Cockatiel's nesting box

The week started well with the Probus meeting at which the speaker gave a talk on how to tell a joke. Unfortunately it was just an hour of her jokes and now I dont remember any. There is an art in telling them which I dont have.
John worked three days, so it was pleasant to potter about, mainly in the garden. But mid week I took out the cockatiel's nesting box and pulled something in my back. Since then I have not done anything, I even had to cancel my Friday walk about the harbour. It was one I had been looking forward to. John and I will do the walk ourselves by catching the ferry to Mosman and walking on to Chowder Bay in a few weeks. There were 10 eggs and two dead babies, so I think its rest time for the birds and they can try again next year.
I walked for half an hour this morning but that was too long and so am back to square one.
On Thursday we are going to Culburra for 6 days, then back for the walker's Christmas party and then off to Port Macquarrie for 3 days. Consequently there will be no blog for over two weeks. I wish I had a laptop.

Birthday

I had a lovely birthday by going to the movies - Red with Bruce Willis and it was the usual shoot-them-up theme. We had a good laugh. The celebration continued the next day with the ladies at Miranda for lunch. Lovely. The Skype connection was excellent and we had time talking and watching Henry and Lucy.

After a ferry ride to Cremorne Point wharf we walked the loop having a wonderful time with lunch and then a longer ferry home.

I've started on the black cardigan for Lucy.

Spraying the pigeons

Here is John hosing the pigeons that come to visit the hens when bread scraps are thrown on the lawn. They are a menace and carry lice.

One morning this past week I met up with Diane for coffee at Gardens R Us in Moorefields Road and caught up with news.

We were not impressed on Tuesday when John and I went to see the movie - Eat Pray Love, the scenery was great but not the story.

Instead of our normal shopping on Saturday morning, we drove down to Kangaroo Valley markets. It was a lovely drive down to Bowral then inland, about half way to Moss Vale. Again another disappointment, as there were only about 10 stalls, with no fresh fruit. So off we drove to Berry for lunch and home.

The walking group met at Bondi Junction and caught a bus to Codgee Beach where we started the walk to Tamarrama; after lunch walked the trail of Sculptures by the Sea and we were lucky as the exhibition finished today. John did not come as he went to Rodney and Jo's new house but the bbq had not arrived so will go again next week and help out but he did get a nice lunch.

Animal Cruelty

On the morning of leaving to Coffs, John went down to the shed to get a couple of bottle of wine. On our eleventh day of hols, we get a message from Pat - chook in locked shed. At first we couldn't remember where the keys were and had both Pat and Graham searching the usual places and in the end Graham screwed the square air vent off the door. The chook shot out for water. The hen had no water or food for 11 days. Today that hen must have forgiven us as she laid her first egg in over two weeks.

John's 66th Birthday

Happy Birthday John. No balloons or streamers, just a quiet day and evening.

The wedding

Louise and Wayne were married at the Tangaratta winery on Sat. 30th at 5pm. Everything went perfectly and the weather could not have been better. A bus picked up all the guest who stayed at one motel and drove us there and back, so everyone could have a drink.

Tamworth

Armidale was a lovely old town and we walked looking at the old buildings which were so grand. As I didnt take any photos there but I did of the Tamworth PO

coffs

Coffs

Away from Home

Over the past few weeks we've travelled north, staying at Tuncurry overnight then on to Coffs Harbour for 10 days, on to Armidale overnight and then to Louise and Wayne's wedding. We've never stopped at Tuncurry and its was lovely as it was out of tourist season and not many about. Forster which is just over the bridge seemed larger and more of a business area.

We've been to Coffs Harbour before and enjoyed it this time as much. We didn't do the travelling as last time, the furthest was Sawtell and this is just down the road. Not every day was sunny, so it was walks about the area and even walking into town. I think we did an average of 8ks a day. There were markets on two days and went to both. At one I bought a silver necklace with a dragonfly and John got talking to the maker. He made arrangements to put a new stone in John's ring and would post it back home. We walked the sands at Sawtell as well as Coffs on the good days, and we collected alot of cuttle shells for the birds. We climbed Mutton Bird Island and the view from the top looking back over the bay was beautiful. Eating was another pleasure especially with no washing up to do afterwards. A visit to the Big Banana was a disappointment as the light rail no longer operated but still least learnt a bit more about bananas.