Coral Bay, Western Australia

Coral Bay is a small town on the coast of Western Australia, 1,200 kilometers north of Perth. The main industries are tourism and fishing. The electricity for the town is provided by a wind-diesel hybrid system.

There is only bore water in Coral Bay and it's very salty plus hot, certainly one can't drink it but you can wash the dishes in it! I didn't believe it when a visitor there like ourselves told me, until I tired it.

Ningaloo Reef-Snorkeling and Scuba diving are popular for the holiday maker along with fishing outside the bay.

Swimming lesson

Our youngest grandchild will be two in April, and we were lucky enough to see her at the local swimming pool where she has lessons each week.

She is getting used to me taking her photo, so hence with my phone she stayed still, then runs over to look at what I have taken.

I considered myself lucky to be able to take the photo as many places do not permit it.

Ella and her dad.

Poppy, Ella and her dad.

The Farm!

The farm we lived on when first married was at the foot of what is called the Western Tiers, though we were some distance away.  Had a wonderful view of the country side plus a Creek/River ran through the bottom of the property.

There was an orchid next to the house, the trees were old and didn't bare much fruit as the previous owner had neglected them. So out they came. The photo below is 'old', my husband driving the tractor, our friend,  two of my cousins plus my father.

There was many a party in that old barn. Won't go into that :)

Australian Flu Vaccine 2014

Always had the Flu Vaccine each year due to the nature of my work. Then I decided I wouldn't have it for many years.  Last year 2013 as my husband being older we decided to have Pneumonia injection and two weeks after the Flu Vaccine, the later each year.
So a few days ago we had it.

Influenza is a serious viral illness that causes 1,500 to 3,500 deaths in Australia each year from complications such as pneumonia and secondary bacterial infections.

There are two major types in humans – influenza A and influenza B, with the A strain causing more severe disease. Influenza B, however, causes a disproportionate amount of illness in children.
The virus also has many animal hosts including birds, pigs and horses. Genetic mixing between human and animal strains can cause new pandemic strains, to which humans have little or no pre-existing immunity. This susceptibility gives rise to rapid spread, high rates of illness and more severe disease.  via (SBS)

I wonder how many people have the flue injection each year in Autumn?

Lake Dulverton, Oatlands, Tasmania.

Lake Dulverton is a large shallow lake/lagoon associated with the town of Oatlands in Southern Midlands of Tasmania. The lake has an uneven shoreline with many low sandstone cliffs and overhangs.

The only island in the lake, Mary's Island, is a small sandstone rock roughly 80 m long with nothing more than a few cedars growing on it. The lake dried up in 1993 and remained dry for years until heavy rains in August, 2010, filled the lake to near full supply level. During this dry period, 2 levees were built across the lake dividing it into 3 sections. Only the smallest section near the Callington Mill was able to remain full.

Often we stop at Oatlands which is now off the Highway when coming home from Hobart.  I have an Auntie who lives in this Historic Town, she is 95 and in fairly good health, she if rather deaf, which leads me to tell this.

Last year my husband and I called on our way home from Hobart, rang her doorbell many times with no answer.  We could see her inside through the blinds watching and listening to a very loud TV. So  phoned her from my mobile and she heard the ring, picked up the phone and said 'Hello', of course I told her I was at her door...she couldn't stop laughing. So each time we call, I phone her first so then she has the door open to welcome us in.

Topiary Animals at Dulverton Lake side, then the lake itself.

 

Getting away!

My husband is a Professional man but long before that he was a farmer of sorts working on his father's farm. Also driving his father's truck as his late dad had a carrying run, meaning a truck and tray which my husband drove into the city (Launceston), Tasmania and collected items for the farmers which included anything from small items to furniture. However, father in law sold the business after a few years, so that left my husband to work on the farm, which was only a small one but not enough work for two full time men. It was decided that my husband would work driving a milk tanker, collecting milk from far and wide taking it to where it was processed. This job took up to 8-12 hours a day with one weekend off, once a month back then. He was only 21 years of age.

