Weekend Refresher - a real treat!

 A Visit to the Gold Coast

A dear and very generous friend invited me to share a couple of days down on the Gold Coast while she was holidaying there for a week.  It coincided with Mother’s Day so it was an extra special treat.  

Even hubby co-operated as he decided to spend a couple of days with a mutual friend,TC who was back in residence on the GC, and he took upon the driving to and fro - saving me from all the traffic hassles in the miserable weather that the SE coast has been suffering from lately.

Anyway, the first day there was at Aquis Park, the GC race track.  Alana is a mad keen follower of horse racing, being  part owner in several horses from the Sunshine Coast stables.  Her “ racey “ contacts ensured we had free entry to the members stand so the foul weather was not an issue.  I was a real ‘fish out of water’ but successfully picked a lot of winners ( mostly NZ bred or no. 12 on their backs or from no. 12barrier).  If I’d been smart enough to back them for a place I would have been better off pocket-wise but silly me, went for a win only.  Consequently I didn’t fare well at all!    The poor horses had it hard on a soft track, and mud in their faces if they weren’t good enough to be leading.  Anyway there were a lot of scratchings cause of the weather.  In between the driving showers we were able to get out to the birdcage, to see the trumpeter signal the race start and see the winner  parades.  A different experience from my usual activities - the magnificent horses,  the people watching and viewing many gorgeous outfits was a lovely change.  The last race was postponed due to the deterioration of  conditions but it was a great afternoon entertainment.

At one of the many surf clubs we frequented.

Not too many swimmers or surfers out there!

Second day, we chose to visit HOTA ( Home of the Arts).  If you are familiar with the GC landscape you would know it as the very colourful 5 storeyed, weird-shaped building a couple of streets back from the beach.  Probably appropriate as it is the cultural precinct.  On Sundays it hosts organic food and eats market, a lovely lake and gardens for the kids, a magnificent amphitheatre and grounds to explore - just a lovely space to spend the day (if the weather is fine)

Backdrop to Surfers Paradise area from the HOTA building

The ghastly rainy sky

Bad photo through the glass, but the background shows the amphitheatre in the grounds of HOTA

An exhibit that caught my eye. - a parrot especially for Angel
Titled .. literary parrot, made out of cast iron and automotive paint

 

Cityscape from HOTA but especially to highlight the awful weather that day

Next couple of exhibits appealed to my simple artistic eye

From the Dinky-Di effigies of Australian artists - Brett Whiteley.

Butterfly wings (I assured Alana the butterflies were dead when the wings were plucked)

We visited every floor but as there were crowds (cause it was free entry) and (sore bunions) we didn’t linger long, plus there were an excess of indigenous stuff and artists that didn’t appeal to my mindset.  I was most appreciative of my mate’s company as the “woke” interpretations weren’t to her likings either.  We both agreed it was a cultural experience and dumb of us not to take advantage of being their and what better way to spend a wet day.

Alana toasting her Mum and all the mothers!

It was a fun time, especially being amongst a younger generation, a better demographic and different surroundings and  the beaches are always good to be around - as they say a change is as good as a holiday.  Much appreciated Alana.

April 2025 - Over from Perth … Angel’s visit

Nana and Pops had young Angel, our grand daughter visit, for a few days of the school holidays/Easter break.  She flew unaccompanied from Perth to Brisbane  airport.  A pretty bold undertaking, in my opinion for one so young.

Touchdown at Brisbane Airport

I was relieved to meet her on time, having braved Highway traffic and  airport construction conditions.

We planned a few places on her visit over East.  The Bird Park at Maleny was top of the list.  An early start had us driving up the Blackall range, the very steep ascent had Angel, a little anxiously sitting up and looking back at the immense view.  It was a lovely clear morning and good to know we didn’t meet another vehicle on the steep winding road up.

Outside the main aviary in front of some prehistoric bird … apparently one of Angel’s favourite creatures

Angel was wary of the large birds inside the aviary, but happy enough to interact with the smaller varieties

Whispering sweet nothings!

What do you reckon?

Ohhhhh!

The BIG chair

Guinea pigs and rabbits were more to Angel’s fancy

Our spectacular view where we lunched.  The gardens were a sight to behold (in my opinion) with mass plantings of palms, natives, Azaleas, Salvias, waterfalls trickling away, and ponds abounding with goldfish, bush turkeys and Guinea fowl running underfoot - a lovely place to be.

Very famous background

Some of the very colourful bird life 

A beautifully coloured pheasant

Lovebirds??

Following the Bird Park, down the Range (on a better road) at Landsborough we found the Big Kart track.

Here Angel was able to pretend to be Oscar Piastri.  Fortunately the track only had light traffic and at one stage for about 5 minutes, she had the track to herself.

Kitting up - usual safety features… balaclava, helmet, covered shoes

Ou of 

Out of the blocks, or the grid …. Whatever the start!

For some unknown technical reason, I can’t load all the videos I took of Angel’s many track circuits.

A break in between driving sessions

Our last day for the fun things, a trip to Australia Zoo.  Pops wasn’t able to traipse around the large area so a good friend of the family, Alana, came instead.  Coincidentally she lived just up the road and around the corner so we stayed at her place overnight.  

We saw most of the Australian animal exhibits - dingoes, wombats, Tassie Devils, kangaroos, koalas, emus ….  There were huge crowds visiting at the same time.  The place was packed, kids bawling, queues!  Anyhow the gardens were immaculately presented so just being there was lovely.

Angel had a penchant for the African/Asian animals so we spent more time perusing them.

 

Angel and Alana

Giraffes feeding

Happy Mum greeting Angel at Perth airport.

Finally back home in Perth.  A short but sweet visit.

