Today I shall be Mainly...

[Marilyn]

After spending 3 days with one set of friends, a long drive, then 2 days with another set of friends ( both sets wanting to cram as much as humanly possible into the time together) -and then we had a 500km drive today (!) - we are absolutely exhausted. I'm in bed now at 7pm. I'm only staying awake in order to check my blood sugar at 7.30pm. Then it will be "lights out"!
We are still in Queensland, at Rockhampton. We have decided to stay 2 nights here to fully recover before the long push home.
Lovely to catch up with the friends, but gosh it has been draining!

[Stanley]

They say that's a sign of a GOOD HOLIDAY mAZ. i APPLAUD THE DECISION TO STAY TWO NIGHTS AND RECOVER, VERY WISE. (bugger caps lock!)
Veggie cooking this morning and later F1 quali and the race.

[Marilyn]

Tired again after tramping the city streets for 5 hours, but a different kind of tired because we just went at our own pace. Another early night in store, then we head off tomorrow on another 500km stretch.
You will be pleased to know Stanley, that after our 5 plus hours of walking, we returned to the van and soaked our feet in a bucket of warm water with Epsom Salts ( whilst we downed an ice cold glass of Guinness). Both were very restorative in this tropical heat!
A little rest on the bed before preparing tea.
Must buy some more Epsom Salts tomorrow as that was the last of the packet...

[Stanley]

I am a convert to Epsom Salts Maz and found that the cheapest was pharmaceutical grade online if you buy a 5kg bucket. Dirt cheap!
I'm washing and am about to launch into vacuuming and cooking.
Later, I have just finished the first phase, the vacuuming and I have to report it was the quickest and easiest I can remember. I put it down to the multivitamins and will carry on with them until I learn differently!
Now for the cooking and then unloading the washer....

[Sue]

We are meeting my sister for lunch in Whalley. May do some sewing or knitting later. Thats it!

[Stanley]

It will be sunny but cool Sue. Hope you have a nice meal.....

[Marilyn]

I recall suggesting you may be iron deficient Stanley ( met with much denial/discussion). Maybe the multi vitamin had corrected that? You may have been low on Zinc too, which a multi would rectify.

[PanBiker]

Having a walk down to the charity football match at Rolls on behalf of Bosom Friends. Burnley F.C. old boys versus Rolls Royce F.C. old boys.

[Sue]

It will be sunny but cool Sue. Hope you have a nice meal.....

Lovely meal thanks. She was doing a review for the newspaper she works on. We were invited along to make up a table, not too much fun eating alone especially on a Sunday.

[Stanley]

I don't know Maz. If the MVs have cured it it was something the blood tests hadn't picked up. We shall see...
Was it secret shopper Sue or arranged?
I am shopped, cooked and houseworked up so I am not sure yet.

[Sue]

Secret, we were undercover ie just family meeting up at a mutually suitable place.

Bob has got up early and gone out, he has to be in Stockport for 8.00 thus to avoid the worst of the M60/62 morning traffic you have to be out of Rochdale by about 6.15, otherwise it could take anything up to 90 minutes. I have been awake since 4.00, the third night in a row. I have been falling asleep by 11.15pm, waking at half midnight, wide awake! Then sleeping till 3.15 and awake by 4.30 am. Its not like me, I am an 8-9 hours person normally. Ie 11.30 till 7.30.

I have a pedicure appointment this morning, then I shall finish my top, only the buttons to sew on. I am rather pleased with it. There is no U3A french this afternoon so I will potter out to the wool shop as I think I have lost a ball of wool in France and need to buy another in order to finish my cardigan. Its art this evening. A fairly quiet slow pace day!

[Stanley]

Good.
Maz has sent me this....

[Sue]

Peaceful, beautiful, deserted. I love deserted!

[Stanley]

I think she will be posting an explanation.....

[Marilyn]

Only one night here and our camper is about 40 paces from the beach. Walking to a nearby Fish and Chip Shop shortly...might sit on the beach with the sand between our toes to eat tea.
This is our last tropical beach. We head inland as from tomorrow, but not the "outback" track we came on. We may have to change our route home, to avoid bushfires still burning in an area we had planned to visit. That decision will be made tomorrow night when we set up for the night and catch up on the news.
I am still a bit tired. Mind you, I have not drifted off to sleep once while hubby has been driving and we have been travelling for 17 days now. I'm happy to be in bed by 8.30pm! We wake early, about 05.30am, and are on the road by 7am.

[Stanley]

Sounds idyllic!

[Sue]

Wonderful Maz, my idea of heaven.

I have finished my top, I have posted the original I got the idea from also. i don’t wear clothes tucked in so Maxine shaped the bottom fir me in an asymmetric style.

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79D5DE56-059F-4A20-9819-138074FDAE74.jpeg

[Stanley]

You are so good at dressmaking Sue.
You remind me of the shirt I am wearing. Today I shall cut the buttons off it and bin it. It's a hevy cotton tartan work shirt in autumnal colours that I bought in the Northfield Thrift Shop in Minnesota for $1 over 20 years ago. I have worn it mercilessly and it long ago reached the stage where the facings on the fastening at the front were losing their top layer, simply worn away. The cuffs and collar are disintegrating also now and it has gone beyond well-worn to disgraceful! It's an old friend and I shall be sorry to lose it!
I'm having a set off to Ilkley tomorrow, I wonder if there is a shirt their that could replace it?

[Marilyn]

A very pretty top.
Learn to love a new shirt, Stanley...
One night in Toowoomba, then altering our route to a South West journey, rather than South as originally planned. We have to do this to avoid the bushfires burning South of us. A haze of bushfire smoke in the air and the smell of burning.
Hoping to see the Botanic Gardens here before we commence our drive tomorrow, as they are stunning (apparently), plus I believe there is a flower festival on.
We are still 2000 kms from home at this point.

[Stanley]

I shall Maz. My obsession with this one is ridiculous!



See what I mean?

[Sue]

I still have a lot to learn, but have a very good teacher in Maxine.

Had some sad news last night that our 89 year old neighbour and good friend in France has fallen and broken his hip. They operate today. This could cause him a major setback in his health, mobility and indeed in his move to a new home. I foresee that he may not recover well and could be in a nursing home for some months. I hope his family set too to help out, so far they have been conspicuous by their absence, leaving his friend Nicole to manage the move and help clear out his home.

This morning I shall be making a new master pattern for trousers for me. This is my third attempt over three years and is something I am really struggling to master. This afternoon is helping at the hospice shop and this evening pilates then yoga. With all my aches and pains now gone from last week I am looking forward to a good couple of sessions.

[Marilyn]

Its looking sad, Stanley. Past its use by date. You can only get another season out of that if it is under a jumper.
Bushfire smoke is heavy tonight. Not a nice smell. Have the Ventolin handy if it takes its toll.

[Cathy]

Exactly how far away from the bush fire are you two? The reports on Tele are very worrying. Goodness our east coast gets a battering!

[PanBiker]

You would almost certainly find a replacement at Boundary Mill. I'm fairly sure you will also find something in Ilkley at a price.

[Big Kev]

You would almost certainly find a replacement at Boundary Mill. I'm fairly sure you will also find something in Ilkley at a price.

Pendle Village Mill (jct 12 M65, behind B&Q) is another option, not as big as Boundary but they do have a line of 'countrywear' at reasonable prices. They do a nice bit of lunch in the Chocolate Strawberry eatery too