Sunday 12 August 2012

Interstate Visit

This blog will be a long one, because it's got lots of visual art for your enjoyment.  I won't bother blogging about the last two weeks, cause that was just work and stuff, so nothing worth reading about there.  However, this last four days has seen a visit from my bestie Wally.

I'd like to say we turned on great weather for her.  She thinks we did - there was no hail or snow, so she's happy!  Today, she flew home, and the sun's out and there's not a cloud in the sky - typical! 

Anyway, where to begin.  
Wally arrived on Wednesday afternoon, while I was at work, and settled herself in at the motel down the road from home.  I picked up Dobby from netball and we headed over to collect her (and pizza for dinner).  It was lovely to see her again.  Dobby was also beside herself, seeing her Godmother again.

We brought Wally back home for dinner, but as she'd been a busy little beaver that day she called it a night before seven.  Piker... :-)
Thursday I had the day off work, and Fluffy took the van up to Port Wakefield for the weekend.  It was also the SAPI AGM.  He needed a few days peace and quiet and I needed serious girlie time.

Fluffy took Dobby to school, came home and hooked up the van.  After I saw him off Wally and I headed down to Hahndorf for the day.

We both were inrtigued by the candles in one store, and she wanted to buy me one, and I wanted to buy her one.  But she bought me a big one and only wanted a little one for herself, the wicked girl.  They had virtually no smell in the store, but when we got them home the smell was very strong.  Weird.

We stopped for a look at the Beerenburg farm outlet for some fresh jams and things.  I found some garlic sauce which looked very nice.  Wally found some other little delights.


After this we parked a bit closer to town and did the walk up the street.  We had lunch at "the top pub" although I think we should have gone to the "bottom pub".  Poor Wally had to go to the bathroom almost immediately after.  Badly.  While she was in there I took advantage of the flora outside the toilet block.





Kept me out of mischief for a bit anyway.

Then we crossed the road and did the other side.  Wally's dream has been to see the pandas, so you can imagine how excited she was to find this:



What she is pointing to there is the initials TW, scratched onto the Panda's forehead.  She swears she hasn't been here before to do that... we wondered if her sister hadn't been here before her!

Eventually we decided, after spending more money, on afternoon tea at a dear little bakery, that had three tables with massive cow-hide covered chairs around them.  We chose a berry mousse type dessert and scones with jam and cream.  Lovely.



One of the more unique things we did was "make our own candles".  This little shop tucked up the back had some lovely (but expensive) candles.  They are made with wax particles which are melted.  We had the opportunity, for $14 each, to make our own.  Wally shouted, because it was a unique expereince.  The lass in the sorter advised us to keep them upright, but of course, that was near impossible.  This is what happend when you don't.  Each colour is a separate scent, but although mine didn't do too bad, poor Wally's all blended together.  She didn't mind at all.  This one is mine.  I tried for the rainbow look...


Eventually it was time to go home.  Dobby was waiting excitedly for our return.  I bought her a coffee cup with a delicious bubblegum scented candle inside it, so she was happy.
Chinese for dinner in front of the crime channel completed the day.

Friday Dobby got the day off school so she could go to the zoo with us.  Fluffy came back later that afternoon to pick her up and take her up to Port Wakefield with him, to give Wally and I some girlie time.  Bless him...

Pretty much the first stop (after the flamingos) was the Pandas.  This display was outside, and the girls had to stop for a pic.




Wally was in heaven.  Don't blame her really.  This one is Funi, she's the female.  She was happy just lying in the sun sleeping.



See Funi in the background?



This bloke is Wang Wang.  Wally nearly wet herself, because he was sitting so close outside eating.  It was wonderful to see them upclose and active.  Lovely creatures they are.



After the pandas we wandered about looking at the rest of the animals.  The seal feeding was interesting too, but I didn't put up any photos of that.
We walked through the bird sanctuary, and right inside the door was a black cockatoo.  He was jumping all around the railing, making himself quite known.  He was very friendly too, you could get right up close.  Dobby took her chances and he let her pat him very carefully.



Mum would have loved that bit.  I think we would have had a hard time getting her out of there.
These monkeys were cute.  They were the white-cheeked something or others.  The little white baby was playing with her black father.  It was sooo cute!


The other animals that took my fancy were these lemurs.  They always remind me (and everyone else I guess) of King Julian from Madagascar.  Lovely creatures they are.


Wally bought us both gifts from the gift shop (Dobby loves her owl, it went to Port Wakefield with her) and I love my bookmark and bag).  We dropped Wally off at the motel and Dobby and I came back to wait for Fluffy.

After they left I had time for a quick shower then off to pick up Wally for dinner.  We had to make a stop first to see a lady about some skin care samples.  That took a bit longer than I had planned but we eventually made it to the Buffalo Bistro. 

Adelaidians will know where I mean.  For the rest of you, the Buffalo is a ship that sits in the water at Glenelg.  It's a lovely old place, although it's not very busy.  I believe it's in a spot of financial bother too.  But the food (although in the uppper end of the price market) was fantastic and the service lovely.
Here are our desserts...





After dinner it was back home.  Wally was happy for me to drop her off home for an early night. On the way out to the car I dropped my scarf.  As Wally was bending down to pick it up an elderly lady walked past and farted.  Well Wally just lost it.  She says "that old lady just farted".  I'm giggling like a loon trying to get her to shut up, but she's adamant the lady should have said excuse me.  Very embarrassing but totally hilarious as well.  We couldn't stop laughing all the way home.  You just can't take some people out in public.

That evening, the frogs decided to croak.  Roger came for a look...


Saturday we had to drive up to Port Wakefield for the AGM.  This was an important one, as we had to vote in our name change.  Fluffy has a hammock set up outside the van.  Wally decided to try it out...


I didn't get any photos of her exit.  I was too busy laughing....

This tree stump was beside the caravan.  I was quite taken with the worm markings on it.


After the meeting, we acknowledged that the SAPI Caravan and Camping Club is no longer with a ceremonial lowering of the SAPI flag.


We are now known as the Family and Friends Caravan And Camping Club.  Here's to new beginnings.

Wally and I drove home after the flag lowering, and I said my goodbye's about 6.15pm.  I had a giggle actually because I had planned on letting Fluffy know I got home, but Dobby phoned me just as I was driving down the next street.  Had I gone directly home and not taken Wally back to the motel, I would have been just parking the car.  Great timing.

Anyway, last night I got the place to myself, nothing to do, no one to answer to.  I really have enjoyed the peace and quiet.  I sure did ned it.  Even the cat likes me again.  When Dobby is home he seems to gravitate to her (dunno why, she doesn't even like him).  So he has been sleeping on my bed and smooching all around me.  Lovely.

Today it's going to be a quiet morning, then off to buy some crickets for the frogs.  I have done one load of washing (sheets) then it's just the second load to do and vacuum the floors before the others come home.  I wonder when I can convince them to go away again?  I'm not sure if the cat misses the dog or is enjoying the quiet - at the moment he's asleep on the dog's bed...






















3 comments:

SOL's view said...

They always make me think of Prince Julian too! Oh, that's OK. I've got a bigger crown. It's got a gecko on it. Look at him shake! Go, Stevie, go!

Sounds like you have had a really good weekend. I giggled at the fart story. :)

JoeinVegas said...

We were excited to see the pandas at the San Diego zoo last week, but they were all inside sleeping. Glad you were able to find them there.

Anonymous said...

still laughing at old lady farting. had a great time..
love wally xxx