My Birfday! 2025

 

March 10th was a washout day, ex-cyclone Alfred was still in the area and dumped around 150 ml in the Gympie area and a whole lot further down the coast, so I got to sit at home and plans were put on hold.  David very thoughtfully went to the local supermarket and bought a cheesecake that had been discounted and brought that home as a consolation.  It was a nice thought!

The following Monday was a beautiful sunny day, so my birthday present from David was a golf game at a course down the coast which I hadn’t previously played at.  The course, Peregian Springs was spectacular -  lush rough, weedless fairways, manicured greens and lovely foliage, trees and shrubs in the background, including upmarket amenities on the course.  However the bunkers were disasters as all the rain had turned them into ponds (obviously the drainage was shot). Apparently over Winter they are going to be completely renovated.

Anyway despite the course being an easier rating than Gympie, I still lost 4 balls (in the drink).  However,  it was a lovely day for golf and Dave was the perfect caddie - advising, coaching and taking my putter to the green. Of course he drove the cart and the only criticism of the course layout was there were  huge distances  between greens and the next tee area so the cart was a good idea.  We had nobody behind us pushing the pace so it was a very relaxing day, I even had the opportunity to play a couple of balls. (Got my money’s worth) .  David outdid himself, even stayed for lunch and a drink.  Thank you sweetie.

Earlier in the week, some paddling mates accompanied me to a rural restaurant about 20 kms south of Gympie.  It’s an especially nice venue cause it’s situated on a working farm.  Various animals, mainly sheep and dry stock, heaps of domestic fowl are in different paddocks and there’s a gorgeous lake in the camping ground.  The gardens around the restaurant have flowers-in-season, vegetables, herbs, standard roses and different flowering shrubs and of course it’s all beautifully tended and tidy.  A great outlook for diners.  The restaurant area includes 2 roofed area with no walls except for the back area facing the shed whereby they’ve fitted a big sheer curtain.

Lovely bunch of dahlias from the folks.

A super birthday, thanks folks for sharing it.

A teenage mate of Dave’s, visit

 

Originally, Russell and David met in the first year of leaving high school which was  in a small West Australian Railway Siding of Dullbelling. Apparently it was the first job for either of them, probably around 1966 … nearly 60 years ago.  According to David, Russell was a city kid who had little experience in outback living and it was just as well, David was there!  Anyway they worked, socialised, drank and got up to the usual fun and games that youths did back then.  

Obviously their paths then veered in different directions.  They periodically kept in touch, one occasion in Sydney and later on in Perth around 1997.  Russell now lives in the US where he has been for several years.  Earlier in the year when he attended a Vietnam Vets reunion, and to catch up with his brother in Rockingham, Russell called into Brisbane on his way back to the States  to see David.

Dave and Russell

It was 5 days of much reminiscing and good old Aussie embellishment .  Lovely seeing you Russell.

Stuff … activities, crafty things that happened in 2024

 Some golf stuff

At the end of the year, ladies golf Xmas lunch presentations and get-together …  I didn’t feature in any of the awards having only won a couple of monthly medals.

Venue was a lovely garden setting, very informal and relaxing, actually situated on a working farm, and obviously in the rural area of Gympie.

Mainly oldies as the few young ones were at work.

Playing our Secret Santa … a different version called Right and Left.

Daffodil Day - a fund raising day at golf

Some Dragonboating fun action…

We’d been on a long paddle, found a sandy spot and beached for some cake and coffee.  Nice way to spend a Sunday morning.

Back at the ramp - unloading the boat

Slowing or stopping the boat!

A gathering of U3A members  - trying different sports - in my case trying Croquet

Our Retro Jukebox singers performing at a local aged Persons Home

The following are pieces of my artie creations ….

An old tray that was rusting, I rejuvenated with a bit of mosaicing

A paver in the succulent garden

A salt shaker re-purposed,  holding a button bouquet

 

A white teapot jazzed up

Originally a hat stand - repurposed as a plant holder
(Lampshades found at dump shop)

Mosaiced Succulent holder

Used plastic bottle tops to make the butterfly shape on an old baking tray 

Bird bath made from old jars, bowls and bottles

Red and yellow ‘flowers’ made from wooden door knobs and metal screws

An old stainless steel tray re-purposed as a wall hanging (used leftover tiles)

A girlfriend started me off with the button craze, she had a huge jar in the bottom of her wardrobe that she’d been trying to get rid of for ages.  I’ve made her a couple of things - a picture and a card and she’s terrified she’s going to get more stuff .  Anyway I have decorated a lampshade which looks brilliant and a few birthday and Xmas cards.  I plan to use every single button so many more projects are on the drawing board.

Recycling, re-using, re-purposing, upcycling - all trendy terms and something that appeals to me so nothing gets thrown out these days without me thinking about the possibilities.  My couple of craft tables downstairs are loaded up with lids, bottles, tops, tins and the like - all ready waiting for inspiration from me.

My bottle tree - mainly empty wine but a couple of spirit bottles set into a Yucca tree base.
I’m not really happy with the arrangement but will continue to play with it, find a couple of coloured bottles.

Pickleball is a new game I played this year.  It is organised through the U3A group.  We were all green at the beginning but ended the year playing some good games … have a good grasp of the rules and scoring.  I need to learn to apply some spin and improve my net game.  I’m enjoying the exercise  and the new group to socialise with.  An excellent weekly 2 hour workout.

No photos to show but there are a couple of social events through the year so maybe some of the folks then.

In a nutshell, Pickleball is usually played outdoors, on a badminton-sized court.  In our situation lines are marked on a tennis court.  Same net height for tennis, wooden table tennis-like bats and a plastic ball with holes in are used.  Obviously rules and scoring are different and it is an American invented game so that says a lot about it … some stupids terms and you paddle bats at the end!  Despite all that, it's quite good fun.

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