Kangaroos, Koalas, Turtles and Bats.

So...day two on Stradbroke has been both wonderful and dramatic...in a Nick kind of way.We did the Gorge walk this morning and Lewis spotted Kangaroos and then we did the Whale Walk, but saw no whales. We came back via Deadman's beach and Frenchman's Beach where we were caught in a rain shower.Driving back Lewis spotted a Flying Fox colony so we stopped to look at that. We set off again and Lewis spotted a Koala in a tree, right by the road, so we stopped to look at that and found two of them.We then drove to Amity Point, about 20 kms away and there I discovered I could not find my phone!...Yes, here we go again....so we raced back the way we had come. Nathan was ringing the phone and it was still working as it had my answer phone message. He texted it saying 'If you find this phone please ring....(his number). Just as we got back to where the koalas were we saw a couple by the road looking intently at something. Then Nathan's phone rang and it was the couple by the road who had just found my phone. Oh, I was so relieved. I had taken so many pictures on it today as my third new camera is playing up again. ( I am taking it back tomorrow before we head to Frogknot).We went back to the campsite to recover from the trauma and then had a swim in the sea. There was a very strong rip tide and so we did not go out too far.After showers we drove to Point Lookout and had a fish and chip feast overlooking the sea and then did the Gorge Walk again to look for dolphins and turtles. We didn't see dolphins but we saw a turtle. We drove back to Amity Point and walked along the beach and back as the sunset over Moreton Bay. We got back to Point Lookout just in time to see the bats leave their roost and head off for the night.Highlights of the day:Mine: Getting my phone back!Lewis: Seeing the bats flying off at dusk.Nathan: Salt and pepper Calamari by the sea.

   

Castaways.

So...tonight we are in tent on Stradbroke Island.The day started with a rainbow and breakfast on the balcony overlooking the Brisbane River. We caught the 1.00 PM ferry to Stradbroke and have set up camp at Adder Rocks.We had a wander along the beach this afternoon.Nathan said " OK. Stop it Australia! Stop being so good!"We have encountered Stone Curlews and the boys saw and heard their first Kookaburra. After dinner tonight we had another trip to the beach to look at the stars... but they are much better at Frogknot.I will try and post some pictures here tomorrow... signal permitting.

They're here!

