Blog 14 Time Flies

---

We've been here on the South Coast for a month already. How did that happen? We timed our arrival to help Maya celebrate her first birthday in the middle of July.

The following day we set up our stall at Merimbula Seaside Market with frost on the ground! At the beach! Our best ever single sale was 11 ironing board covers to one customer (manager of holiday apartments). The number of prospective customers for the market was swelled by the presence of a whale in the bay. Awesome. A month later, same market, same place - even better whale sightings. There were about 5 whales, including calves frollicking about in the bay for hours. One was so periously close in-shore that Peter was worried it might get stranded. The board riders could have reached out and touched them. It's a shame we don't have a better camera. There have been numerous sightings of pods all up and down the coast here. "Whale watching season is meant to start officially on 18th Sepetmber, but it may start early this year." - Quote from the local newspaper.

Soon after arriving way down Eden way, we travelled back to Nowra for further repairs to the roof of the Winnebago. With all the rain we'd been having, we made it a top priority. The water leak had re-emerged near the head of our bed. Let's hope that the job has been done propoerly now.

Job hunting was next on the agenda. Peter was being kept quite busy with consulting clients, so Wendy thought some door-knocking was in order. One receptionist at a motel laughed at her when she asked if there was any need for someone to do some cleaning for them. She said, "What we NEED, is paying guests!". Not much happens down here on the South Coast in Winter. We both managed to secure positions as polling-booth assistants on election day. That was the first time that we'd done that and we found it really interesting.

It's good to be reunited with our dog, Chuckie, and to be part of his regular exercise program. He enjoys his daily walk through the bushland near Mel and Gareth's house. The wattle blossoms are emerging which makes very pleasant surroundings. We are also intrigued by the way that wombats deposit their droppings. They always seem to place their business on top of a stick or stone . By golly, we needed to get back to our walking, too.

Soon after Mel and Gareth left for their 5 weeks away, an offer was made for their house. Gareth was "talking turkey" with the agent, whilst in a cheese factory in Switzerland! They're all having a marvellous time, so we're told.

The weather is eratic here. One day we feel we could be tanning ourselves in the warm sunshine, and the next day we stay huddled inside with the fire burning all day.

Wendy has been enjoying looking after the 3 hens, feeding them daily, collecting the eggs, and the fortnightly cleaning the coop. Peter has been mowing the grass and chopping the firewood when needed. We both feel quite "earthy" here.

We've visited a few National Parks to do some bush walking and made the trip to Green Cape Lighthouse in Ben Boyd NP to watch the old light being lit for International Lighthouse Week. It was funny to hear the modern version of lighthouse being referred to as "the Tupperware model".
This takes us up to 21st August. Stay tuned for the next installment.

---

Photos

Birthday wishes
Maya listens to Aunty Shannon wishing her a Happy Birthday from Perth

Look how they advertise Real Estate down here
This photo was in the Real Estate section of the newspaper. The house in the background is actually on the market. Every year you could have the added bonus of whales playing outside your front door!

Green Cape Lighthouse
The Keeper's Cottage

The old and the new
The Newer "Plastic" version can be seen to the right of the original.

Comments

[Gareth, Mel & Maya]

We miss you!
Hello Grandad and Grandma, We miss you now you've gone, and hope that we'll see you in the not too distant future in Kyogle. Life's very quiet without you here. Thanks for all your work around the house. All of my grandparents are pretty awesome if you need a house beautified for selling. Love and kisses, Maya x x

[Charmaine]

Merimbula
Hi Wendy, Tony and I voted at the Merimbula Polling booth on election day! Wish I'd known you were there, we were driving home with another couple after a week on the Mornington peninsula and stayed at Eden the Friday night, stopped at Merimbula to vote and have brekky, then left for Batemans bay the Saturday! So close yet so far! hugs to you both x

[carol campbell]

love the house
i want to buy the house in the photo it looks wonderful near the whales and the ocean perfect love to you both keep up the travelling