Congratulations on sticking with us to the end! My last blog!
A sad farewell to Keryn and the bikes today! Took the train to Chelmer and met her there for the short ride to Sian and Shep’s through sad scenes of flood ravaged Brisbane - whole roads of dark, dank and deserted houses. Very sad. Plenty of tradies about so for those lucky enough to clear their insurance there is hope. Thank you for Brian’s bike Sian, and for yours Keryn. You know how much we appreciated the bikes - they really made our trip.
Left with a bagful of macadamia nuts off their tree so we will export those and put them in the vice at home! Said hello to the chucks K, F and C!
We had a slow cool ride round the Botanic Gardens and a stroll through the Japanese garden in particular - beautiful - followed by lunch in the cafeteria, a short drive to Toowong station and a big hug and thank you to Keryn, and Jeff, for everything. My bike was a dear and if I could parcel it up and take it home I would make you an offer!
After a rest we had dinner in Sandgate and a quiet stroll, we thought, through the town! The lorikeets were back swooping, swirling and screeching until a moment of certain darkness arrived and they all shut up, tucked their heads under and went to sleep! Quiet returned!
Friday is dedicated to packing and clearing up so I shall wind up the blog and put away my PC.
We have had the trip of a lifetime in beautiful Brisbane with its great people. In particular it has been very special for Brian to spend so much time with his family. We love Sandgate and could not have chosen a better base with its historic town, bay side, pool, wetlands, lagoons and miles of cycle tracks. From its station we have done 61 train journeys but leave without seeing 05! We have had wonderful welcomes everywhere - thank you - in particular we are honorary, temporary members of the Coffee Club and regulars at Salvos!
The birds have been magnificent but now our resident Butcher Birds have fledged their four young and flown, and so must we!

We went our separate ways today! Brian to Bowen Hills in his search for 05, then on to Roma Street and back to base – unrewarded efforts!
I set off to Toombul for my pedicure and manicure with Trang, a lovely Vietnemese girl. Got rid of the fluorescent nail varnish I had last time! Outside Centro I saw a ‘bus headed ‘Cultural Centre’ I asked the driver if he went to the GOMA and he said ‘I no know’! That helps! As I walked away he shouted ‘Lady, Lady, I go there, this man he tell me!’ – another passenger! So I hopped on and had a lovely ride through Hedron and Ascot (I could live there!), along the river and over the bridge to the South Bank.. The Serbian driver made me touch my Go card at the terminus and then drove the bus to the front doors of GOMA for me before he started his return route!
‘The Art of the Early 21st Century’ was exciting and stimulating and I enjoyed it very much, as I did my pizza and coke in the café underneath on the riverside. Great to see it all open again and very crowded especially with school parties. Lots of inter-active things for them.
Walked as much river walk as I could get to, then over the footbridge to Roma Street for the train and met up with Brian at Sandgate where he had arrived on the previous one. Had a coffee and decided to go back later for a half-price meal – card kindly given by Megan! We were all washed and dressed up and on our way on our bikes when I asked Brian if he had his doorkey as I had left mine behind. Of course he hadn’t! Locked out and no chink of entry! Happily got the number of the owner and she was here in 10 minutes and eased our red faces! Many thanks, sorry about that!
Tried to converse over our meal but could not due to the thousands of rainbow lorikeets coming into the town centre to roost! What lovely birds they are! After a few battles with the ravens they settled down and quiet returned.
Counting the hours now and planning the retreat.

Jill’s day off again gave us another chance to go to Wynnum and Brian time with her to do some more ancestor (rellies – another lovely word!) searching. After lunch with Jill and Les we set off for the library. I was supposed to go swimming but yesterday’s rain brought a temperature drop – from 36c to 22c in our corner – and I chickened! I am feeling really Australian - I’m cold!
Instead, whilst they researched I went on a suitcase strap search and bagged 2, one for Brian’s cycle machine which is causing a bit of angst re packing and XS baggage! Another nice place Wynnum.
Then off to see Auntie Marjorie again with a sad farewell and hopes to see her at 102.
At 5 p.m. we met up with Les, Sian and Shep at the Manly Hotel for dinner which was quite the best. I had to take a pic of my calomares for Kate! A lovely evening the pleasure of which only intensified the realisation that it was just a few days before we leave them, and all this, behind us. Very appreciative of the car ride with Sian and Shep over the magnificent Gateway Bridge and its panoramic night views back to Sandgate.
The nearer it gets to our departure the sweeter, but sadder, these days get – thank you so much for a great day and night out.
The day was saddened by the awful news from Christchurch and our love goes to all our Kiwi friends.

