2021....

[Davent]

Was bloody great to meet you two and Taz in person.
Me and Mrs M discovered a new species (to us any way) of a very small ground wasp. I was confused as my hand started to burn like a cigarette was butted out on it! Then a second one????!!!! Then I saw the 3rd one get me, as small as a mozzie, but a bit thicker, green and gold, packs a punch for such a small ba@*!ad! Is nt that right Sandra!
We got a tour of the famous purple people eater, all made by Phil.
Sadly, we couldn't find a good patch, as we had pretty much cleaned the one we went to, we just had not realised that we were so close to finishing it off, sorry!
Hope one day we can do it all again, and Sandra, after May/June, the weather is beautiful!

 

[Moneybox]

Hi Dave. I think the new wasp species should be named Davedra or Sandave. They sure burnt their marks into us. I must say I really did help a bit with the purple people eater build, you know. I also know that September, October and so on come after May/June LOL. Hoping you and Jo are coming our way this year.

 

[Wishfull]

This is from one of our trips north earlier in the year. It's a bit long winded but it's that time of the year to be sitting about playing a bit of YouTube.

[video=480,360]https://youtu.be/jlefB5L33hc[/video]

I see youre still using the sdc. Love it.

 

[Moneybox]

The journey into the Northern Territory was without hassle. We had our NT border passes but there was not a soul around to check them.

NT is full of old WW2 bases some in better condition than others. The first one we found off the beaten track was tricky to get to. We had followed a road that ended our trip with a fence running across it. Hmmm, weird.

We eventually got to the base and it was one of the worst ones. a slitherer's paradise. but it had an old battered helicopter shell which was fun to check out. Plus a bit of a building with a great airforce painting on the cinder blocks.

Next was a painted brolga on a granite outcrop. As I moved over to it there was a bungarra just sitting there. I climbed the rock to get a better look and it still didnt move which was more than a bit odd.

Eventually, when I got close enough I spotted a broken tail and thought it was dead although very well-preserved. completely desiccated. It was preserved alright. in plastic on a wire frame which was a big chuckle in the end. Someone has a great sense of humour but that made it safe enough for Taz to say hello to it. A nice bit of fun not far from the highway.

The next WW2 air base was a cracker at Snake Creek and we spent two days there exploring some bomb shelters and building ruins.The shelters were covered in soil and everything once had camouflaged netting over them so they couldnt be seen from the air. just as in the movies.

Even the old railway track for movement of military supplies was still in place. There was an area with 40 gallon drums which were used as target practice. People have been fossicking it since the war ended but we still found a few bullets and other little things including a hurricane lamp top.

Dave and his dog from Darwin turned up to say hello and we spent a few hours exploring, chatting and doing not a lot in the NT hot. Fortunately, the shelters were open so we could shelter inside them where it was much cooler. A great spot to visit.

 

[jethro]

Ha :lol: :lol: ha Money box I love the contrasting fashion statements layful: of your exploration attire. Camo pants with a high vis shirt. You sir have all eventualities covered. Simply discard the garment that doesn't suit the occasion. erfect:

 

[Jaros]

Great pics man. You can feel the history you have portrayed to us all. You are living the dream if I may say. :clap:

 

[jethro]

All joke aside Mr n Mrs Mb that is one of the best Photo Journals on this forum Well done.
If you ever get over to North east Victoria I'd be more than happy to show you around.

 

[Dihusky]

Looks like an awesome trip Moneybox, as the saying goes "A picture speaks a thousand words" think yours speak a lot more Clear that bar the wasps and humidity, you've had a brilliant trip, also wonderful to see Mrs M back to her normal self layful: after the rough patches.

 

[Moneybox]

Looks like an awesome trip Moneybox, as the saying goes "A picture speaks a thousand words" think yours speak a lot more Clear that bar the wasps and humidity, you've had a brilliant trip, also wonderful to see Mrs M back to her normal self layful: after the rough patches.

Yes Dihusky, Mrs M is as back to normal as advanced age will allow . She has been prescribed all sorts of experimental drugs that appear lethal if you care to read the small print but the results have been better than expected. She has ditched the chemo injections as they made her really sick. She has suffered the effects of chronic psoriatic arthritis in recent years but we're fortunate to have her up and running. We should all be aware that we have very limited time on this earth regardless of age so we must try to get the best of all the time we have. Too often we say "I just don't have the time to do that" when very often we choose to take work over pleasure.

