2021 SELF ISOLATION

Well it's been a particularly full on year. Having decided to expand Brad's little one man show business in February, it has been scramble and go every day since. Despite pure exhaustion, we are proud to say business is going well. 10 months in, we are fully employed, recruited another 2.1 staff, have a 100% positive feedback rating from all customers and have been able to close up for Xmas and take a well earned break.

So we decided on self isolation - not of the covid brand. The jump in the bus and find somewhere cool and quiet to see out the Christmas Crazy.

No need for all the drama - yes we miss our family over in Vic & Qld, but not because it's Christmas. We always miss them!
We are not religous. We are not consumerists. We are not lovers of plastic trees, tinsel or fat men in red suits. If we want something or to give a gift, we do it anytime - not because it's Christmas. Get the picture?

We have wound down our Christmas significantly every year the last 4 years or so. This year we wound it down to none! Sure we gave the kids a gift a couple of weeks before Christmas, we took off on Christmas Eve and found our happy place, in the bus, on the road. Found ourselves in Frankland River where we dined at the "Country Club" for dinner Xmas eve, and spent Xmas day relaxing in isolation, exploring around Frankland River, then back to chill out. And it was a perfect first day away.

We are kind of forced to stay and chill a few more days as we forgot to fill up the car, so have used all the fuel we have exploring yesterday. The bus has around 1/4 tank left so we need to wait until the servos open again before hitting the road. It's a heatwave in Perth (44 degrees today) and even Australind, but a pleasing low to mid 30's here. As the weather creeps up over the next few days, we shall head further southeast keeping to the low 30's - it's bliss.

2021 THE SHY ARTIST

Live models, 20mins per drawing, very proud of Lola's school excursion today.

2021 MEDIEVAL CARNIVALE

Not quite a carnivale, Balingup's annual shindig - a Medieval Carnivale. Promising a "magical" day of combat performers, music, dance, theatre and more.

Granted in these COVID times, the usual "weekend full of medieval fun" was reduced this year to a Mini-eval single day event, finishing off with a "bonfire of mythical proprotions".

So we jump in the bus and head down for a funfilled afternoon and stayover, full of the enthusiam born from the dress up antics and giggles. Then off we headed to the "big event".

Well a touch of light entertainment, what can I say about a dress up market - ticked that box!

2021 TAMPERING ALONG

DEC 21 UPDATE: So she's been buffed, sanded and painted, got a new label and internal linging in progress. Well the paint wasn't the colour as planned, but we are running with it for design. We don't like the name Hi-Sierra II so didn't want to plaster that on the side again. However, we are just supersticious enough not to want to change her name (don't fuck with poseidan) so we have kept her original name decalled on the back, and coloured the side with the make "Hustler". We have now confirmed she is a 1985 Hustler Weekender, so honouring that. Have a new windscreen still to install and have had new motor decals made up but need to give the motor cover a sand and paint first. A work in progress for we time pooor folk, but getting there.

JULY 21Business is great, more work than we can handle, searching for the right staff a challenge. As a result we've been working 10-12 hours, 7 days a week but getting the work done and more bookings rolling in.

Deciding we must make a little R&R time, and knowing Jay & Dani are heading over from Victoria as soon as they can escape the boarders, we thought it was time to get another boat.

A 5.8m Hustler Half Cabin, Outboard, she needs a little sanding and fresh makeover but otherwise all sound and good.

2021 SMOOTH AS SILK

Bookings are rolling in and concrete rolling out for a nice new, smooth workshop floor. Meanwhile the storage is starting to take off with the undercover options the most popular and almost full. Feeling thankful, so far so good!

2021 FORGOT THE FISH

How could I forget the boys fishing trip in Esperance. Brad says it all here I think

2021 DEFLATED

Feeling a little deflated to head back to Bunbury, but also a little excited for our new venture. A hot stop at Ravensthorpe to escape the crowds for a few days, Gnowangerup and head to Fonty's Pool via Kojonup and Manjimup. Always something, our tyre was feeling a little deflated too. We were booked to stay at Fonty's pool a few nights, but although it's a lovely park, it's a little to rigid style for us so we left early and chose Bridgetown instead, exhale.

2021 TRACK & TREASURE

Some adventurous tracks trekked around Duke of Orleans, Alexander Point and Thistle Cove, a great day out with the extended Slocombe family, we found some beautiful beach hideaways.
On the way out I noticed a car that appeared a little too close to the tides so we found the track in to help him out. Oops, I almost forgot....HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRADLEY!

2021 SOUTHERN DUNES

Still in the Cape Le Grand region, frolicking in the pristine dunes of stunning white southern sands

2021 FUN = FRIENDS, FAM & FOUR WHEELS

A great day out exploring the surrounds of Cape Le Grand (the pet friendly areas at least).

2021 ON THE ROAD

Quite an interesting detour around South Sterling ranges and dodging roadworks, we caught up with the Slocombes at Bremer Bay. A day on the beach with "she who hates the sun - guess who", a quick look at Hopetoun rapidly logged a place to explore more, we arrived at Esperance. And yes, just as expected, a nightmare full of school holiday crowds, fortunately we had a front row view and pretend we were there all alone.

2021 SOUTH FOR THE SILLY SEASON

Breaking all our rules avoiding travells in the Christmas holiday period, our dear friends coersed us into joining their family trip down south. As it turns out, it's a well earned break perfectly timed just before we startup on a great new opportunity that has fallen into our lap (more about that later).

