Two Aces and the Blue Heeler

Monday's weather photo - rain is forecast for tomorrow.

On Tuesday we caught up with Rob and Donna for a coffee in Burleigh Heads. They had recently finished about 10 days at Maroochydore, and had been at Broadbeach for the last few days. After an early lunch they came over to the caravan park to see our van and have a drink or two. Tomorrow they are returning home and are not looking forward to the cooler temperatures in Hobart, although their house should be nice and warm as Rob forgot to turn the heating off.

Tuesday's weather photo - it rained for most of the morning - but a bit of late sun.

Its Wednesday today and while fine and sunny it is very windy - about 20 knots from the W/NW and gusting to 25 knots. Not very pleasant outside today so we went to Pacific Fair where David had a much needed haircut and Di did some shopping - what else?

Thursday was magnificent - sunny with no wind and a temperature of 22 degrees. In the afternoon we walked over the top of Burleigh Head to the Burleigh Surf Club where we signed up for a two year membership at $5.50 each. After signing up we had a drink on the deck with a view across Burleigh Beach before walking back to Tallebudgera. On the way back we walked past a work gang busy re-installing the pipes used to pump sand from Tallebudgera Creek to Burleigh Beach,

Thursday's weather photo across Tallebudgera Creek.

All quiet today on the Tallebudgera Creek barway.

Palm Beach from the lookout on Burleigh Head.

The view of Burleigh Beach from the deck of OUR club - the Burleigh Surf Club.

Friday was another fine clear day with a temperature of 22 degrees once again. We were up early so that we could pack up the long side walls of our annexe so that Colin and Louise from Australia Wide Annexes could pick them up and take then to the factory at the Sunshine Coast to have the outside blinds replaced under warranty. In place of the long walls we have erected our long shade wall for the next few days while we wait for our annexe walls to be returned.

Long annexe wall replaced with a shade screen until repairs complete.

The lovely sunny weather continued through Friday and Saturday, 22 degrees each day.

Surf boat crew returning from a training just on sunset.

On Sunday we drove to Lismore in NSW (round trip 235 km) for the 4WD Caravan Camping and Marine Show at the Showgrounds. The show turned out to be dominated by caravans of every brand and style. Each time that we go to a caravan show there are more and more Off Road vans - the criteria seems to be a bit of black checker plate, all-terrain tyres and a 4 inch lift. This show was smaller than the Brisbane Show and much more relaxed. The only thing that we saw at the show that we do not have yet is a rotisserie kit for the Weber Baby Q, but at $140.00 it might have to wait for another day.

On Monday it was still cloudy and windy - we are over the wind - is it always like this in June?

Tuesday started at 4 degrees - much too cold for this part of the world - but the weather improved to a beautiful sunny day. This morning Di's hair dryer blew up so we headed off to Pacific Fair for a replacement from Myers. Her old hair dryer was a quite expensive salon version but we should not complain too much as it lasted about 25 years.

Since our last visit to the Gold Coast, Pacific Fair has been undergoing a major upgrade and while not yet finished will be a major competitor for the Robina Shopping Centre. Car Parking is a bit of a worry though as height restrictions vary from 1.9 m to 2.0 m to 2.2 m - and being 1.94 metres over the roof rack we will have to be careful.

Wednesday was also a cool start, but improved to a beautiful sunny day with little wind. Once again we had a bike ride around the caravan park for a while - the bike seats are very hard! Later we walked around Burleigh Head for an ice-cream at the Burleigh Surf Club. While walking around to Burleigh we passed some boys diving off the Tallebudgera Creek Bridge.

The rest of the week was sunny and warm with temperatures of up to 22 degrees and no wind. The caravan park started to fill up on Friday and we now have plenty of kids around with school holidays. We have continued with the bike riding and made a couple of walks to Burleigh Head.

On Sunday we noticed a couple of Policemen on Jetskis checking out the boats on Tallebudgera Creek.

Tuesday's weather photo.

