HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well sort off, its really two months into the year as you read this.

No drama! You know the drill, grab a drink etc, etc, etc.

G'day,

The new year started off reasonably busy still around base camp but all good with everyone behaving and doing the right thing. What's behaving I hear someone say? You know, being good people. I am still keeping to myself most of the time and for the first few days, no happy hours took place. We must have all been tired from over the festive season etc.

The 5/1/22, gee the year is 5 days old already, won't be long and it will be Xmas. Anyways, I decided due to no sun around and black skies I would take advantage of cooler weather for the day and do some maintenance on the van. It was time to check the water heater anode so got that all ready and removed, it was still in reasonably good condition so just hosed out inside the holding tank and wiped down the Anode and put back together. I also checked the double water filter system I have set up for the bore water here at base camp. The first filter needed replacing but the second was still OK so put that as first filter and the new filter as the second filter. Something like that anyway. All good for another couple of months. Unless I move earlier as I always drain the water heater so anode is checked at same time as do the water filters. Phew! I had to rest the rest of the day after all that. 

Meow, here puss, puss, puss. The middle of the month arrived and a camper in what looked like a two-person tent and another the same next to it with mum, dad, two kids and a cat in a harness, a lot for the two tents but hey, they were bonding in their words so they were happy campers. Until, while they were all in the pool that happened to be just across the path from them with cat left in tent in it's harness and tied up to a tent pole, the daughter went to check on said cat. Muuuuum! The cats gone! It had escaped from its harness and was now on the run. After a search for about an hour the escapee was seen darting under a cabin not far away from the escape site. Now I hear you all saying, that will be easy as because they will just go over to said cabin and call pussy and out it will walk BUT no way known to mankind, sorry, personkind, was pussy coming out. Bugga! The cabin was only about 6 from ground so a tight squeeze.

Now for the so-called fun bit. I would call it more like a waste of resources personally but hey, who am I? Around 11.00pm a call was made to 000 yes, 000 to report a trapped cat and help was requested. The owner of pussy was put onto the local CFA but they said, nope, no way are we coming out at this time of night, call us in the morning makes sense I say. However, dad was really annoyed and made another phone call to 000 without success. Surprised? I'm not.

The following morning at 6.30am a call was made to the local CFA as dad now had the number so at 7.00am, wait for it, are you waiting? Two, yes two fire units with four volunteers arrived to rescue the escapee. I'm surprised the Police Riot Squad wasn't called and search helicopters flying above. After 1.5 hours, the by now petrified escapee was still an escapee and under the cabin. Dad, in his wisdom suggested a hole be cut on the floor of the cabin and he will pay for repairs. The owner of the park had a major coronary on the spot! Nope, no way known. The CFA volunteers agreed and called time. Gone!

The local Vet lent them a trap and it was set up where cat was seen to enter and other gaps covered including the trap covered. Around 10.00pm that night, many hours of poor pussy being petrified the trap was heard set off. Upon checking the escapee was no longer an escapee and in the hands of the daughter.

By this time the family had paid to stay in the cabin and next day asked to stay another night in cabin as cat was settled in cabin on the bed. WHAAAAT! The owner reminded them no pets allowed in cabins rule and they were asked to leave ASAP. The cabin had a big clean and all back to normal. What a waste of CFA time and resources. Credit to the CFA though as they were prompt and professional at all times.

That turned into an epic story didn't it!

That all done and dusted and on a lighter note. I am continually surprised how much trouble some people go to setting up their camp. Opposite my little spot is a camping site, on a corner and can easily fit a couple of large tents. The owner usually only puts families or largish groups there. One family arrived Boxing Day and set up three tents, two large gazebos, tables and chairs etc, etc. I thought they will be there for a while for sure. Nope, next morning everything was packed up and all gone by 9.00am. New Years eve another group with a camper trailer each arrived, set up campers with two big gazebos with sleeping pods attached each end and insect screens fitted all round, tables, chairs BBQ etc all set up. By 8.00am New Years Day they were gone, everything with them. A lot of trouble for just one night me thinks. Yep surprised covers my feelings. I shouldn't be though as I see it a lot in my travels. You probably do too.

