Exercising options.

On Friday night, a week ago, Bruno and I headed off to the local Barefoot Bowls. We were in opposing teams which made the competition "on".

Earlier that day Bruno had been asked if I played bowls before, to which the reply was no. He was then asked to fill in, on one of the Corporate Teams which played for "sheep stations" on Sundays. The team of all things was called The Pink Ladies.
However, getting back to Friday night bowls. I was struck with beginners luck and was bowling very well for a first time. It wasn't long before Bruno was demoted and I became the new replacement for the Pink Ladies. I did try to warn them that they were taking a gamble with me but I think they were also worried that Bruno in pink was not going to be a good look. We went on to win our Friday night game.
Anyway, Sunday came and I put on the only pink Tshirt I owned and headed to the Bowls Club. I was feeling quite good and proceeded to have my first bowl and ouch! the back of my thigh was complaining not to say the ball went way off track. My next turn came and again as I lunged forward to bowl the pain in my leg sent me off target once again. By the time I had bowled three more times it was obvious that I couldn't play anymore. The pain, every time I bent forward sent me off balance and consequently the balls were way off. Lucky some of my fellow team players were nursing staff and yes, I had strained my hamstring muscle. Bugger! I had really let the team down. Despite the absence of me they did go onto win and I have to live down the fact that I strained a hamstring by playing, of all things BOWLS!
Zumba started this week so Monday I spent nursing my injury determined to make that class on Tuesday which I did. The class was a bit different to what I am used to but it was fun and at least I am getting out there and burning some of those excess calories. Now Zumba is only once a week, so, what am I going to do the rest of the week. Exercise options on the island are varied and I can choose from bike riding, swimming, bowls (which I have decided is NOT for someone as young as me!) aqua aerobics, karate and Scottish Country Dancing. I have decided to give bike riding a go on Monday, Wednesday. Zumba Tuesday. Swimming on Thursday and aqua aerobics on Friday. Now that does sound like a plan doesn't it?

To end this blog I will leave with you some scenes from the island.

Looking out at Whitemark beach

Gardening is in the genes.

I knew it wouldn't take me long to get into the gardens here, but it is a world I know very little of. As all of my Qld friends and family know, my garden at home had a tropical theme and it did take me many years (we were there 18 years) to perfect and sort out which plants do well and where.
On Flinders, I was lucky as there was already a little vege plot which I am going to use for my herbs. Bruno is going to build me some raised garden beds very soon for our veges. So, the herb plot is coming on nicely and herb seedlings I planted on a previous visit here are looking much better now with a bit of TLC and water. Kirsty and mum bought me some name stakes for my garden and I have now put them to good use.

Herb Garden with potato plant to the left.

I had an unidentified plant growing in this particular plot and after a bit of research it is a potato plant. So, just waiting for the leaves to go yellow and then the potatoes are ready for picking. New potatoes! Yum.
I brought many of my pots with me from Qld so I have to decided what I am going to plant in them. My big troughs that had herbs in them back home I am dedicating to flowers. Before I left Kirsty bought me FORGET-ME-NOT seeds. So, last weekend I decided to plant them out. I prepared the troughs, made the burrows and proceeded to plant the seeds. I planted two rows and then while doing the third row, a gust of wind (which is unpredictable at times) blew the packet of seeds out of my hand and around the corner. NO..... I cried out and when I got to the packet there were only 3 seeds left in the packet. I was so close to crying, it really upset me. "They were the seeds that Kirsty got for me and now most of them are gone," I sobbed and poor Bruno spent a good 20 mins searching for wayward seeds for me. He did manage to find another 6 and they were tiny!!
Anyway, a week on and there are green shoots peeking through the soil. I am now so happy and can't wait till they flower. Love you Kirsty xx

The car arrives and routine starts to set in.

Well, followers things have quietened down here at the moment. After spending 2 weekends unpacking, left us very little extra time for anything else.
Our car arrived on the barge last Friday which was ahead of schedule. We drove down to Lady Barron, which is the next little town to pick it up. It was interesting to watch the barge back up onto the loading dock which took probably 10 mins to align it right. The car had travelled with cattle so when I got into it, it stunk of cattle and the poor wheels and car was splattered in cattle debris.
Anyway, we drove home which was an event in itself. Bruno was in the lead in his car. I was mindful of wallabies and other wildlife as it was after 5.30pm and we don't have a "wombat bar" on the car yet,  but nothing prepared me for what happened next. Following the road we headed over a rise and I  proceeded to take a bend, then suddenly the car was right over on the far left of the road in gravel. I tried to steer out, wheels locked and I started driving horizontally across the two lanes of the road heading for the white guide post on the other side. I tell you my life flashed up before me especially my kids faces. Anyway, had to get myself together, turned the steering wheel the other way, to righten myself on the road and to avoid the post. I succeeded to avoid the pole however, now I was horizontally facing the other side of the road and a ditch. My god, take your foot of the acelerater I told myself and the car stopped, facing the ditch. I sat there somewhat stumped. A car coming the other way slowed down to check if I was Ok. I reversed out, straightened the car, and by then Bruno had turned around and checked that I was OK. Good save he said to me. We or I at least,  proceeded somewhat gingerly home.

One of our new walking routes

 The Bluff Walk
adjacent to the beach.

Getting to the beach.

