Dean Dinner

 Dean Davis came to dinner. 
I reheated lamb roast and added freshly cooked cauliflower, Broccoli & white sauce.  Garlic bread. Bunderberg ginger beer. It was great to catch up nd chat.

Syndetic Cheesecake

 We do chesse cakes once a month to celebrate staff members birthdays.

These must be very healthy as half an hour after consuming them, one feels very sleepy.  I reckon they must literally suck the calories (energy) out of one.

Corinda Truck strikes Rail Bridge

Early morning ride and I see this.

I rode through the footpath bit on the left.

Reverse ride to coffee and work

5:45 depart.

The cat has been fed. It was very cuddly during the night which is nice given I don't have a human to cuddle. It's now mooching and meowing. Was awoken this morning about 4am by the possum that lives down below moving bricks the owner has placed to restrict access. 

 

On the way saw that a truck had crashed into the rail bridge at Corinda.  (Photos below)

 

I was allowed to ride through the foot path bridge tunnel on the left.

Still had to walk up the last part of Clarence Rd.  Huffin and puffin.

Coffee with Ben and then I rode on through the uni and to work.

 

 

 

 

 

Isusu Oil Change

Today (Monday 26-4-2021) is ANZAC day public holiday. 

Chris came to my place and changed the oil in the Isusu

Tiida Oil Change

 See this other post where I worked out how much oil and what type I needed.

http://thomsoneu.blogspot.com/2021/03/tiida-service-oil-filter-and-lights.html

 and I watched this youtube video 

https://youtu.be/V2V2o8q9-3E

 

 

Avoided using the jack.  Using bricks from under the house.

Checked the existing level.  It was just below min.

Drained most of the oil.  Because the driveway sloped toward the front, when the car was on blocks, it was pretty horizontal.  So some old oil would be left behind.

I watched a couple of youtube videos that showed that access to the oil filter was tough.  Decided to follow advice and simply remove the bolts to allow access through the splash plate.

Used a gripping tool to remove and then tighten the new new filter.

 

 

ANZAC Day 2021

 Picked up Jemma and we drove the short distance to Graceville station.

We parked in Appel St near Graceville station.  Arrived and met a small group of Brigidine students.  Shook hands with the Head Master Brendan Cahill and his wife.  I left Jemma with the group and walked part way down Verney Rd East.  There I met another parent (Ian) and we discussed rowing and jetskiing and so on. 

The parade marched past.  It continued down Verney Rd E and the spectators fell in behind.  Like most spectators, we took a short cut down Addison Rd.

At the service, the key note speaker reminded us that Anzac day is non political and non religious.  Mind you the 'service'  is effectively a very traditional christian service.   couple of hymns and even the first few lines of God Save the Queen.

We do remember that the freedom we enjoy is due in part to the dedication of people like the soldiers and service people who give their lives for us.  

After the service Jemma and I walked over to the Graceville shops and bought a coffee & croissant for me and a ? hot chocolate for Jemma.

 

 

Roast Lamb V2

T-1.5Hrs = Potatoes

T-1Hr = Pumpkin

9pm in slow cooker.  On high. 

         2 cups water.  

         Garlic and rosemary 

T-1.5 Hr     4:50 Potatoes in

Cut up pumpkin

T-1Hr    5:20 turn potatoes 

              5:30 Add pumpkin

             5:50 

6: 20 serve

Reverse to Diva

5:45 depart

6:20 arrive

Sky just light as I left. Sun up now. 

Felt heavy. 

Walked up Clarence Rd.

Ben I assume, is walking. 

Roast Lamb V1

8:00pm in slow cooker. Sprinkle on some rosemary.  1/2 glasd water. 

on high. 

1:30am switch to low. 

4:30 arrive home from work. 

Almost but not quite dry

4:50 Potatoes with extra virgin olive oil in oven at 180 and mixed herbs.

