Final Day

Saturday 4 May:

Well today was our last 4hr's working for Fort Knox Storage Caloundra where we have worked as livein caretakers for the last 3years, however all good things have to come to an end at times and today is the day. The morning passed with no hassles for the office and as it was fairly quiet I managed to restock and tidy while Brian continued putting last minute items into our bulging storage unit - we have a 3x3 - 27cubic mtr storage unit which is half the size of a single car garage - and it is chocker full. During the morning Brian managed to get the caravan hooked up to the Tribby (Mazda Tribute 4x4) he wanted to get it out of the complex before the complex got too busy with cars/trucks blocking the driveway, as it was he had to slowly back out a bit and go around the far driveway and took the van out onto the road and parked up until he was ready to take the caravan (Poppy) down to the van park while I stayed at FK Storage and continued packing and cleaning. Brian came back for me around 2.00pm, we were both shattered and decided around 3.00pm that we would head off to the Golden Beach Tourist Park where we have based ourselves until it is time to leave. I was also very lucky as one of my very special work mates from LEP came to say goodbye and brought Brian & I, a bottle of the gorgeous "Veuve Cliqout" champagne - thank you to Tini & her husband Joe for your very thoughtful gift. The photos show the storage shed loaded to the door and the Caravan ready to depart to the Golden beach Tourist Park where we will stay until we leave on Thursday May 9th, and the very nice bottle of champagne.

This will be the final post on the blog for some time, until we come back from our trip, north and across to Darwin, down through the middle and around the bottom, Adelaide, Victoria and back into Queensland later in the year, around November. So until we return - goodbye and cheers.

1 week to go here

Saturday 27/04/13


Well this time next week we will have moved from Fort Knox Storage to the Golden Beach Caravan Park and once there this will be the end of this blog for 6-7months as we will be up dating our other blog - so watch this space for the farewell photos.

Lest We Forget

Thursday 25th April.

Today is the day when we remember all our fallen war heros and those past, present, and future.

Coolum Beach

Sunday 21st April

Being Sunday our only day to ourselves we decided as it was a beautiful day we would escape the compound and head to Coolum for lunch at the Coffee Club and then a stroll over to the beach where we sat and enjoyed the warmth and fresh air, before returning for home. It is always nice to get away from the place even if it is only for a few hours.

Early Morning Sunrise

Friday 19th April

Woke early the other morning and the sky was on fire, rushed in to get the camera and here is the proof.

Mary Cairncross Park

A couple of weeks ago on a Monday as that was Chris's day off, we decided to head away for the day as I was on leave - had to use some of it up before Centrelink took more $$ off me. We went up to Maleny and went to the Mary Cairncross Park - it is a natural rainforest and is simply amazing some of the trees are so old, it was actually very chilly in amongst the forest however the scenery made up for it. We went down into Maleny village and had a coffee and walk around the town before heading home.

Just over a week to go now

Tuesday 23 April

Yep we have just over a week left here at Fort Knox Storage - Caloundra, the place is slowly emptying out and is starting to echo a bit. These pics will show how things are progressing out in the storage shed. Plan is if all going well we will leave for our trip on May 8th. Our last day at Fort Knox will be Saturday May 4th. There are new caretakers and they are KIWIS from Dunedin - funny that - good luck to them when they hear the din and racket that happens next door each weekend/night - while we will be enjoying the peace and quiet. I will add a few more photos later.

Plans for 2013

The plan for us is a trip away later in the year in the caravan. Plan is to head north which will be great as we have not been north beyond Bundaberg so we are looking forward to doing that around May this year, means we will become grey Nomads and vacate the place we called home for the last 3years - Fort Knox Storage in Caloundra. More on this later folks as there will be a new blog soley for the trip so watch for details. Just thought I would add this beautiful photo of the Hibiscus flower that I managed to grow the plant from a cutting that I have treasured and cared from since we first moved over here almost 9years ago, I grew this from a cutting I took while living at Sanctuary Gardens and I have managed to take another cutting and will pot that up and a friend of mine has kindly offered to mine my palms and other small plants while we are away.

A Little Bit Of Christmas

It was feeling a little bit like Christmas in our house on Christmas Eve, I hope all my family and friends had a great Christmas. Brian and I went out for Christmas lunch to the Centrepoint Building down in Caloundra, it was a buffet and there was so much food it was hard to believe no frills in table setting etc however the food made up for it. We had to be there for 1.00pm it was not crowded and or noisey which we were kind of dreading. Brian loved the seafood buffet while I enjoyed the Traditional and the Asian buffet. There was every kind of Christmas dessert you could imagine. I have to admit we had no dinner last night. Well folks that is Christmas over for another year take care stay safe and have an even Happier New Year - see you all again in 2013. xxxxxx

Early Family Christmas Lunch

December 16th saw Brian and I meet up with his girls and the grandkids for an early Christmas lunch. His younger daughter Caroline and her daughter Alesha 13yr live north in Gladstone and they came down for 4days. So what better time to get together for Christmas lunch with older daughter Victoria her kids Olivia 12yr and Jamie 6yr along with their dad. We had a great lunch and it is not very often we manage to get the kids altogether and to have a photo and all be it a nice one taken with grandad is really special.

