Trip to Andre Rieu Concert

It must be a year ago that Catherine rang and told me the exciting news she had tickets to take me to the Andre Rieu Concert on 16^th October 2013, so I had all the fun for a year looking forward to it, and mentioning it at any chance I got.....  As I have said before, the anticipation is a big deal, and surprises are wasted on me.

See Park Grafton

Going to the Blue Mountains, we had to prepare for hot and cool weather, it was 5C at Catherine's suburb the day before we left and hot in the daytimes.  And I had to pack a case, as I would be staying with them, rather than having everything in the lockers in the RV.

The main thing to organise was looking after our hens, they have automatic feed and water, but love their greens and needed the eggs collected daily.  Keith and Heather weren’t going away and kindly agreed to help out yet again, then Keith came down with a health issue, and I feel that Heather did most of the calling in.

We left on Monday morning and it was a hefty headwind all the way. Then we had an incident at a give –way sign, when we were stationary, with constant traffic whooshing past, and a car ran up the back of us, pushing our back bumper skew-whiff. As the heavy spare tyre looked likely to fall, we had to bring it inside to prevent possible harm should it fall, and work around it the rest of the trip, moving it from in front of the fridge etc.  I reported the matter to our insurer immediately and got a claim number and the request to submit a quote when we got home.  We found out today at a local smash repair that there was damage to the body of the unit and they advised us to go to a caravan repair business, as they could not help us.

 

We freecamped at The Rock, Tea Gardens, a popular spot with travellers, and my 3G phone did not have coverage, while Barry made a few calls on his NextG, both on the Telstra Network.  We drove into Lake Haven on Tuesday morning as a change from Tuggerah, but it was too far out of the way, and we are not likely to call in there again.

We had a late lunch parked near Glenbrook information centre and read the paper etc to fill in some time as Catherine was not due home until 4.30, and we arrived about two minutes ahead of them.  Barry, not thinking, felt the hot exhaust pipe as we had only recently replaced the exhaust system, as he had been concerned about it from the rear-ender, and burnt his hand.  However we had been able to continue to travel safely.

There was a holdup at Woodford and Gary was very late home, and Beth going the other way did not get home until about 8pm.  Catherine makes sure everyone carries water just in case of these holdups as mainly there is only one road and no detours.

Barry left for a visit to family at Bilpin on Wednesday morning and that day was the start of the terrible fires though it was late in the day when I became aware of them. It was also the day of the Andre Rieu Concert and we planned on leaving at 5.30.  After Catherine had locked up she realised she didn’t have the car keys, and next thing I saw her dashing out of the shed with a ladder to get up to a top story window.  I was concerned that the shed was not locked also, but then said don’t you have a spare key in there, and then Catherine remembered that she had hidden a key.

We had a good drive to the vicinity of the Allphones Arena at Homebush, didn’t seem to be any crowds even though 10,000 were attending the concert. We entered the parking station recommended by her daughters and had a lovely Thai dinner with fresh al dente veggies just perfect.

We walked about 200metres to the venue in beautiful balmy weather.

Most people were approaching from the extreme left of this pic, must have been the closest parking station.

We were to enter from Door 10.

 Waiting our turn outside Door 10

Looking for our seats

We were close to the stage. 

It said on our tickets no photos etc, but so many people were taking photos that it seemed like a free-for-all at the end, so I took a couple.

The side screens were great.

I got a bit excited when I saw us on the side screen... pic by Catherine

On Facebook this morning, from the Sydney Concert

Looking back into the concert hall as we were leaving.

Thursday was horrifically windy and the fires were getting a hold, and the homes were lost in the Winmalee area.

Here is a pic of Barry at Bilpin, standing on one of their watertanks, pic John.

Tall Ships

I love Tall Ships, and we lived  in Sydney to see them in 1988 for the Bicentenary.  We then took a holiday and followed them to Hobart and saw them again there, going on board several of them.

Pic from news online

It probably hasn't made the news overseas, but they are in Sydney again this weekend along with the International Fleet Review for celebrations to mark 100 years since the Royal Australian Navy fleet first entered Sydney Harbour.  We were also very familiar with Sydney Harbour when we lived aboard our Adams Motorsailor "Eden" from about 1990 to 1995.

"Eden"

We couldn't make the trip as we are going down the next weekend, for the Andre Rieu concert on 16th October, and these days we only stay away about a week as we don't like to leave our hens for more than a week. We have a friend who comes in every day to give them their greens and collect the eggs, and we would not be comfortable with more than a week.
 
