GIRLS.

2 Tough and Crazy people get together and consider life through the Oracle of the Animated Gif. They contemplate GRAND DAUGHTERS because its Madeline’s birthday,  4 years old. And tomorrow HIS daughters come. HER daughter is driving a car along coutry roads. GIRLS EVERYWHERE.

 

MONDAY IN BILAMBIL

MONDAY IN BILAMBIL

I decided to Shabbos it today which is almost always a good decision. It has proven to be that today.  Robynne called and so did Kate and Izzy sent me an SMS saying he is coming out of the Valley and is on his way home.  Kate had taken the bus to Coffs Harbour to pay her car rego and Robynne just called for no special reason – and Izzy is coming home. Gladstone tonight and then home sometime tomorrow.

BE WILLING TO KEEP YOURSELF IN THE BACKGROUND FOR A TIME

SUNDAY

I am continuing to look back at the last few years.  Wondering what I will do next. Iz has a year on his PhD and we are both looking at 60 next year. Its a Good idea to know where you’ve been before moving on to the next thing so I am doing that.

GOLD COAST CONVENTION

Slept alone last night. Something I havent done for a very long time. Something I did do for a very long time indeed.  I haven’t heard from Izzy and would imagine that CAMERON’S POCKET is not in mobile range. Its 70 kms from Mackay or someplace and we are only   11 kms from Tweed Heads and the Gold Coast  but other than here on top of the ridge there is no mobile reception. Down at Kalang, They have none either so way up there – well – the chances of fones working is REMOTE.

TODAY i am going to Banora Point at 9.30 am to meet Joanne and then we proceed in the golden Prelude to Broadbeach for the Convention.  I haven’t been to this Convention since it was held at Greenmount resort. Greenmount has ATMOSPHERE. Down at Rainbow Bay and Coolangatta on the beach with tropical pool. In addition it was easily reached from my place. Now its at ALBERT WATERWAYS -  which i doubt is on any water other than man-made canals. Someplace through the hectic drives of Pacific Fair. I have tried for 7 years to come in for a landing on the Gold Coast. I have searched for its soul and beauty which i know will be there – but not for me. i HAVE NOT been able to find it . However today I shall go to Broadbeach and turn left away from the ocean and go into a HALL and see who is there.

I am taking a look at fotos taken in the 3 years  I have lived here. Its 3 years since Marian died and 3 years since Dad died in June.  3 years since I moved into this Cottage . 7 years since I came to Tweed. A lot has happened in that time. My Mum died. Madeline was born and Jim brought Jo and Kathy home. So – doing a bit of reflecting is appropriate methinks. In this time I have stopped teaching school and met IZZY. I think myself we are about to change a whole lot of things with the property up for sale  and I am using this week to do some amalgamation of the mind and chemicalisation of the spirit.

I am drinking white tea from the blue mug we bought at Stokers Siding and adjusting to my brand new laptop which needs its own smart bag.  i met a ‘cool’ man the other day. One who noticed my Crumpler bag. The usual pull was there and then I recalled the danger of ‘COOL’ to me – pulled back into witness mode and thought about Izzy.

FOTOS OF WOT ITS BEEN LIKE THE LAST FEW YEARS

The Cottage is truly in order except for the laundry where we have things stored. The washing is on the back line under the porch. I was never one to be thrilled about the washing on the line but I am now. Affairs in order is what  I now like after years of BEDLAM. Next door has a dog. They have always had a little dog. Now they have a very big dog. They are nice people and have told me to tell them if Big Dog bothers me. I don’t like to do that especially If I am the one to be moving on while they stay but Bog Dog has taken to lumbering over here and scaring off all the wee animals which have always been safe here. He barks a lot too. Just startled him then on my side of the fence. Not even all that sure he’s a safe Big Dog. Anyways , for now, lets give him some time to grow past puppyhood. Perhaps he will settle down.

I have a LongNose in the grass below the cottage and a Coucal family comes in season. This week, Willie Wagtails come and sit on the turned-off electric fence and wiggle at Izzy. My Nana Bell loved Willie Wagtails. She loved snapdragons too and had them either side of the red path at Rosebery in Tweedmouth Avenue. her hair was long – longer than mine I think but not curling or white, She brushed it every night in the old 100 strokes way while mine is a matted tangle.  

