Still in The Ville

Tuesday 29^th January

I ended up sleeping in after this mornings heat wave.

We have decided to stay a bit longer….we know there are roads cut and there may be problems with some food shortages in towns that have been cut off….and of course it gives us more time with Xander (so now you see through my cunning plan)

Anita and Xander took Ben to work this morning and at lunch time, Anita went shopping and left Xander with us. She was gone for about three quarters of an hour. Xander just slept…..truly he is sooooo good.

When Anita got back, she was saying that there were shortages of fresh fruit and vegetables but she was able to get our skim milk (for coffee) and my crisps (for sundowners)…..the important things!!!!

Xander was in the lounge room asleep and Anita was in the kitchen. I went to move Xander and Dollar went me!!!!!

 

 

He did it twice and when I called Anita in, he was fine. Then he did the same to Ron. Lucky we didn’t need to touch Xander while Anita was at the shops.

Anita took Xander to the clinic this afternoon and he has put on 320grams so far…..what a piggy guts!!!!

  We had Ben’s Flathead that he caught for our dinner (well for our entrée) There was not a lot of it, but it was delicious!!!! Anita battered and fried it a la fish cocktail and served it with lemon wedges and a cocktail sauce……yummo!!!!

And I finished my knitted ball (complete with bell inside)

I took heaps of photos of Xander today including the mandatory nudie rudies for display at his 21^st Birthday Party.

 

This is Xander ready for his bath!!!!!

(Appropriately pixelated)

 

This is Ben (30 years ago) ready for his bath!!!!!

(Also appropriately pixelated)

 

Talk about seen one baby, you’ve seen ‘em all !!!!!!!!!

 

Wednesday 30^th January

Ben and Anita said we could take the car today….we would just have to mind Xander while Anita drove Ben to work first. Fortunately Dollar was OK with the arrangement and all went well.

Ron and I went and saw Django, Tarantino’s latest movie…..fantastic……… quintessential Quentin!!!!!!

We went to the shops and I finally found a jeweller to attach my stork and my elephant to my bracelet!!!!

This afternoon, Anita had Xander in his bouncer again and again Dollar snapped at me. While everyone was laughing at me, Ben went to pick up Xander and Dollar had a go at him too!!!! I wonder if it has something to do with the fact that Xander is close to the ground and Dollar is bigger.

Thursday 31^st January

After another hot, humid night, we have woken to another hot, humid day.

Anita went to the shops and we minded Xander for about two hours.

He slept for most of the time…..Don’t you wish you were that relaxed?

Ron and I went for a walk at about 5.30 pm when it was a little cooler.

Ben and Anita shouted Indian Take Away for dinner tonight…..more food than you could jump over……very yummo!!

Friday 1^st February

One month gone already!

Anita’s car window is not working…..she took it in for a quote and Ron drove her back to pick it up in Indie.

I knitted a star. More practise with double pointed needles!!!! I made one side light and one side dark to see which showed up the centre design more.

I figure I have to do something to make myself look more feminine (although I thought flouncing about in a pink frock might do it). I went out to Indie at about 8.00 last night when the fellow next door sang out ‘g’day mate’. I replied ‘good evening’ and he came back with ‘Sorry, I thought you were a bloke’. If he had said ‘Sorry, it’s very dark and I didn’t really see you properly’ my ego would have not been completely deflated. What now, if a pink frock is not enough?

Saturday 2nd February 

This morning, Ben went to pick up the digger to start excavating the back yard. Anita was sleeping so Grumpy thought he would bring Xander out to show him our house. We thought of secreting him in a convenient little hidey hole and stealing off into the sunset but we figured Ben and Anita might notice him missing.

The boys got stuck into the digging and did a really good job.

 

 

 

We went to ‘Summerie’s’ Thai Restaurant for dinner (our shout) and had a banquet for four. Yummo! All the ladies went gooey over Xander (as they would) and he slept through most of the meal….woke up…had a two second whinge to let Anita know he wanted to be picked up so he could have a proper look around and promptly settled into his job of being gorgeous….not another peep out of him!!!!

Sunday 3^rd February

Ben continued on with his digging. He has spread the dirt all around the yard. It is amazing how much of it there is.

 

 

 

Ron has volunteered to tow the digger back to the hire company tomorrow on the back of Indie….

