Hospital bridge opening day

Today they opened the new hospital bridge. As it is not often one gets a chance to attend a bridge opening, KISA and I popped along for a look see. We waited till after the boring bits were over though. It was hot today, and all that concrete made it hotter! This is a view of the bridge from the south looking north. This is a view of the hospital and the old hospital bridge taken from about a third of the way along the new bridge. They are going to turn the old bridge into a fishing platform by cutting off 2/3 of the southern end.

There were stalls, bouncy castles, displays, coffee vans etc along the length of the new bridge. KISA contemplated buying a used car.

Another view towards the hospital from half way along. The SES were under the bridge in boats. Maybe in case someone decided on a very public suicide???

From the northern edge of the bridge looking south.

Looking westish off the bridge towards the mountains.

While we were standing at the CQ resue display stand the CQ rescue helicopter came in and did a flyover their work collegues. So I got a good shot!

KISA liked the fire truck best. They even offered him a sticker! He queued up with the kids for a chance to sit up there!

Another shot upriver from the northern end of the new bridge. Be a lot nicer without the ugly old rail bridge in shot!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JDUBYA!!!!

There's gold in them thar hills

Well after four days of being stuck indoors, KISA and I were getting a bit of cabin fever! So with the advent of another beautiful day, we decided to go for a drive. So we loaded up the Engel and strapped it in and set off. I am reading a book about the history of the gold mining township of Mt Britton, by Lyall Ford, so we decided to go there. KISA had never been west of Eton and I had never set foot in Nebo either, just driven through. Just over an hour had us in Nebo, pulled up opposite the hotel (above) and reading the info boards. They have a nice walk alongside the creek (below) and after reading this we were able to ascertain what direction to take to find Mt Britton. The museum was closed unfortunately, will have to do that another day.

Me overlooking the creek, the hair is growing back, but so slowly!

We took the turn to Glenden, and followed it for some 20kms before turning right to Collinsville, following a road through cow paddocks, then turned again to Mt Britton. The sky seems so much bluer inland than on the coast, don't you think?

We parked under a huge fig tree, that was planted to commemorate the birth of the first white child in the town by his parents. Great that it is still there.

This clearing is where the township was. There is nothing much there in the way of buildings, bark huts are not very durable - but the pole that held the school bell is the original I think. The streets are marked and a few bits of old gold mining equipment are scattered about. I tried to imagine what life would have been like for the people back then as even now it is pretty much out of the way. There are signs indicating what buildings were where. There were no fewer than SIX pubs!! Gold mining must have been thirsty work! I suspect the publicans made more than most of the prospectors though..

We had our lunch in the shade of the tree, and headed back to the Collinsville road. We decided to go back via the back end of Eungella. The road was gravel and quite stony but easily managed by the Land Rover. It was slow going in bits though.

Coming over the crest of this hill took our breath away! This is looking at Eungella from the other side. Not long after this we came across a carpet snake sunning itself on the road. It was as long as the width of the road. It wouldn't stick around for me to get the camera out so no pic, sorry.

We called into Eungella Dam on the way back. It is full to capacity and very scenic, we will be camping here in the near future. I checked out the loos and they were very clean and odourless for composting loos, the cleanest I have ever seen. We got home just on dark, it was a very enjoyable day out.

Busy busy busy!

KISA is home from work this week. He had a little op on Tuesday afternoon and is quietly recovering at home. It was just keyhole surgery to mend a long ignored and nasty hiatus hernia and he is recovering nicely. The surgeon said it was a "bitch to fix" but it is all good now and 90per cent of his chronic heartburn should become a memory soon. He was in for less than 24hrs, and came home wearing his sexy white stockings. So I am just puttering about at home while he watches DVDs.

We had a busy weekend. We were going to go camping, but a late Friday afternoon doctors visit and a long list of things to do put paid to that so after mowing the lawn, we cleaned out the downstairs and rearranged things a bit. It looks much better. It is one of those areas that is a dumping ground for stuff that doesn't have a home. Every home has one of those! So a lot went to the tip, a lot went to Vinnies and the rest was cleaned and organised.

Around morning tea TT arrived to visit in their way down south. T and I met in hospital at the birth of Jess and her daughter. We shared a room, and all of our early motherhood experiences. Since we moved away from Canberra we have rarely seen each other but our friendship endures despite the different directions our lives took. I cooked a banana cake for them and we had a great time catching up and our partners got to know each other a little. Then they were on their way as they had a long way to go yet.

Later that afternoon, we put up the camper again to try to perfect our set up routine. It went much better, though the tent appartus still has issues. While it was up, we put all the camping gear in the camper and it fitted very nicely with room to spare. Then we put it down again, and hooked it to the car as it was going to Battery Pro for its electrical set up on the Monday.

Son 17 was heading back to Brisbane after his Easter break on Monday morning, so it was an early start to get him to the airport. He had a great time catching up with his mates here and he and I had a couple of days together as well, which was special to me.

On Monday afternoon, we picked up the camper and it now it has a battery, a mains power hookup to recharge same, and a couple of 12v and 240v points, an inverter doodad, and it is all pretty smick! They did a fabulous job and it is very neat.

The weather is perfect and we are impatient to take it out for real. Not this weekend but maybe next weekend if KISA is up to the lifting by then. Be worth the wait!!

Ode to KISA

My KISA is an all or nothing kind of guy. When he does something he is committed, totally and whole heartedly. Or he doesn't do it. No middle ground, no shades of grey. Which is a good thing most of the time. Things can stay undone for a long time, but when they are done they are done very well, with all his heart and soul.