First step pack and prep and nothing like adding a little shameless advertising for the road. And a shot of Lola's bed while it's clean and tidy (won't last) and the 2 little teddy bears that were handed down from her brother who got them at birth (30 years ago) from our dearest loved ones my mum and aunty carol, both missed every single day since their passing too young.

Back to happy thoughts, about to hit the road again, yippeee. First time with our new awning recently installed at last.

First stop Kalgan - via Donnybrook, boyupbrook, Frankland River, Rocky Gully, Narrikup to Kalgan River Caravan Park for a sister visit. A few odd detours following my rule of avoid travelling the same road twice, and always choose a route never taken (much to Brad's frustration).

2020 THE GRINCH

Brad, Lola and I decided a few years ago to abandon Christmas.
With all of our closest loved ones on the opposite side and ends of Australia, we got to talking about all the things we love and hate about Christmas Day. Love family get togethers - but we have/had them all year around, we didn't need Xmas day to get together. Love the food - so we can cook a Xmas feast every week if want to, though Xmas day does provide the motivation. Hate - religion and associated hypocrasy. Hate - the pressure it puts on families and friends to fight over who they spend the day with, or worse, travelling from one for breakfast, then one for lunch and one for dinner, just to see them on that day - insane, that's not fun for anyone. Hate - the waste and tack, plastic trees, tacky tinsell, don't get me started on snowmen (in Australia) and fatmen in red suits, printed wrapping aaaaarrrrrrgh. Hate - token gifts, things we don't need, the excess, the pressure. Much prefer to just see something I think a loved one would love and buy it for them at anytime of the year. Hate - the cost and the excess. So many people we know fill their credit cards with debt every year, only to work it off for the rest of the year. So this year, we stayed true and abandoned all the pomp and made it about the food. As for gifts, I bought Jay and Lola some shares earlier in the year, and on Xmas day gave them the option to cash out or hold. Jay chose to cash, Lola chose to hold until next year.
Started the day with a facetime to our eastern loved ones, a stress free awesome lunch followed by a sunset drive along the beach. No stress, no excess, no religion, just love.

2020 FOLK OF BALINGUP

A leisurely day in the lovely little town of Balingup. Warning! Expect to open your purse if you hit the Balingup Goldsmith, some stunning pieces.

2020 FREO

Lola and friends decided they want to go to Adventure World so we all jumped in the bus for a few days exploring Freemantle. They had a great day out while Brad and I had some amazing food, I wish I could remember the name of the place. Then hanging out with the kids around town and doing what we do best, eating out and my taking random shots of the people of Freo.

2020 BACK TO BROCK

2020 LAKE BROCKMAN WEEKENDER

Not venturing far from home but still great to jump in the bus and catch up with friends in their caravan at Lake Brockman. A bit fresh so fortunate fires are allowed, a nice relaxing few days with friends, dogs and birds and a little 4X4ing.

2020 NEPALESE BBQ

As regulars and lovers of to the authentic flavours of Nepal we enjoy from Chefs Arjun and Prakash at Everest Inn, we thought it time to introduce our new friends to the charcoal rusticness of the good old Aussie BBQ. Our first home entertaining since Victoria 2013, was planning an Aussie BBQ for our Nepalese friends. I remembered just in time that steak, hamburgers and sausages must not be on the menu so a quick swap out of beef to chicken & lamb. A little something lost in translation saw our guests arrive approximately 5 hours later than expected, but all in all we had a great night sharing our Aussie style traditions and tour of the bus which may have inspired a few future travellers.

Of course Chef Arjun couldn't help but take over Brad's BBQ and while it may not have had the stunning Nepalese flavours of Everest Inn, the BBQ chicken sticks and ribs were a hit.

And as usual, we have increased the sales of Finska by adding a new bunch of addicts who loved the game as much as us and ordered a set at the first available.

2020 FROM LOCKDOWN TO SITDOWN

So we've finally bitten the bullet and accepted that we must sit still for the remainder of Lola's high school. She's a great student with fabulous friends, a good job and really loves it here in Bunbury/Australind. So we have moved into a house with the bus in the backyard ready for some much needed updates/repairs and back to a "normal" life for a while. I've become quite the stay at home housewife (won't last long) and Brad is doing great with his repair business. So here we are, lets see how long we can last :)

2020 LOCKDOWN SWEET 16 & BIG FIVE-O

COVID-19 has hit lockdown phase here in WA. Since resigning from our jobs, we've been back in the bus taking a well earned break and travelling as much as we can within the confines of school. Last month we were offered a property where we can park the bus and make use of the little old house that's just been renovated.

So here we are now in lockdown celebrating Lola's sweet 16 and my big Five-0 birthdays. My thoughtful sister has managed to get our closest loved ones back in Victoria on a Facebook video to sing happy birthday to us both.

To be completely honest, lockdown hasn't had too much an impact on us, or me in particular. Not a very social being, the biggest let down has been our love of dining out. And yes toward the end, losing the freedom to jump in the car and go for a site seeing or find a nice little country pub has started to grate. But lucky we are in WA and lockdown is soon to be over and our freedoms gradually return.

Brad will kill me for posting this but he was recently diagnosed with severe sleep apnea and going through the testing process before commencing a life of a darth vada machine.