Masterchef Cumbria.

So......as well as a chicken made from a tea - towel, Anne also packed lots of recipes, hoping to help us by doing some cooking for us while she was here.Today she picked out three recipes for the next three nights.We went to Sunnybank and visited a Chinese supermarket with a fresh fish department to look what smoked fish was available.There were far too many flies about for us to be tempted to buy. We looked at the wide variety of fish available, accompanied by the regular sound of flies being zapped in the electric insect zapper, but there was no smoked fish.We went to Woolies for other ingredients Anne needed and then went back home.She cooked all afternoon.(Tonight we had Jamie Oliver's Chicken pie, tomorrow a spring onion and pea tart and on Wednesday a corn and ham flan..... Her Fisherman's pie will have to wait.)Popping out to the compost bin, this afternoon, to dump some vegetable cuttings the dog next door, called Bandit, barked at her and rushed at the fence giving her a fright. Donna, next door, came out and scolded the dog and chatted briefly to Anne.As Anne came back in, thrown by Donna's Australian accent, she waved at the dog and cried,"Bye Bend It."

Heading for the hills.

So......today we went for a drive out to Mount Nebo and Mount Glorious, took in some wonderful views and walked in the rainforest accompanied by the sound of Bell birds and Whip birds.

WIV 23.

So......today we had a low key start but a BIG finish.We didn't go out until after 3.00 pm, wandering over the Story Bridge and into Fortitude Valley where the 'Valley Fiesta' was in full swing. We had evening dinner at 'The Vietnamese' before spending the evening at The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts for 'Women in Voice' 23.We were at the final show of this years run in Brisbane and have had our seat booked for ages but weirdly after Anne decided to come visit I was able to book her a seat right next to where we were sitting.I know I always say it but it was just fabulous again!......Anne was blown away by the talented ladies on the stage tonight and even bought a CD afterwards and she left with a hug from one of the producers of the show!She might just want to come back again next year.....Heck! She might even be the stage.......she's hardly stopped singing since she came back.Thank goodness Will and I can retire to the Man - Cave.

Pademelons, Possums and Purple Trees.

So.....yesterday's post is brought to you by the letter P.We began with a trip to the University of Queensland to see the Jacaranda trees in the grounds and then, after lunch, drove to Ipswich to the Animal Centre in Queens Park. Last night we had a trip into the city and walked by the river so Anne could get a taste of Brisbane at night.

Down the Deagon Deviation.

So......today we headed to Redcliffe, taking the Deagon Deviation off the Gateway Motorway. After an amble at Woody point we met Fiona at the Seafood Lover's Café in Margate and then afterwards went for a dip at Settler's Cove. We wandered into the town and ended up in a small indoor market of 'pop-up' shops where Anne was seduced by a colourful pair of Turkish trousers. On the way back to Roxy we discovered the Bee Gees Way. The afore mentioned trio grew up in Redcliffe and now have an alley named in their honour.A storm was forecast today and, sure enough, as we headed home we got caught in a torrential downpour of biblical proportions which lasted all of ten minutes.....but that was long enough.