Well, we were here. Our new home for the next thee months. We had celebrated Liz's birthday and our camp was being set up and tweaked. The fish were waiting to be caught, but the weather was lousy and there was still work to be done.
We had received the encouraging news from Autospark that the battery we had left there for charging was OK. One out of two was a good start. Could our luck hold with battery number two?
There was only one way to find out. Take it out and get it seen to. The upshot....bad news. After two days on charge the second battery showed no spark at all.
After some discussion we decided that the thought of another electrical problem when we were in the far north of WA (or anywhere else for that matter) was not a pleasant prospect. It was time to revisit the whole subject of our electrical systems. With the future prospect of some time spent in free campsites as we make our way out of WA and beyond, we took the decision to replace both batteries, and have two additional devices installed....a booster to ensure that the cruiser delivers full charge to the caravan whilst we are travelling, and an inverter, a gadget which converts 12V to 240V. This will enable us to use our computer, TV and other similar low demand electrical items when free camping without having to fire up the 240V generator.
But all this is on hold for the moment. Common sense dictated that we have this work done as we up stakes and leave Albany. The prospect of the cost of all this was a little daunting, but needs must.....off to work Liz...now you have some real motivation.....our bank balance will be at least $2,000 lighter after all this is installed!
And, after a couple of week's grace, that's exactly what she did. Fortunately, the Albany Hospital, where Liz has a seven week contract nursing job in the surgical ward, is a mere
seven minute drive from our park. Her roster over this period was less than completely user friendly, but, to our joint relief, did not include any night shifts. The potential social inconvenience of working every weekend and right across the Xmas-New Year period was a a far more preferable option than working nights, when the need to sleep during the day would have created some significant domestic difficulties.
Disappointingly, the nursing management at the Albany Hospital leaves a lot to be desired. A total absence of any sort of systems, infrastructure or procedural orientation made Liz's first week something of a challenge. She had to call on all her vast experience to settle in. Learning local requirements by "being yelled at" (staff words, not mine) when an error is made rather than being properly inducted in he first instance is a very poor way to run a ward.
But she survived this baptism of fire and is now really enjoying her job, to the extent she is already 'training' quite a few junior staff. Needless to say, the nursing agency for whom Liz works has been brought right up to speed on this serious management failure.
I guess the obvious question is what do I do with myself all day? This varies with Liz's shifts. The Albany Hospital is located in an interesting socio-economic area. We both feel better if we do not have to worry about the security of the cruiser and its contents, particularly after nightfall, so The Matron has a personal chauffeur to and from work. This is good fun when she finishes at 2200 hours one night and is on again at 0630 hours the following morning. I can clearly recall that during my policing days I was never fond of what we used to call 'a quick change'.
Before starting work Liz decided that it was time to re-sort and re-pack all her 'Carnarvon working clothes'. She now had a uniform. That was fun to watch. There was gear from one end of the van to the other until it was all packed away in the vacuum sealed bags she uses. Max was far from impressed.....he hates the vacuum cleaner noise and makes no distinction between uses.
One thing about which I must freely confess to being anal when we set up for a long period is the state of the annex. We have been into so many of these were finding a spot to put down a chair for happy hour takes so long the hour is almost over by the time the first top is popped. This will not happen 'Chez Marshies'. The principle of 'the smaller the space the more organised it must be' was taught to me many years ago (at the Police Academy where a failure to learn quickly carried interesting consequences).
Large table clothes can hide a multitude of sins. The original striped cloth for our large table was beginning to show signs of wear and tear, so it was off to Spotlight in search of a replacement. And whilst there, why not two new cushions...those we bought in Lennox Head almost four years ago have run their race....they are now exclusively for Max's use.
I hate throwing out things which may have a second function. Our old main cloth was put to very good use on our smaller cooking table. Its drop, and the placement of the bag containing our sun lounge across the front, serves to hide an absolute mess of bits and pieces of my fishing gear....buckets, bags, old clothes, reef shoes, bait belts etc, etc.....all essentials, but invariably grotty looking and messy. With this set-up we don't have to look at it, particularly when relaxing with an evening drink.
Liz, in particular, does spend quite a bit of time in the annex during the day. I prefer to use the computer at the dining table, but herself is an outside girl in that regard....the truth of the matter is that she 'spreads'. The dinette table cannot cope with her creative mess.
