Thoughts

All That We Are Is A Result Of What We Have Thought

                                                                                    Buddha

Back Home with Internet Issues

Hello my lovelies - I am finally back in cyberspace after a week offline. What a week I have had too, Internet issues, work and just time away from my computer. Although I have been having a sneaky look at Facebook on my IPhone now and then. Last weekend I went to the "Mind, Body, Spirit" Festival. I had prebooked a reading with Allison at 10.am and what a wonderful way to start my day. She was only a young girl, very attractive and very very accurate. Firstly she picked up that my Mum was with me - but that was no surprise, Mum is always with me. She received quite a few other accurate messages. But the main one that threw me was that she told me that my daughter has a baby daughter and the the child was named after my Mum, and my Mum was happy about it. Now anyone who had read my blog you may have heard me mention Clare, my new granddaughter. Well she is my daughters daughter and she is named after my Mum!! I know people say that Mediums can say general things that would suit most people, but sometimes you just know. After the reading I spent an absolutely wonderful day wandering around the festival soaking up all the amazing energies.

What was your first job?

Today is was back to work at Homing Instincts. I am only working two or three days a week now - I have done my years of working full time. Homing Instincts is a great place to work, it is a homewares store with a very eclectic and woderful range of items. My boss is Jenni who is also one of my best friends. We have been friends since we were about 12 years old so needless to say we almost know how each others brain works. Driving home tonight I was thinking about what to write on my blog tonight and then my thoughts drifted to the jobs I have had during my 59 years. After a bit of a mental challenge counting back I think I have had 13 jobs.


Marjie, Davine, Jenni and Sheri
Nothing better than true friends.

My very first job was a school holiday job for about a month I think. I was about 15 and my best friend Marjie (still one of my best friends) and I rode our pushbikes around visiting a lot of local factories asking if they had any jobs for us to do for our school holidays. Finally we were succesfull at a factory that provided hotels, motels etc. with their sheet sets and towels.They had machines that embroidered the hotels name onto the products. Our jobs were pretty easy - we had the task of cutting of the sewing threads after the embriodery was completed. Even though it was 47 years ago, when I think about our time there I can still smell the dust from the sheets. Another thing I remember was our paydays. We would head straight to the local shopping centre to spend some money. This process certainly showed our personality, Marjie would buy clothes and I would head straight to the music store and buy vinyl records. I would love to hear what your first job was and any memories you have from it.

Good Bye Echuca

Thankfully the wind died down last night and we had a very restful nights sleep. Up we got bright and early to pack up the camper and head back to home in Eltham. Our journey home was pretty uneventful which is always good when you are towing a campervan. So all is unpacked washed and packed away and I am now sitting watching Masterchef on telly. Just what I need after a holiday where I didn't stop eating what a show about food. Tomorrow is going to be a day with a reigns pulled in on my food consumption. I am working all day tomorrow and am fairly busy for the next few days so I may have to share some photos if I don't get time to write words. Unless of course something exciting happens and I will just have to share it with you.

PS Emmylou

Tonight's journal entry is going to be a short one because I am very tired. We didn't get a very restful sleep last night as it poured rain and the gale force winds blew so hard I was sure we would wake up in a different location - but all was well and we survived all but a bit tired. I have already mentioned the paddle steamers in Echuca. Well today Shane and I decided we would go on a lunch/cruise on the PS Emmylou. "The P.S. Emmylou is a Murray River paddlesteamer, driven by a completely restored 1906 steam engine, and built to the highest world classification standards. She was built locally during 1980-82 in the style of the 19th century paddleboats. She is 30 metres long and 10 metres wide, steel hulled and timber decked." We have been on a paddle streamer before but never for 2 hours and have a meal. I must say it was a very enjoyable couple of hours, even though the wind was still pretty gusty it seemed to be sheltered somewhat on the river. The meal we chose was Flathead Tails with chips and salad and it was yummy.

The Murray River has been through many floods and many droughts and the poor old trees have suffered. The roots of the trees had me mesmerised - I could see all sorts of things in them.

