BACK HOME AGAIN

In Adelaide we stayed with good friends Andrew and Alexander (and their parents Jack and Helen). They are cool dudes. The kids are chronic soccer players! They are addicts! Helen has only one problem.... she dishes out too much great tucker! We had some good laughs and heapsa fun there. I identified Andrew as COY and Alexander as SHY. Their parents think I got it wrong! What would they know? Jack has only one problem - he doesn't wash his wife's car when he washes his car! Bad move Jack. I know.... I should have done it!
Thanks for a great visit. [They are SERVAS folks.]

Well, I have blogged about Brad and Kathy before. If you go up to the top somewhere, and type in BRAD where it says SEARCH... you'll find what I said before. [Wish I had Rodney here to help me now.] I cycled from Perth to Adelaide with Brad in 2003. This guy had cancer in 2004!!! Well, I have some bad news for you. I'm sorry to say that this guy has sold his bike! Yes, sold his pushie! Can you believe that? How could you do such a thing? He used to be such a neat bloke too! But I still love his lovely wife anyway!

Seriously, Brad is WELL! Very well! If you wanna know more.... ask. Fancy, he sold his pushie! I can't believe that.

In Junee we caught up with my cousins. Great blokes. They own Junee (along with their mother, Ida.) They know all about Junee and the whole district and a fair bit about everything else there is to know. We had a lot of fun even if I was too tired to watch much of the 3rd cricket test on their pay TV. They live in the house that used to be my grandparents' home when I was a little kid. Fond memories. [Actually Bruce doesn't live there... he lives down town.]

Thanks for a great visit. You folks are gold (as my Jeremy would say.)

What a stunner! And the chick in pink's OK too! Thanks for a tremendous stay Pat, Bev & John. It was great to check up on things around the farm and see 4 of the grandkids. I hope #2 isn't still wandering around looking for Fay to read her that story again!

This one is a tough one! But he can be gentle too. And his Dad can be gentle too, except when he's backing his truck!

It's always great seeing a Dad interacting with his little kids and seeing them learning so much. They are so lucky to have such a beaut Dad, who loves them so much. We miss you already Bella and JAK! Hope Sam the lamb is going well. More photos coming.

Yep, I think this kid's parents are gonna need a couple of big sticks to beat off the admirers in a few years' time. What do you think?

Thanks for a top time on the ranch folks. Much appreciated.

Shots of R & A and even the "general" to come.

It is great to be home again. Tomorrow it'll be 7 low and 19 max. That's not bad. I know Fay would've loved to have the wood fire and some of that wood we cut to give the house the charm that only a wood fire can give.

Thanks everybody for helping to make our great trip an awesome time.

THE RIVERINA

So much to tell you about since I last wrote.

Stayed at Berri (SA) before heading off to Wentworth, then Swan Hill gathering (233 Avans), then Wagga, Junee and Temora. Home Saturday arvo to Dubbo.

We called at Murray Bridge to top up the oil in the Pajero and found Murray Bridge Mitsubishi. Asked a guy named Rocco if he might be able to check out our Pajero. Well, let me tell you, Rocco checked out our oil, topped it up and when I went to pay him, he said, don't worry about it. Hey, how's that for service? Thanks Rocco. Hope that doesn't get him into trouble, but that's what used to happen in the good old days. I'll go to Mitsubishi in Murray Bridge any day.

It was just great staying with Dave and Irene in Wentworth. They belong to Servas, went to WWTC (Dave), play golf and are very keen cricket followers. They used to be good card players but their form has dropped a bit as we found out when we played crib and euchre with them. (Sorry mate!)

When we left Wentworth we bought vanilla slices at the Jackpot Bakery. Scrumptious! If you're there, go and check out the vanilla slices! Fay is the ultimate vanilla slice judge I can tell you!

Caught up with friends and relatives in Wagga, Junee and Temora - Gra/Julia/Phil/Leanne, Anita/Bob, Dazza/Anne & family, Ida, Patrick/Bev and John. We love the Riverina and have great memories of our college days in Wagga. The Keast family came from Junee.

Thanks Gra for fixing up computer concerns, thanks Anita for the great prices at Harvey Norman, thanks Annie and Ida for arvo teas, and thanks Pat/Bev for a great stay at Eurolie. Thanks John for including me in the minor chores for the day. Thanks Patrick for the great weather site. Check it out! Have you got a good one?

Arrived home in Dubbo in time to unload the gear and then watch the final of the Cricket World Cup played in the West Indies. Thanks Gilly for entertaining us. Congrats Pigeon for a great career.

Next post I'll tell you about apricot kernels and a magic product. And I'll share news of Brad from Crystal Brook in Sth Australia. It's a good story. Gee, I'd better tell you a bit about the Avan get together too.