Willie Garden

 The inevitable lawn mow, weed pull and garden tidy has been done once again this afternoon. There are not many orchids here this time around. We have seen a couple but the pot was moved from the backyard to the frontyard since last Winter. We spent a few hours getting back into the holiday packing routine trying to make sure nothing is left out, like passports, which we have not needed for years. I did leave my phone charging cable but fortunately it is the same as Debbie's.  We have done the tidy up in time for the Taylor's to arrive as it is olive pickup time. So now it is time for feet up.

two spikes

Does P&O stand for Peed Off

 We already have the nophasement motto working overtime and we haven't even left yet when the P&O app sends us a message that the main island I was counting on has been scrubbed from the itinerary at the last minute. I had also paid for a snorkel tour at this location as well. This is the second time the list of destinations has been changed suddenly.  The jury is still out on the P&O people. We are trying not to compare to Mediteranean cruise lines. I am now chasing around to see if we can get to some other snorkel site on a different day. 

Travel Pills

 We had an appointment today to discuss travelling to exotic locations.  We have been into the backblocks of the Pacific before and I can't remember any emphasis on disease prevention.  We did get a series of shots before an Asian trip one time but it seems Papua New Guinea is a sesspit of germs.  We are getting Malaria tablets and Stemetil as well as the old faithful antibiotics.  We have not been on a ship for 5 years and never into the big bathtub as it has always been in or around the small European bathtub.  After just having flu and covid shots as well, there is no way it will be us causing any medical issues on board.

plain sailing

Beryl Papers

 I pushed hard the last two days to get thru the remainder of the scanning of this stack of papers that Debbie collated last year.  There are hundreds of pages and this it seems is only volume 1, if the remaining untouched boxes are any guide. I only read a line or two in order to get a title to use as a filename. If anyone is going to read more thoroughly then set aside a lot of time.  I started comparing these papers to this blog.  There are similarities eg random unconnected ideas as different from one day to the next.  However there are a lot less words here than in these pages.  In some ways the collection is a messy diary on all types of scrap paper and other times there are co-ordinated foolscap pages properly dated.  Blogs are an open book and now these papers are digital as well but were they ever meant to be.

Volume 1

Tide Line

 If the weather is holding then keep walking the line.  The flu jab I had last week has not agreed with me. I have not had an issue with these but this time around it was instant trouble. The nights are worse but I figure a beach walk must be the answer.  The tide line is being quite distinct lately although the big item I have had my eye on has risen to the surface of the grass pile. It is a board that has parted from its boat. The screws are still in it.  It still took some doing to get it free and was heavier than I thought, one end still being soaked thru.  

all aboard

clearing grass spears

Summer Extension

 For once Debbie is trying a whole week of winding down before we go away next week.  You don't have to ask me twice to go across the way for an afternoon drink. Now having got back there is still time for a deck drink.  Holidays are starting early.  We spied a few developments over there. One neighbour we saw asked if it was me pulling some of these weed plants up. I did own up to a few but she was happy that the coast care group were getting stuck in.  Unlike me, she picks up dog poo eg other peoples barker eggs.  I will pick up poo bags but not actual poo. She says that the weeds contribute to dog poo and is always picking it up out of the the plants. So less plants less poo. I have not heard this theory before. 

No one else

Final Tally

 I did a last go around this afternoon. I dare anyone to spy out an olive in the phoro below. This tree is 99.5% picked clean which is probably the best I have done in clearing the branches. I did see just a few way up out of reach. This time around the very upper sections did not produce much fruit for some reason even though there was plenty of fresh growth. Previously I can remember leaving quite a few up there. So the total this time is 17kg which is reasonable but not a record breaker. I also have an update on the orchid spikes.  This lot you can try counting in the other photo. There are 20 spikes and that will be it. I do not see anything else coming now in the back court yard pots. The middle court yard is another story. This variety are slow to emerge however I saw two a while back but it will be at least another month. Lastly I collected a tray of lemons for out the front. The western side of the tree was laden which makes sense at this time of year. Early on the Eastern side was where all the ripe ones were.