Trip to the Stirling Ranges

We both got pretty good jobs at the WACA-Russ in treasury (so handling all the money that comes in from the food and beverage outlets) and I got to head a small team of people who will help out any of the outlets that get into trouble-not enough food prepped, staff chucking fits etc. I have a training day this Friday with the outlet supervisors although I’m not one of them.

Saturday we had dinner with Todd, Blair, Leah, Chris and Carly. Leah and I had a big shopping morning (mainly new clothes for Leah) then got the stuff for a roast. The boys cooked it on the BBQ and we ate outside which was nice. Chris and Carly bought along a lovely apple pie, strawberries and cream that they’d bought that day at the East Perth organic market.


Sunday we got up and headed down south to the Stirling Ranges for a few days (2 nights). We found a fully equipped cabin for $49 pn in the Cranbrook caravan park, so spent two very comfortable nights there. I have to admit it was pretty hot out in the ranges and the wild flowers had never come to much, but we visited some great wineries to make up for that! On the way home yesterday (Tuesday) we went through some great little out back towns stopping for a counter lunch somewhere in a big old country pub. Non Aussies might like to know we saw heaps and heaps of emus (including very young chicks), two goannas very close up, nearly killed a kangaroo and her joey on the road and saw lots of birds-mainly parrots and cockatoos. We got home round 6ish last night, made ourselves pizza for dinner then went to bed. We were woken about 1.30 by the loudest, heaviest rain I have heard in ages. It's rained on and off for 12 hours since and it's wonderful


Today we are over doing our laundry, will cook Todd and Leah dinner then head home. We’ve just been shopping, and we bought Leah’s dog a lovely bone (split with plenty of marrow and meat on it). He looked at it, then finally picked it up and wandered up and own and up and down and up and down ….before finally burying it and sitting on it. Devi would have scoffed it by then.

When we first took the flat, I wondered how we would amuse ourselves for 12 weeks without the chance to go fishing as often as we do. It's easy and we are really enjoying it. And, we are already 3 1/2 weeks into the 12 and the days are flying!

WACA

Russ and I have both managed to get jobs with the caterers who have the WACA contract. We'll both be working at the Ashes in December, but they haven't decided exactly what we'll be doing! I think Russ will probably be dispensing beverages in the corporate side of things. I"m not so sure about me. We had our interviews Monday night and tomorrow night is induction. It seems like there is lots of work to be had at the ground with smaller cricket matches, functions and stock takes, so the time in Perth will fly I think.

Sunday we went for a lovely lunch at wagamama in Subiaco. It was a 15 minute walk there for us which is nice. We met with some people grom Recipezaar-the recipe club I have belonged to for 5 years. Three were strangers, and we caught up again with Terese who we had met a few times in Melbourne. She met, married and moved over here about 18 months ago. It was great to see her and wonderful to meet the other three. The food was pretty good too. Here's a photo of the six of us.



Tuesday (yesterday) we caught the train to Fremantle. It was a beautiful day, so we had a really good walk around, did a little bit of shopping, sat out in the Mall to eat our lunch, then went to the Maritime museum. A really good day!

Week 2 in Perth

Our second week in Perth has flown.
Monday we spent doing our laundry at BL&T’s, followed by a bit of shopping.
Tuesday, we went back over there for a swim which was wonderful. The two of us had a BBQ for dinner here at the flat, and Russell potted us up some more herbs.
Wednesday, we caught a morning train into the city (6 minutes) and wandered around Forrest Close shopping centre then walked over to Northbridge for lunch. We came home and made a couple of salads, then took them over to BL&T’s and had a swim before they got home. Todd has had a mate over from Melbourne (for the Red Bull Air Race) so we had Kurt and Holly over and had a BBQ dinner (sitting outside in the lovely warm evening).
Thursday, we went over and house sat while we waited for a serviceman to come fix the reticulation system. After he’d been, we drove to O’Connor near Fremantle where we finally got the lights for our boat trailer (only a week late!).
Friday we took the boat out on the Swan River and did a bit of fishing. There were lots of fish to be had, but only 1 was legal size. Lucky for him, because we only ever keep our fish if we have enough for a feed and one small (but legal) bream is not enough for the two of us! We only went a couple of ks on the river so we have heaps and heaps of exploring to do. It was great to pass all the beautiful homes, gardens, see the construction going on and it was really entertaining to watch a school down at the river having dragon boat races for the day. When we got home, I got a message to say I’ve been short listed for some cooking work at the WACA whilst The Ashes are on. I go for my interview Monday night over at the ground so wish me luck. Last night I watered the garden and I noticed our herbs are really taking off-it must be the lovely weather.
Today we are off to the races at Ascot and tomorrow we have lunch in Subiaco with a few of the people from my Internet recipe club. We are going to Wagamama, an Asian (mostly Japanese) restaurant.