And as you can see in the last, Max has had no trouble settling in. He loves the annex. Security, comfort and the ability to keep an eye on all the goings on, inside and out....moggie heaven.
Just the spot after 'breakfast in bed', and,
when it all get just too hard, well, it's time to shut out the world and take a nap.
Settling down for a while does wonders for Chef Pierre's creative juices. I try to master several new recipes every time we drop anchor for some time. Muffins were first on the Albany agenda, or should that be menu? Savoury muffins, that is. All cheese, bacon and mustard. I am modestly pleased to report that the result was a triumph (wearing Ugg boots does help!) I actually made a small rod for my own back with these....Liz placed an order for a batch to take to work on Xmas morning for their shared goodies munch. With culinary flattery like that how could I refuse?
Once Liz began work, we settled into a real routine. It's really no different from being 'at home'. Cooking, washing, shopping...all those mundane requirements of normal existence still demand time. And, of course, there is the constant demand of these missives. On average this chews up two to three hours per day with photo selection, script and editing, so please enjoy!
Then, every week or so at this time of the year, all things come to a halt.....the cricket is on. Four or five day periods disappear in a wink as I remain glued to the telecast. I still can't quite get used to watching the start of play over (deliberate!) breakfast because of our time difference...what a great way to start the day.
But we do try to get out and about during Liz's days off, or in the mornings before an afternoon shift.
Albany is big on markets, as I detailed the last time we were here. The regular Saturday morning farmers' market and the Boatshed market on Sundays always attract good crowds. We have often been amongst them. But on this visit, the 'market whisperer' was excited to announce she had found another....a general market held every so often at the showgrounds. Off we went.
There is no other word to describe what we found spread out on rows and rows of large trestle tables but 'stuff'....all sorts of stuff. It was like visiting a large second hand shop. And, to the vast amusement and patient forbearance of my tight-walleted companion, I was sucked in...four dainty little cut crystal (cut glass really) port glasses now grace our caravan. Just the shot when demonstrating to visitors that caravan life can be gracious (or was that pretentious?)
Whilst she left empty handed, Liz did take the opportunity to experience another 'life first'. What else would one expect to find in an Albany junk market? There as no amount of ridicule, humiliation or money which could have persuaded me to emulate her feat of bravado. "I don't care if it's not dangerous....you've only got his word for that...a snake is a bloody snake and a python is just a big version.....you're on your own, mate".
But what about the fishing, I hear you cry, or at least some of you. No problems. Marshie is a not so modest master when it comes to snaring garfish, Liz's seafood nosh of choice. There are brownie points to be won here in Albany.
But I could not take on this challenge immediately. I discovered to my extraordinary surprise when last here that there is no bait shop in WA which sells that irresistible delicacy (if you are born a 'gardie', as the locals call them)...fly maggots, or as we in SA know them, 'gents'. I'll just have to breed my own. So, after a visit to a local seafood retailer and a stock feed store, armed with a huge kingfish head and bran and pollard, production began. I'll not go into too much detail other than to reassure those of you whose noses are wrinkling in disgust, that once the process is complete and the end product is wriggling in clean bran and pollard, there is no smell and no mess. Mind you, a good supply of disposable latex gloves does help at certain points along the way!
Well, was it all worth it. I'll let you be the judge. One and a half dozen gar and four tommies after the first outing.
This was a more than encouraging result, and, I'm delighted to announce, the first of several such catches (until the hordes descended on Albany for Xmas). Our freezer is well endowed and I'm a very popular fellow! I'm very much looking forward to visiting some of the local beaches to hunt for whiting....once the weather improves.
Speaking of which, summer seems to have forgotten Albany this year. I know we came south to escape Perth's seasonal heat, but what we have experienced to date has been ridiculous. We are both over rain, wind and daily maxima in the high teens. Even the locals are grizzling.
But even rotten weather does not dampen all enthusiasm for getting out and about, especially if it this means an evening with William McInnes. When it was announced that this tall, laconic doyen of Australian actors and authors would be making a personal visit to Albany to launch his latest book 'Holidays', Liz began to flutter about like a dizzy schoolgirl. She is an unabashed (shamefully so) McInnes groupie. A chance to meet her idol....tickets please!
I, too, have really enjoyed some of Bill's books and was more than happy to join the jolly at the waterfront restaurant 'Due South'. Here a three course meal was served and for the relatively reasonable price of $70 per head. We were not alone. The gender mix was interesting. At our table of twelve, for example, I found I was 'the token male'.
