Blog 7

18th March “Carry on”

Happy Wedding anniversary to me! Cleaned kitchen floor ready for sealing. Sealed floor with liquid blue sealant. Left it for rest of the afternoon to dry. So we went out for the afternoon to celebrate Bindi’s birthday.

19th March

Linda did her usual 2km swim, while I down loaded my blog. Back to the farm in the afternoon and began tiling on the dry sealed floor. After 7 hours we then had a BBQ dinner with a bottle of ozzie red.

20th March

Exhausted after 9.5 hours of tiling the kitchen floor. Marathon effort! Knees aching. Got Linda on the lawn mowing so she was out of my hair and I could concentrate on the job at hand. Fish and eggs for dinner. Enjoying our outside cooking and eating. (Alfresco) Flopped into bed after a few beers. XXXX

21st March

A good breakfast of farm fresh eggs, bacon and tomatoes. My favorite.

Then back to tiling. Lots of tile cutting to fill in the gaps. My hands are getting swollen. Well I guess I can expect that after 6 hours of cutting. I’m supposed to be on holiday! That’s a laugh. Everyone was feeling happy till happy got up and left. Contemplating what to have for dinner while enjoying a glass of red wine. When ever am I going to finish that Land Rover!!!!!!!

22nd March

Linda off swimming again. I’m back to gluing tiles on the edges. At least I can have a lay in with Linda absent. I have finished the kitchen floor, apart from grouting what a relief..

I did enjoy doing the floor, a little rushed as we wanted to get it all finished before Easter for the big family party. I offered to do the floor as the cost was rather on the high and I was very pleased to be able to save Linda a packet.

I fed the cat and chickens and put them to bed after they had their afternoon run, as Linda had to go to Sydney, for doctor check up.

23rd March

I had a steady day tidying up, rehung a cupboard door as I had to saw a tile width off. Cooked chicken and baked potato for dinner, while Linda was still mowing the lawns at the cottage until it got to dark to see. Stayed up late to watch a video “A Man Called Intrepid”. not bad really. Linda off stacking ZZZZZZs early as she was exhausted, no stamina!

24th March

Cool morning just like at home. Days very warm about 30 degrees celsius. Installed power point on back verandah and worked out how to install outside power point for hedge trimmer. All before lunch. Sent Linda off for more cable so I could have a bit of a break. Morning plans abandoned by the afternoon when I came up with a brilliant idea of how to run the outside power point. A trip to Blackheath to renew supplies and back to the job. Didn’t finish till 7pm but long afternoon light with daylight saving, doesn’t make the job seem so bad. Great T bone steak for dinner washed down with a few reds, delicious. Another job accomplished but it seemed to take ages, it didn’t go to plan but a great finish. Looking forward to Tasmania, still Linda is great company even when I am working as I am not the easiest person to get along with when I am on a project.

25th March

Slept in after good nights sleep. Took it easier today reorganized the BBQ and redrilled the jets in the BBQ so now it works well. We tried it out for dinner with some lamb chops and steak. Linda went blackberry spraying today and then had to drive a few heifers and steers back to their paddock. Another job, obviously the fencing is not up to snuff!

26th March

Up late after a good nights sleep. Finished straightening stump table and placing it onto plinths, Linda off spraying blackberries while I grouted kitchen floor. This took 5 hours, finished just in time for James to christen gas stove at 8pm. Had a well deserved rest after lunch and watched Prime Suspect 4. Mark Goff and Owen visited and went hunting. They managed to kill 2 feral pigs, a sow and a piglet. Pretty good considering they used a bow and arrow. They came back exhausted and drove back to Sydney. Long drive just to hunt pigs. Guess they must be dedicated. James and Bindi were very impressed with what we have accomplished since being at “Sunny Ridge”, Megalong Valley. So far it has all been a very enjoyable challenge, just to see the look on many a mans face.

Blog 6

March 10th

Early morning start at 5.30am. Off to Fairmont Resort Leura for swim. I had a shower and skipped the swim (too tired from yesterday but what a great day we had!) but Linda swam 2km. Bought more batteries at Scotts Leura, picked up Morgan from garage got plumbing supplies eventually got breakfast and then went on net, while Linda went to various appointments. Shopping at the new Aldi store at Katoomba. Meet one of Linda’s friends, Wendy, who had just celebrated her 89th b’day. Her husband Stephan was a lecturer in Physics at Sydney Uni. At 96 he is very mentally alert and a wonderful pianist. Home to bed at the farm at 9.30pm.