So I am taking the opportunity to see a little of it on TV, and they are showing Prince Harry meeting dozens of people in a street walk just now.  The harbour is looking magnificent, and I will see it next week as I will be going right into the city to meet some workmates from the 80s for lunch.

Love and Blessings.
Jan xx

Images and Words - Enjoyment

Just came across the Images and Words blog, as I did on Facebook yesterday.

Each week a new subject is nominated, and the idea is to post one of our own photos with words added, and the words may be our own or a quote which is acknowledged.

This is my entry:

The photo is from my Birthday Celebration blog if anyone would like to see it.

Here for Images and Words 

 All the best,
Jan

On the Farmyard Porch

Chat on Thoughtful Tuesday With Patrice and Wendell!

QUESTIONS

1. When you pass the salt, do you automatically send the pepper with it?
2. How many fingers do you usually type with?
3. Do you keep interesting coins when you run across them?
4. Did you enjoy September, or did it fly by too quickly?
5. If I could _________, I'd get more done each day.

My Answers:
1. When there is just the two of us, we season our dishes in the kitchen before taking to the table. I've noticed that people we know only pass the salt or pepper as requested.
2. All fingers.  I worked in Admin, through manual typewriters, electric,  word processing which was the most difficult to get used to, and then into the computer age.
3. No I barely look at coins, though I did notice a NZ coin in a donation box at one of our community garden events, and wonder if it was a mistake or on purpose.
4. September, we both had a virus that was going round, first time in years, so pleased to be finished with September.
5. If I could spend less time online I would get more done each day, though my time is my own, being retired. Still, I keep on telling myself that I need to get more exercise.  I do walk down town a couple of times a week, and took my camera recently.

Take care and have a great week!

Love and Blessings,

Jan

Monday Quiz

Welcome to Monday Quiz About Me 
Hosted by Acting Balanced. 

Here are FOUR QUESTIONS that everyone can answer:

1. It's Customer Service week - do you think customer service is getting better or worse now than it was five years ago?

Customer service is excellent in my area, the checkout operators are friendly and helpful, and there is no problem returning items that aren't quite what we expected, sometimes even if we haven't kept the receipt.

2. October 1st is also World Vegetarian Day - have you ever spent time as a Vegetarian?  Do you have regular meatless meals?

No we aren't vegetarian, but we often have meatless meals, preferring salads or lightly steamed vegetables, many from our own garden.

3. What reality show would you like to be a part of?  

I can't even remember viewing a reality show, I don't watch them on principle.

4. Are you planning to watch the Baseball post-season?  Who will win the World Series?

No we don't have baseball either.... I do get caught up in the tennis, but that is about it.

5. Do you have a favorite flower?

A few sweet pea and coriander from my garden

Have a great week!
Blessings.

Ukulele Lady

We welcomed a friend back to our Monday morning jam session today. She and hubby had a six month trip over to Perth, to see family, but circumstances didn't go so well. She had taken up the ukulele this year and although she took it away with her, did not play, and is very keen to get back to it now that she is home.

I'm just copying the songs we play and making up a folder for her.

It is a very easy to play, and if anyone is thinking of taking up an instrument to improve their mental skills, I would recommend it. Even though I have been dabbling in music a bit, I have no training, and just join in when together with friends.  I have got to the point where I am playing in Church (once a month) with the choruses, with our friend Lynn who leads, and Barry, both playing guitar. There is a lot of help online and there may even be a ukulele club in your area, where you will meet some nice people.
There are also tutorial youtubes with words and chords illustrating where to put your fingers.

The other thing that happened today, I was sitting in the hairdresser waiting for my appointment, and Barry came in with a finger all swathed in tissues.  He had slammed it in the car door.  Anyway off he went to the doctor (on foot) to get it stitched, and when I caught up with him there he had to go for an X-Ray as well.  We are in the middle of renovations in the kitchen, so they are in abeyance now, and who knows about the concerts next week, lucky none this week, being the first week of the month which we keep free.

Take care and God Bless.

Beautiful Sunday

Beautiful Sunday, and we don't have any commitments today. It has been hot already, so must be aware of and thankful for such a gorgeous day.  As it is open day at the garden, as a segment of the local Garden and Flower Show, and two of our members are there to chat to visitors, will call in there.  I took a few photos yesterday to publicise it on Facebook.