After the cruise Shane wanted to visit the Holden Museum. For those non Aussies out there Holden is part of Australia's history with the first model being produced in 1948. I learnt how to drive in a Holden, my first car was also a Holden. But Shane was in Holden heaven, during his life so far he has owned 3 or 4 of the models that were on show. There was one EH Model - 1964 - that he was convinced was his original one. I didn't like to shatter his dreams and tell him that there were probably thousands of this model still around. Thought I would just let him dream.

Tonight we went to the Moama RSL (Returned Serviceman's League) for dinner. Very nice it was too, but I am really going to have to stop eating this much when I get home or I will burst. We head home tomorrow back to normal life - well as normal as my life is anyway!!

The Long Paddock

Today Shane and I decided to be tourists and go on a road trip along part of The Long Paddock. The Long Paddock - I hear you ask - What is the Long Paddock? The current Cobb Highway that runs from Echuca /Moama north to Wilcannia a total of 589kms - one way (approx. 366 miles) follows part of the great network of stock routes that become known as The Long Paddock. All the big and small towns along The long Paddock were originally established as coach changing station for Cobb and Co. Coaches. We decided that our adventure would start in Moama and end in Hay - a total return trip of 404 kms (251 miles). We headed off at around 8.00am and a very cold foggy morning greeted us. Our first stop was a toilet stop in Mathoura and at I must say the prettiest public toilets I have ever seen. The inside walls were all painted with lovely murals created by the local art group and local school. I didn't get a photo as I didn't have my camera or IPhone with me as I wasn't expecting to use it in the loo!! Then it was onto Deniliquin, this town sprung up at a favoured spot on the Edward River where drovers forded or swam their stock across on their long journey. The area was originally inhabited by the Wamba Wamba nation of indigenous people. After another toilet stop, a yummy breakfast and some photo taking it was back on the road again.

The next tiny location was Pretty Pine - all this location consisted of was a pub - that wasn't open on Mondays - not that we wanted a beer, it was just a little early. Then it was onto Wanganella which didn't even have a pub but it's claim to fame is the introduction to the world the famous Australian Peppin Merino (sheep known for it's high grade wool).

On another 36kms (22 miles) we travelled through another one and only pub location called Booroorban. The hotels Headless Horseman bar is named after the legend associated with the area. Drovers around the black swamp in the middle of the 19th century told of a horseman who appeared suddenly at a campsite, mounted on a horse, a cloak but no head.

Our final destination was the town (or maybe it is classed as a City) of Hay. I have fond memories of this town. As a little girl I travelled up there a few times with my parents to visit my Dads best friend - David Davies - whom I just happened to be named after. Uncle David and his wife Auntie Biddy owned the Hay Caravan Park and while I was there it was my job to serve people when they came into the little shop. It made me feel as I was so grown up - but I wasn't. After a look around town and some lunch we headed for Shear Outback, which is a sheep shearing museum and also The Shearing Hall of Fame. I would thoroughly recommend that any travellers visit this attraction as it was very interesting.

Then it was back home to our little camper in Echuca. We have just had dinner and it is raining outside, so what better thing to do than write my blog.

Chill Out Time

Today was a Chill Out Day and I totally needed it. It was fairly cold last night in Echuca but thankfully our little heater kept the van warm and the flanellette sheets, flannellette PJ's, warm doona and heat pack kept the body nice and warm during the night. I woke at about 7.30am and went for a walk in the nice brisk air. Certaintly did wake me up. Echuca is located on the banks of the mighty Murray River, which is the river that separates the states of Victoria (where I live) and New South Wales. The name Echuca is an Aboriginal name for 'meeting of the waters'. The town on the New South Wales side of the river is Moama. Echuca Moama is Australia's Paddlesteamer Capitol. Around the 1870's Echuca was Australias largest inland port. The port of Echuca is still home to the largest Paddle Steamer fleet in the world, which includes the world's oldest surviving wooden hulled paddle boat, the 1866 built, PS Adelaide. The Murray River is also a magnet for lots of houseboats that are either privately owned or ones that can be rented out.