KISA gives everything at work. He puts his head down and gets on with it. He stays there for hours more than his 8 hours sometimes and comes home exhausted, wrung out and spent. Good for work, bad for KISA.

KISA didn't get married till late in his life. He takes being married very seriously and gives it his very best. He is a devoted, loving, kind and fabulous husband. He thinks of me first above all things, even work! KISA is an all or nothing guy, which makes me a very lucky girl.

Recently we bought a camper trailer. The research that went into that purchase was staggering. The research that went into the electrics we are fitting to it has also been deep. The enthusiasm is huge! Once he makes up his mind to move it all happens! So different to me, but if it was up to me we would still be dreaming about it! Now, after the initial shock of spending all that money, (If KISA had a blog, he would have written a post about my abhorrence to spending money) I am catching on to the potential fun we will have and it is exciting.

KISA fixes other peoples computers. He fixes ours too, so he spent the entire Easter weekend fixing computer problems. One of which was ours. He won't stop until he feels it is as good as he can get it. He goes over and above. He gets cross with said computers a lot too, though no bad words, just curses. Lucky it rained all weekend and there are only so many videos you can watch!

Lately KISA decided that he was fed up with his extra avoirdupois. Again he takes the all or nothing approach. So we see a dietician, he does EXACTLY as he is told, gives up drinking ALTOGETHER , and drops 7kg in a couple of weeks. Just like that. Out comes the drill for new holes in the new belt already. Sigh. Since I am such a supportive wife (sort of) I have gone on it with him (sort of, I am so NOT such an all or nothing girl ) I have lost a whole two kilos. I am so proud of him. Wow.

So there is an insight into my KISA. A very special man, my knight in shining armour. Who would have thought my life would turn so much on one mouse click in 1996! I must have done something right somewhere!

Happy Easter

Easter is a time for camping it seems. We have been at camping shops a lot lately and they have been packed. So I guess a lot of people around here were planning to go camping for Easter. Pity it has rained...and rained...and rained..

So it has been a time for hanging around the house. Son 17 came home on Good Friday evening, only to go again an hour later, as it was the 18th birthday of one of his best mates. So a group of them headed up to Airlie. I still have yet to speak with him because he is like this.

I am cooking a roast lamb for dinner so that will smoke him out..;-) Looks like he had a good time.

KISA and I have just been pottering about the house, he is tinkering with computers - other peoples- as this is a computer hospital- and giving phone advice on same.

Today we popped up to A&Ps as they have just emerged from the technological wilderness to have broadband connected, and KISA did the set up. I think they will enjoy what that opens up to them. Godzilla was happy - as a new teen he MUST have msn or die a social death. P got a superb bargain on atlantic salmon yesterday as Coles was closing for Easter and picked up some 3 kg for $30. Bargain. So they whipped up a yummy lunch of salmon and salad, with fresh garden herbs. In about 5 minutes flat. And no camera to take a photo.

Camping in the backyard

This post is a week late, many apologies. So last weekend, we set up the camper trailer in the backyard. You need to practice away from the public gaze lest you be the entertainment of the campground. And thank goodness we did.It took quite a while to get to this point. We even had to get the guy from the shop we bought it from to come out and he couldn't get it up easily either, so we felt vindicated. There is something wrong with the tent and the instructions are hopeless. It shouldn't take more than three minutes to get the main part up and another 10 to get the annex up. We were going to put it up again this weekend, Easter, but it has poured and poured for days now, so it is still in the shed. We deserved this bottle of bubbles we had afterwards. It was a hot, humid day and the mozzies were feasting, so we went inside. This is how is looks from the front (or back) depending on your perspective. We had to hose it down to waterproof it that is why it is all shut up.

It is a roomy tent and we are looking forward to its first excursion away from home, maybe next weekend.

While the tent was drying out we went to have morning tea with P and N at their lovely home. N has just retired - sort of- and had been very busy extending their deck, where we had cake and savoury nibblies and coffee. They have a lovely garden. Isn't this orchid gorgeous? P has lots of orchids.We had a lovely relaxing time. We are blessed to have such caring people in our lives.

Impossible Quiche

I have mentioned this a couple of times now as a meal I have made, so thought I would post the recipe. It is very adaptable and very quick. Great for nights when you don't have much time or can't be bothered much. It is also a good way to use up leftover bits and bobs and tastes great cold the next day. You can cook it in a quiche dish, or in muffin tins. As mini muffins, it would make good party nibblies, though I haven't tried that. You would need to cook it less in the smaller tins of course. Ok enough waffling, here it is:

Impossible Quiche
Serves 4

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 -2 cups of meat product ( bacon, chorizo sausage, chopped ham, leftover chicken, leftover sausages, you get the idea..)
1 cup of chopped vegetable ( capsicum, corn, peas, mushrooms, zucchini, whatever is in the fridge though I would cook hard veges like carrot a bit or grate them)
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup self - raising flour
1 cup grated cheese


Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Grease a ceramic quiche dish or pyrex dish. If you use muffin tins, I would use paper liners as they may stick more to metal. My muffin tins are silicon.

Heat the oil and fry up the onion, vegetable if it is hard like capsicum or mushroom or carrot, and meat if it is raw till the onion is soft and it smells real good! Put aside till it cools a bit.

Beat the eggs, milk and flour together with salt and pepper to your taste. Then stir in the cooked stuff and half of the cheese. Pour into the quiche dish and sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. If making muffins, I put the cooked stuff and cheese in the muffin tins first so it is evenly distributed then pour the eggs mix over the top. Sometimes I even do that with the quiche if the mix hasn't cooled enough.

Bake it for about 40 minutes though keep an eye at the end in case your oven is on the hot side as it will burn.

I got the basics of this recipe from here, the adaptations are mine.