In addition to our meal, which was quite good, the redoubtable William spread his indisputable largess amongst the gathered throng of adoring women, posing with admirable patience and good humour,
before taking mike in hand and 'singing for his supper' in a most entertaining fashion. His acting skills were very much on display as he brought together many snippets of his life as he has detailed in his several books.
He was impressively frank about the devastating effect of the highly premature death of his wife and disarming candid about many quite personal aspects of his life. This was all interspersed with wonderfully witty observations of much of what he had experienced at a lad growing up in Brisbane and elsewhere. I'll be the first to admit that I was as charmed and captivated as his flock of female followers. It was a most entertaining presentation.
But then came the highlight of the evening for one member of team MobileMarshies. A personal meeting and book signing at the table, no less. No queueing for The Matron. Surely he'll come to me! Yep, and we haven't heard the end of it yet.
Despite myself, I have to admit this had been an evening to remember. It will remain one highlight of our summer in Albany. There were some potential spin off advantages too. The lass seated next to Liz is the owner of a local cafe.....I Iook forward to seeing if our personable company carries any consumer advantages.
So here we are, all settled into life in the south, making the most of the peace and quiet of the park amongst other things. We know this is all about to change radically...Xmas approaches, our second on the road. What will this Festive Season bring, besides caravan chaos at the Rose Gardens?
I guess the obvious question is what do I do with myself all day? This varies with Liz's shifts. The Albany Hospital is located in an interesting socio-economic area. We both feel better if we do not have to worry about the security of the cruiser and its contents, particularly after nightfall, so The Matron has a personal chauffeur to and from work. This is good fun when she finishes at 2200 hours one night and is on again at 0630 hours the following morning. I can clearly recall that during my policing days I was never fond of what we used to call 'a quick change'.
Before starting work Liz decided that it was time to re-sort and re-pack all her 'Carnarvon working clothes'. She now had a uniform. That was fun to watch. There was gear from one end of the van to the other until it was all packed away in the vacuum sealed bags she uses. Max was far from impressed.....he hates the vacuum cleaner noise and makes no distinction between uses.
One thing about which I must freely confess to being anal when we set up for a long period is the state of the annex. We have been into so many of these were finding a spot to put down a chair for happy hour takes so long the hour is almost over by the time the first top is popped. This will not happen 'Chez Marshies'. The principle of 'the smaller the space the more organised it must be' was taught to me many years ago (at the Police Academy where a failure to learn quickly carried interesting consequences).
Large table clothes can hide a multitude of sins. The original striped cloth for our large table was beginning to show signs of wear and tear, so it was off to Spotlight in search of a replacement. And whilst there, why not two new cushions...those we bought in Lennox Head almost four years ago have run their race....they are now exclusively for Max's use.
I hate throwing out things which may have a second function. Our old main cloth was put to very good use on our smaller cooking table. Its drop, and the placement of the bag containing our sun lounge across the front, serves to hide an absolute mess of bits and pieces of my fishing gear....buckets, bags, old clothes, reef shoes, bait belts etc, etc.....all essentials, but invariably grotty looking and messy. With this set-up we don't have to look at it, particularly when relaxing with an evening drink.
Liz, in particular, does spend quite a bit of time in the annex during the day. I prefer to use the computer at the dining table, but herself is an outside girl in that regard....the truth of the matter is that she 'spreads'. The dinette table cannot cope with her creative mess.
And as you can see in the last, Max has had no trouble settling in. He loves the annex. Security, comfort and the ability to keep an eye on all the goings on, inside and out....moggie heaven.
Just the spot after 'breakfast in bed', and,
when it all get just too hard, well, it's time to shut out the world and take a nap.
Settling down for a while does wonders for Chef Pierre's creative juices. I try to master several new recipes every time we drop anchor for some time. Muffins were first on the Albany agenda, or should that be menu? Savoury muffins, that is. All cheese, bacon and mustard. I am modestly pleased to report that the result was a triumph (wearing Ugg boots does help!) I actually made a small rod for my own back with these....Liz placed an order for a batch to take to work on Xmas morning for their shared goodies munch. With culinary flattery like that how could I refuse?
Once Liz began work, we settled into a real routine. It's really no different from being 'at home'. Cooking, washing, shopping...all those mundane requirements of normal existence still demand time. And, of course, there is the constant demand of these missives. On average this chews up two to three hours per day with photo selection, script and editing, so please enjoy!
