Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 3 September 2017

Lindy, Glad that your family are alright. Yes, once a parent....

Thank you for the kind wishes everyone. Yes, fortunately, things are quite good at the moment.

I went to M&S for some food shopping today, and had to go through ladies clothing to get to the food dept. I think all the stores are the same. There was a group of woman amongst the Per Una clothes, sorting out the NHS in very loud voices. I didn't stay long enough to hear their solutions.

AQ  Your travel tales and photos are amazing. So much empty space and abandoned buildings.  After all those lovely refreshments you seem to find, I can see that you do need those hard to find loos!

Saga continued. Next a visit to a memorial at Walloway to a 1901 train crash when 2 goods trains collided on a stormy night. One meant to stop in siding, but brakes failed on wet rails. Back to Orroroo for lunch. Supermarket closes noon, one cafe closes at 1 pm, other open all pm, so options for lunch were limited. I had bought my turkey salad roll at morning coffee as I didn’t want waste time. I managed to capture 3 churches and a senior cits hall (possibly was a church?)..

Heading southwards towards home. Another ghost town, Yatina (-32.928, 138.667), closed hotel on corner, closed hall on main road and

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a closed church used as weekender hidden behind trees on back street. Its dedication to St Virgilius had people googling on phones. One lady announced he must be the patron saint of “no signal”. A common problem in the country!

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Mannanarie (-33.042, 138.62).

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Old church & hall on a road unsuitable for bus. I photo-ed from bus as I was too tired to tramp around closer.

This is our tutor’s view of church.

to be continued

To Jamestown for a coffee and/or toilet stop. Last time we were here, I captured the closer Uniting church. This time it was the Anglican. Just to prove it is spring, here is the church & almond (?) blossom.

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Driving on through Caltowie, Gladstone, Yacka, Snowtown, Lochiel to last short stop at Port Wakefield and its roadhouse’s popular toilets. Then back to Adelaide.

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This bus trip was mainly through an area that had been opened for agriculture in 1870s despite Goyder’s warning that rainfall was unreliable. The farmers had a few good years, too few to pay off the land selected on credit, then drought came. As the years passed, many just walked off the land. The conditions of credit selection required them to grow crops but it is only fit for grazing sheep. The small towns that had sprung up with hotel, store, blacksmith, school, church/s were affected. One by one the businesses closed and the remaining residents abandoned the settlement. Some of the buildings & houses were demolished, some of galvanised iron were transported elsewhere. Some were just left, roof removed to prevent squatters, windows smashed by vandals, the weather took care of the walls. We do have old large lived-in homes - I must find some pics for you!

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Even in the agricultural areas there are abandoned houses on farms. Nowadays families don’t have 10-12 children. Farms don’t need lots of workmen. The farmer has a much bigger farm and uses huge implements (all computer operated & air-conditioned) to sow & harvest his crop.

Next trip Sunday week to upper leg of Yorke Peninsula.

Phew: Lindybird is safely home and AQ found toilets on her trip. All's right with the world.  :-)

AQ: Ah - so folks ignored the unreliable rainfall warning. That explains a lot. What a shame. But what's this? You're off on another trip? Can't keep up with you.  Had a smile at St. Virgilius's role as patron saint of no signal.

Much cooler and low heavy cloud today. All very non-typical but welcome.  The gym opens tomorrow after it's yearly scrub and the Labor Day weekend. Onward and upward to - oh crikey - Halloween, Thanksgiving and the dreaded C.  Wish I had a "pause" button for the year.  :-)

Good Morning. Normal Service is to be resumed from me, I hope. 

Sorry to hear when I switched on the News just now, that another large storm is landing Stateside soon: hope it's less devastating this time. Seems odd to hear that you've had so much rain lately, Annette!

I've got errands to do, and a catchup with my Friend soon. She told me on the phone that she saw her Consultant and he told her that she's doing well but that as regards the pain she's been experiencing, she is just one of the unlucky per cent...... she will see an improvement in that and in the swelling, but it may take some months. Drat.

Will find the time today to go back and enjoy AQ's travelogues:

Meanwhile, I must get hosed down and tidy, and here is today's pic:

"She told me, that someone else told her......"

I'm so glad to read that you are back at home, LINDY and all seems OK. is your friend managing to do her household chores? A shame that she is one of the unlucky ones regarding post op pain, etc.

AQ - I'm always fascinated by your trips, but a bit sad, also. One can't help but wonder about those early settlers, their hopes and dreams. (Even if they did ignore advice and thought that they could eke a living from land beyond the rain line).

OG - I might try runner beans again, next year. Tomatoes were OK but quite tasteless, I thought. Maybe not enough sun? Maybe the wrong variety. What variety do you grow? Anyway, they won't be wasted. I'm collecting them and will make a batch of tomato sauce for the freezer. If it is tasteless I'll pour a carton of passata into the pan and add fresh basil and maybe a little sugar. As my sis in law says, there are no problems, only solutions!

ANNETTE - I wonder if you have booked your flights yet. Our national carrier (!) seems to have gone downhill since new CEO took over. I like to look on the Skytrax website.

Heather - My Friend is now doing the cooking again, as she can manage around the house without a stick. Her OH is A Treasure, and has been doing all the chores and cleaning, and of course, driving her around as she still can't get behind the wheel. I'm hoping to pop in to see them tomorrow as I pass by on my way to M&S (again!).

I feel sad to see the empty towns and buildings in Australia, too.  So many hopes dashed.....  

Sorry your tomatoes were disappointing. We grew a few of the smaller variety this year, and have enjoyed eating them.

Heather: I'm making reservations today or tomorrow. It's been a crazy year, especially the last couple of months, and the time has flown. I haven't even had time to take the oranges off the tree (thank heaven there are far fewer this year for some reason). Anyway all my miles are on American (which I see very low down that Skytrax chart!). They partner with BA for intercontinental flights. Grandson and fiancee are going BA in October (they got an amazing deal back in March!). BA also charges American mileage holders a significant markup for the privilege. Sigh.  I did look at Virgin Atlantic, which I know has good reviews too.  I was horrified - nay, outraged! - at the additional cost they're all charging for a "preferred" seat in Economy these days (for an extra inch or two and a look out the window!). Now there's Premium Economy too, which is even more outrageous. I've flown Business Class (with miles) before and that was nice; and managed a First Class (with miles) another time, which was a bit too exclusive for me. A woman I know at the gym says the QE2 is "the only way to go" Silly me, why didn't I think of that - it's only umpity thousand dollars more and takes a whole week - and you have to get to NY before you even get on the ship.  Anyway, my friend is a travel agent and we're going to talk this pm about options (she can "see" things on airline websites we commoners can't; also is able to hold reservations longer while I dither!). Stay tuned.  I was hoping to do a bit of traveling around on this UK trip, but it's been hanging fire for most of the year due to various UK circumstances and now it's banging up against another must-do trip to Arizona and my niece's UK teaching schedule. So it'll be close family only with most of the time at my sister's, though most likely I'll make another trip in April or thereabouts, depending....   We grew a tiny orange tomato a couple of years back that was like eating candy - marvelous. I've tried others but have found them tasteless too.  

Lindybird: Good your friend is doing better and  hope that pain diminishes quickly - does she have a physical therapist?  This is your shopping friend right?

Hallo to all - things to do here and am determined to go to the gym this morning.

LINDY   Chinese whispers , do you think?  Glad all is well with your son and his family.