Travelling East, Part II

The lakes are very extensive and singing in my mind, 'a three hour cruise' alarmed me a little. Yes, most of you will get that. 

Before so, my host drove me around a newly developed area, which I thought was terrific but underused, for now. It won't always be, and just wait for the summer tourist influx.

The cruise with the commentary was terrific. We paid with cash and the lovely attendant did not have change and said she would deliver it to us later on boat. We said, don't bother. She offered us a Mel Bag Tag instead. I took up the freebie offer and paid $10 for another to give to Phyllis and Kosov. I had also bought them chocolate in the morning when we had coffee. I correctly guessed they would really like a souvenir. 

There was free instant coffee available, and tea bags, along with a bubbling hot water urn. At some point a huge hot scone with jam and lashings of cream was served.  (I've always wanted to insert lashings of something into a post and never had the chance since I last read a Famous Five book)

We were informed about many things involving the waterways and surrounding land and one fact among most I've forgotten was the area had the highest Aboriginal population in the state before the white invasion. 

We arrived back home around 4.30 and took a rest until we later went out for dinner to the local RSL club. The meal was ok although there was some bother about me wearing my hat indoors. I explained why and I was allowed to keep it. I was annoyed at about the way I was told and once back in Melbourne I sent a message to the club and received an apology. If you've forgotten, I had a melanoma removed from my scalp and there is a bare patch. Slowly its appearance is improving but I am not ready to expose it to the world yet.

The next morning we both set off in our respective cars to Paynesville and after meeting, travelled as foot passengers less than 200 metres across the water by a chain pulled ferry to Raymond Island. We walked the two kilometre koala trail walk and while I was hopeless at koala spotting, my friend was excellent. I couldn't even see some as she was pointing to them.

It took quite some time to walk the two kilometres because of the wildlife distractions. It was a terrific outing to Raymond Island.

We had coffee from a caravan near the ferry and I fortified myself for the journey home with a toasted sandwich and I took a break from driving at a service area at Officer South.

So, the day before:

There are a number of these timber carved sculptures along the foreshore, all war related. They are very well done.

A dredge can be seen in the distance. A lot of money has been spent in the main street along the foreshore and in a kind of marina area. This is to cater for the huge number of tourists who arrive during holiday periods and it seems there is space for numbers to increase. 

Here comes another dredge that I guess had been out dredging. No surprise there. 

A couple of young lads were crabbing near here.

The man made entrance has to be dredged to keep clear of sand. There was once another natural opening that often closed over, so fishing boats could not get out to sea. 

You can see the turbulence at the entrance. 

There were many seals next to the ferry, jumping out of the water but of the dozen or more photos I took, I did not get one of  a seal jumping from the water. A few were sitting on rocks.

The seal fin sits out of the water as the seal tries to warm or cool itself. 

 

Human made concrete point, that was in less than stellar condition but the cormorants liked it.

This sea eagle was sitting in the tree as I snapped, but it had taken flight, which made a much better photo.

The next day at Raymond Island.

The callistemon was past its prime, aren't we all, but what a great shape. 

A tawny frog mouth in its excellent disguise. 

Nein mein herr. I have a headache. I've never seen anything like this, although I've heard the sounds. Make sure you have yours on.

We were nearly back to the ferry terminal when a passing motorist indicated to us to look to the left, and a few metres away was an echidna, or a spiny ant eater. We would have missed it. It had no fear of humans, which they normally do and wandered around the feet of the rapidly gathering throng of tourists. Note its rear paws with claws that face backwards that enables it to quickly burrow straight down underground if threatened. Just wow!

I am again away for a few days where I will stay on my own in a quite posh hotel that I picked up for a good deal. Later babes...

A farm causes me hearing loss

I took many personal photos but not too many of the critters at Myuna Farm. We have been there before but not for many years. Last Saturday there was an incomplete family gathering for no real reason other than a day out during school holidays. The arranged meeting time was ten, a little earlier than I would like but it was only a thirty five minute drive away. 

The staff were negligent as both of my brothers walked through without paying. I was not pleased that my brothers did not front up to pay. My nephews paid for a family ticket plus, so perhaps they thought that included them. Well, that's the best face I can put on it. 

It was good to see family, especially the two year twin boys and their four year old sister.

There were many animals to see and the kiddies and some adults went on a train ride, actually a tractor pulling trailers, through the park and then later a short pony ride. One great nephew twin was eager and loved his pony ride. The other did not want to and took no interest. They are just so different. 

While they were away, I fed a gentle llama and fed a goat, who tried to rip the paper bag from my hand. Ex Sis in Law said one goat was trying to eat her clothing top. It's not like they would be hungry. 

