loves the bubble soap.

Morning Drizzle

 Estelle had a good sleep but was a bit wriggly worm after breakfast, so we packed off to the Van Park where Daniel arrived last night after a very hectic day at the Royal Melbourne Show.  We were trying to remember when we were all last there and it was during a Carl V Ess final which Carlton one by a point in 1999.  We just had time to visit the playground before the drizzle set in. Asher is getting very fast on the bike but still with the training wheels on.  We drove off to Ocean Grove in three cars to have an early lunch at the Rolling Pin bakery. All the pie winning trophies were on the counter.

Time for scent

Vannin

Next generation are getting the hang of Collendina

Rolling Pin

Estelle's beach afternoon

It was a slightly cool breeze however we did manage to get Estelle's feet wet when we took her over to the beach. We stayed about an hour and there was so much sunblock we were almost slippery. She is having a good eating day today and there was hardly any time when she wasn't eating.  Must be the sea air.  She looks across the road and says water then says boats.  She has grown 7 centimetres since her birthday.

Da Plane Da Plane

Morning Clean

Since our road trip is off, we now have four days of grand children coming and going which is a very good alternative.  This will keep us busy and occupied . Busy is right, as I have scooped up all the slippery flower heads from the court yard this morning. I daren't look out on it now as I know there will be another fresh batch even though there is no wind.  We hosed out the front windows and deck area as that had been ignored for a while.  We went for a short 7km dawdle ride, as Debbie has not had much riding exercise of late and we are now going to concentrate on her being rid of that persistent cough before the procedure.  And finally I have mowed the lawns again, as this rainy Spring business is getting that stuff to grow fast.

good time for a ride

Photo Mountain

 We have done a lot of running around in the last few days and having gotten home now I have unloaded three large boxes heavy with photos.  Now when we got Nana Beryl out of the village house it was in a bit of a hurry and the place looked like it was a wreck.  We went back yesterday which was when the photos were unearthed.  They were stacked up in this cupboard, placed on that shelf, hidden in the wardrobe, etc etc.  I believe I have already taken a digital copy of most of the albums but there is a huge pile of photo envelopes now.  

on the dinosaurs back

Miss Cool

One photo box of three

Asher's Big Ride

 We got Asher to ride her bike down to the nearby shops.  Now that is a spot I used to use a lot at the train station.  She had the usual babycino and some toasted banana bread. She did not make it all the way back but almost, maybe it was a 2km ride for her.  After that we met the Clancy's at Nana Beryl's to try and identify some of the lifetimes gathering of stuff.  Then we had a lunch in Williamstown at the Pelican's Landing followed by a quick tour of the new apartment.  Yet another busy day between venues but we do have the new spot without driving to Geelong.

Seafood paella

The group garden

Estelle talks the talk

Spent the day with Estelle observing her rapid progress.  She is starting to say a lot of words, particularly when they are drawn in a book and she can point them out.  We went across to the Greensborough Mall for some banking, the green zone playground, a new bedside clock for Willie, a birthday book with my voucher (The Lost Man - Jane Harper), a ball on a string (for precise garage parking) and a coffee shop.  We have had our first pizza from the local shop and was quite tasty. 

ball on a string

All the photos and the Family Tree

Late Birthday

The Klyes came over for a luncheon at Williamstown and brought Debbie's birthday champagne as well as the lunch, which has been waiting due to postponements for ailments all Winter.  They also gave us the inside info on dealing with doctor's as Franster knows all about it.  Before we left home we went on the hunt for another old phone. The last one went to Grandpa and now we have another one that we delivered to Nana Beryl. It has been setup for voice activated answering so there should be no issues about contacting her. 

The jumper twins bought these totally separately, one in a shop and one over the internet.

Asher Hooks the Ball

 We are having a rest day here, although we did do a cleanup, as we might have grand children over the long weekend.   Not sure if the weather will cooperate.  I have gradually gone over to using the phone for photos and videos now as I am having trouble getting them off my camcorder.  This video was taken last week and I wanted to show it earlier.  I think I will just use the phone from now until I can locate a new card reader for the older style video camera.  Anyway Asher found a playmate at the park last week.