I have still been going for my daily walks with Rosie. Today I am venturing out, would you believe to go to water aerobics???? must be crazy. They say the pool is heated, so how cold can it really be???
The weather was sunny so that was a good sign. On arrival at the pool, I put my foot into the water and after deliberating for several moments with my feet poised over the water in the pool, I decided if I was going to get in I had to just go for it. Splash, my breath caught in my throat, ok keep swimming, keep swimming I WILL warm up in a minute. It really didn't take long for me to feel warm enough in the water to stop shivering and carrying on. The aqua aerobics class consisted of 4 of us, and we danced along and exercised to music some of which were familiar to me especially the Zumba songs. However, my movements on several of the songs was not the same as the instructors ( she is the zumba instructor too) as she had adapted some zumba songs for "zumba aerobics". So, with her calling out, arms out, arms up and twisting around I was doing one arm up, other arm up, arms crossed and jump whilst singing along to Livin La Veda Loca in my own little world with some memories of my past life in Qld. LOL.

Call Outs

Bruno also maintains the diesel generator at the Communications Tower for the Emergency Services for the Island. The other day he had a call-out, so Rosie and I went for the drive. Now,  the communications tower is at Walkers Lookout, on the Darling Range which runs through the centre of Flinders Island. The altitude is 397.75m. There are spectacular views nearly 360 degrees however, the weather wasn't too good so couldn't get any descent shots of the eastern side of the island.

Mt. Strezleki altitude 756m, in the background.

Looking west to Mt. Strezleki

Its a bit windy - back here!

It must have been the week-end for callouts. On Sunday Bruno got a call out for the Power Station. We were actually on our way to the dump so trailer was all loaded up and we got half way there and the phone rings. It alerted Bruno that number 1 generator was overheating. This was the day the temp on the island was 30 degrees. Is it any wonder!

We about turned and headed to the station. On arrival Bruno said,  "can you hear that?" there is silence.   There is usually a constant rumble at the station as the generators tick away providing power to the residents of Flinders Island but now,  "We have a "black station" says Bruno "and no-one has power." 

Bruno has to find the fault, isolate it and restore power to Island.

Unpacking, unpacking........

Well, been a bit quiet here the past week. Australia Day we spent basically at home but ended the day with marinated 'roo" steaks. Can't get more Australian than that. Our freezer has an assortment of roo steaks/fillets and mince from a past shooting weekend. So, I have the chance to adapt many of my recipes. Last night I made a "spag bol" with the roo mince and it was very tasty indeed.

Bruno has been on call for the past 10 days so that limits us as he has to be within a half hour radius of the station. Anyway, our container arrived on Friday so the past 3 days have been spent unpacking. Huge days starting after breakfast and going all day till the light disappeared which here means 9pm. Bruno and I would stumble into bed exhausted, aching and throbbing feet and well and truly over it. I have come to the conclusion it is a more pleasant experience packing up your belongings. Unpacking brings frustration as to where are we going to put all this stuff. (and a lot of it is "STUFF)  It also brings sadness as I came to realise that the move is a permanent one and I wonder if we have done the right thing. Yesterday we set up our bedroom with our queen bed, bedding and it was somewhat eerie. The room faces the same as our old bedroom, window in the same spot and photos on the same walls. It was very surreal to the pair of us as we fell asleep feeling slightly deflated.

Over the weekend, the weather was very hot. It was awful, Sunday reached 30 degrees it was so hot and the house doesn't have aircon or fans. So, after tea Rosie and I headed down to the beach and I knew I should have taken my togs. Rosie swam and swam and I sat down on the waters edge letting the cooling waters soothe my tired feet. It was bliss. A nice end to a draining emotionally and physically weekend.

Rosie cooling off.

Dinner on the beach.

Bruno had a RDO today so I went into town to do the groceries while he hung around home keeping an eye on Rosie who is still settling in. The street had cars everywhere as everyone prepares for the weekend, no corner stores here for last minute/missed items.
 I went to the Post Office got the mail and some ink cartridges for the printer, finished the groceries and went to the General Store to get the Flinders Island News. No, its not a newspaper but a photocopied, booklet produced fortnightly with all the happenings, fitness classes, a report from the local police and any other news that has happened on the Island within the fortnight. I liken it to a school newsletter.

I made a quiche with fresh eggs, given to us by Gaylene, (the wife of one of Bruno`s colleagues) along with a beautiful vase of freshly cut garden flowers as a welcome to the Island. The yolks were bright yellow and the photo doesn't really show it how it was.

I made the quiche because Bruno and I were going "out" to tea tonight. We were heading to Sawyers Bay to go for a walk and to have tea while watching the sun set. On the trip there, a "kite" flew into the front of the ute and it was stuck on the grill. We could hear it calling out so Bruno stopped on the side of the road to remove it and put it out of its misery, if it was still alive. When the ute slowed down it appeared to fall off and go under the car. When we got out, it was obviously dead but not squashed in any way. Poor little fella.

We carried on our way and soon arrived at Sawyers Bay. We couldn't go too far from home because Bruno is actually on-call for the next 10 days and therefore has to be within a 10min radius of the station.

Considering we were only 10 ins from home, the place was deserted though the beach was scattered with boulders and rocks. Wow, this is going to be fun to explore. We headed off and everywhere we turned there were different and intriguing formations. It was if someone up above was playing "jacks". We spent a good hour walking through and around the formations.

I took so many photos but you can view them in my facebook album under Sawyers Bay.

On arrival back to the car we laid out the picnic rug and proceeded to eat the quiche as we looked out on the waters of Bass Strait.

I have a little peach tree.......

During the week I had a real look around the garden. A tree that I had photographed back in April when I was visiting was now in abundance of fruit - peaches. Wow, Bruno and I inspected the fruit and although many had been "stung" by fruit fly,  there were plenty that had not. However, there were lots of little red/black bugs on them and the poor tree had been neglected. We picked the peaches that hadn't been touched and took them inside. They were very sweet. We are now waiting for the fruit to finish bearing and then we will prune the tree back and look after it so hopefully next year we will have a tree laden with untouched fruit. :-)

The tree back in April 2011

Juicy, sweet peaches.