March 11th

Shopping at Richmond and Penrith. Chain saw sharpened and tried 4 ton log splitter at Richmond. It couldn’t split knotty piece of wood. Next tried 7 ton log splitter at Penrith. It too couldn’t split knotty piece, but could shave edges off, then after much difficulty the knotty piece exploded out of the splitter in pieces! The shop assistants had not seen anything like it! Nor had we! They said they had not been unable to split a piece of wood before. Linda's farm grows them hard twisted and knotty . Then we got extra tiles and glue etc for kitchen, before collecting gas stove at Seconds World. Also got battery for motor bike at Westerns. Exhausted we returned home to en-vibe with a good red.

March 12th

Shopping again but this time locally at Blackheath. It took 4 hours at the hardware just to get a few bits. They couldn’t understand what I wanted! Still we did give the Isuzu truck a good run, after it had been sitting in the shed for months. Amazingly it started first time! Julia said “thank god for that”! Back home late and sorted out some electrical dilemmas. Nice dinner great lamb chops, veggies unfortunately though delicious were not ready at the same time as the meat. Still it was all yummy! Especially when it was washed down with a good red or irish whiskey, preferably “Bushmills”. After all they have been distilling whiskey in Northern Ireland at County Antrim for the last 400 years! By now they are bloody good at it. I’ll drink to that. Well any excuse really!

March 13th

After a beautiful morning what a stinking afternoon! Gas stove installation going well, all the right fittings, after much ado from the suppliers. Dug up plants positioned plinths for gas bottles. All going well till I discover a huge puddle of water under the sink in the kitchen. Further investigation revealed a completely blocked 5 inch drain pipe! This took several hours to resolve. Pipes had to be dismantled, cleaned and waste disposed of. What a stinking job! The only way to get rid of the stink was to have a deep bath with a 4 finger tumbler of whiskey and dry ginger ale. A pint of whiskey later I was feeling much better. Steak and sausages with veg finished the day. I followed up with more whiskey in bed. Things can only improve from here. Unfortunately I still have to crawl under the house one or three more time’s to reposition the pipe and reconnect the drain.

March 14th

Decided to finish those (adjectival) drains today! So off to Bleakheath to get drain bits to do the job. Home again and eventual success. Drain back together, now we just have to wait for the cement to set. While waiting we finished connecting gas stove but we needed gas bottle. So off to supplier to obtain one. Alas we were one elbow short for the job. It was far easier to create a bend than drill a hole in the foot deep brick wall. Next we broke the wood splitter out of its box and split the remaining logs. What fun to have all the twisted gnarled wood explode in the 7 ton splitter. It certainly saves the old back. What joy!

15th March

Linda left me while she went off to do her 2km swim. I was too knackered to go after doing the drain job. (smile) I sewed on some morgan badges while relaxing on the sun lounge. Completed gas stove and tested it. What joy it works! Fantastic! Plod is getting lonely so will have to take it for a run, some time. Oh dear Linda has come home and I haven’t got the kitchen floor up yet. There will be ructions! (smile) (Linda is not really a tyrant) Tried a new red which went down really well with the 16 year old “Lagavulin” single islay malt whiskey aged 16 years. Even I like it. Very delicious. Just one more before we stagger off to bed. Trip, stagger, hiccough, flop into bed! Drains now merely a memory and not a fond memory at that! Snore, snore, snore.

16th March

We put some tree guards around some kurrajong trees so the cattle would not eat or trample them. Naughty Linda! She dug up alovera plants so the gas bottles could rest levelly on their plinths. Well done. However she did not place them in the trailer for removal but she dumped them under a gum tree in the garden. I think she thought I wouldn’t notice but I caught her out. So I had to put them in the trailer to remove them to the tip. When challenged her excuse was I didn’t want to spread the plants and let them take root in the paddock. I said that was a feeble excuse. Then I put the jockey wheel on the trailer with the u bolts she provided but the trailer collapsed under the weight. The bolts were to feeble. I said “whats the good of these!” I guess she did try but really she is very trying! We do have a laugh.

17th March

Linda off for early morning 2km swim on St Patrick’s day. I stayed in bed trying to catch up on my beauty sleep. What a laugh. I then started preparing the kitchen floor ready for tiling. Linda returned home with a friend, Jo, and stopped me working. So out comes the bottle of red and that was the afternoon gone. Not a bad way to wash the dust out of my palate after sanding the glue and muck off the floor. Again we all had a great laugh.