Monday 4^th February

 

 

We took the digger back to the hire company….now Ronnie knows he can tow, he’ll be wanting a trailer next!!!!!

(It has been a standing joke since we bought Indie that all we need now is a trailer to put all my stuff in!!!!!)

We stopped at Maccas for breakfast and then went to Bridgestone to get air in the tyres….easy….or so one would think!

The boys at Bridgestone were fabulous. They had untold trouble with the extension tube on the inside back tyre and ended up spending about 15 minutes fiddling about with it before replacing it for no charge!!!!!

Ron went into Cecil B. De Mille mode for Xander’s bath time.

 

 

 

The older he gets, the cuter he gets…..much like his Nana on his father’s side!!!!!

 

Tuesday 5^th January

I found a Medical Centre just down the road from Ben’s and made an appointment to get a thing on my nose checked to make sure it wasn’t a sun cancer. The doctor said it was OK but he found three other things to burn off on my body. He also said that I have Rhinophyma which presents as a particularly bulbous nose that can only be ‘cured’ by cosmetic surgery. There goes the rest of what was left of my particularly fragile almost shattered ego!!!!!

I got to mind Xander for a couple of hours today while Anita went out and it was wonderful although I am feeling quite sad tonight because Ron and I are leaving tomorrow ….heading south to cooler climes….. and that may well have been my last nurse and I don’t know when I will get to see baby Xander again.

Back in the Ville

Monday 21^st January

We left the caravan park at our usual time and breakfasted at Maccas. Then we went to the second hand book shop to see if they would buy my copy of ‘The Casual Vacancy’. The lady who runs it was so apologetic that they did not pay much as she offered me $6.00. I figured that was a pretty good deal since I usually just swap them over in caravan park laundries.

My new found wealth was short lived as Ron scuttled off to the two dollar shop nearby and bought a couple more plastic storage containers for Indie.

We stopped off at a Homemaker Centre in Townsville and bought Ben and Anita a mattress topper (a belated $mas present).  We figured that since they probably won’t get much sleep in the near future, the bits they do get should be as comfy as possible. 

Then we thought we had better get something for Dollar so he wouldn’t feel all left out because I had the rattle and the bananas for Xander. Dollar already has lots of toys and he loves them. In fact Ben was telling us that recently he and Anita had taken Dollar for a walk down The Strand and they were talking with a couple who had a little girl. They asked if it was OK to pat the dog and Ben said he wouldn’t bite but to watch out he didn’t steal the little kid’s toy. It all went very well until about half an hour later when they bumped into them again and Dollar just grabbed the little kid’s toy monkey and bolted off with it!!!!!

 

We had a wonderful time with the baby Xander…..lots of cuddles and nurses.

He is soooooooooooo gorgeous! Just eats and sleeps….frowns a bit…..gurgles and bes cute!! He obviously takes after his nana on his father’s side.

And how happy does nana look?

 

Sometimes just watching Ben and Ron interact with Xander is in many ways as cute as Xander himself!

 

 

 

Of course all interaction must meet with Dollar’s approval!!!!

 

 

 

In the afternoon we took Dollar for a walk to the shops.

Tuesday 22^nd January

We received many thanks and much praise for the mattress topper.

Poor little Xander went and had his ‘snip’ this afternoon. He was very brave (braver than Ben apparently) and hardly cried at all. Anita had managed to find a Jewish paediatric surgeon who was quite happy to do it.  He whisked Xander off to the other room to do the procedure and when he came back, told them that Xander was much too young for pain killers so he had given him a couple of drops of Brandy. It must have done the trick because he was a bit grizzly when he got home but settled again fairly quickly.

Ben wants to put paving or decking or something down the side of the house so he and Ron have been busy measuring and getting quotes on different building materials.

……And then it stated to rain……..

Wednesday 23^rd January

It has continued to pour down rain all night and is still raining today.

Apparently the brandy wore off some time during the night and Ben spent three hours trying to settle Xander again. I have no sympathy for him though because I offered to take Xander out to the bus to sleep with us but Ben would not be in it for some reason.

I fed Xander this morning and he sicked up on me….aaaahhh, bonding!!!