Father in law, God love him would come to our house that weekend and ask my husband to help him, but that ended up being all day plus well into the night, which my husband got tired of after a few months, having no days off at all.
So the interesting thing is this: Every time my husband saw his dad coming up the road my husband would get on his mini bike and ride for several km's till his father went home :) I was left explaining that I had no idea where my husband was, and I didn't.  He was here one minute and gone the next!

Eventually after 8 years of living on the farm my husband said to me just out of the blew, 'We are moving to town'. So we did.  He studied, luckily was employed as well.  I was able to walk into a Professional job immediately upon arriving into the city, much easier back then than today. So a new life began for the farm boy, me always a city girl.

My husband on the mini-bike and one of his then friends.

Tunbridge, Tasmania, Australia

Tunbridge is a town on the way to Hobart from Launceston located just off the midlands highway.
It was a stop over for coaches in years gone by when there were 3 Inns, stables and so on.
How times have changed.
The town is extremely quiet. There is apparently a Convict Trail one can view but due to the late drive through the town we saw not but one soul.

I did these photos in HDR, high dynamic range for a change.

Tunbridge Manor was fantastic piece of Tasmanian history in the centre of town and dominates the townscape. Built in the 1840, as a staging post for the early transport days, where the premises offered accommodation, meals, beverages and stabling for horses.
The building is a bit under the weather at the moment!

Bowerman's General Store a two-storey Georgian building with a five bay facade and slim columns.
This building has been restored and mostly likely a private residence these days.  

The poor cottage, but the hedge is taken care of.

John Glover, The Artist

John Glover was an English/Australian artist in what is known as the early colonial period of Australian art. In Australia he has been dubbed the father of Australian landscape painting.

John Glover was born in Leicestershire, England. He showed a talent for drawing at an early age, and in 1794 was practising as an artist and drawing-master at Lichfield. The Countess of Harrington helped establish his practice as an art instructor, and may have taken lessons from him herself.
 
Removed to London in 1805, became a member of the Old Water Colour Society, and was elected its president in 1807. In the ensuing years he exhibited a large number of pictures at the exhibitions of this society, and also at the Royal Academy and the Society of British Artists. He had one-man shows in London in 1823 and 1824. He was a very successful artist and, although never elected a member of the Academy, his reputation stood very high with the public.

Glover arrived in Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania), Australia on his 64th birthday in 1831, two decades before the goldrush of the 1850s. He brought with him a strong reputation as a landscape painter. He acquired one of the largest grants of land in Van Diemen's Land at the time at Mills Plains, Deddington. He named his new property Patterdale after Blowick Farm, a property near Patterdale, at the foot of Ullswater in the Lake District. (Information via Wikipedia)

Amazing as it may seem, my husbands GGGrandfather his wife and some of their children resided not far from Patterdale and as legend has it and knew the Glover's.

John Died at Patterdale in December 1849.

These two art works are from his Patterdale property.

The Red Bridge

Not far from Launceston driving south you come to a small town called, Campbell Town which is known for it's Red Bridge which crosses the Elizabeth River.  The bridge is the oldest surviving arched bridge in Australia as is used as a National Highway. Construction began in 1836 and was finished in 1838.
The bricks (more than one and a half million) were made in the town itself. Convict-built to a European design it has needed very little repair work over the years and now carries well over two million vehicles a year.

Campbell Town also have good eateries so hence many people go to this town for lunch.

My husband and I went to Hobart for a family picnic for the day some 200 kms away, down south.  Hobart is the Capitol of Tasmania, Australia.
We always stop at Campbell Town so I can take a photo of the Red Bridge.

About my dad!

Some of you are aware that I take care of my father's well being. Remembering he is legally blind and uses the legal white stick. I am his only child so therefore his next of kin.

So I visit my dad in another city every week staying a night or two, and sometimes I visit 2 times a week and sometimes my husband comes with me.

The trip to dad's two story house from my house takes me 1-1/2 hours, that is from my garage into his garage. I have never missed, expect for when my husband and I travel to visit our youngest son, his wife and their little children in Queensland for 1 month each year. Yes, we need a holiday and break away.