Then, every week or so at this time of the year, all things come to a halt.....the cricket is on. Four or five day periods disappear in a wink as I remain glued to the telecast. I still can't quite get used to watching the start of play over (deliberate!) breakfast because of our time difference...what a great way to start the day.
But we do try to get out and about during Liz's days off, or in the mornings before an afternoon shift.
Albany is big on markets, as I detailed the last time we were here. The regular Saturday morning farmers' market and the Boatshed market on Sundays always attract good crowds. We have often been amongst them. But on this visit, the 'market whisperer' was excited to announce she had found another....a general market held every so often at the showgrounds. Off we went.
Whilst she left empty handed, Liz did take the opportunity to experience another 'life first'. What else would one expect to find in an Albany junk market? There as no amount of ridicule, humiliation or money which could have persuaded me to emulate her feat of bravado. "I don't care if it's not dangerous....you've only got his word for that...a snake is a bloody snake and a python is just a big version.....you're on your own, mate".
But what about the fishing, I hear you cry, or at least some of you. No problems. Marshie is a not so modest master when it comes to snaring garfish, Liz's seafood nosh of choice. There are brownie points to be won here in Albany.
But I could not take on this challenge immediately. I discovered to my extraordinary surprise when last here that there is no bait shop in WA which sells that irresistible delicacy (if you are born a 'gardie', as the locals call them)...fly maggots, or as we in SA know them, 'gents'. I'll just have to breed my own. So, after a visit to a local seafood retailer and a stock feed store, armed with a huge kingfish head and bran and pollard, production began. I'll not go into too much detail other than to reassure those of you whose noses are wrinkling in disgust, that once the process is complete and the end product is wriggling in clean bran and pollard, there is no smell and no mess. Mind you, a good supply of disposable latex gloves does help at certain points along the way!
Well, was it all worth it. I'll let you be the judge. One and a half dozen gar and four tommies after the first outing.
This was a more than encouraging result, and, I'm delighted to announce, the first of several such catches (until the hordes descended on Albany for Xmas). Our freezer is well endowed and I'm a very popular fellow! I'm very much looking forward to visiting some of the local beaches to hunt for whiting....once the weather improves.
Speaking of which, summer seems to have forgotten Albany this year. I know we came south to escape Perth's seasonal heat, but what we have experienced to date has been ridiculous. We are both over rain, wind and daily maxima in the high teens. Even the locals are grizzling.
But even rotten weather does not dampen all enthusiasm for getting out and about, especially if it this means an evening with William McInnes. When it was announced that this tall, laconic doyen of Australian actors and authors would be making a personal visit to Albany to launch his latest book 'Holidays', Liz began to flutter about like a dizzy schoolgirl. She is an unabashed (shamefully so) McInnes groupie. A chance to meet her idol....tickets please!
I, too, have really enjoyed some of Bill's books and was more than happy to join the jolly at the waterfront restaurant 'Due South'. Here a three course meal was served and for the relatively reasonable price of $70 per head. We were not alone. The gender mix was interesting. At our table of twelve, for example, I found I was 'the token male'.
In addition to our meal, which was quite good, the redoubtable William spread his indisputable largess amongst the gathered throng of adoring women, posing with admirable patience and good humour,
before taking mike in hand and 'singing for his supper' in a most entertaining fashion. His acting skills were very much on display as he brought together many snippets of his life as he has detailed in his several books.
He was impressively frank about the devastating effect of the highly premature death of his wife and disarming candid about many quite personal aspects of his life. This was all interspersed with wonderfully witty observations of much of what he had experienced at a lad growing up in Brisbane and elsewhere. I'll be the first to admit that I was as charmed and captivated as his flock of female followers. It was a most entertaining presentation.
But then came the highlight of the evening for one member of team MobileMarshies. A personal meeting and book signing at the table, no less. No queueing for The Matron. Surely he'll come to me! Yep, and we haven't heard the end of it yet.
Despite myself, I have to admit this had been an evening to remember. It will remain one highlight of our summer in Albany. There were some potential spin off advantages too. The lass seated next to Liz is the owner of a local cafe.....I Iook forward to seeing if our personable company carries any consumer advantages.
So here we are, all settled into life in the south, making the most of the peace and quiet of the park amongst other things. We know this is all about to change radically...Xmas approaches, our second on the road. What will this Festive Season bring, besides caravan chaos at the Rose Gardens?
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