Gold Coast

On Saturday the 13th went to the Gold Coast for a week with the Babes without boobs.
Got there around 12.30pm after dropping off Jayne at the kennel, picking up books at the library and a cup of coffee at the computer group at the library.
When I got there we went for lunch at the local pub. In the afternoon we had a walk on the beach.
On Sunday we did a boat trip around the canals and went also out.
We had a beautiful morning tea on the boat.



After our boat trip we had a look around and I bought a t-shirt for Robbie. Had an invite for Robby and Linda's birthday party on Saturday.



Started to knit a Carolus and finished it at the end of the week. .



We went to an sculpture exhibition. There were some good sculptures.



This one is made from bird wire.



There are times I feel exactly like this man with everybody pulling at you.



Had a look in Coolangatta and went also to the quiltstore in Tweeds Heads. There is so much, you can spend a long time there. Bought some wool.

We had a restday but in the afternoon I went for a walk and had a look at the kites, the others were flying.

The next day bought also a kite and flew it but after half an hour could not get the kite in the air anymore and had a look at. It was broken down.
Have now a year the time to make myself another one. Have the pattern now and will make one from fabric.



On Friday we left again after cleaning the unit.

On Saterday went to Linda's party and had a good time. Picked up Jayne in the late afternoon. She gets now to know the people, who look after her and is more settled.

When I woke up on saturday in my own bed I heard a bang on the roof and knew straightaway that was the possum, who had been for a long time a boarder at my place.
Before I went to the Coast the overhangings in the carport were covered up by my handyman with animal wire.



When Jayne came home she had a very difficult time hanging on the rafters.






It has not been back yet.

Lord Howe Island

Lord Howe Island is a small island in the Indian Ocean between New Zealand and Australia. The climate is very favourable even in winter. It is not freezing there.



There are a few cars and the speed allowed is 25km. The petrol is even more expensive then on the mainland and people are mixing the used oil from the fast foods outlets with fuel and use it in the cars. There are not many open spaces and what there is, is for the people who live there. The whole island is covered with Kentia palms.



When the seeds from the palms are ready for harvest they are picked and seedlings are raised in the nurseries. Most of these are exported to the Netherlands.

At one stage the island was overrun with rats. There is now a control program in place. You see in places tubes and there is ratsack in it. The rat goes in, eats from it and goes out and dies somewhere.



Everything is imported from the mainland and all the garbage is exported. However what can be recycled, is recycled.



On my walks I went to Little Island. You have to look very good to see it so small is it.


Around the island are a lot of islands. One looks like a whale.



On Friday there was a big walk with a guide to Mount Gower, an eight hour walk. That was too much for me and did not go. Heard later they even had to climb ropes to get to the top. The people who went, were very sore the next morning.



The unit I was living in was very nice.




On the top of one of the smaller mountains





There are also trees with lots of airroots.

Back again

Have not been blogging for 2 months, time is flying by.

On the 20th of July I went on holidays to Lord Howe Island. My friend Jenny brought me to the airport. We had breakfast there.



At five minutes past 9 boarding started, we went with a small van to the plane. It was a very small on, there was only place for about 30 people. We landed from the seaside on Lord Howe.




The weather was beautiful. Were picked up and went by van to Somerset Resort. I got a nice studio unit. Went out and hired a bike for the week. That went not so good the first couple of days, had not been biking for 38 years, even fell a couple of times.



The weather was very windy and raining the whole week but that did not stop me from going out and exploring the island. Have been climbing some mountains and did a lot of walking.





Had a look at the weather balloon going up. The weather man turned out to be Doug. I had been working with him in Melbourne at Philips. He was in goods inwards and I in stock control. He recognised me.





They had also a museum and looked at it. There was also a café and had most of the time coffee and afterwards some lunch there.

Watched one day the plane going out. It was very, very windy that day. It was scaring to look it at but up it went. The wind was across of the runway.




One morning I went to see the feeding of the fishes.



Have been knitting another Lodewijk on Lord Howe Island, have now three.





On the Sunday I flew out again. Lucky there was not that much wind as during the week. Had a good flight back. Jenny picked me up.

Have been working hard on the bathroom it is nearly finished.

The small quilts which are going over the armrests are going fine. The top is finished and am doing the quilting now. Then the small ones have to be stitched together with the big top. Will have to work that out.

Yesterday there was Holland Festival at the Dutch club in Richlands. Went there and had a good time.
Have been eating coffee and cake, salted herring, oliebollen (they are a bit like donuts but then round with dried fruit in it), poffertjes. Watched Maori people singing and dancing, this was very entertaining. Bought a lot of Dutch foodstuff, which you hardly see in a supermarket.