I ordered a new book, Grain Brain that is getting a lot of publicity, and looking forward to receiving it this week. I ordered from Book Depository as that is the best deal for us.  It explains "what happens when the brain encounters common ingredients in your daily bread and fruit bowls, why your brain thrives on fat and cholesterol, and how you can spur the growth of new brain cells at any age". It is looking towards helping people to avoid dementia and alzheimers.   I personally have an issue with my cholesterol reading, as local doctors consider it high, but all the info I see online says it is OK, and this book also supports my ideas.  I have refused to take statins for some time now.

I saw a flyer for The Leprosy Mission in a publication that came a week or so ago and ordered a couple of items - Christmas cards and a bracelet, to try their items as they did not give a lot of info.  I am very pleased with them and will be putting in a larger order.

We've sorted out this song as we've been asked to help with it for a special occasion later in the year.



Now to get out and enjoy the day.
Love and Blessings.

Journal Again

As this is my journal to remind me what we have been doing, I do need to write here now and again.

Since I have been doing the Facebook, monthly newsletter and the newsletter website for our local Community Garden, that seems to be satisfying my urge to be online, and it is a bit of an effort to do more, though of course I do keep up with my family and the news (beats watching TV), gardening, and the natural news that interests us.

Since my school reunion (last saw them 1957 as we moved to Dorrigo for my last two years) it has seemed fairly quiet, but we have kept busy.

  

My Class 1A- 1955 CHHS

 At Sawtell, we drove over before the class evening meal and get-together was held.

We took a friend to Brisbane for an operation on his back on Wednesday 7th August.  Luckily I researched where to go as the hospital was in a one way street, and it was tricky getting the turn into the road. We met up with Barry's daughter and grandsons for lunch and the afternoon.
 

 Barry and Vicki

Went to Brisbane again on the Saturday to bring them home. Can't remember much about it except the street Brian told us to take to get to the motel where they were waiting was one way, the wrong way, and we had to go around again and luckily get across the traffic to meet up with them.

We had a couple of our usual concerts the next week and also took advantage of a coach trip we saw advertised in the local paper. It was to the markets at Bellingen on Saturday 17th.  I was born in Bellingen and it was our local town and near where my grandparents lived when I was growing up.  We only spent a few minutes at the markets and then went walking up the main street and around about and indulged in a lovely morning tea and lunch.  We had good company on the coach too, along with a new friend who had lived in one of the outlying villages, so we had a lot of "do you remember", and comparing reminisces.

I love the scenery around Bellingen, and looking to the Dorrigo mountains.

 and the main street

 We especially enjoyed a gallery upstairs in the building that used to be a department store Hammond and Wheatley in pic. I remember when making a cash purchase, the cash was placed in an overhead gadget to whiz across to an upstairs office for the change.  We indulged in beautiful fabric shoulder bags..... and I am using it instead of a conventional bag, quite often.

On Sunday 18th we played for the choruses in church again with our close friend.

Last week of the month my son and Emi called in for his birthday on the way to a few days break at the family holiday cabin and as always it was good to see them. I made his favourite decadent dessert as a little birthday cake, and a spare one for them to take with them and was rewarded with exuberant praise.

On Saturday 31st it was the Welcome to Spring event at the Garden.  We had three interesting speakers  and nearly 60 in attendance. I did a couple of batches of scones for jam and cream, and there were several other interesting dishes home made wholegrain bread, damper, homemade jams, cupcakes, etc, and pizzas made on the spot. Full details in the September newsletter.

Photo while we were preparing for the afternoon.

And now it is the end of September, had our Anniversary, 29 years, with a low-key day out, and we have been ill with a flu type illness that has been going around, very unusual for us, as this is the first time I recall us having to cancel concerts for this reason, in the five or so years we have been doing them.

However we are back to full strength now and renovating in the kitchen.  Talking about kitchen, I made some absolutely delicious chapati with atta flour yesterday, to go with hommus.  We rarely eat wheat and sugar and I have been looking for a cracker recipe, but this was even better, the dough so soft and pliable.  In the writeup it says that it can be made in the time it takes to make coffee and that isn't far out. It's here.

We are going to a local Filipino concert tonight, as we know a few of the people.

It is only about two weeks until we head back down south to my daughter's, particularly looking forward to it as she is taking me to the Andre Rieu concert in Sydney. 

Til next time.  God Bless.

70th Birthday Post

This post is about me recording my thoughts, events and photos regarding my 70th Birthday, and as it was last weekend, 28th July,  I hope I haven't forgotten too many details. Since then apart from all the everyday things, I've done the Community Garden newsletter and we have been to my High School reunion at Coffs Harbour, getting back this morning.  I will have to think hard to get back to last weekend.