I read him his mail, take him to the Dr. when necessary, do his shopping, pay his accounts, do his washing, and keep his kitchen and other areas of the house clean. Occasionally he will come to get the groceries with me.
I handle all his affairs, and together we make decisions as my dad is very lucky with a very good mind.
He tells me many stories, often they are repeated many times :) but I always pretend it's the first time.

A cleaning lady comes weekly.

Registered nurses: One comes 3 times a week and gives dad a shower. Another comes each Friday and changes his Leg bag, then another comes every 6 to 8 weeks and changes his Suprapubic Catheter.  Being 90 years of age my father is doing a marvelous job dealing with this latter unavoidable on going treatment for his problem. I have to made sure he has all that's needed and buy all things needed for him as in urine day bags, night bags, then catheters.

Dad had prostrate cancer years ago, and had Radiotherapy treatment for many weeks, which cleared him of his cancer. Now the nerves have all gone in the bladder area and around so hence the need for the catheter. So the Radiotherapy did it's job at the time but has come back to haunt him in another way.

Meals on wheels are delivered 3 times a week, and consist of meat, veggies, soup and a sweet.
These meals cost $8.90AUD per one complete meal. Dad hates cooking and is quite capable of doing it, but with the meals delivered and me taking down some food, he gets by.

He doesn't wish to go into a 'home', and it's not necessary as he would be lost in one, for a blind person of his age is much better in his own surroundings.  If the time comes for a 'home' he will hopefully let me know, or I will see plus the people that come to his house will see. We don't cross out bridges until we come to them.

Dad has a good sense of humour and now says he has spare parts that are not any good to him :)
Slowly over the months he is becoming more reliant on me and the Registered Nurses. I see a man of great standing in the Community of his City going down hill health wise, especially since October of last year.

Occasionally a man calls to take Dad to Rotary where he's been made an Honary Life Member, and several years ago he earned a Paul Harris Fellowship.  I say 'earned' because in some countries the Rotary Member pays money to become a Paul Harris Fellow, all though you can also pay to become one here in Australia but it's much nicer to 'earn' one.

So what does dad do all day - not much as he can't watch TV, he can't see it, he can't follow a movie or a TV series or show because the dialogue isn't good enough.  He does like the Cricket so some times he can vaguely see the white ball on TV but that's it.  He listens to the radio, his iPod, walks down stairs and backup again, then down the ramp and back up again for exercise.
There is talk of someone taking him for a drive each week, which will be a great thing, even though he can't see anything but a shadow or faint outline of a figure...we wait and see.

Dad is a JP. has an OAM both of which he has had for many, many years.
OAM = Order of the Australia Medal for Services to the Community which was given to him by the Queen of England.

ICQ Chat Programme of Old.

Back in 1996 a small software programme called ICQ was released on download sites for the general public to use.  It was an Israeli company called Mirabilis that made ICQ popular, and everyone had it installed on their computer, a bit like Facebook today, a must have for many, but of course not all.
These days I don't use it and haven't for years as it's not the same as it used to be.

ICQ was the first Messenger programme, and it was purchased for a staggering amount of money by AOL in 1998. I can recall using ICQ before AOL purchased it.  Now AOL have sold it to Digital Sky Technologies in 2010.
One could search for someone, a random chat to anytime anytime of the day, from any country, and of course there were not so nice people but also lovely people, and I met plenty of the latter. I recall teaching many English words to people who were learning English and wished to practice along with correcting English sentences. It was first time that those of us who used it could write and receive and instant reply, how clever was that back then!

I wonder how many people remember ICQ of old?

I am still friends with many of these people, which is so lovely, one particular lady is 'Buttons'.  We used to chat at my midnight and her morning as she lives in Canada.  I would have to go and iron one of my sons shirts for school at about 12.30am and she was waiting for her tractor to warm up in the winter.  We are still friends today, and have shared much over the years.

You can find Button's Thoughts blog [Here]