My skin is peeling off as a result of the Cell Food Ointment Izzy bought for me.  It seems to be stripping away years of old skin and leaving a clean smoothness. Not to be used on more vulnerable skinned areas I have learned from experience but rather spectacular on old leathered skin.

I am choosing clothes for today. The weather is warm. Autumn is rather special here on Tweed. Nevertheless I think I shall wear my dag pants passed on to me from izzy and a singlet with a black sheer top and some form of sandal. Was going to go for GC elegance but I would rather not. I shall take a foto of me ready to go to a Gold Coast Convention wearing a slight reminiscence of Bellingen.

i CHOSE THE PURPLE HEMP SHIRT.

 

 

 

ONE DAY PASSES

Well Izzy is still travelling North. I went North in 1973 with Tony. A long meandering trip in the mini-moke with Spunky the Dog. This time I am at home and they are still travelling on.  Last time, we had a tent and we lived on the 4mile beach in Port Douglas. I haven’t been back since then. Today when I went to Morning Meeting Steve was there – down from Airlie Beach. Sarah and he had flown down for $79 each with another young woman from South Africa who is a skipper up there. They are down for the Convention at Albert Waterways which in my misery  I had forgotten was on. So likely I shall do that and deal with my deep resentments and hurt. Now I know I can fly up there and visit and stay in the Caravan park where they work and do my meetings. Yes thank you. Then I will NOT  be driving for 2 days each way.

IN THE MEANTIME – I keep tidying the Cottage and pulling out weeds with izzy’s red gloves.  Laughing about the stretcher which was bigger than the tent and wondering  what we will be doing with the tent which is larger than the stretcher.

Wondering too where he will fit up there in Wintermoon. Steve says that a friend of theirs ELMA who has a clothing stall at Wintermoon had gone in early and put her tent up and reckons she was lucky to do so because its going to be packed out. Steve said it was a Booze Fest last year so this  year they have tightened things up by charging $100 a day and allowing no at gate admissions. Sounds like a Woodstock idea that one. Remember how well THAT worked. I have sprayed WHITE OIL on the gardenia . I didn’t even know what WHITE OIL was until Kate told me and sure enough for $3.75 – there’s enough for 100 gardenia bushes. I have only one – not being naturally inclined to gardening. I took the mattock to the one beside The Cottage and it looks better. I do like gardens but – they affect me like cooking. They look and taste splendid when someone else looks after them. I do however like my gardenia . Kerry and her Wayne gave it to me before the 2 milkshakes incident at the New Leaf cafe in Murwillumbah and before they moved to Kyogle and I have it still in the big green pot and special soil . Mebbe one day ……..

 

 

 

 

IZZY AWAY AT WINTERMOON

Home in the Cottage on the Hill by myself for the first time in a long time and back in some of the Eremitic experiences which suit my disposition very well. I am going to put up a slideshow of the valley as seen from the other side. Much as life is at the moment. We went over to the Terranora Resort on the Far Side of the Valley . Thats a very strange experience that is. It was built in the heady days of no poker machines in Queensland – so I am told – and busloads were freighted in to play golf and poker machines – to drink and dine. Then they were returned interstate. Then in a move similar to the Gold Coast Libraries refusing access to NSW residents as of October 2007 – Queensland seems to have converted its Treasury in Brisbane to A Casino and built Jupiters on the Gold Coast and in the process the Grand, mountain topping Terranora resort was sold to the Koreans and allowed to fall into disuse and disrepair.  There it sits – glass shattered, grass neck high. An ancient and decaying monolith from last century. By its side are the apartments which were once resort and feature tropical pools and spas etc and tennis courts.

Well we took a Star Wagon ride up there to try to find the Sacred Bush which Izzy has  a fancy for and which appears to be slightly to the west of the Tumbling Down Resort. Neither the Iz nor I is very good at defying signs or conventions despite appearing slightly odd, but this time we ventured past the NO ENTRY signs and down by the tennis courts. I was still timid as is my nature but he was off and out of sight past the machinery shed to see whether he could locate the Bush. In the meantime I took these shots looking back over the Valley to the Cottage. Because it is beautiful.