Capalaba

Monday 13th Dec:

Arrived Capalaba and soon settled in once the owners had left. We have a beautiful pool, home with 2 aircons and a white Bichon Frise pooch named Miss Molly to care for. We are here until Jan 13th when we head north to Sippy Downs to our friends home until at least April 1st, could be longer.

 

Off We Go

Monday 13th Dec:

Time to head off to our last house sit for the year, we left Holland Park West around 3.30pm avoiding the school traffic. I was rather sad leaving Miss Twinkle as she had become very attached to us. We went to get Thai for dinner last night and we took her with us for a ride in the car - she loved it. It was extremely hot so we had to leave packing the car until the final minute it was just too hot to have the food stuffs sitting in the car. Last minute goodbyes with Twinkle and we headed off to Capalaba. We arrived at Capalaba around 4.15pm, the home ran through the final bits and pieces with us before we sat to and head an early dinner of yummy lasange with them. Around 5.30pm they headed off to the airport for their trip back to the UK via Singapore.

Hey Miss Twinkle get outta my seat!!!!!!!

Farewell Miss Twinkle

Heading off tomorrow

Sunday 6th Dec 2015

HAPPY  BIRTHDAY  ROSIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We leave Holland Park West tomorrow and head to our Christmas/New Year house sit at Capalaba, 
We won't be heading off until late afternoon as we want to stay and feed the dog as she will be home alone as the homeowners will not be arriving home until the early AM on Tuesday morning. There are some lovely plants in the garden, Foxtail Palms, Lady Finger Banana Palms with fruit, Papaya or Paw Paw, Passionfruit, Chokos, Tomatoes, herbs and many more here are a few photos.

 

 

Papaya 

 

Fox Tail Palms

 

Mt Gravatt

Last week we did a quick drive up to the top of Mt Gravatt, on our way back from the supermarket.

Since 1893 Mt Gravatt has attracted climbers, after the colonial government of the time deemed the hill’s 132 acres a recreational reserve. Local residents, drawing on voluntary labour then went about constructing roads and a walking track up its slopes, with a resultant three hand built roads to the summit.In 1914 a large picnic shelter was built up the top and Mt Gravatt promptly became the local in-spot for picnics. It also became a hot spot for car rallies and by 1930, motorbike events. One local champ won the climb three times, in a four cylinder Indian bike with sidecar.
The current road which leads to the mountaintop was built during the Depression years by unemployed labourers and a small kiosk that had been established there burnt down in 1938.
Today the Echidna Magic Cafe, owned and run by Indigenous group First Contact, is an excellent spot to enjoy the view and has a little playground to the rear as well as an educational walk-though garden of native plants.
The lookout can be accessed by car or by hiking through the bush from the Griffith University Campus and Toohey Mountain Reserve.
Mount Gravatt is at an elevation/altitude/height above sea level of 187 m ...

 

The view overlooking Brisbane City from the lookout

  

 

Breakthrough

It's almost time to leave her and yep Miss Twinkle has come to realise we are not that bad after all. We had a bit of a break through last week and she will now allow us to pat her, brush her and take her for a walk which she loves. Fortunately we are just across the road from a walking track that runs behind the Holland Park State College and the bus way. She loves trotting along and is good on the lead. There are a couple of beautiful trees close by a Poinciana Tree and an Illawara Flame Tree the color of these trees is stunning the Poinciana the color is from the flowers and the Illawara Flame Tree the color is from the foliage. When we were at Yungaburra in 2013, they opened the Avenue of Honour for the fallen soldiers from the Afghanistan war and lining the Avenue there are 41 Illawara Flame Trees 1 for every AU soldier killed in the war, imagine the sight when all the 41 trees are in flower.

Photos below are the Poinciana Tree

 

 

Below photo is the Illawara Flame Tree

 

 

Miss Twinkle and Fish

This is old Miss Twinkle she is not very approachable and you certainly would not try to pat her, I have managed to get her to eat some chicken out of my hand though but she wont come up on the couch or your lap, she sits under the coffee table in the lounge or under a chair by the fish tank other than that she spends most of her time on one of the daughter's bed's with her soft toys. She has a box of stuffed toys that she drags out one by one and takes them to the bedroom placing them all on the bed - yes she sleeps with them. As long as we feed her etc and let her do her own thing she is fine. The fish are fine they just swim around in their tank and they are very restful.

 

 

 

 

Carefully taking some chicken from my hand

 

Arrival Holland Park West

Monday 23rd:

We arrived in good time at Bapaume Road, got through the traffic and roadways with no problems and not getting lost, unlocked the door to be greeted with barking from Miss Twinkle, she is an old dog a Moodle, cross Maltese/Poodle, not a very friendly dog but we just gave her space and time to get used to having someone else in the house. The homeowners had left on a very early flight back to the Phillipines to visit family. We unloaded the car and settled in pretty quick.
Holland Park West is a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The suburb was gazetted in 1972. It is located in the inner suburbs south-east of the Brisbane central business district between the Pacific Motorway and Logan Road. We are a 6min bus ride directly into the city of Brisbane. An older style of home however very comfortable and private. There are beautiful wooden floors and it is fairly cool although we do use the aircon if it gets too humid, there are ceiling fans also which circulate the air flow.

Goodbye Bobby

Monday 23rd:

Last minute goodbye with Bobby, he was such fun.

Spinnaker Bay Marina

Walking distance was the Spinnaker Bay Marina and Slipway, we used to walk Bobby down there he loved it raced all the way there however the return trip was much slower as his little legs along with our old legs were pretty tired. There are always Pelican sitting on the fence of the swimming enclosure and they make a good sight.

 

 

Almost time to move on

Brian had a round of Golf while we were at Redland Bay, he said it was ok but too bloody hot.
Our last day here was Sunday 22nd however as we were not due to our next house sit until the
Monday 23rd, the home owners said it was fine for us to stay the Sunday night as they were not due back from Adelaide SA until around 8.00pm on Sunday night. It worked out fine staying they duely arrived home after calling in to see their family at around 9.00pm, we had a cuppa and chat before turning in for the night. We left on Monday morning around 9.00am arriving at Holland Park at approx 1000am. We bathed Bobby and had some fun with him on our last day, he was such a great little dog and loved playing and walks.

Bathtime