Apart from quick early visits to the shops to avoid the big crowds, nothing was really done during the month. I did get a visit from a long-time friend as he and his wife were passing through on their way to visit family in NSW. Mark and Glenda stayed one night in their van and it was great to catch up with them again after many moons. We kept safe distance as we chatted in the outside area next to the camp kitchen here at base camp.

The last week of January arrived including Australia Day and was very quiet indeed after a month of being busy around base camp. I suppose most families will be now at home preparing for another school year, hopefully better that then last two years.

Now for the weather report!

Wow! Hot. Yep hot, very hot and not only that but very humid as well. I'm not good in the humid weather and struggled slightly but survived so that's all that matters I spose. Just to top off the month the weather gods decided in their wisdom to let us have all their fury 28th and 29th and hit us with two massive storms. No damage that I know off but the pool here at base camp was nearly mud and took a week to get clean. Its so clean now it sparkles.   

No sooner did January finish and February started and schools went back. Life is still ruled by Covid, to a point anyway. The year is well and truly on the move.

I met a couple of new Grey Nomads that just happened to set up camp for a couple of days, (Brodie) Whitney and Ray are nice people too. They were having trouble with their hot water heater and they thought it was something to do with the 12v system so I gave them the phone number of a good local Auto Electrician that I have used while here and is very good. Sadly, he was unable to find the problem though. Must be more than just 12v problem I would say. A visit to a trusted caravan repairer would be the go I reckon.

Speaking of things not working etc, every now and then, I like every one in travel land, has to do maintenance on various things around the Aluminium Tent or Car, so I noticed the paint on some flat areas of the car are starting to fade slowly so gave the now just under 8-year-old Collie a good coat of polish to try and slow things down a little. I'm not sure if it will but looks good anyway. I also cover the car now to try and slow it down. The paint fading that is not the Collie.

Another thing that happened was, I have a 12v fan (Caframo, Sirocco) fitted to the wall above my bed and well, it decided after 7 years to ride on a head and I was left without said fan on the hot nights we were having at the same time. I tried a few different things and checked the fuse for the fan as I had hard wired it in, with a in-line fuse but couldn't find the problem, so decided to get a new one as they are really good fans, expensive but good. I checked on line first and then did a ring around to a few local or within a one-hour drive suppliers to get prices and ended up finding one $30 cheaper than a local supplier. After a one-hour drive, I picked it up and got a few other things that were needed in the pantry etc and also had lunch sitting in car, then headed back to base camp. A nice but costly day had.

The next day, mid-February, I took the old one out and fitted the new one after a little re-wiring needed as it was slightly different to the original. All good and worked great. Job done! As a bonus, its actually a little quieter than original even though that was reasonably quiet.

Late February has seen things get quiet again around the area so the Wednesday Lunch at a close by pub have started up again (sorry Marion and Allan) and the first day was very enjoyable indeed and I tell you that for free.

The last week of the month I was inside the aluminium tent watching an episode of a Netflix series, yeh I know, its hard out here in the playground but hey, someone has to do it, when a voice yelled out just outside are you home Doug? Yep! I went out and here was Roger (Olddigger) a grey nomad friend. He had arrived not long earlier and set up just down the drive a little for a few days. Its always good to see Roger. He never fails to call in wherever I am to say howdy. A couple of happy hours later and a lunch at that pub, you know the one Marion, he was off on the next port of call on his journey. Thanks Roger.

Well, Covid is still around and still causing havoc but we are all starting to just live with it as are other States. We all woke up here in VIC on 26/2 and didn't have to wear masks anymore in retail or similar settings and a few other changes as well. Masks are still required in some settings though but all good I spose. Any positive change from restrictions is welcome.  I must admit though, the first time I went into the supermarket at 7.30am with only a cat and dog around and no mask, felt very strange indeed and I sort of had to make sure I actually got dressed as felt naked.

Just before I close for this update, the weather report.

Phew! That humidity I spoke about above left us for other places so that was great. We still got hot weather with temps ranging from 30c nudging 40c during the day and mid-teens overnight. Rain now and then with some heavy but mostly steady and not a lot of wind so that makes me happy as I don't like wind. Overall, no complaints from me regarding weather for February.

I have no idea where February went because no sooner did it start; it was finished and so has this update. I heard that down the back! So, until next we meet in Cyber space take care out there everyone.

Some pics below as usual.