Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The Australian Outback Spectacular

Woke up this morning to another humid day after a night of rain.  It seems to be a typical Queensland weather pattern.  I can handle this as it is a lot cooler for sleeping.  Today we are indulging.  Tonight we are booked into the RM Williams Australian Outback Spectacular on the Gold Coast.  It is nestled among the Theme Parks that the Gold Coast is quite known for.

 It mainly consists of a BBQ meal and a show.  Looking forward to getting the glad rags on for a change and setting out on the town.

  I will have to let you know tomorrow how it went.
Talk again soon

Monday, March 29, 2010

Bags

Not a lot to report.  Friday I was all enthused and sewed all day until we had to pick the children up from school.  Friday night we watched Keira shine again at soccer.  She received the award for the player of the match much to her obvious enjoyment.  Saturday we drove up to the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and explored our next camping spot.  We visited the lovely historical town of Kalbar and stopped for awhile in Boonah.  I think we will probably choose the later.  There is a caravan park at the showgrounds which is able to accomodate us.  Close to shops and the area is lovely and green and very scenic.  We drove home via Beaudesert, another lovely area. 
These are some of the bags I have made I might become known as the "Bag Lady"
Talk again soon

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Brisbane Craft Expo

The Craft Expo was all I expected and more.  I had a lovely time surrounded by lots of stalls and likeminded people.

One of the Aisles in the Shopping Mall
  Didn't do a lot of retail therapy but just soaked up the atmosphere and enjoyed the moment.  Didn't seem to be a lot of things out there that was new.  I didn't do any of the Seminars or Workshops as I had the handbrake with me looking rather bored.  Although he was in his element stirring up some of the ladies at the show as only he does.

Ladies hard at work in the Husqvana Quilt Boot Camp
There was a Challenge Quilt display where quilters made a quilt using the fabric below and the ensuing quilts were very inspiring.
Challenge Fabric - Its a Rowan fabric designed by Martha Negley.

This is the winning quilt
Also on display was the World's biggest Hexagon Quilt.  An attempt at a world record has resulted in a quilt of mammoth proportions. The quilt is displayed at it's halfway point, a massive 60 metres long.  The finished quilt will reach 120 metres long and weighs about 120 kilos.  I have some hexagons in this quilt but I was unable to find them as there were far too many.  The quilt was dispalyed around the edge of the dining room.  It was very impressive.

The hexagon quilt on display around the room
A close up view of the hexagons


One of the Quilts on Display

Talk again soon

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Clem 7 Tunnel

Hi everone,  What do you do when your bored and got nothing better to do and in another city?  Why you get in the car and drive through the newly completed Clem7 tunnel from one side of Brisbane to the other and back again.

The Tunnel Entrance
 The tunnel is 6 kms long (or one argument over the camera in our case).and is the newest infrastructure to open in Brisbane.  It is toll free for a few weeks so we decided to take advantage of this and try it out.  It is quite fast or at least it was at about 2pm I don't know how it would stand up to the peak hour traffic.
Nearly in the Tunnel
  The reports in the paper aren't very complimentary, some say that if an accident occurs the traffic is slowed to a snail's pace.  There are also reports of a lot of pollution in the tunnel.

Inside the Clem7 Tunnel
  It seemed a bit stuffy but otherwise OK.  Tomorrow I am looking forward to the Craft Expo although I will have my handbrake in tow (DH).
 Talk again soon

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Caravan & Camping Show

Not much to report this week.  The weather has been a bit patchy with some days being really nice.  The cyclone affecting the north of the state is being felt here also.  We did our mole scanning on Monday and we both came up clean. We visited the school assembly on Wednesday and were honoured to see Kai receive his "Student Award of the Week Award".  Well done Kai we are so proud of you and it was great to be here to see you receive this award. I went along to the local sewing shop on Thursday to receive some lessons on the Babylock overlocker.  It is a fantastic machine and does a lot of different stitches.  It goes up to an 8 thread cover stitch.  Friday we were up early and went down to the Gold Coast to the Parklands Showground for the Caravan, Camping 4Wheel Drive and Fishing Show. (check out this link) ruralscene.com.au
Lots of exhibits and boys toys though I have to confess I was the only one who bought anything. Nothing exciting just some silicone seals for food and some shammy cloths.  Bill was tempted to buy a remote control helicopter, he's had a longing for one of these ever since he spied one in a shop at home. Finances wouldn't allow it unfortunately maybe next time. We checked out a few of the motor homes on display, there weren't very many.  There was a new Winnebago that we liked so maybe we may downsize one day to one of these, we even called into Brisbane RV Centre on the way home for another look.