18th March

After breakfast I sealed the kitchen floor ready for tiling. My goodness, I thought I was on a holiday but this is certainly not a holiday farm! I think I might set up a business in how to do it yourself jobs. Linda has got lots of female friends that need help. (Husbands not around any more). That’s men for you! You can’t live with them and you can’t live without them!

Blog 5

March 8th
Early morning swim at Fairmont Resort, Leura, Blue Mts NSW. Mucked about in the morning before cutting and collecting wood in the arvo. Tried to put new battery in ride on mower, but battery base too big.

March 9th
Slow morning after a heavy night. Stacked yesterdays wood. Planned to spray blackberries but Barry had other more pressing business. He had Glen’s tractor wrapped around a power pole when trying to slash the long grass. He called to make a phone call for help, but was very dubious about help from two females. Linda and I accepted the challenge. We collect tools and set sail.

We could understand his predicament when we visualized the tractor! First we tried to pull the tractor off with the Landcruiser but the rope broke. I had suggested we get the chain from the shed but Barry assured us the thick rope was satisfactory! Typical male! I suggested we remove the wing, this proved to be the correct solution! After some difficulty and alot of time, success.

No time left to spray blackberries so I attacked the aerial wire on the power pole. Again success where mere males had failed. It’s now ready for an electricians approval.

Blog 4

Feb 28th
Linda and my self drove to Richard’s & Lizzie’s home for a BBQ. We had Lizzie’s famous prawns and steak all cooked to a T. Plenty of glorious red wine as well.
We were talking about one thing and another, mainly cars of course. I am trying to get one of Linda’s Land Rovers going. I needed lots of brake parts and Richard very kindly offered to try and get them for me. Well what a man he is! He got all I needed and at TRADE price to, what a brick he is. Linda saved a bundle. We had a wonderful time.





March1st
Removed electric stove at Megalong. Then went to Lithgow to check the price of a new gas stove and raced around doing lots off bits and pieces.

March 2nd
We went to Sydney to look at some early “Kooka” gas stoves but they were not what we wanted. We stopped at the fish market in Sydney to have some lunch, and buy some fish for tea. If any body goes to Sydney, do not miss going to the fish market, it is well worth a visit. Next we went to Penrith shops and we managed to clinch a great deal for a new gas stove. Home again after we had picked up the brake parts from Richard.


March 3rd
We had a swim and then a fabulous cup of Morgan coffee in Leura with the girls from swimming. We needed to go shopping for gas pipe and fixings.

Then we went back home as Linda had some cousins arriving from the U.K. Phillip and Kate Walker were staying for two night’s. We BBQed local Megalong Beef, which had been produced next door on Linda’s nephew’s farm. Linda’s nephew is a nice hunk of a man. He is still a bachelor and available! It was delicious meat. Unfortunately it was cooked to Linda’s taste not mine (it was a little over done), still after a few reds it doesn’t matter how it is cooked.


March 4th
Linda took us around her estate in a 1978 Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4. I was in the back and what a bumpy ride I had! My breakfast curdled in my tummy and my dinner was all minced up. Linda’s spread is a very beautiful place to live only you need to be young and fit to keep up with all the work. Also its advisable to have one leg shorter than the other to get around the steep hills. Mountaineering is of course another option.




March 5th
Finally I got to start work on the Land Rover. I only managed to get 3 brake linings and wheel cylinders done before it poured with rain. I got wet through. I thought I came to Australia for some sun instead the English weather has followed me. I was restored after a hot bath with several large glasses of hot milk and whiskey. Then I watched a dvd of Australia the movie, with some whiskey tasting on the side. Still its better than being up at Bollon in Queensland, which is completely flooded out,where I was last year.

March 6th
A nice fine day rather on the hot side. I got on with sorting the Land Rover out while Linda went blackberry spraying. Lunch time we had some visitors, Linda’s nephews Griff, Ben and Scott, and great nephew Robert. Griff was down from Brisbane for a medical conference. Late lunch at 3pm, then more Land Rover work for me. Wood gathering for Linda. Then we had a Megalong Beef BBQ at Glen’s farm, next door. Home late after a good night.

March 7th
Late start after a late night out last night. Still it is Sunday. Delicious scrambled farm fresh eggs with salmon, for brunch. Unload and stacked wood before getting compressor to blow out brake master cylinder.