Another adventure is around the corner…

On Tuesday we leave for Sydney to spend 5 days in  Airbnb accommodation. What??? You have never heard of Airbnb? Check the details here. I will tell you more about it when we get there.

Then we board the “Oosterdam” on Sunday March 22nd for a 2 week cruise to New Zealand.

But I am getting ahead of my self first I have to pack….

Oh dear, will it ever fit in…

This is quite difficult for me as we have not been on this sort of holiday before, previously our travels have been exploratory experiences spending months, even years travelling around Australia in Matilda, and only needing basic shorts, jeans and t-shirts. Before that our overseas travel was with a minimum of clothes in a small backpack.

 So I am not too sure what I will need.

I am dithering about how many “posh” type things I will need. I can picture me swanning around the pool deck in my usual shorts and tops and I don’t think they will fit the bill so I have actually been shopping!!!!! Not easy as I don’t like and don’t have the patience for it, plus I never seem to find things I like… Any way this time I took friend June with me. She LOVES shopping, so I think between us we found some suitable cruise type outfits. Must say I don’t exactly feel comfortable all dressed up… Maybe that will change after 2 weeks of leisure…

Jack had a great find at his favourite shopping outlet, the op shop… He found a brand new navy blue blazer style sports jacket, very smart, and a matching pair of navy trousers and a very attractive tie for the grand total of $18, $10 for the jacket, $6 for the trousers and $2 for the tie. He is always finding great buys at the op shops. I never can… So now he is all set to be invited to sit at the captain’s table.

So for the past few weeks I have been preparing the garden to look after its self. Weeding, pruning, mulching and today the mower man came to give the edges and lawn a final cut.

It has been a long hot and wet summer and the flowers are slowly giving way to the ravages of the climate. The Bird of Paradise is starting to wilt

And the ginger flowers are past their best. But many other flowers are still giving me a lot of pleasure.

Grevillea

I have forgotten the name of this one

Blue Ginger

Heliconia

Last of the Frangipani

Yellow Daisy

Ixora

Heliconia

Crucifixion Orchid

Desert Rose

Remember the small veggie patch? (click on the link to revisit it)

Well the caterpillars are still munching the kale, but I am getting a few feeds from what they leave.

Beans are doing well

And I have filled the rest with herbs. Notice the thick layer of sugarcane mulch…

This was the sunflower patch, they are long gone and I have put in some small cuttings of a croton bush that I have been nurturing along. Can you see them among the protective mulch?

This is the cutting

This is the parent croton shrub

The compost bin is almost full.

Jack has given the fish ponds their annual clean.

Here are some more views from around the garden.

Here it is all trimmed and tidy, I will miss it…