Anita dropped Ron and I off at the shops on her way to a doctor’s appointment and I bought a little stork charm for my bracelet from ‘Butterfly Silver’. While I was in Angus and Coote, I saw the little elephant that Ron bought me ages ago. (It had broken and I took it to a Jeweller in Darwin and they wanted about $28 to fix it which explains why it was still in my bag!!!.) I asked the lady if they had any kind of guarantees on their jewellery and without even blinking she took my old one and gave me the new one to replace it. I was soooooo impressed.  Ron and I had lunch while we were out and I bought Xander a book of Nursery Rhymes so Ben will finally get to learn them.  We had lunch and Anita came and picked us up again.

Ron and Ben went in search of building materials in spite of the fact that I think we are on the cusp of forty days and forty nights again. We have seen hardly any rain for the last seven months and I’m sure we have had that seven month’s worth yesterday and today with much more predicted!!!!!

Thursday 24^th January

I finally saw a news report….I didn’t realise it was as bad as it was…..flooding, roads closed etc. I wondered why people were sending emails asking about Indie’s waterproof qualities and our swimming abilities!!!!!

Ron and Ben went off to the shops determined to buy building materials. I was left holding the baby (so to speak). We had a lovely time for a good couple of hours while they were gone and Anita had a sleep.

Ron came back with a new light globe, a new connection for the Navigator to plug into and silicone to plug up a leak next to my bed!!!!  All done….all fixed!!!! And Ben’s timber arrived!

Ron and Ben went fishing at 1.30 pm and returned (empty handed) at 4.00 pm. Slim        pick- in’s tonight!!

We ended up with take away pizzas at about 8.30 pm.

Friday 25^th January

Ben and Anita went to have some professional photos with Xander and Dollar.

We are defrosting the fridge…it has been playing up again it works fine (it does ice up) and then it will just leak water every where…..if it’s not one thing, it’s another!!!!!

Mesco, Ben’s mate came round. He bought the most enormous bunch of flowers and the hugest basket of baby goods I have ever seen.  Absolutely beautiful!

Saturday 26^th January

We have all been invited over to Ben’s friend Taj’s place for Australia Day lunch.

It was really good…..you could not have had anything more Australia Day than the wives around the kitchen table, the blokes outside at the BBQ and the kids alternating between video games in the lounge room and the trampoline in the back yard. I had a lovely time and it was interesting to hear some of their war stories. The most amazing thing though was watching Taj’s baby Grace. She is 18 months (not years, months) old and her mum gave her her mobile phone to play with. She just sat down and scrolled through all the icons till she found ‘The Wiggles’ and sat and watched it for a while then changed it to something else……unreal……Einstein’s fears are really coming true!!!!!

Sunday 27^th January

Did nothing went nowhere!

Telstra network has gone down…..phones keep saying….’emergency only’…..and we have no internet…..

Luckily, I made my important phone call this morning. Ron had ordered 2 pairs of fisherman’s pants on line and they have not arrived yet……that’s because they sent them to our old Helensvale address!!! I’ve arranged for the lady next door to get them and we will pick them up when we get there in a few weeks.

Ben and a couple of mates went out for Sunday Sesh this afternoon. (i.e. to the pub!)

It turns out, about 400,000 people were in the same boat (so to speak) with Telstra because the flooding all over the country side had knocked out a major cable and the back up one! Townsville had no ATMs or Eftpos either. Anita kept us up to date because she is with Vodafone.

Monday 28^th January

Ron and I went for a walk to the local shops, just to get out of the house. We were going to take Dollar but it was decided it was too hot for him. Good move Dollar; when Ron and I got back, we were almost deceased from heat and humidity………. Bring on Winter I say! (But we all know that I will complain about the cold then.)

Telstra got their act together and all has been restored.

I woke up in the middle of the night sweating to death….we had a blackout! It lasted a good 2 to 3 hours. So, it’s all happening in The Ville!!!

 

 

Charging on to Charters

Julia Creek to Charters Towers

Saturday 12^th January
 

We were up and packed and readying ourselves to leave by 8.00am. When Ron picked up the step we use to get in and out of Indie, he found it had embedded itself in the melted bitumen so we have a permanent souvenir of Julia Creek.