Our first week in Perth

It's been a lovely first week. We have really enjoyed living where we do as it really is so central.
Through the week, we took the boat trailer's lights over to O'Connor to be repaired-I was more excited in the butcher/fish/game shop over the road and came home with a bag of duck marylands, quail and king prawns.
Thursday Russ cooked dinner for all of us over at BL&T's. He made really nice crab stuffed chicken breasts that he wrapped in prosicutto and served with hollondaise sauce over. Yum.
Friday night we came over for drinks with Chris and Carly (both formerly from Warrnambool) and Russ cooked us a few barbied sausages, chops and a lovely fresh coleslaw.
Saturday Russ and I visited a couple of church fetes and bought ourselves a vaccuum cleaner ($25) a lot of books, pickles, jams and chutnies, and a 20c wine glass. Leah had planned a "girls night in and pool party" but the weather was a bit against us swimming. We still sat outside though and had a really fun night w2hile the "boys" went around to Luke's (Luke is from Portland) and played poker. The girls were still partying when they got home from their poker game! Lucky Russ and I have a caravan in the yard for sleepovers!
Sunday we had a leisurely breakfast, then headed to Subiaco markets to get our fruit and veg for the week (or most of it). It's so cheap and only about a 10 minute walk from the flat. We also grabbed a few pots, some potting mix and herbs to grow while we are in the flat-Russ planted them this morning.
The flat is really quite comfortable and even better now we have bedside lights and a vaccuum cleaner.

Back in Perth

3 nights in Guilderton was more than enough! The place was crowded come Friday night with heaps of families from Perth there for the weekend. It was windy as anything and we got rain and a couple of pretty good thunderstorms to boot. We took the boat up the Moore River the two days we were there and although the fish were all too small to keep, it was fun.



It’s a really beautiful river with lots of birdlife, kangaroos down eating in the late afternoon and big beautiful paperbark trees lining the edges and growing in the water. The few hours we spent on the river got us out of the wind and away from all the feral kids running around the park.



I wasn’t particularly sad to leave yesterday and drive the 90ks into Perth and to our flat. We unpacked quickly, and then brought the van around to its home for the next 12 weeks at Blair, Leah and Todd’s. Leah’s parents John and Christine came down from Mandurah, so we stayed and had a lovely BBQ for dinner last night.

Today we are over here again cleaning the van and doing many loads of washing. It’s about 30c here today, so it’s drying almost as we hang the next load out.

Dongara to Guilderton

Thursday November 2nd we left Dongara and drove to Guilderton where we’ll stay for 3 nights before heading into Perth. Dongara was one of the best parks we have stayed in and I was sad to leave this morning. We booked another week on our way up north next year as we left. The managers Kev and Jeanette and staff of the small park work very hard to make it a clean, safe, fun place to stay and I’m sure they get lots of repeat business because of that. It comes highly recommended if you are ever passing through, but I think you would need to book as it is small.

Our long term neighbours Don and Shirley were fun, and we met lots of nice couples just moving through. We especially liked an English couple we met at drinks last night. They came to Aus with no real plan, bought an old ford complete with camping gear and off they went. They seem to be having the time of their lives.

We managed to catch and cook a number of crabs that are now safely in the freezer and waiting to get to Perth but the only fish we caught of any size was my flat head.



Last night the park managers put an interesting proposition to us-they’d like us to come back in 16 months and manage the park for them for a year. It’s tempting to say the least, so watch this space……

Now we’re in Guilderton (after a very pretty drive past lots of shrubs in flower), but we seem to have no TV reception, the wind is blowing a gale, the internet won’t work, Russ just scraped heaps of skin off his toes, a neighbour had to help us park the van (very rare we can’t do it) and it was MY idea to come here. Not happy Jan!