Wednesday's weather photo.

No Diving! - but who cares.

A back somersault off the rail on the Tallebudgera Creek Bridge.

On the way down.

Splat!

Surfing conditions at Burleigh Heads were good on Wednesday.

Thursday's weather photo.

Police checking boats on Tallebudgera Creek.

The good life - a couple of Policemen on their Jetskis.

The weather has not improved. On Sunday it was very windy and it rained all day. From 6:00 pm Saturday until 9:00 am Monday morning we had a total of 70 mm of rain. I guess that the BOM Forecasters got it right when they said that we were due 70 mm of rain on Sunday.

By Monday the clouds had cleared although the wind was still with us. We decided to walk around Burleigh Head to lodge our vote in the elections. The Polling Booth was very busy with large numbers of early voters from not just the Gold Coast, but all over the country. Later in the day we headed over to the Talle Club for a meal - we both had steak with vegies.

For the first few days of the week, Di continued with her painting ambitions to improve the look of the van. We continued to use Brendan's bikes and ride around the caravan park while we gained confidence. Soon we will be out of the park and onto the bike paths behind the local beaches.

On Thursday night we made a one of our regular visits to CSi at Southport for a pizza special. Frosty and Marg did not join us this week but we hope to see them next week.

Friday and Saturday continued to be cool and windy, At reception David was asked whether he had any long Daks as it was so cold and he was still in his shorts. In the afternoon we walked around Burleigh Head for an ice cream at the Burleigh Surf Club. On the way we watched a couple of boats coming back over the bar-way into Tallebudgera Creek. Thankfully the bar-way was quite subdued but obviously it is not always so quiet,

On Sunday we decided to head for the Robina Shopping Centre - at least it got us away from the cold winds.

Monday's weather photo - the rain has gone but now it is windy.

The new look after the paint job.

The new look inside the van.

Results of the painting project.

Friday's weather photo.

Tallebudgera Creek bar-way - calm today.

An easy crossing on the bar-way,

This is what happens when you get it wrong on the bar-way.

The weather has been a bit of a mixed bag this week - most days have been partly cloudy with showers, but temperatures remain above 22 degrees. The weather bureau have been threatening the possibility of another East Coast Low next Sunday, but as it draws near the rain fall prediction has reduced from 100 mm to 70 mm, and the wind strength predictions are also being reduced from above 40 kph to below 30 kph. What ever comes I think that we will be on the edge of the worst of it. Here's hoping anyway!

On Monday we went to the Palm Beach bike shop for a helmet for Di, but as you will see she has not been wearing it because it will mess up her hair! Later in the day David spent time making some curved gutters and installing them over the front lockers. Hopefully they will keep water out of the lockers which we suspect seeps through under the slide-outs.

Early in the week we had a Police helicopter flying up and down the Creek and checking out all the canals as though they were looking for someone or something. Never got to hear what they were about.

On Wednesday the Gold Coast City Council had a truck and a large digger working the beach in front of our site clearing up the last of the rubbish from last weeks storm. So far We have both been riding the bikes but have yet to venture out of the caravan park until we have had a little more experience - neither of us have ridden a bike for at least 40 years.

A Police helicopter spent the morning working up and down the Creek and the Canals obviously looking for Something or someone.

Hopefully the rain is over.

GCCC digger back to clean up the beach in front of our site.

Improvements to keep rain water out of the lockers.

Di's back on a bike after about 40 years.

Its already raining in the mountains.

Friday's weather photo - rain coming tomorrow.

I think that Jack is taking the boss for a ride.

Cloudy with the chance of a shower, and a lazy breeze from the SE that made it feel cooler than the forecast 20 degrees.

Last week Colin and Louise from Australia Wide Annexes dropped off some extra tie-down hooks and straps for us to add to the bottom of our annexe and storage room. This morning David spent a few hours with a sail needle and waxed twine sewing the hooks on before re-pegging the annexe.

The photo shows the end result -