 

 

We stopped for coffee and breakfast at the ‘Friendly Grocer’ and he was on for a chat, telling us all about the things to see in the towns along the way so we finally got away at our usual 9.30 am. It is still incredibly hot and dry but it is not too bad when you are driving along with the wind in your face (sometimes I think it might be nice to have air conditioning that works when you are driving along as well rather than only on 240 volts when you are parked.)

But, dauntless we charged ever onwards. We passed a huge freight train and gave the driver a wave. He blew the train horn and Ron replied with Indie’s. The train was like a sonic boom compered to Indie’s little bip!!!!

 But in his defence, the train was also much bigger; in fact it was so long, I could not get it all in one photo.

 

We drove on to Richmond (all this area is part of ‘Australia’s Dinosaur Trail’). The area abounds in dinosaur fossils but the only evidence of it is in the tourist traps like Kronosaurus Korner that charge $20 a pop to view their bones!!!!

Richmond is a bigger town that Julia Creek but we preferred Julia Creek. Richmond  was quite pretty and had a man-made lake in the middle of town but it seemed to lack the character of Julia Creek. Unfortunately the lake did not lack algae.

They have an  RV site (self-contained vehicles only) in town but it was just a big paddock, absolutely treeless, dusty and contained huge skip bins. And they charge money to stay there!

The people of Richmond obviously have a sense of humour with their ‘Uthinktheysaurus’ signs on the way in to town, not to mention their bin holders.

 

 

 

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We went to Kronosaurus Korner and had morning tea

 

 

 

And in light of his impending Grandfather status, I could not resist this photo opportunity of Ron outside the Gents loo.

 

  We drove on to Hughenden with the intention of lunching at the FJ Holden Café (as recommended by the ‘The Friendly Grocer’ in Julia Creek). Of course it was Saturday, so everything was closed!!

Fortunately he had told us about a nice little park just over the bridge and we found the only General Store in town that was opened and shouted ourselves a pie and a frozen Fanta and went and sat in the park

 

 

We then drove on the Charters Towers and ended up at the same Caravan Park that we stayed at on the way up. It now costs $29.00 a night (up a dollar since we were here in August and the woman who owns it is still as unfriendly!!!). It is a lovely park though with shady sites, fabulous amenities and a covered pool.

We met the neighbours Cheryl and John. They have been on the road now for 12 years but Cheryl has decided to give it up and they are going to buy some land and settle down.

 

 

Sunday 13^th January

Today was a total rest and recover from our long drive yesterday, day. Sadly, we were woken at 6.30 am to the gentle roar of earth moving machinery. The caravan park owners had neglected to mention that they were having more cabins built.

Unperturbed, I settled into a day at the pool and reading and writing blogs…..fabbo!

Monday 14^th January

Ronnie and I left the park early (about 8.00 am) and walked into town (about three kilometres). We undid all that good work by stopping at Maccas for breakfast.

We bought groceries and a noodle each for the swimming pool. We became addicted to bobbing about on them at Julia Creek so now I have a purple one and Ronnie has a blue one. They are such fun and it is soooooooo relaxing.

I went straight away to try out my noodle and could not believe that the workmen, who are unable to do anything without their car doors open and radios blaring, had some ridiculous garbage blaring out all over the place, so I did my cranky bit and complained and they turned it off. I mean, if I wanted to listen to that ‘music’ I would buy the CD myself!!!!

After that, I had a very pleasant and relaxing afternoon. Ronnie came and joined me in the pool and we got talking to a couple of other folk who were taking advantage of the cool waters.

Later on, I rang Anita to wish her well for tomorrow…..no answer…..so I rang Ben…..no answer……So I figured that the grandbaby had decided to do the right thing especially since I got a message back from Ben saying ‘call you in 45min ish’.

Imagine how we felt when a few minutes later we got a picture of the fish Ben had caught while he and Anita had been out fishing!!!!!!!

 

 

 
 

Mind you it is a 43cm flathead which he is putting in the freezer till we get there so I might forgive him!!!

After dinner, John asked Ron to go over and show him how to use Facebook. He has also had a request to help with setting up a blog. I’m thinking I might start renting him out as an IT consultant!!!!

Tuesday 15^th January

I went for a walk up the road to the local servo to get some jam and self-raising flour and Ronnie baked his fabulous scones for afternoon tea. Maybe I could rent him out to sell Devonshire teas….they were sooooo yummo!!!!
 