 I've never bothered much with my birthday, though I have given Barry some nice celebrations, a trip to Tasmania for his 60th, and a party for about 100 at the Church Hall for his 70th spring to mind, but I don't believe I ever had a party as a child, and mostly had a meal out to mark the occasion.  And this year I even teed up some friends who were available on the day and was trying to decide where to go for lunch on the day. Two close women friends in Casino gave me beautiful gifts the weekend before, even though I didn't expect gifts.

My sister Lois, whom I am very fond of and see a couple of times a year when we get to Brisbane, approached me about her and partner, and two brothers and their wife/partner coming over for my birthday weekend, but I didn't go along with the idea. Even though we would have all gone out for a main evening meal and they would have stayed at a motel, I usually look round when people are coming and see a lot that needs doing, all the extra housework, baking for cuppas, lunch, breakfast the next morning, and I felt awfully tired at the thought of it.  Hopefully we will have a get-together before the end of the year.  They didn't offer to have it at their places, mainly because I live about halfway between Brisbane and Dorrigo, and then the Dorrigo ones didn't even send a card.....LOL   I love visitors, don't get me wrong, but this idea didn't feel like a big celebration for my birthday.

So I thought something more than a lunch out, nice though it would have been, was called for and hit on the idea of asking my daughter if they had anything on that weekend, and would it suit for us to come down to Lawson.  She said yes, and even rang back a little later to ask if we would like to come a day earlier to attend the Timber and Woodworking Expo at the Olympic site in Sydney on Friday 26th, and later that her daughters Laura and Beth and their men were all set to come over as well.  A very close friend of Laura is counted as a daughter too, and Cara and new hubby were coming, in fact I heard that the hubby Simon wanted to meet Grandma.  Isn't that just so nice.

I already had my main birthday gift, a digital piano, which I love to hear Barry play  by ear most mornings, and which I try to play reading the music (and don't give enough time to, to become proficient).
 

We planned on taking the train and use our free trips, but the times didn't suit, and a sleeper would have been $440 extra, and even then the times didn't suit.  Barry won't fly so we  drove down.  Fuel has gone up lately with our falling dollar, and our RV is heavy on fuel so that came to about $370 but we don't regret a cent of it.

We left home about 12.15pm on the Wednesday as we had to pack the van that morning, concert the day before etc.. We stopped in Grafton and encountered the first 'hands that handled money in cup" incident at Michelle's... pulling the paper cups apart from the top rather than underneath  when we ordered coffee.  When I see someone do that I cancel the coffee order. Daughter Catherine who was one of the food inspectors at the Sydney Olympic games says I should report them.  At least McDonalds have the cups stored so that they can only be handled from the bottom of the cups!

I also acquired a silver bracelet.

We free camped at The Rock at Tea Gardens that night.  Next morning we phoned a sister-in-law of Barry's at Gorokan near Toukley,  thinking we should take the opportunity to call in on her, but she was going out, so when we came to Morrisett we called in unannounced on a friend of Barry's who is an entertainer, at Aunt Mollys Bakehouse (she used to run the whole business but now leases out the restaurant side of it).   They were having Christmas in July, starting about 10 minutes later, in fact they had one most days in July, and she invited us to stay for the roast Christmas dinner and plum pud and her entertainment,  and jolly good it was too.  Then she put us on her e-tag to save time to go on the M7 on the way to our destination, and the return trip too, as we have never bothered now that we can't just pay cash at the toll booths. So that was a very pleasant extra birthday bonus that we would not have experienced if the sis-in-law had been available!

After all that we got to Lawson at about 4.30pm just before Catherine and Beth returned.  Catherine came in with a bunch of Australian wildflowers and said Happy Birthday, and it was Happy Birthday all the way, beautiful people with joyful demeanours, beautiful home,  extraordinary meals by Chef Gary who plied us with gourmet bacon, eggs and extras, for breakfast, restaurant plus main meals and so much more!

So Friday we went to the Timber Expo, along with Catherine's friend Jan from a few suburbs away, and they kept on meeting up with fellow members of their Woodturning Group even though there was a huge crowd there, mostly older men and teenage schoolboy groups.  There were a lot of stalls with expensive tools, and the main part for me, the gallery of outstanding items, boats, furniture, even a handmade guitar or two.