We only retired because I figured it was time. We had a mortgage and a large business loan but I'd reached a predetermined age and refused to work longer. Like most people we were spending money on many things that we wanted but didn't need. We simply stopped spending and sold off some unneeded assets and didn't care too much about our financial future. As it worked out we still can't spend as many retirees do because I cannot get the aged pension but we're still a lot better off than when we had to go to work every day.

We live in Cue right in the midst of the Murchison goldfields but a major part of our decision to move here was that our house in Cue cost a third of the value of our old house in Capel. We simply don't have to live in a place where homes cost many hundreds of thousands and when moving out of the city means we don't have to continue to support the bank and its investors.

Retirement is a decision all should consider long before you are too old to enjoy it layful:

My breakfast bowl after returning at 10am.

It doesn't look much but this is all I could collect in the tea strainer, the rest goes into the black sand pile and we'll deal with that some time in the future.

 

[Dihusky]

It's a great feeling Phil, we retired in September, both on the same day, sold everything and now buying a much cheaper place in the bush so we can be self sufficient, brilliant area on top of the range and loving it so far, the buggers refused me a pension as well, but we know how to live well cheaply

3oz for breakfast, think that should pay for a couple of dinners as well

 

[user 22230]

Same same as recently got back to the bush, self funded retiree (I believe that's the term used for government won't give you a cent despite 50+ years of paying tax)
MoneyBox your words ring so true (Retirement is a decision all should consider long before you are too old to enjoy it) and happy future days for yourself and wife :Y: Have been told I'm lucky but as you well know MB, lucks got nothing to do with it but more the choices we choose to make. Life's simple but oh so grand Months on I still pinch myself as I awake and look out the bedroom window, or at night as one sits on the front verandah listening to the water run along the creek below. Finally living, in heaven but with a pulse layful:

 

[Dihusky]

Beautiful Diginit, :inlove: bit jealous about the stream, can't beat the sound of running water

 

[Moneybox]

Beautiful Diginit, :inlove: bit jealous about the stream, can't beat the sound of running water

Yes we have a bit of a problem in that area. We like running water as well so one of my 2022 projects is a water feature connected to the fish pond.

 

[user 22230]

Beautiful Diginit, :inlove: bit jealous about the stream, can't beat the sound of running water

It is a seasonal creek but in heavy rain it fair roars. As it is now just right to sit a sluice in and has some great swimming holes along with the calming effect the sound running water tends to create

 

[Jaros]

It's not easy being green as Kermit would say.
[video=480,360]https://youtu.be/51BQfPeSK8k?t=5[/video]

 

[user 22230]

It's not easy being green as Kermit would say.
[video=480,360]https://youtu.be/51BQfPeSK8k?t=5[/video]

Was a hard road to get here Jaros as in the perfect location for what I sought (real long story, 5 months in fact) But worth it in the end to finally be able to say that one is completely content with one's life. :Y: Probably shouldn't add that you can walk out the front gate and start swinging :8

 

[Mackka]

Best Wishes for a long and Happy Future mate.
Mackka

 

[user 22230]

Thanks Mackka, much appreciated :Y:

 

[Jaros]

My fathers 1st house had a creek right in front of the house right on the cnr of Heatherton Rd and Princes HWY Noble Park where he used to fish and drink and catch eels being of Ukrainian heritage. I wouldn't touch them but a lot of people do. We had a dairy farmer across the road where we had buckets of fresh milk and cream daily for nix. My mother used to squirt me with the cows nipple and laugh her head off. I loved playing in the creek until the Roads people diverted the creek under our backyard in a huge concrete pipe system Our out house was right at the other end of the yard and we had to walk across 2 or 3 planks with a torch at night over a 20ft trench at night for months.

 

[user 22230]

Jaros know the area well as lived Heatherton Rd Springvale many years ago :Y:
MB apologies as no intent to hijack your thread, was simply relating well to what you posted ......................... mods feel free to mod if required :Y: