COLOURFUL COWS

On our trip around Central Queensland last June, I was surprised to see how many varieties of coloured cows there were. Here's me a city slicker, thinking cows were brown or black and white. Well at Cania Gorge I got an education on cow colours.

Hey look, one has white ears and the other has black ears.

A red cow?? and a patchwork one.

Black knee caps and red shoes and his coat needs a wash.

This one forgot to rub her moisturiser in this morning.

I love this one with the love heart on her head.

"All the better to hear you with." or  "Ready for take off."

THE GETZ GETS ANOTHER JOB.

At the beginning of the year I leant my little car, a Getz, to our eldest daughter and husband to go to Sydney and settle in there. They sent back the Getz on a truck. I was pleased to getz her back after she had done a good job taking care of Carol and David. The Getz is a good little workhorse.
This week our youngest daughter and family came from Sydney to visit us and other friends and relations. So Getz was on the job again. Sonya and Bernie organised a hiring company to come to our house a fit a baby capsule into the Getz so we could pick them up from the airport and so that they could borrow the Getz while here.

After their stay with us Bernie and Sonya drove north to The Sunshine Coast to stay a few nights with baby Fox's Uncle Steve and Aunty Nadine. From there they drove to the airport where we met them to pick up the Getz and say goodbye. It was a learning curve for the new parents to see if they could cope with baby on holidays.

At the airport Papa getz the baby out of the capsule in the Getz.

Baby getz put into the baby back pack which is a front pack at the moment.

Mum getz the baby, Papa getz the luggage and I getz the Getz back.

There was a mountain of luggage, pram, portacot, blankets, nappies etc. Fox had more luggage than mum and dad together. But he was an angel. He was pulled out of the car, pushed into a back pack, pulled out again to go through the security check, put back in again  and out again to wait for the plane and he never complained once.

One last cuddle for grandma before he jets away to Melbourne to visit his paternal grandparents for a few days before flying back home to Sydney.

When we got home with the two cars the man soon arrived to getz the baby capsule out of the Getz. It is a great service for travelling babies.

Then the Getz getz her shelf back in and she's happy to have been of service again. Now she can have a rest with the little old lady driving her to the shops.

MEET Mr FOX

Our grandson, Fox, had his first flight from Sydney to Brisbane to visit us.

We were thrilled to see our daughter, Sonya and Bernie and grand baby again. 

Having a chat with mum.

A serious moment with dad.

A content time in Grossvati's loving hands.

A giggle with grandma.

Proud grandparents (he is thinking...come on enough with the posing, get the pram and take me for a walk.)

IT HAPPENED AGAIN!

Some months ago we booked at a restaurant in Cleveland. The restaurant is famous for its slow cooked prime beef steaks, we had invited friends and told them what great steaks they had. When we arrived, the waitress told us that they had run out of those steaks but they would substitute another type of steak. It was very tough and not enjoyable. We felt embarrassed in front of our friends for inviting them to a horrible lunch. Bill wrote to the head office and complained. They apologised and sent us a $30 voucher for a return meal at the same restaurant.
So this weekend we thought we would use our voucher and invited a bunch of other friends. It was Swiss national day so we got in the spirit and wore red and Colin decorated the table with a Swiss flag. The waitress told us the prime beef slow cooked steaks were unavailable as their oven blew up and the meat was ruined. Bill couldn't believe his ears and explained that this had  happened last time we were here with friends and added we will never come again bla bla bla and can we see the manager. The manager came and tried to pacify the rattled customer. He explained that this time it was beyond their control bla bla bla. We ordered alternative meals and got on with conversations with our friends, which was difficult as it was very noisy there too and we were squashed up too close to the nearby tables. All in all it was a bit disheartening.

However, the meals arrived and we were pleasantly surprised that they were very tasty, so things were getting better and disgruntled customer was much happier. Towards the end of the meal the manager turned up again with another apology and a handful of discount cards, one for each person. They usually cost $50 but he was giving them to us free.We all got 25% off our meals and for every time we visit any one of the chain of restaurants from now on we will get 25% off our meals.

That made us all a bit happier when we paid the bill and left for a walk through the park to a nice coffee shop.

Us seniors have to stick up for ourselves. The meal was OK the company excellent and the sun was shining on this mild winter's day so all is good.

KISSING UNDER THE BONSAI TREE

While we were at Redcliffe on Sunday we visited the markets on the edge of the bay.

There were a variety of stalls.

One stall was selling Bonsai trees, as I took the shot of the tree I noticed the amorous couple on the beach in the background. I thought it looked like they were under the tree.

Then we came upon these gorgeous dogs. They were not for sale just visiting. The little girl found someone with the same hair colour.

I didn't quite hear the name of the breed but they are a type of German mountain dog.

A GREY DAY

There is a saying about the great Queensland weather:  "Beautiful one day and perfect the next." Well it wasn't happening last weekend. It was grey and cold...well 18*C thats cold for us. We went to Redcliffe to have a look at the new bridge from the Brisbane suburb of Brighton to the Redcliffe suburb of Clontarf crossing Bramble Bay which is part of Moreton Bay.

There are now three bridges next to one another crossing the bay. To the left is the old wooden Hornibrook Bridge, to the right is the new  Ted Smout Bridge and we are on the Houghton Highway Bridge.
The old wooden Hornibrook Bridge was built in 1935 and named after the engineer in charge. It is the 2nd longest wooden bridge in the world. (2.8k) It will be demolished this year except for 100 metres, which will be kept for recreation and fishing. 
The Houghton Highway concrete viaduct in the middle will be renovated and will carry the northern bound traffic. This bridge was a disaster from the beginning. It was built in 1979 and was already too small for the volume of traffic when it opened. It dips in between every support and makes for a rough roller coaster ride. It was named after the local member of parliament who resigned before the bridge opened. For years there was dicussion on how to improve the bridge. Finally a new one was opened this month. 

The Ted Smout Bridge is named after Queensland's last surviving WW1 veteran who lived locally but died in 2004. It is strong enough to withstand cyclones and is the longest bridge in Australia at 2.74 k

While in Redcliffe we walked out onto the renowned Redcliffe Jetty.  The bathing pavilion was built at the entrance to the jetty in 1937.

The first jetty was built in 1885 where convicts were unloaded to build the Redcliffe settlement which was to become the main town but later the Brisbane River site was preferred. The jetty was renewed in 1922 and again in 1999.

It was a bit breezy and cold out here amongst the forest of blue light posts so we turned around, walked across the road into a sheltered coffee shop. 

Many still enjoy outdoor eating in winter.

The day didn't get any brighter so we headed for the car. I spotted this pelican preening on a light post but Bill wasn't too impressed as it was.......

....right above our car. It even provoked Bill into a run to move the car before it was bombed.

Then we travelled home on the brand new bridge which carries the south bound traffic. We made it before the rain which was only a light shower anyway.

A COLOURFUL VISITOR

A Pale Headed Rosella visited my garden this morning. It has red under its tail.