Nestled In Nowra

Monday 8^th to Thursday 11^th April

Time to get on over to Ros and Johns house…..so we packed Indie for the 10km drive. I remember once hearing an English woman talking about the harshness of Australia and saying that the light was harsh, the weather was harsh, the bush was harsh and even our birds were harsh the way they screeched…..not theirs was the gentle call of the thrush or the warble of the nightingale…..and believe me her words reverberate every time we are woken by the dawn chorus of galahs and cockatoos!

 

Anyway, we arrived at ‘Chez Ros’ and were warmly welcomed by mine hosts. They have the loveliest house on four acres….we like to think of it as our country getaway but then reality kicks in and we find John has six pallets of pavers to be moved about! It is a busy place with two of their sons, Dan and Andy (the third, Adam lives in Sydney) regular visitors for dinner and the gorgeous Laylah minded while her Mum, Rebbecca goes out to work. It makes me miss Xander even more :(

 

They have a tribe of animals: dogs, cats even a dozen or so peacocks (who they refer to as chooks). When they can be coaxed down from canoodling on the roof, it is all hands on deck to round them up and put them in the pen for the night so the foxes don’t get them.

 

 

Ron and I have been scouring the Real Estate sections of the local papers as we really like the south coast of NSW and thought we might settle here when our roving days are done!

We have had a bit of a look around and there are some lovely homes around but we are still leaning towards an ‘Over 50s’ complex.

Ros took us out to Greenwall Point and we had a really nice fish and chip lunch although I did get a little nervous when the pelicans began gathering! They just get that look in their eye!!!!

Apart from that we have mainly just been relaxing around the house. John put some ply wood over Indie’s solar panels to protect them from high roosting peacocks.

I have used the time very productively and got my diary and blog up to date. (I hadn’t done anything on them since we left Orange).

John spends all the daylight hours out in the yard only returning at meal times (and then only usually after being called several times and threatened with all kinds of punishment if he does not respond promptly!) Satan, the cat waits patiently up the back each night for John to carry him down to the house for his dinner too.

 

 

As we sat down to dinner this evening (Thursday 11^th ), I got a phone call from the NSW State Debt Recovery Office telling me I have an outstanding fine for a motor vehicle accident in 2008….yes 2008 five years ago!!!!!!  As if that is not bad enough, it was the accident I had when I fell off my motorbike in Murwillumbah. The real irony of it is that we were on our way to have lunch with Ros and John at Tumbulgum. At the time they were up visiting John’s sister. What are the chances? We may have to avoid dining with these people! It is real Twilight Zone stuff – do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do!!!!!

 

 

Friday 12^th April

Today we all went for a drive up through Shoalhaven Heads, Geringong and Berry. This is a truly lovely part of the south coast of NSW. It has everything from the coastal beaches, quiet river side areas and beautiful rural areas as well.

We checked out a couple of the Over 50s villages we had read about and the houses were lovely but the facilities left a lot to be desired. They were also attached to caravan parks so not really want we want either.

We went and saw were Rebbecca got married and later we stopped at the best pie shop in Berry and lunched like lords. We had pies and even vanilla slices and orange and poppy seed cakes.

 While we were gallivanting around Batemans Bay with Paul, Ben, Anita and Xander were busy in Brisbane at Ben’s mate’s wedding.              

They do scrub up well!!!

 

Meanwhile, down on the farm, we have been entrusted with feeding the dogs and letting the chooks out tomorrow while John and Ros go on a Garden Club outing.

Saturday 13^th April

So far so good….chooks and dogs all well.

Ron and I are doing dinner tonight and as we read through our Lasagne recipe we could hear John’s arteries hardening so we opted to do a Lamb Korma. We have it simmering on the stove awaiting the weary travellers return.

Promptly at 4:00pm (as directed) Ron and I began scouring the 4 acres looking for the chooks to put them in the pen. Having failed to locate them up the back, I called to the dogs, Kelly and Jess to ‘find the chooks’. 

 

 

They promptly headed up the back to the pen as Ron and I continued to scour the front and side yards. I walked up to the pen and there were the chooks, all inside with the two dogs by the door!!!!! I’ll never know if the dogs had rounded them up or the chooks just wandered in and the dogs took the credit (he he he).

Ros and John arrived home after a successful day’s garden clubbing to a spectacular Indian feast. Ros said she was so impressed we could stay another week (only because she knew that we were leaving on Monday). Ronnie had made his Lamb Korma with Mango Chutney, Mint Raita, Papadams and Naan Bread. Sadly he misread the Naan Bread directions and let’s just say that the chooks will be getting their first taste of genuine Indian cuisine shortly.

After dinner Ros sat down to play her games on Facebook. Ages ago Ron set up a Facebook account for ‘Roving Penny’ which I have never used. After much cajoling Ros and I ended up playing Word Battle well into the wee small hours.

 

Remember when we played board games with real boards? What can I say……I’ve gone over to the Dark Side!!!!!

Sunday 14^th April

Today John went fishing with his boys so Ron and I set off with Ros for another drive in the countryside. First stop was Cambewarra Mountain look out.

 

 

From there it was a long and winding road down the mountain to Kangaroo Valley. As we were coming in Ros spotted a Garage Sale and screeched to a halt – she can’t help herself – and I know why. She picked up a full length massage pad that sits on the arm chair for $5.00. She and John have been haunting OP Shops and Garage Sales for years and have made some truly spectacular purchases.

Armed with her new purchase we pushed on to The Old Store at Barrengarry which surprise, surprise also sells ‘the worlds best pies’.

 

 

To tell the truth, they weren’t bad at all!!!

 

 

 

 

Then it was back down the road for pictures of the oft photographed Hampton Bridge (turns out, one of John’s long lost relatives was one of the engineers who worked on it.)

 

While Ronnie bravely risked life and limb to leap under oncoming traffic for the full on photo, I opted for the safer side view.

 

 

Then it was back home for our last supper so to speak. Tomorrow we head north to Sydney