Catherine and Jan bought tools for their woodturning, and Barry and I only bought a couple of past issues of woodturning magazines at four for $10 rather than the original price of $9.50 each.   The amazing thing was that we accidentally left the page of one open, when called for lunch, of a page featuring the Blue Mountains Woodturners Club and a pic of friend Jan with three trembleurs that Jan had made, the longest 2165mm, a bit of a record apparently, as they are made from one piece of wood with extreme patience as it is very fine lathe work. And we didn't even notice until Catherine saw it.    I found a pic of Jan's trembleurs on google.

Jan Pennell's Trembleurs

Catherine's woodturning

Saturday we went on the train to Penrith to see Barry's son. Nuff said as he does not have a happy life.  We got back about 3pm and by then Gary and Catherine had most of the preparations for the Sunday birthday feast for ten people done. 

I did look around in Penrith at some watches as mine was on its last legs but did not buy and decided to return to the shop on the Monday morning. I usually only purchase a very cheap one and use it until its demise.  I did not notice but saw later that mine stopped at 3pm and the winder had fallen off. Actually I did not notice until the next morning.

Next day was Sunday and my birthday.  Catherine had a swag of gifts, and said leave that one til last..... it was a beautiful new watch, and not one of the cheap variety I usually buy for myself, and she had bought it the previous Thursday!

Gifts photographed on dining table back home.
Laura and Beth gave me cute gardening gifts; Beth the friendly ant and little bugs, and Laura the Welcome Plaque and Wall plague "All things grow with Love". I made up a garden to go with the Welcome plaque,

and it looked much better after I watered it.  Below Barry took this pic, see how it is much brighter than my photos...... you know what I am hanging out for next!

My birthday Lunch was a real feast with roast chickens, beautiful ham off the bone,  coleslaw, potato salad and green salad and more.  Cara brought along a gorgeous cake from the cheesecake shop, and Catherine made me a very tasty birthday cake with ginger and orange, my favourites. (Catherine remembered, I did not mention it.)

 

After lunch we all played Pictionary. Now Barry is good at drawing, and I admit to being useless, but the big problem was we just seemed to freeze, where were our brains?  All the others were great at it, especially the younger generation, who had their pic done and solved in the All Play before we even put pencil to paper.  Barry was heard to mutter "Before this I thought Scrabble was the worst game".

We left early on the Monday morning and the traffic was fine, no traffic jams at all. We did visit the sister-in-law. She is having difficulty walking these days.  We stopped for coffee at KFC near Hexham and another 'hands in cups' incident and I asked for my money back as I had already paid.

We free camped at Macksville on Monday night then went back across the river for a cuppa on the riverbank before continuing north before sunup.  They have made a lovely picturesque setting for their town. We got home to find our chooks very happy after Keith and Heather calling in on them, and we were very happy with the whole experience.

End of story and more pics, taken by Barry.

with Laura

We didn't find out why Jared climbed the tree!

Gary Catherine me Cara

Catherine Beth Barry Jared Andrew.... Laura must have taken this one, where were Cara and Simon?

 

Simon and Cara pic FB

 Laura and Jared

Beth and Andrew pic FB

Thank you for reading, and for being part of my memorable 70th Birthday.
Much love, xxxxxxx

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As the comments section is closed, responses by email, facebook or phone etc copied here:

Catherine

Early next morning I received a lovely phone call from Catherine, very pleased with, and touched by, the post, and that I had remembered the details.  

Beth

Hi Grandma, I just read the blog post, I am so glad you enjoyed the weekend. I wanted to post a comment on the blog but I couldn't find a comments section. I was just going to write that the ant looks great with the flowers!! and I love the group photo of you, me, Laura and Mum.


Heather

Enjoyed blog. Almost like being there - so glad you had a great birthday trip. XX

Peta

Wow, what a great time you had! Great blog! X x

Jan Pennell to Catherine
Hi there. Well what a treat to get a mention like that. She sure writes a good story and seems like everyone enjoyed that birthday.  I enjoyed reading about it.  Thanks heaps for sending it on.
Regards,  Jan

Sharon, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
Loved your birthday post. Most likely one of the most wonderful things I have ever read and I am so happy for what sounds like a most wonderful and interesting birthday. Love to hear more about the silver bracelet.

My Niece Jeanelle
Thank you - I enjoyed the blog very much!  xx


Deanna, Virginia, USA 
Jan, that is really nice. Really enjoyed it.

Lynn by phone
Great write-up, and I should write books.... 

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