Monday was our wedding anniversary but we couldn't go out anywhere - public holiday, our mechanic not open to check if the car was safe to drive. So we celebrated at home with a nice Thai chicken salad and a bottle of wine. Next year, it will be 25 years. Crikey.
On Tuesday, action on the pool! The granite paving has been laid and it looks great.
Can I take your photo, gentlemen? I asked. Sure, says Cory. Should I put me shirt back on? No, Cory, no need for that, I replied. A glance exchanged and a half smile between Cory and Jake. I wanted to explain that, no, no, actually it's just that I'm making a record of the progress...for my blog...you see. But decided it was best not to. Let them think I'm so admiring the physique that I had to have a photo!
This shot shows the final granite tile being laid in place. Next step was a clean up of the interior of the pool and the laying of a marker strip of tiles on the bottom of the pool, at the designated 2 metre mark from either end. According to David, this is the distance specified by FINA, the Federation Internationale de Natation. He gravely explained all this to Paul the foreman, who took him seriously. They must think we are nutbags.
Wednesday we had the delight of Linda's company overnight as she had a meeting in Taree. She and David drove to Forster to borrow Chris and Robyn's Prado for a few days. Linda was amazed at the progress in the garden. Things are growing strongly despite the lack of rain. But I've never seen it so brown. Poor old Dude has run out of feed in his paddock across the fence. Relax, this is not a photo of him starving to death. He's just having a snooze in between visiting the hay pile and feed bin and bathtub of water.
Thursday we drove in convoy to Port Macquarie to drop Rover off at the specialist Landrover repair place. Walkie talkies between the two vehicles in case David needed to pull over. Every 15 minutes or so the suspension red light would come on and the air suspension would drop out, lowering the car right down so the ride was rough and the clearance minimal. He would slow right down, put the hazard lights on and in a couple of minutes, it would cool down enough to raise to the proper height. So we limped all the way there and I was never more glad to arrive anywhere.
The mechanic on reception in the glossy foyer of the Landrover dealership seemed to think the problem may be relatively easily fixed. Let's hope so. Or it's Trade-in Time, Rover. Bad boy.
On the way home, we stopped for lunch at Bonny Hills and ate fish and squid on the hotel balcony looking over the beach. Entertainment provided in the form of whales in the distance, breaching and tail slapping on their southerly migration. Then a nice little stopover at the excellent Bonny Hills nursery and another at Isabel's Daylily and Bromeliad place at Laurieton. Bought three more daylilies, including this little beauty (below). Might as well make the best of the trip, eh?
Friday was spent gardening and sewing. We've been doing a lot of planting, spraying etc. David took on the neighbours' lantana patch as they are elderly and it is beyond them. The lantana fought back, drawing blood (below)!
Saturday, David went to orchestra practice and I had a quiet time at home. No choice, really. Suppose I could have gone somewhere on my bike if necessary. My pushbike, that is. Although I have a motorcycle licence I would now be unsafe at any speed on David's motorbike. Or on the ride-on mower. Happy to leave all that to the silver fox.
Today, Sunday we went to Blackhead Markets. I am getting so accustomed to the unfortunate name of our district that I no longer get a mental image of a place selling facial blemishes. Or an area where everyone has Lady Grecian hair. We bought, guess what? Yes, more plants. The photo above is of me planting water irises in the edge of the dam where it is usually slightly submerged. The dam is way, way down because of all the dry weather. At that moment, I heard a splashing in the water and turned to see an eel tail break the surface. So far, the wildlife we have encountered is all benign, from the pretty faced wallabies to the frogs and birds. But neighbours Debbie and Dave down the road tell stories of being visited by all kinds of snakes, huge goannas, foxes, possums and bats, as well as all manner of fruit and vegie stealing birds and insects and quolls that take their chooks. I don't mind sharing, says Debbie. But I hate it when they strip the whole crop and leave you nothing. She showed us their fortified vegie garden, which is like Fort Knox. Hmmn. Food for thought.
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