  We watched our youngest granddaughter play her first game of soccer on Friday night. The only girl in an all boy team. She has no fear and is right in the thick of it and she is a good fast runner also. It must be the result of having two brothers and playing soccer with them from an early age.  Keira also had a sleepover last night our first and it went well.  We watched Nemo in bed and she fell asleep soon after and didn't wake until 9 this morning. On Friday night I was woken by my eldest dear granddaughter with the news that she was engaged.  Her beau Chris had just proposed.  I don't mind being woken up for such good news.  Congratulations Jess and Chris I wish you all the happiness in the world. 

Next week the Craft Expo is on at the Convention Centre at South Bank for 4 days so I intend to go on Thursday. (check out this link craftexpo.net.au) I am looking forward to a "Crafty Fix" and to see what else is new out there.

Talk again soon

Thursday, March 11, 2010

The Valley rattler

The Old Gympie Railway Station
It was a beautiful sunny day yesterday and the Mary Valley historical Railway was finally on its way again as the water had submerged enough for it to go ahead.  We left here at 6am for the 2 hour 190klm journey North of Brisbane to Gympie to catch the train.

The Valley Rattler built in 1950 at Maryborough Qld. 
We chose to drive in the Club Car
The trip commenced from the Old Gympie Station building which replaced the original in 1913.  The original station served Gympie from the 1870s. The Rattler is a steam train which travels from Gympie downgrade and crosses Deep Creek Bridge.  This structure is 30 metres above the creek bed and has not flooded during many of the Gympie Floods.  I think the recent floods were 14 metres high.

brown on the trees shows the height of the flood water
  From here the train passes through Monkland Railway Station and once the Rattler passes the Main North Coast Line, the descent is made to the Mary River.  The Rattler then negotiates its way through prime dairy country with beautiful views of the Mary Valley.Dagun Railway Station is 20klms from Gympie and on the return journey we were treated to a wine and cheese tasting and some very delicious frozen fruit slushies.  I had a Dagun Delight which was macadamia, Mango and Icecream frozen- yummee. Anamoor was the next station and this is where the Gympie Country Music Muster is held every August.

The train going around the bend in the tracks
  A long uphill grade was then endured and on the descent we arrived at Kandanga Railway Station.  Kandanga was originally a timber town and we enjoyed the local markets where fresh produce was for sale.


The Kandanga Railway Station & Markets

After Kandanga the Rattler encounters an uphill battle and rattles through Melawondi, then climbs through the to the only tunnel on the line an travels downgrade to Imbil (40klms).  We spent an Hour and half here in this lovely country town and enjoyed a lovely buffet meal on the balcony of the Railway Hotel.

The Railway Hotel in Imbil 
The buffet was very nice and cost us $12.50 each.  We then enjoyed the return journey.  The only problem is we both wore white and after the cinders from the steam landed they ended up a slight grey in colour.  We arrived home from Gympie at about 7pm.

view from a bridge just out of Imbil
 Apparently tomorrow we have to take the grandies to school.  Would you believe it is walk to school day.  We will have to get our walking boots on.

 Just a short word in rememberance for a dear pet and companion for my dear granddaughter and DIL.  Their horse, Kal passed away Friday after a short illness and they are both devastated.   He was starting to show much promise in his field a token of the work DGD has spent tireless on him.  He's been her constant companion for 7 years.  Take each day as it comes. Our love goes out to them.
 R.I.P Kal
forever united with Troy boy
Talk again soon

Thursday, March 4, 2010

A casual lunch in the rain

Nothing much happening here except rain and more rain...I don't think Ihave ever seen so much water.  I have spoken earlier about not seeing rain for about 12 months I now have seen enough to last quite a while.  I feel sorry for the folks in Roma & Charleville having experiencing severe flooding but someone must be watching over us because if we hadn't opted to spend time with the grandies we would have been right in that area and up to our necks in water.  As it is we had to be towed up to higher ground as she was surrounded by slush and weighing over 17 ton we had that sinking feeling.  A tractor had to be used to pull us I only wish I thought to get the camera out while this was all happening.

  Tuesday we drove down the gold coast to Pimpana, to view a Heritage Restoration Project.  They have quite a collection of paraphalia and machinery which they are restoring.  You can also stay there for the cost of $10 per night but you are restricted to a maximum of 10 days at a time.  Close to the theme parks and plenty of room.  Nice folks running the show.

  We decided to visit a nearby local for lunch and can thoroughly recommend the venue.  The Shearer's Arms Hotel in Ormeau.  Lunch was a $12 special included a free drink and a $3 Pokie Credit.  And the food was good.  We haven't been on the Rattler yet as the Mary Valley is flooded out and the trip was cancelled, however we rescheduled for next Wednesday so fingers crossed the rain will have subsided by them. 
 Talk again soon