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Crying in Cawarral

Dark glasses were needed!

Yes, there were tears, both happy and sad when we hugged our house-sitting host goodbye last month. We spent six fabulous weeks in Cawarral, which is somewhere in the middle of Rockhampton and Yeppoon on the Queensland Capricornia Coast. (You might recall I set a story in the same region after staying on a cattle property last year.)

Yes, we are officially house-sitters and care-taking our way around the country by looking after vacant houses, maintaining properties and gardens, and feeding and loving animals while their humans head off on holidays. We did up a website, printed some business cards, and the requests started coming in and if our first sit in Cawarral is anything to go by, this roving life just got better.

Check out the pictures: the view from our van was stunning, the company cute, and the experiences were the type you tick off the bucket list — the highlight for sure was being midwives to Lacey the Appaloosa mare (check out the video below).

Of course the birth had to happen just after midnight, with Michelle banging on the caravan door: “Come on, girls, we’re having a baby.” So we chucked on long pants and shirts and fought off mozzies that were bigger than a Black Hawk helicopter, while keeping nosy stable mates at bay and taking really bad video recordings. We soon realised the birth was not going to plan, but Michelle took charge and there was a happy ending. His name is Barney, and if you would like to work your way through some very dark and badly done recording (it does get better when we needed it to) you too can witness the miracle of birth.

Best of all, we have made friends for life in Michelle and John (and Paddy – the award-winning Palomino, Clancy – who thinks he’s a dog, and Wilbur with the wonderful eyes. Coco, who is actually a dog, was also the perfect puppy therapy). Missing you all in Cawarral, but there are new communities to get to know. Next stop — Bairnsdale, Victoria. We hope to back in Cawarral for Christmas next year. Barney will probably be with a new family by then, but we got word recently another bub is on the way, so he or she will be a few months old by then. Can’t wait.

Thank you Michelle and John for your friendship.

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A Birthday Bog! Err, I mean BLOG!

Yes, today was my birthday and The J was in top form this year, promising me I would do things I’ve never done before, so…

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My property sit near Yeppoon (QLD).

I woke to this… Our first property sitting job in a beaut little spot near Yeppoon, Qld.

 

 

 

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Clancy, Wilbur, Paddy and Lacey said g’d-neigh Jenn! Happy birthday.
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Birthday cuddles from this cutie – Coco is a sweetie.
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Then we were off! First stop – the dump point (where we…. you know?)
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And a pub lunch in Yeppoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I stopped by Big W and left pressies with my books for five lucky shoppers!
I stopped by Big W and left pressies with my books for five lucky shoppers!
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She went all out when it came to a birthday card.
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And birthday bonus… Vinnies was having a sale!!
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I didn’t really have to cook my own dinner. This was purely about me wanting to be in every photo today. Now… I’m told to expect one more treat tonight. If it happens I’ll add it to Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/JennJMcLeod.books/

 

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Out and about in Barcoola

 

It’s been five months since selling up and moving into Barcoola and we have experienced a few ‘events’ Barcoola style.

After our windy weeks in Corindi (we were staying close to home for Dad) turned into a few months, we finally hit the road on December 15 and headed for Casino, NSW. Both stays have been filled with fabulous characters and fun.

 

Melbourne Cup Day Corindi Van Park style!

Here I am with Hans and Denise and their merry band of Tallowwood Travellers. We were invited to stay on for dinner but didn’t want to leave little Daiquiri on her own any longer. She had lost her mate of 12 years the day before and the crowd knew we were all grieving.

Next thing we hear is Denise knocking on the annex door. There she was with two generous serves of her fabulous paella, with garlic bread! Exactly want we needed to cheer us up.

What wonderful people we’re meeting. You can look out for a Hans and Denise mention in book 4, April 2016! I have a feeling there will be paella!!

 

 Christmas Casino Style

The beef capital is a great town. I am, however concerned. I don’t think the locals are used to seeing little white fluffy dogs. We all went for ‘walkies’ down the main street and people everywhere stopped on the spot and stared with comments like . . . “Oh, a little white fluffy dog!” Maybe they are not used to a dog in a backpack. Or the Blue Heeler and Kelpie are the dog of choice? (Clearly, no one has seen how a cagey, one-dyed white, fluffy dog can fool a mob of sheep!) I did like this Casino local and his mate.

 

 

Our hosts for Christmas was The Big 4 Resort, Casino

The Big 4 Resort at Casino is two things:

  1. a caravan park ideal for the Biiiiig Riiiiig (you are supposed to draw out the words Biiiiig Riiiiig with a really deep, echoing voice)
  2. an entire community of houses especially built for people who own and need to park a Biiiiig Riiiiig.

This place is everything we hoped for. Did I mention there’s a swap library? And guess whose book I found on the shelves?

Our first Christmas was very Casino. That means HOT! But the Christmas lights were pretty cool. The permanent resident cottages are just delightful, with small, manageable gardens (unlike our unruly, triffid-type garden on our property. We have NOT missed the gardening part—yet!) I reckon one of these will be a nice little retirement plan. With room for Barcoola (which will double as guest quarters!) when winter comes . . . .off we go, while the house stays secure in a fenced estate.

Casino Library Author Chat

I’ve done a few library chats but Casino… you have set the bar pretty high. Wow! It was a great turnout. Here I am with a few hangers oners. I was sent home with a platter of yummy, homemade  country-style treats (which I was assured were not fattening!)

 

Australia DayCasino Bonalbo loop

I met a Bonalbo bloke at my library chat. Lance (pictured) drove into Casino to attend my chat, so I drove out to Bonalbo for their Australia Day celebrations. They clearly knew I was there because the band played a song from my up-coming release – Season of Shadow and Light!photo

 

We’ve had a great time exploring Casino. Time to head back to Corindi for a while. I have a book to launch in May. 🙂

Play this video. Celebrate Australia and Season of Shadow and Light with me.