Lightning ridge – part 1

Graham and I have just returned from a trip to Lightning Ridge with the car club.

We took the Cortina.

Now, the reason that there is a question mark for the population of the Ridge is that the population is constantly fluctuating. It can be anywhere from 2000 to 10000 residents depending on the time of year.

and below is the reason that Lightning Ridge is so named… believe what you like!

I have scanned our our program for each day which should enlarge if clicked on.

off we go - Day one – Armidale to Moree

Thursday morning we departed Armidale after dropping the dogs at the kennel.

7 cars on this trip and 13 people.

Lunch today was at Captain Cook park in Warialda

and we arrived at Moree mid afternoon.

Enough time for a wander around town before dinner at the RSL.

Go west - day two – Moree to lightning ridge

Second morning, we start from the caravan park in Moree.

A bit late getting going as some of the group had to wait for the office to open at 9am to pay their bill. So time for a second cup of tea!

 

Morning tea stop today ended up being on the road due to our late start.

But, THE Flies ! They nearly carried away the biscuits and food, so this turned into a very quick stop, and it was miles before we got all the flies out of the car.

We continued our journey turning onto the Castlereagh highway.

This is the furthest west that I have ever been in NSW and here are some of my observations!

• it got drier and more in drought for every mile we travelled.
• Who on earth thinks its a good idea to have sheep out west where there is no feed. They looked like poor pathetic skinny things.
• Dead kangaroos …. hundreds of them on the side of the road. no shortage of wildlife We saw lots of alive kangaroos and emus too.
• Littering – the roadsides where sparkly with brown glass and plastic bottles. It seems to be a tradition that you finish your drink/beer and then just lob the empty bottle out of the window!

We arrived in Lightning Ridge at lunch time.

Met John our guide for the next few days and we started to explore the area.

Of course the Ridge is most well known for its opals. (I controlled myself and didn’t buy any). But our first stop was Bevans Cactus Garden.

Some of the plants have been there for years.

and my friend below was kind enough to pose while eating the fruit of the cactus..

Our next stop was the Walk in Mine – and here is Graham in the photo below kitted out for our tour.

The evening ended with a alfresco meal at Bruno's back in Lightning ridge.

don’t fall down a mine shaft! - day three- Lightning ridge

 

So day three starts with a bus trip around the ridge to look at some of the claims and wonder at the way some folks live.. and those that live in the Ridge seem to love it!

Its a very barren landscape… and the pull of the opal is as addictive as drugs or alcohol.

Yes – you don’t have to be mad , but it helps!

Our next stop was a visit to Amigos Castle. Which some fella has been building for years and now can’t finish because the building regulations have changed in the meantime.

Oh and there are car doors everywhere – they use them as signs so others can find the claims. Also, the residents of the Ridge are hard to locate, therefore they don’t have a normal mail delivery. Everyone in town has to have a PO box in town.

After our tour we took a drive north and crossed the Queensland border to visit Hebal.

We had a drink in the Hotel, but we had lunch across the road at the general store.

The exterior of the Hotel has been decorated by the local artist John Murray.

Above:- The interior of the Hotel. Peter can always find someone to talk to.

and below- of course old cars always have issues….

Our next stop was a mile off the highway at the small border town of Angledool.

Below- is the inside of the old theatre, now in ruins.

And while the others were dealing with another car issue (5 heads under a bonnet is better than one) – a few of us wandered through the abandoned church.

The Anglican Diocese apparently wants to sell this off , but the townsfolk are against it. However they don’t use it and it will just rot away if someone doesn’t save it.

Someone has left us a message in the church!

Tonight's meal was a buffet at the Bowling club with some of the local Rotarian's.

END OF PART ONE!

TO BE CONTINUED

minuscule Quilt

This is the quit that I made for our new niece,,  

Paul, my bother in law  (who is the same age as me!)! & Mel’s new baby. 

A colourful,,, new baby girl ..

Sienna Rose Earl

The first quilt photos in the new house and permanent backyard~!!!!~

Not a very girlie quilt!!

The lady bugs have escaped from one jar and are wandering all down the side of the quilt.

na na, na na, na

 

BUT- on the back they are FREE.

Apart from the lady bugs there are redback spiders, lizards , snails, ants, butterflies, bugs, bookworms, bees, cockroaches and frogs. There are also 3 different jar blocks, some are on shelves and some are stacked.