Stunning Sunset's at Caloundra - Dec 5th 2012

It was such a beautiful day very very hot and when I arrived home from work I said to Brian I think we will pack up tea and head to the beach at Caloundra - well actually the Esplanade, the sunset was simply stunning as was our dinner and my company.

What else when in Queensland!!

       December 2nd 2012
But on a beautiful evening one must dine - Al Fresco.

The lad has a birthday!!!

Birthday Boy - Nov 2012

November the 5th is not only "Guy Fawkes" day it is also Brian's birthday. We had planned nothing however he was very spoilt as you can see.
This lovely gift was sent to him by his daughter up in Gladstone, and the balloon lasted until almost Christmas.
Happy Birthday to my wonderul man - you are so special and loved so much by all the girls and grandchildren - however I love you the most xxx

Wedding Anniversary Nov 1st

November the 1st was Brian and my 26th Wedding Anniversary. I had to work and I had no idea that Brian had been down and booked a table at the Caloundra RSL for dinner that evening. I decided I would send him some flowers this year as we have had a bit of an up and down year with his health and thought this would be a nice way to show him how much I love him. I sent a nice floral arrangement of Alstromeria, Day Lily and some native flax and tucked into the arrangement was a bottle of bubbly. I recieved a beautiful bunch of Red Roses. We arrived at the RSL to find our table was taken over by some old fellow and we never had the heart to ask him to move as he was busily tucking into his dinner, it worked to our advantage as they moved us to the fine dinning area and that was way better as you were waited on - only having to leave your seat to head to the loo - hahahaha. We had a great night and another wedding anniversary down.

Dreaded teeth time

Tuesday 25th September

Well the day had arrived for Rory to go into hospital to have his teeth done. He has a fear of needles and the school dentist made it worse for him so he was booked in to have his teeth done at the hospital dental clinic. He was to have a general so he would know nothing about it, he was fine other than the fact that his tummy hurt due no eating allowed and or drinking - kids eh so he hid under the chair and grumbled my tummy is sore. He went in with Yasmine and there were no hassles the job was done and no pain and or suffering. 

The photo below shows a boy who just wants to sleep.

Flying back to Brisbane

Wednesday 12th September

Sees Brian and I return home to Brisbane and farwell to our darling family.I hate the goodbye's - when we arrived home last night Rory's Rugby League coach had come around with his certificate and medal for the end of season games - Rory was so excited (see photo below).School for Rory and work for Yasmine and Adam, Brian and I went with Rory this morning to say goodbye as we would be gone when he arrived home. We dropped Yasmine at work and had her car for the morning, we didn't go anywhere other than to the Hornby Mall and back again. We did the house for Yasmine and washing and got the wood in for her to light the fire when she arrived home. We were meeting Sonya - Adam's sister at Yasmine's work at 1.00pm and she was then taking us to the airport as Yasmine did not need to take time off work and or take Rory out of school. The time arrived for us to leave and drop Yasmine's car off, Sonya had arrived and it was the dreaded time I hate - those bloody good -byes. I assured Yasmine I will return one day and I promised her that, just that at present the time is not right, we still want to travel and see more of this huge big country and with tears in our eyes we left her waving good - bye. As I type this it tears me up so on that note I will finish this part of the trip here and say we had a wonderful time and NZ will always be home - just now we call Australia home and we are proud and happy to be here.

This photo below was the last photo I took and show a very proud little boy displaying his certificate and medal - well done Rory xxxx

Last day Christchuch

Tuesday 11th September

This was our last day in Christchurch and we had Yasmine's car so decided to go into the city and take some photos. In the evening we went to Brian's neice's house (this house has been Red Zoned and is to be demolished it is only 5yr old) for a BBQ tea, by the time we arrived at Catherine's it was freezing and I mean freezing cold, raining and just awful. Wayno had to cook the BBQ in the garage while we all sat inside, Catherine had the heatpump whirring away on 25c for us so we were nice and cozy. All Brian's family came, sister Rosie, brother Terry his wife Patricia was in bed with some bug. Brian's nephew Brian and his wife Anna also came as were Catherine and Wayne and their 3 kiddies, the twins Fynn and Bailey 8yr and Matilda 6yr. We left to head back to Yasmine's around 9.00pm to actually arrive back there where I parked the car, she went out a bit later to ensure old mother had locked it to say come and have a look - I was shocked thinking what had I done!!!!!! however it was all good it was SNOWING, we were leaving tomorrow to head home.