Sherwood housesit - last 8 weeks

Hi gang I am back. I know, I have been a bit slack doing the blog but here goes.  After the floods of the first couple of weeks we wondered what we were in for, but the rest of the stay  was fairly good, weather wise. As soon as the flood bypass road (huh!?) into Kempsey opened, we shot into town to do some shopping for food and uver stuff!.
We had a bit of a drive around the area once the water had gone down, including the infamous Kempsey to Armidale Road. We went 20 kilometres past Bellbrook to a locality called Comara. The road follows the Macleay River for quite a ways, so we pulled up in a few spots to see how high the river had come up during the floods.  A fair bit by the looks of it, including taking out a chunk of the road in a landslide.  Luckily the council had cleaned up enough for one lane to get through (not that it was busy). On the way back we stopped at the Bellbrook Pub for lunch.  Both had Fish & Chips.  Although the Fish was frozen fillets it was nicely cooked and presented. The deal was - buy 1 drink each and get your meal for $10 ea.  Good deal and a great stop.  They were in the process of building a large deck out the back of the pub overlooking the river, so would love to go back and check it out when it is finished.  When we arrived back at home base, I found an autobiography of Slim Dusty. It made interesting reading as he and his family were brought up all around that area of Bellbrook.



The last few weeks were fairly uneventful other than when Darren & Tracy (Joy & Bruce's daughter and son-in-law) came over to move the cattle to another paddock.  In the process he got his vehicle bogged trying a short cut across the bottom creek.  But with the tractor and a snatch he got it out fairly easily.  I forgot to mention in the first week we were at Sherwood I managed to get the farm Suzy ute bogged in the creek (different spot to Darren!).  It was a bit of an exercise to get it out, including a 1k walk for me to go back to the house to get the Cruiser and snatch strap.  Keeping in mind that Lea does not drive,  I just knew this was going to be fun??? accomplishing this exercise (gettin the job dun eh).  Everything worked out fairly simply in the end.  I hitched up the strap to the Suzy and Cruiser (yes,safely) and with Lea behind the wheel of the Suzy (sh#tten herself), snatched it out.  Now all we had to do was get both trucks back to the house (how, I hear you ask?)  Well, I drove the Suzy, and Lea crawled along behind me in first gear low (in the Cruiser off course you silly people!!)  So all was good in the end.  Sorry no piccies of that episode.   (Thank God!! SWMBO)

We did a day drive down to Crescent Head and Point Plomer on the coast about 54 ks from Sherwood. The drive to Crescent Head was all sealed and a reasonable enough road.  Stopped for coffee (as you do ),  checked out the local caravan park, and then looked for the dunnys (as WE do!! ).  Then it was on to Point Plomer.  To say the road was absolute cr#p would be an understatement.  20 kms of huge pot holes and corros, we certainly had our teeth rattled.  I think the photo of the road sign says it all.

It was a shame because Pt Plomer is a pretty place,and a nice camping area.

We returned via the same road (no choice) back to Sherwood.

I contacted Tom at Kedron to see how much another mud flap would cost for the van.  He sent one to me for nix (very good of him).  So I have attached it to the front of the door step, to stop the mud spraying all over it.  Works well.  It is nice to have some space and tools to do little jobs like that, thanks to Bruce and his huge shed.  I also extended the mud flaps on the tug by about 6 inches. That also seems to be working as well.
On the last day of our sit when we were packing and washing etc. we were without power from 9am to 4pm.courtesy of the local power company (checking lines ??!! apparently).  It would have been nice to be notified. (Wankers!!).
Bruce and Joy arrived home the next day, Thursday, from their trip.  They drove directly from Brisbane on the last day, arriving late afternoon.  Thank goodness we had time to wash and dry all the bedding we used, now that the power was back on.  They had a great trip right up to the top  of Cape York.  Apparently the fishing  wasn't real flash so they came home empty handed.  But they had a great time and that is the main thing.  And so did we looking after their lovely house and property.
Some piccies of the Sherwood birds (including that pesky power company bird!!)



Next stop Bretti Camp ground.