Out at the bar

As part of our ongoing attempts to have a healthy lifestyle, we have decided to have AFD's (alcohol free days) from Sundays through to Thursdays. Except when it's someone's birthday. Or visitors come. Or we really, really deserve a beer because of labouring hard in the garden. So, not all that rigidly committed to the idea as you may have guessed. But most days, we drink aqua viva free out of the tap and feel quite virtuous. Also feel more energetic the following day.

So when I say "Out at the bar", what I'm referring to is this:

Cape Hawke Bar, facing NE, with Tuncurry on the port side and Forster starboard in this picture. There is a nice little walking path out to the point, which we explored for the first time a couple of days ago. Nine Mile Beach is to the left of this shot. You can drive (nine miles, presumably) along this beach from right near Black Head, should you so desire. But we don't do beach driving. Don't want to give Rover any more excuses to play up.

(Above) Looking back to The Rockpool at Tuncurry. Love the jade colour of the water.

 David at the point.

Breakwall on the Forster side.

You may observe that I was dressed very appropriately for this expedition. Of course, my extensive maritime knowledge was what led to my choosing green on top and white pants.

The huge and beautiful local rocks that comprise the breakwalls are exactly the same colouration as those in our new rock walls. We especially like the slatey grey/green colour where it juxtaposes with burnt orange.

Here it is, the effect in the natural rock. We have used these same colours in our external house paintwork, based on rocks we picked up when we first arrived in this area. Hopefully, our new pool water will have that gorgeous jade colour that you can see in this photo. It is the colour everyone loves from gazing at the water flowing under the Forster Tuncurry Bridge. I'm amazed more people don't drive right off the bridge given that everyone looks at the water as they drive over! You see them doing it. Or are they dolphin spotting? That's what I do when I'm driving across.

Speaking of pool progress, it is slow. Today I gazed into the empty shell as I was digging in a plant at the poolside, hot as hell. If there had been water, I would have stripped off and jumped in on the spot. This photo shows the fencing guy this morning, using his incredibly powerful drilling tool to slice a little round hole through layers of granite, concrete and even steel. They pop out the plug formed, then install pool fence posts. After the fencing, the pumps and equipment will be done, then the pebblecrete lining, then (fanfare) the water! Bring on the water, please.

Can you see the little green plastic sleeve behind me in this photo? It is the last one on a roll of 200 plant protectors. And that was the second roll we have used. Yep, that right. More than 400 plants in the ground. Probably more like 500 because not all of them get a protection sleeve. For the record, the plant is a Prostanthera - mint bush.