 

Now, finally working on finishing the big blue quilt ‘A kiss to build a dream on’ for the guest bedroom. And, I also working on another quick cot quilt and a larger very complicated pattern of lanterns in a garden at dusk….. I’ll post about that one soon.

the ‘Bridal’ curtains and other Tales

 

We are feeling a lot more settled in the new house

as we are starting to make some changes.

1/ New Curtains

The master bedroom was so light during the night that we couldn’t sleep.

Vertical blinds are stupid…They don’t keep out the light or the heat/cold.

(I know I had them in the house I built in Gosford in 1986.. but that was 1986 AND because they were cheap and I couldn't afford anything else --- Hummm…that just about sums up the first owners of this house,)

Would anyone like to buy some 4 year old vertical blinds?

I have lots for sale, white pearl, excellent condition,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

NO…did I hear you say that they are stupid and don’t keep out the light/heat/cold……..… sigh,,,,,,,,,,,

I will post them on Gumtree, I don’t want a lot of $ for them,,, maybe $100 for 5 sets.. I will put that towards a lovely girly pendant light for the master bedroom! (think.. Chandelier)

SO…. I now have the most beautiful bedroom curtains from Fabrics Naturally in Armidale..

The staff  in the workshop thought they were like a wedding dress hanging around for a week while they waiting for the bay window track.

 

They aren’t pure white but a creamy white, with a block out curtain behind. The pattern is  an embroidered dot that I think looks like pearls. So pretty!

And finally the room is dark at night.

Before we got the curtains we had the front windrows of the house tinted, for privacy……. (as all passing could see in) and also, as the front of the house faces west,,,,for the sun. 

I can highly recommend this as its worked really well

 

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2/ Rug

We needed to define the TV space from the rest of the big void that forms our living area.

There were also issues with the dogs. Aflie couldn’t get up or down from the lounge by himself as his feet slipped on the hard floor.

AND the echo!! Yeek! … we are trying to dampen that.

So we bought a rug, ---------- and after shopping around we went to the rug place in Armidlae’s Centro.

I love it,  – although… we once had a chance to buy a rug in Istanbul when we were there in 2011 and I am now sorry AND I want to go back to Istanbul! ..poo…

 

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3/Lamps

Woo Hoo – I wandered into a gift shop in the Mall (the one owned by Mrs Hannon, the local Pharmacists Missus) and saw these great lamps – just what I wanted, BUT too much money and wasn’t sure about the black shades…

I thought about it for a few days, and looked online if I could get a similar thing cheaper.

Then I decided to just go and buy them – the Mall needs the business and so do the locals..

So…I bought them…  I love them! ………..Black looks so good in this room! It must be due to the space – it needs to be drawn in.

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4/ THE  Artwork

After YEARS of visiting the Armidale Art Gallery in the Mall we FINALLY saw a picture we wanted to buy, could afford to buy, and suited the house.

Then we UUmed and AAhed  about it..

so I went back a few days later and just bought it.

Its of Dumaresq Dam which is just west of Armidale.

(pronounced --- Dew-mare-ick --- pardon my French ,, ha ha)

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5/ Kitchen Plans

Of my goodness – tradesman  just don’t want to even give quotes in Armidale as they are so busy.

We went to Tamworth instead. Which is cheaper as well….

Currently I’m choosing finishes.. I want,,,

(sigh…I wanta, I wanta,,,)

,,,,,,, a 2 pack enamel cupboard with a Caeserstone bench top and a enamelled pressed tin splashback.

 

But this may change as I keep changing my mind…

ANYONE WANT TO BUY A KITCHEN!?

‘young beech’ cupboards and carcasses with a green ‘laminex’ish  bench top –  4yo Westinghouse oven and cooktop included. 30/3/2010 was the date the cupboards were to be ready to be installed. The sticker is still on the back of the cupboards.

$1300.00…ONO…… if you take it away.. at our convenience…

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and finally,,,

I am looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!

…any suggestions..!!…?

A Grey, day on the green 2014

 

Now I-I know that you never miss your water 'til you're dry
(Never miss your water, your water 'til you're dry)

(Never miss your water - Diesel/Tate 1993)

above: Sean, Emmy , me & Graham, our ‘selfie’ in our very stylish rain gear.

It poured with rain & we got wet. After a long dry spell the drought has broken,, typical it was the night we went to an outdoor concert with a no umbrella rule….

I had to keep my hand over my glass so my wine didn’t get diluted

The acts this year where Diesel, something for Kate and Hunters & Collectors.

It started bucketing down when diesel came on and didn’t stop his whole set, so then we stayed wet & cold.

A lot of people left early.

Above:- here are Graham & I before the rains came…….We did start off dry…