ABI Brother disappeared early as he had won a free pub counter lunch in a raffle. I did not stay to the end as my arthritic neck pain was so bad, as it is if I am standing around or slow walking in the morning. It was so bad I just has to find a seat with a backrest to sit for five minutes, and I did. 

Everything seemed normal once home. I can't remember what I did for the rest of the day. Come Sunday morning, it was time to change the clocks for the start of daylight saving, three bedroom clocks, microwave, oven, weather station, mantle clock and wall clock. 

Every Sunday I put new batteries into my hearing aids. As I went to do so, I realised my right ear one was not around, totally missing. I thought it might turn up in some obscure place, but it hasn't. I called the farm and no one had handed one in, but they said they would call me if it turned up. I really don't have a clue where I lost it. 

The aids are supplied by Workcover, as I was judged to have some hearing loss due to excessive noise at work, so I won't have to pay for a replacement, but in my ears rang what the audiologist told me. Please never lose one hearing aid. Things always work out better if you lose both hearing aids, so I have a rehearsed story about how on the farm I took the aids off because of noisy children, put them in my pocket and they must have fallen out on the train/tractor ride, that I did not take. My replacement hearing aids will cost Workcover maybe $1,500 dollars, yet I make a moral judgement about my brothers avoiding paying a $25 entrance fee. Mind, I have been very careful with my hearing aids and I can't work out how I lost one, but as I have, I am entitled to a replacement. 

Here are a few animal photos I took. This fowl had feathered feet. Watching it walk around was quite amusing. I'm sure one of you will know what kind of chook it is without having to look it up.

Llama took the food so gently from hands unlike the goats.

I think this is great nephew Lucas mounted on a pony.

This would be the cousin of Lucas, great nephew Louie, who found the pony fascinating after his ride.

Ray would have been exhausted by such a gathering, as I pretty well was. Speaking of Ray, and it has been a while since I have cracked up, but tears ran down my cheeks as I sat today having coffee outside Leo's Spaghetti Bar in Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. I was overwhelmed with memories which I try to push away, but almost everywhere I go, Ray was with me. We dined there for a romantic meal shortly after we met in 1979. 

Gone to the dogs

Sister and Bone Doctor have an aged dog, to the point where they can't plan too far in the future as Fuzzy Cocoa approaches the end of her life. She is some kind of poodle cross. Several years ago, after a severe fur trim. 

 

Oldest Niece has Charlie, a smallish dog and it too is quite old. 

Ex Sis in Law has two pugs. I'm afraid it is not a breed I like. I hate the noise they make when they pant. The noise they make is just horrible, and how anyone thinks they are attractive, I don't know. Sorry if you have one.

Mother's dogs were Socks and Pooch, medium sized dogs. Father's favourite dog was Cindy. There were other child hood dogs, Red, who was killed by a trailer behind a car. He was a tyre chaser. One dog was kill by wild dogs. Awful, but there was one dog permanently chained up as he would immediately rush off to chase cattle in a mindless way. 

My grandparents had a Collie dog when I was just past toddler age called Joffey. He too was pretty well permanently chained up. 

Our dogs were Toby, a medium sized mongrel bitzer mixed breed dog with cattle dog instincts. He was terrified of thunder and alerted us to when it was approaching, and fireworks. I vividly remember his last walk in Alma Park, as we lifted him out of the car for him to stagger around the park for a bit, Pretty well blind, with collapsed claws. From there we took him to the vet for the last time. We sobbed and the vestiary practice sent us flowers the next day. 

Jessie was a pure bred West Highland White Terrier. She was a lovely dog, always so close to us but apparently she barked a lot when we weren't home. We didn't know as we weren't there. She had so many medical problems, from hip dysplasia to bowel problems. I can't remember why now but she went to our now late friend Arthur who lived at the foot of Victoria's Mount Elephant. At a youngish age for a small dog, she died of throat cancer a year or so later. What I already knew about pure bred dogs, proved to be true. Photo of Toby and Jessie from about 1990. 

We had the privilege of looking after the small mixed breed white Jack E Boy, here in the apartment so many times, the dog of our friend who now lives in Tasmania. He was great and we loved him as our own. But he died of old age a couple of years ago. 

And then there is Tradie Brother with his deaf dog, Dog. He has tried to let her off leash at contained parks and at the beach but it is quite hopeless as she doesn't hear calls back to her master. I admire him for taking on a deaf dog, but I think he was foolish. His last dog Cobber died at a premature age. Dog is is a big white dog and should she jump up onto you with affection, she could knock you over. But worse is she slobbers. No big deal on my shirts as they are only worn for three days, but I only wash my jeans every two months. Dog slobber means an immediate wash.