Monday was washday and it felt good to get all the washing dry in the hot sunny breeze rather than leave it to when we get home to cold, foggy Chobham! Also big storms were forecast for Brisbane so it was of double benefit. It was still very hot and humid and you could feel the weather change building up. We made the best of the rest by doing our usual town visit, lunch out, a trip to the lagoon to photograph the birds (who had all taken off due to the heat!) and a swim. Needed that but it is impossible to get dry in the humidity. We watched the dark clouds roll over from the west and decided it was time to go when they turned dark green! Quick bike back to await the storm and about half an hour later the world turned black and the heavens let fly! Great thunderclaps, lightning and heavy rain for about 4 hours. We were glad of Australia’s Funniest Videos and the bubonic plague to entertain us!

We didn’t know what to do with ourselves today! 36c and very high humidity forecast so we retreated to the shade of the house after our coffee/paper trip to town! Thankfully Salvos have provided some great books so I spent my day engrossed with the gripping story of the bubonic plague in Eyam in Derbyshire in 1666! From the sublime to the gorblimey I think!
We set off for the pool about 4.30 p.m. and I did my usual triathlete training – 15 minutes cycling, 4 x 50 metres swimming and a quick final sprint to the kiosk for 2 x chocolate Billa Bongs! Still hot at 6 p.m. but we had the same sea breezes we experienced last Sunday! It’s a whole week since that great fish and chip night! The sea breezes make all the difference here!
Thinking of my Brookwood family! Johanna has set off for a week’s ski-ing in Italy glad of her Uggs which arrived quickly and safely by air from Sandgate Post Office. Kate and Paul, with Leah and Natasha are setting off for a break at our French place. Pic below for those who have not been there! They’ll be putting the heaters on and chopping logs for the wood burning stove and the electric blankets will be going on a couple of hours before bedtime to air and warm the beds up after 3 months without use. They will shop at Carrefour, Aldi and Lidl and stock up with great 3L French red at £7.50 a box and no doubt get a summer’s supply of dinky French sandals at ‘Chaussures’! The girls will walk to the boulangerie in our beautiful village on lundi matin for the baguettes and pains au chocolat! Have a great time! We will be there mid March to prune the roses and fruit trees! We quite like retirement!!

We thought we would beat the Saturday crowds by going to the pool early. How wrong can you be? They were all there! No car or bike parking, no seats or beds left, lovely big groups and families all set in for a day’s swimming, eating and drinking! Eskies, stubbies, 4-packs, sausages and bacon on the barbecues for breakfast, everybody protected against the sun in T-shirts, shorts and hats – even in the pool! The only place we could find for Brian to sit was in the toddler’s area so I left him there, with his book, surrounded by little girls and boys and countless adult minders! I had a great swim!
Coffee, food shop, lunch back at the base and a determination to keep out of the sun for the rest of the day! It was getting up to 34c, I have never seen such a huge sun surrounded by a vast area of glare and later on tonight it’s full moon and that is big and beautiful. A very high tide laps at the promenade as we cycled along so it’s all coming at us!
They are going to start emptying the Wyvenhoe Dam tomorrow as they think it would be better lower in anticipation of all the rain that is forecast so we shall have to see if we notice any difference! At the moment for the coming week we are forecast 36c and no rain!
We left before 5 p.m. to meet up with Brian’s family to celebrate Elliot’s 10th birthday at the Arrivaderci Pizza House in Milton – one stop on the train from Roma Street. What a fabulous place! Very Italian, lots of red, white and green and we all 14 tucked in to two x one metre long pizzas, birthday cake and Italian ice cream. Packed out in no time with many people cheering on the Brisbane Roars win on TV too! It was good to see Bob and Pat again and we wish them well for a great time on the Ghan next week. We hope Sophie is feeling better today. We all ate far too much of the fantastic pizza selection – prawns, satay chicken, ham, mushrooms, pineapple and so on and the cake and cassata ice cream were delicious. To heck with the diet! Good to hear Jeremy had another successful cricket day, at Wynnum this time, with Keryn and Jill in attendance, but most important of all – A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLIOT
Thank you very much for asking us – it was great!

Just wanted to remind you that below is Friday's blog as whilst my computer is still on UK time it's a day out unless I do it early in the morning of the next day! Get That!