Jane and I are both back at work, and loving it. Not! Since we wrote last, we have both taken a much needed three week holiday, and have spent some time with our respective families.
Before we left, life at Chez Dalziell was a little chaotic. In addition to cyclone proofing the house and backyard, I was frantically trying to get three big timber projects finished. Not content with the softly softly approach, I decided that I should get everything made at once. Not a bad idea if you have a big shed, or you know where everything is, or… But - we live in town, with everything crammed into a garage, and no surplus space. However, we needed a storage unit and bench top for the kitchen, and bookshelves. Bookshelves so that we can finally unpack the last of our boxes, and the kitchen unit because we just don’t have any bench space in the kitchen!
The bookshelf finally put together
... But lets go back a couple of days!
Bookshelves standing, and Jane contemplating how the top might go together!
We managed to get it all done, and then locked up the house (offering silent, but heartfelt prayers that the power would stay connected for the duration of our three week sojourn away, and that the wine and kitchen fridges would still be running on our return!). Our plan was to drive to the Sunshine Coast, and to fly from there to Canberra. We would spend the Christmas week with Jane’s family before spending New Year’s and a glorious week of mild (when compared with tropical Townsville) sunshine with my family before toddling off back north to the tropics.
The best laid plans of mice and men…… The trip started ok. We drove to the Sunshine Coast, with a stopover in Rockhampton. I had booked a bed and breakfast package with one of the local hotels. Arriving late, we had plans for a midnight check in. That was smooth enough (once the receptionist eventually came back from her rounds), until breakfast. I won’t say anything more about it - can’t really. It was just awful.
We got to Mum & Dad’s mid afternoon and enjoyed a couple of very welcome festive frothies. The next day we travelled to Brisbane to look at property (wait for a future Blog for more details!), and then stayed with Raf and Susan in Brisbane. We had a lovely night. I was fuelled by Fat Yak, and Jane by ‘baby cuddles’ with Lachie!
... Jane may have struggled with the trip south...
The flight to Canberra was uneventful, even if Jane did engage in a little attempted manipulation of the time/space continuum. Based on her instructions, our pick-up was waiting for us in Canberra before we left Brisbane. It would have been nice, but we still had to do the travel the old fashioned way!
We were able to catch up with many great friends in Canberra (more baby cuddles for Jane) and attended the world’s hottest, muggiest and least inspiring Mass on Christmas Eve. Mind you, I am sure that attendance was pre-penance for the 6 dozen oysters the Crawford clan consumed post mass. The Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc was also particularly fine!
We had a couple of fabulous days of festivities over Christmas, with several treats from the cellar. I cured salmon into Gravlax, and stuffed turkey breast with camembert, garlic and dried tomato before wrapping it in bacon. Not bad at all. We again discovered that there is nothing that a good garlic sauce doesn’t go with. Except perhaps, kissing!
A good fun Christmas, with John running the table!
I also made a batch of tomato relish for Clare- hers still sitting on the floor on the Sunshine Coast.
I was well and truly spoiled, particularly by Jane (Thank you Darling) and I tried my best to spoil her in return.
Our week in the Sunshine Coast gave me cause (yet again) to suggest to the Premier’s Department that they engage in false advertising where the north coast is concerned. It does nothing but rain up there! I know they need it, but surely you have to deliver what you advertise!
Mum and Dad’s house is coming along brilliantly. I love seeing the progress every time we visit. The garden is spectacular and a real credit. It was a real treat to see the Dragonfruit flowering at night. I can see how that would become a real attraction for people.
The Dragonfruit flowers only come out for one night. Just beautiful to look at, and you can see them growing and opening up.
We had a nice week, even if it did rain. New Years Eve was spent on the beach with nieces and nephews, and was most pleasant. No sore head on New Years Day, which is always nice.
We spent a day touring the hinterland ranges, which are really beautiful. I look forward to taking Jane back when we can actually see the view!
We decided that we needed a vacuum cleaner and that we would take advantage of a Myer gift card we had to buy it from Myer (there being none in Townsville) in Maroochydore. I don’t know how, but we walked in intending to buy a vacuum, and walked out with that and a flat screen TV. Just as well we drove down!
Our car seemed full on the trip down with suitcases, an esky and a welder (I was planning to fix Dad’s trailer until it rained). The trip back had the same, as well as a case of wine, chainsaw (thanks Sunny!), TV, Vacuum cleaner, vice, workbench, teddy and some other stuff I ‘liberated’ from Dad’s workshop…..
We weren’t able to do some of the stuff we wanted to do because of the weather, but we were able to help. We pulled the old ceilings down, ready for Tys to install the new ones, and I rewired Dad’s trailer. It works too….. Don’t worry; I was surprised too!
The interior of Mum and Dad's new house. Starting to look really good.
Just love frangipanis!
Butter wouldn't melt in their mouths!!!
We also managed to take a day into Brisbane and saw Shaun and Kirsten’s (marvellous) new house, had beer and cheese with Keren and Louis, and dinner with Jamie and Lisa at the Story Bridge Hotel. Great day out!
... So that's how trees do it!!! ...
It rained all the way back to Townsville, but was good to be back. We had a fabulous time away, but there is no bed like your own bed!
These shelves hold 17 boxes of books. I now have to build more shelves to hold the other 12 boxes.
The back of the bookshelves is the family gallery
My new kitchen bench!! Very excited.