 

 

I rang Anita to wish her well and told her that all our friends are thinking of her as well as several strangers between here and Darwin who have all also heard the saga of the long overdue grand baby!!! Fingers crossed all goes well (and quickly and as painlessly as possible!)

Wednesday 16^th January

The weather is much cooler today, overcast and a threat of rain.  

Poor Anita is still waiting, waiting, waiting! They sent her home yesterday and told her to come back today. They got to the hospital about 0900, broke her water about 1415, and put the drip in to induce her. She had an epidural about 2130 and Xander arrived at 0047 on Thursday no water birth or anything as planned just your stock standard in the hospital. Welcome to the real world of parenting – don’t expect them to do anything the way you plan it!!!!!!

Thursday 17^th January

Ben had kept us updated with text messages all the way through and then he rang in the wee small hours to tell us all about it personally!!!! It is all very exciting.

He sent photos which I dutifully included in my email to everyone.

 

 

 

This new-fangled technology really does come into its own at times like this!!!!!

Anita has to remain in hospital for 24 hours because she had the anaesthetic. Ben is going home to feed Dollar (if he hasn’t eaten everything in the house already that is and to avert the prospect of him eating Xander when he arrives home!)

Ron and I have spoken to Ben and we will stay here in Charters Towers until Sunday night and then drive across to Townsville on Monday to let them all get used to each other before we descend on them.

I went up to the office here to face the dragon lady and pay for our extra nights accommodation and apologised for not getting there before 10.00 am but that our long overdue grandson had finally deigned to arrive. Well…she could not have been nicer, sweeter or more obliging. She even shared stories about her own babies and grandchildren!!!!

The weather is still cool and overcast but we have not had any rain to speak of. I know now where the phrase ‘all piss and wind’ comes from. We get gusts of wind and about 10 or 15 drops of rain and that’s it!!!!  

Indie’s plumbing has gone berserk…..when we empty the sink, the water bubbles up through the shower plug hole but if we pour water down the sink, it’s fine…..Ron will put his plumber’s hat on when we get to Townsville and try to sort it out then.  Fingers crossed it will be an easy fix!

Friday 18^th January

Ron and I walked to town again today with the intention of buying lunch. We got in there about 10.00 and the temptation was too much so we had bacon and egg breaky rolls at Subway. We tried walking them off but ended up just doing some groceries, buying a BBQ chook in Woollies and coming home.

I did buy a couple of books at the 2^nd hand book shop (I don’t have a flash new                    e-reader like Ronnie).

I finished knitting the rattle for Xander. It has a cat toy in the middle (the open plastic ball with a bell in the middle and it works really well!)

 

 

But because I didn’t have the correct size needles (it is knitted on a set of 4 double pointed needles and I already had a set I had never used) or wool, it has ended up as big as his head…..oh well never mind…..

 

I’ve never knitted with a set of needles before and it was interesting if not a little awkward.

After lunch, I went for a swim and did some more reading (just the usual!!!)

We got more photos of Xander of course.

For dinner, we reheated our BBQ chook and had roast potato, roast pumpkin, peas and gravy……a regular roast dinner!!! Yummo!!!!

Indie’s plumbing has settled down…..thinking maybe it was an air block or something like that…….here’s hoping!

Saturday 19^th January

I was sitting outside doing the cryptic crossword (as is my want) his morning and you’ll never guess…..the clue for 8 down was ‘Ben worn out by young baby’…..spooky eh?

Oh the answer, by the way was ‘newborn’ not ‘Xander’ as one would expect.

I texted this fascinating piece of news to Ben whose reply was ‘that would only be true if his crying woke me up in the night. He only wakes Anita. Lol’ 

I got up and went inside to get something and left the computer sitting on the step outside. There was a huge crash and a branch had fallen from the nearby tree, bounced off our awning and landed within 2 centimetres of the computer. Lucky!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Sunday 20^th January

 I finished reading my book. It was quite good – all about the parish council in a small English village and the interaction between the inhabitants-a bit like the Vicar of Dibly but without the humour and quirky characters.

I spent the day just sitting around getting excited about finally meeting the little fella tomorrow. We have only received 16 photos in the last three days.

These are three of my favourites!!!

 

Ben with a protective hand and Dollar with a protective paw!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

I finished the Bananas in Pyjamas for Xander and they look cute too!