4:55 start cutting pumpkin

5:20 turn potatoes. Add pumpkin.

Make white sauce

Cut up Cauliflour and Broccoli

Make Gravey 

5:50 turn potatoes and pumpkin.

Graham's Birthday

Mel invited me to Graham's surprise birthday in Captain Burke Park.  This is the park under the Story Bridge across the river from Howard Smith Wharves.  Very picturesque.

Saturday was going to be busy so early in the day, I packed into a cold pack, 

Pineapple 

Bag red grapes

Box of strawberries. 

Cutting board & knife. 

Sweet chili cheese 

Plain Biscuits 

We sat around and chatted as you do. Tones of beautiful food. Someone had brought champers.

Easter Madness

 Friday - Jemma drove Ellie and myself from Stanthorpe to Camp Cooby.

When we got there it felt like a great atmosphere.  A new generation of young people running it.  A new generation of techos too.

Shnnon Park

 After I dropped Jemma and Ellie, I was driving along and had a feeling of Deja vu.  I turned down a side road and drove along a bit and confirmed I was at what was once Shannon PK.

Walk up Castle Rock and Lunch At Wallangarra

 Walked up castle rock.

Then lunch at Wallangarra

 

Bum rock

 

 

 

Wet night

6-Apr-2021

I'm using Dan's old tent.  It has survived strong wind but now its raining and it's not waterproof. 

Things to consider when buying new tent

Fly hooks to the rings with clips - helps hold it together in strong wind. 

I think at least 2500mm square. I have to sleep diagonal in this one. 

Waterproof but how would you know. 

About 2am, moved into the Tiida.

Tonight we are having dinner at the Balandeen tavern.

We is Paul, Cybele, Ellie, Sam, Fill & Fiona, Clay & Asha,  Frank & Jemma 

 

 

 

Fixing the motor bike

5-Apr-2021 Monday

Drove down to the Balandeen petrol station. Filled the Tiida and a can for the motor bike.  Then into the cafe and bought a coffee.  They had a sign that said bookings only.  Sat in car.  Hotspot.  Sent email to work. 

Fixed motor bike. 

Pumped up rear tyre.

Poured in fuel and it leaked out. Worked out the fuel tap had fallen apart. Took it off and used a hammer and a over size Philips screw driver as a punch to respread the aluminium to keep the tap together.  Reassembled.

Observed no oil. 

Removed bolt and drained remaining oil. It was very black and had lumpy bits.   Refilled with about 1.5Lite of 10W30 that I had brought for the tiida.

Tried to start. Would not. 

Removed spark plug. Observed spark.

Reassembled and now it worked. 

Took off and it worked for about 2 minutes.  Pushed back. 

Felt like fuel blockage.

Decided to inspect and clean the carbie.  Un did some bolts.  In the process of removing the carbie, pulled off the fuel line.  Fuel ran out.  Hmm. Worked out I'd some how buggered up the fuel tap.  H is on.  V is off.

Figured I'd continue - Cleaned gunk out of carbie and Reassembled. 

Now it works. 

The kick start is a bit ordinary. Sometimes it does not grab.

To do

Fix front brake - hydraulic fluid.

Hoses for fuel. 

Spark plug wire.

Dinner is

Chicken pad thai

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balandeen + Church

4-Apr-2021 Sunday 

At Balandeen. 

In the morning travelled with Paul & Cybele to church. This was a small happy clapper church on the outskirts of Stanthorpe.

'Interesting' sermon that in my view was looking for meaning in randomness.  Finding that the third symbol in some ancient version of the bible looked like something else. Seemed like numerology to me. On the other hand good singing and nice locals.   We sang a song as you do. 

Just before lunch,  Chris, Callan, & Dan arrived in two 4WDs. They had been asked to bring wine and dessert. They brought two bottles of red and one white and half a dozen frozen desserts.

In the evening Manthey's produced Chicken burritos and Cybele did chillie concarne.