So...I drove down to Brisbane yesterday afternoon. As I left Frogknot Will said,"If you go near an Aldi see if you can get us a Navel Orange tree."I called into Aldi at Warwick and found a Navelina tree so got that. At the check out the guy said,"That will be $10."I was expecting it to be $20."They reduced them this afternoon" he said."Oh, I better go and get another, " I said, and I got a Grapefruit Tree as well. (Heaven knows how I am going to get them back to Frogknot with the boys and their stuff!)I was keeping a close eye on how Roxy performed after the fitting of her new water pump and all went very well with no overheating but as I parked at Ros's, where I was staying for the night, there was a groaning noise from the steering wheel.I could have done without it because it was on my mind all night as to whether she was really fixed or not. How awful it would be, I thought if the boys arrive and the car breaks down and all my plans are ruined.I was up at 5.45 am and off at 6.00 to the airport. All went smoothly and I parked in the public carpark. I got a text from Ros. I had left my blood pressure tablets on the kitchen table! I was all of a dither and said I would pick them up later. I went in to wait in the Arrivals hall. The board said that their plane had arrived. All sorts of horrible 'What ifs' danced through my mind but eventually they came through, Lewis first and then Nathan who was slower as he had had to declare his dry roasted peanuts!It was so lovely to see them and have them here at last. We walked out to Roxy and I pressed the button on the key remote and.... nothing!I thought the battery had gone in the remote. I managed to get the car open but the key would only unlock the passenger door. We packed the car up with their cases and I dashed back to pay the car park ticket which I had forgotten to do in the excitement of their arrival. A voice in my head said "What if the car doesn't start when you get back and you have paid the ticket already?" but I ignored it.I got back to the car, turned the key in the ignition and...nothing! Not even a 'click'. My nightmare had come true!I really could not believe it was happening, but stayed calm and rang the RACQ which we have membership of.The RACQ guy was with us within 10 minutes as he was already at the airport to help someone who had locked their keys in their car. He fiddled about under the bonnet and when he attached the machine to jumpstart Roxy, her headlights came on."You left the headlights on," he said.I felt such a fool. I have no excuse other than I was rushing, and excited and had so much on my mind...but I still felt a complete idiot.He got Roxy going but said that she needed a new battery because it had been completely drained. I wasn't sure that was necessarily true but the battery did look old and a mess, so I got the new battery. Looking back I think I didn't need it because the old battery would have recharged itself as we went along. I think I was had and the worst thing was....he was English!No matter, we were back on the road once more...but the car park ticket wouldn't open the gate...I had to add more money for the extra time.We picked up my tablets from Ros's, drove up to the lookout at Mount Gravatt for a view of the city then drove into the city for breakfast. Roxy started to overheat again at out slow pace, because it was rush hour but we made it to Kangaroo Point and parked and walked to The Cliffs cafe for breakfast. After that we walked along by the river to South Bank and on over Kurilpa Bridge  and popped into the apartment block where we were staying to find out about parking. We were staying at the Evolution Apartment Building. The woman at reception gave us a parking pass and said that our room was ready even though it was only 11.00 am and we were not due to book in until 2.00 pm. We were on the 23 rd floor and the apartment had a fantastic view of the river. We walked back through the city and Botanic Gardens to collect the car and drove back to the apartment. The boys had a shower and changed and then we went out again back into the city. We caught the free ferry up the river back to South bank and went for an early tea at Harajuku Gyoza before heading back to the apartment as the sun set over Mount Coot Tha.The boys were in bed by 7.15pm  and are totally washed out...but they have loved today, despite the bad start. There has been so much to take in and they are pretty blown away by all that they have seen today...they think that Brisbane is almost too good to be true!Tomorrow we are off for two nights camping on North Stradbroke Island, Roxy willing...the adventure has just begun.

Gardening!

So...despite the fact that we are living a crumbling house have we made any move towards starting a new one?...Well, no but we have been gardening!

A 'Poofter' of a job!

So...we are back at Frogknot after another flying visit to Brisbane, We went down on Saturday as Andrew's nieces Molly and Georgia were both appearing in 'Hairspray' at the Convention Centre...along with 898 other young people!There were some famous people in it...but only famous in Australia because I had never heard of them...some guy from 'Home and Away' and other Australian'legends'.It was great, if a bit loud, but having to peer into the throng of 900 young dancers was a bit stressful when we had gone to see Molly and Georgia in it, and how do you spot two amongst that lot? Thankfully before it ended I was able to say 'I saw them'.We came back yesterday after stopping off at 'The Valley of the Leeches' for Vimto. Yes, I am back in a 'vimto' craving phase...but at least I am not on the Pepsi Max!Today, we have been busy. We took Roxy down to Orazio at 8.00 am and came back on Jaxy. It is a further attempt to fix this overheating problem that she has and today she was being fitted with a new water pump, some 'gasket' thing and a 'whatsit'.Back at Frogknot Will and I were busy collecting rocks and building circular dry stone walls as at the weekend we acquired 5 new citrus fruit trees , a Lisbon lemon, a Valencia orange, a Kaffir lime, a Blood orange, and a 'Lemonade'...which is a cross between a Navel Orange and a lemon. Today we built two new citrus tree beds but I will post pictures of them tomorrow.We went for Roxy at 4.15pm but Orazio was not ready and we had to hang around until 5.30pm. Hopefully the problem is sorted now.Orazio said "It was a 'poofter' of a job!" Whatever that means...but I don't think he meant it was good. He obviously hasn't clicked about Will and I and he calls himself a mechanic! You think he would spot us a mile off as when we point at things in the engine and call them 'doodahs'.Tomorrow I am once again to Brisbane because, believe it or not, Lewis and Nathan arrive Wednesday morning! That crept up quick...It is exciting and the next three weeks are going to be another whirlwind of adventures, day trips and a long road trip before they go back at the beginning of May.The 'up to the minute' vermin count is:7 rats….1 escaped, 5 relocated.9 mice…4 dead, 5 relocated.