Echuca and the Murray - Get a load of the Thong Tree!!

The rest of the morning was taken up by breakfast, shower and just hanging out reading, surfing the net and generally doing nothing. The afternoon we headed into town for some lunch and a bit of sight seeing. The historic port area is very interesting with all of the buildings being restored to there original state.

How come I felt like ice-cream on such a cold day??
Mmmm Chocolate and Macadamia Nut and I'm not usually an ice-cream person.

Historic Echuca Port

Now it's almost 8.00pm, we have just had pizza for dinner - if we keep eating the way we are we will have to enlarge the camper door opening!! It's getting pretty chilly outside, so the heater is going and we are relaxing in our little camper - Myrtle.

Sojourn to Echuca

This morning we woke early to finish any last minute packing and to get our dog Zoe off to the kennels in preparation for our sojourn to Echuca. We will be in Echuca until Wednesday and staying in our camper trailer - Myrtle. This is only our second few days away in her and we are getting the hang of the process. So we headed of about 10.00am, deciding to just take our time and make the journey part of the adventure. So many times as I have done in the past is that you start driving to your destination and only think of your end destination. But so many wonderful things can be seen and experienced on the journey. After leaving Eltham the first main town we got to was Kilmore. Kilmore was a stronghold of early Celtic settlers from Ireland, Scotland and Cornwall, and remains a strong Celtic area to this day. Many of Kilmore's oldest buildings are made of bluestone including the hospital, old court house, former post office, some churches and goal. I have very fond childhood memories of this town, when I was a child we visited Kilmore regularly on a Sunday for my Dad and sometimes my Mum to play golf. I would spend the day having a wonderful adventure with the other kids. As I was an only child this was a great time for me to be amongst lots of other kids. While driving between Kilmore and our next stop Heathcote I had a moment of serenity. Normally when driving and the speed limit is 100kms you drive at that speed and zoom past the world. But when towing a camper you have to reduce you speed slightly - to help conserve fuel. At this reduced speed of only about 10kms it's amazing just how much more you see. So as we were driving along listening to Chicago sing away I had a total peaceful moment - so nice.
Arriving in Heathcote we decided it was time for lunch but then I noticed that the town market was on so that had to be visited before any eating was to be done. It was lovely walking around the market with the trees raining their golden leaves down on us.

The settlement of Heathcote was as many towns in Victoria due to gold being found. Late in 1852 gold was discovered at McIvor Creek. Within six months some 40,000 miners were camped in the vicinity. It proved to be one of the richest finds during the Australian gold rushes, but the gold was so easily found that it was soon largely exhausted and by the end of the year a large proportion of the miners had already left for other recent finds. So now Heathcote is a sleepy but lovely little town. Once lunch was devoured it was off to Echuca.  So now I sit here in my beautiful little camper having just had a feed of yummy prawns for dinner.

Shane is off at the pub watching the telly as his team Carlton play footy and I am sitting here enjoying the silence. So until tomorrow sweet dreams to all.

Medicine Wheel One Year Journey 2012 / 2013

The time has once again come along for my new Medicine Wheel One Year Journey for 2012 / 2013. This is the third year I have been on this wonderful journey with the help of Michelle. It's not that I live my life by it, but the messages I receive give me some sort of guidance throughout my days. My message for this coming 12 months is RADIANCE - not sure where that will take me just yet. But I am ready for the ride.

Medicine Wheel One Year Journey for 2012 / 2013

So today being the first day of a new month of a new year I have been working on my vision board for my message of WISDOM. I feel this message is not for wisdom as in just being wise, I feel it is telling me to be wise in listening and looking for the signs that will lead me through June.

June 2012 - Wisdom

Oh another piece of exciting news - today I have passed the 20000 mark of people viewing my blog. It makes me very happy and privileged to have that many people drop by my world - even if it is by mistake sometimes. Please if you do drop by I would love it if you would leave me a comment so I know you are there.

Tomorrow Shane and I are heading of for a few days in our camper to the lovely town of Echuca. So hopefully I will have good Internet coverage and be able to upload some news and photos.