Niece Ophelia

 Went for a drive to Burnside for a lunch with Mum, Dad, sister Leanne and niece Ophelia, over from the west. She is on a holiday between jobs but I am not sure if she is liking the weather here.  We were hot with the Sun thru the windscreen but on the way back nothing but driving rain.  Shepherd's pie makes a good change for us.  There was a lot of comparing of arthritic fingers. Is that what old people do?  At least Ophelia could not put her hand in for that one.  I have got the Red Painaway on my list but I am not sure about the horse liniment!😀

Canola Time

 Went on a short drive to Port Arlington to see what's what.  I have written about the canola previously and it is hard to drive at the moment without seeing some.  The area around here has huge fields of it but it seems that crop takes a toll on the soil, so the paddocks are rested and something else is put in later.  The covered walkway out to the ferry at Port Arlington is now finished, however we most likely won't use that service again since we have our place in Williamstown. Even if they did stop there our place is at the other end of town. 

Working the remote

Squadron over the house

Canola Hill

These are giant mussel seats next to the walkway

Werribee Respite

 It  has been a long day but Nana Beryl has been moved into the nursing care in Werribee. She has had a roast chicken  lunch  and the room has been made up with photos and her own bedding. We are getting a late lunch at the Pacific Mall, a huge shopping centre.  I quickly typed that yesterday.  She was very happy with the grounds and the garden courtyard.  There are other women both residents and staff who were very welcoming and able to hold the conversation..  Debbie feels much better that her Mum is going to eat well now.

 

Asher goes shopping

 We had to get final webster packs before it becomes a staff responsibility for baptcare then there was the small matter of trying to get some packing done. We brought Asher along for the indoor playground and she knew the exact order that things should be attempted. Such as a go in the playground first then some shopping followed by a snack.  OK then.  I also got a battery for a watch and another for the car keys which cost $50 for two batteries. While I was waiting I did get a free book from the community library.  I will finish this just in time to head out for a dinner in Fitzroy. Where does the time go?

You are supposed to have socks on.

paper plane day

Estelle takes the books

 Debbie is introducing her Mum to the nursing home at Footscray so I am doing the Estelle watching all on my lonesome as Heidi has gone into the office  as well. The library sessions are more of a destraction than doing much with the books and the reader. Back at her house the entertainment lasted another 50 minutes but she was rubbing her eyes and getting a bit grumpy.  The nappy changing was ok until l got one of the hair clips tangled in hair.  Just let me roll over and get to sleep.  So far so good. 

Fiddling with the buckles while the story moves on.

10km Willie

The turning circle outside our Willie garage is tight. Everything about Retirement Villages is small, tiny and down sized which is the whole idea.  We are driving across a flower bed to get in and out so came prepared with a bag of aggragate to fill in the space.  Below the overgrowth we found nothing but driveway, no stones needed.  I took the bike out for a short 10km circuit of Willie. This time I went up Power St looking for the house where my cousin Linda lived 50 yar ago. I believe I found it but there is a lot more garden growth hiding the verandah. Also across the road the old railyards have been filled in with many houses and a large kindergarten.

This bed needs a lot more tidyup. We filled up the community green bin.

The Ferguson house?

I tried using the panorama on my phone

Wheely Good Facts

I managed to do some lawn mowing in between gynormous black clouds. The wetness in the grass meant that the green bin could hardly be moved around as it filled up.  During the rainy parts I finished off the Wheely Good Bicycle book that I got on Father's Day.  There are some crazy stats in there but I think the most impressive is the person who rode a bike at 296 kph. Hard to believe! The book does not say much else other than it was done by Denise Mueller-Korenek.  What they don't say is a racing car did most of the work. eg the cyclist is in a vortex type of slip stream while crossing a salt lake desert.  Still not an easy thing to do. 

RADS and DAPS

 We have a full on spreadsheet here with various examples and scenarios of costs for full time nursing home living. Debbie has become a wiz with spreadsheets after all that bookkeeping.  Basically the room cost is the RAD and any shortfall of that price is the interest you pay which is the DAP.  There are also daily fees and essentials fees.  So the DAP can be completely removed if you have the full RAD.  Also 85% of the pension payment is taken to cover the daily fee which leaves the essentials fee and at $10 per day it can be negotiated to say $5 if you do not require all of these extras. This amount could be covered by the remainder of the pension. So under this scenario, living in a Nursing Home with all care provided, can be fully funded with nothing else to pay, if you can sell your Retirement Unit and recover the RAD amount needed for the room at the Inn. That RAD amount is 100% fully refundable.