My day for those who are bored

Last night I did not write  (I know how very dare I) but there was a reason, for yesterday early evening, I lifted the dog we are minding – a dashund that’s a tad heavy without bending at the knees please! The result… spasms in my mid back up to my shoulder blades.

Today was horse riding day with a girlfriend, so last night I was lying down & stretching to get said back right and bed by 9.

Woke up this morning and felt a slight twinge, but no pain, so it was onward & upward. Now in Australia we are in Summer, someone did NOT tell the weather gods that though.

We arrived at the ‘ranch’ and it started drizzling – decked ourselves out in helmets (extremely attractive) and drizabones (what are they you ask?)

These are them 

oil skin ankle length coats, that are rainproof and warm! (Think Man from Snowy River) We looked a treat.

On we went, rained continuing but not too heavy, the path slushy and muddy and puddles, beneath their feet, well trained and accustomed to the track, single file, head to bum all the way. We had the occasional trot, which my back coped with and first stop a Winery — YAY! Now I use to ride quite a bit in my younger years, the last time was 2 years ago. Because I was trying to be careful of my back when I dismounted, I didn’t judge the distance to the ground right, and yep straight out of the cowboy movies, yours truly landed fair square on her coccyx! Looking up at the tree tops in embarrassment!

More ginger stretches before going into the winery to sample 11 different wines from the region (we are talking 2 teaspoons full per glass here people) but it was enough to dull the pain. Then the heavens opened heavier and we were given the option of staying in and have lunch there or move on to the next winery. What MORE wine! I’m in! Off we went, the occasional trot (when I was just wanting to break out into a gallop) but we were advised too slippery underfoot. 😦

More tasting, then back to the stables. 3 hours in total, 22 tastings in total, 1 sore bottom.
The sun did peek for 4 minutes – thankfully!!

Normally this little adventure for two people is $320.00 – this cost $100 (on special) but I would have so liked to gallop or at least get a canter in – so that and landing on my backside the 2 disappointments of the day. Home now to relax 🙂

and me being shoved out the way by my horse Dusty- helmet hair and all 🙂

Gen Y let loose

Listen up all you fossils
yes I am listening too
hopefully you ain’t cooked
as you read the words you see
for this is totes awesome
the language of today
yes lol it is for kicks
the words I’m ’bout to say
I hope your’e not maggotted
then again this would make sense
for yolo you know and being
wigged out ain’t really cool
try not catch the zeds
as I ramble on with words
can I say wtf
along with chillax  ~ what say you?
the planking was lost months ago
now twerking’s really cool
lmao I’ll end this piece right now
so don’t be a tool
and get the lingo on your tongue
my friends are a different bread
and a dutch bag…erm ~ what~who?

©jmtacken 16/11/13

Our Sunday Drive

There was a photo of the main street (20 mins from home) that was taken in the 1800’s. The spot is called Belgrave. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgrave,_Victoria. The photo  (that no longer is on my post) and apologies for the clarity, was on a wall in a little cafe we go to for breakfast or brunch some weekends. It was a little difficult to actually stand on the bench seat to get a better shot without me being dragged away, hence the size and lack of close up.

This is how the street is now, (well it was)  ahh yes the empty can on the road says it all really…

The above left (can’t see it?) very hard to get shot is what Belgrave is renowned for – its steam train The Puffing Billy,  which shuttles, and puffs its way up the mountain full of people to Emerald Lake. Where everyone enjoys paddle boats and BBQ’s.

To your right (yep over there) is the inside of this little Cafe where the food servings are of enormous proportions.

This is the over-sized bacon & onion omelets Mr. S and I consumed (and yes there will be no dinner tonight!) Hmm believe me it was BIG.

It was a drive with incidence however, we were meandering up the winding hills seeking a destination (before we settled on Cafe above aptly named The Puffing Billy) when a dog ( a blue heeler cross ) started crossing the road. Without a word. Mr. S pulled over to the side and I jumped out. “Here boy/girl/whatever your name is”. “Now where’s your mum and dad”?

Luckily a neighbour came out from 3 doors up and said he is well looked after, but keeps escaping. The two of us then took 5 minutes trying to open the gate where “Denim” lived (thankfully he had a name tag with two mobile numbers), finally in the heat and flies buzzing round my head I let him in – no one was home. I checked around the side of the house, there was a bucket with water so I emptied and refilled. Locked the gate and we phoned the owners – no reply went to message bank.

Two minutes later about to get back in the car Denim was at my side again. “Grrr”, another neighbour was then called upon and asked if she had a rope, the only solution was to tie Houdini Denim in the yard. So that is what I did, made sure his water was there and went on our way an hour later. I got in the car smiling saying “Aren’t you glad I’m a dog lover”? Mr. S just nodded….

The owners finally phoned when we driving back to Belgrave saying thank you so much and asked us if we saw where he escapes from and that they have barricaded every spot they knew. Um no we didn’t, perhaps a little more investigation is required however….

Denim lives to enjoy another day and we were ablet to eat our somewhat late lunch.

Oh and this last pic (well it was) spotted in an art shop along the main street?  – This is for knocked over by a feather – Merby who is a Beatles nut 🙂

APOLOGIES to those who read and cannot get the gist for the lack of pics. I think I have solved the vanishing issues but sadly I have deleted them from my phone so I cannot re-enter 😦

3 more challenges given from I need Help. This is # 1- Why I dislike Camping.

This one was kindly requested from Lynette d’Arty-Cross she asks Why don’t I like Camping?

To give this true substance I am drawing on the odd 1 or 2 camping expeditions from many…many  years ago…

zzzzzzzz No I’m not sleeping

“Great”!  Pesty little vampires with wings about to attack me now. I wave my hand madly thinking that will distract them. “Go find someone else to bite”. No, clearly not listening, one lands in my ear and the sound escalates to ZZZZZZZZZZZ!

“Go away”.

“Shush” said one of the parentals.

Yes, when we had our camping ‘holidays’ (and I say that term rather loosely)  we the 5 of us were in one tent, a big tent mind, but still a TENT.

“Mosquitoes” I reply grumbling & grizzling.

“Well get up quietly and get some spray”.

“It’s cold I’m not getting out of the covers”.

Silence..

zzzzzzz here they come again, like kamikaze pilots on their mission,  now if you can believe the myth that they go for quality blood, then I have bucket loads as I am always the one to look like I’ve been struck down with chicken pox overnight. ZZZZZZZZZZ

“Good grief” head under the covers.

“It’s cold” I continue to grizzle (yes I really am fun to take away camping).

Silence…

Pit…pit…

“Rain?” You have to be kidding, it’s raining now.

This tent didn’t have the fancy built in floor liners as they do now, we threw a couple of tarpaulins down as best we could when pitching the tent in the dead of night usually.

“Now the ground will get wet”.

“No it won’t shush and go to sleep”, the other parental.

Silence….

The night seems longer than a usual night, I’m uncomfortable lying on a blow up mattress that has as much air in as a packet of chips. I toss, I turn, I swat , I’m cold, I wait for the morning.

“Morning!” both parentals and brothers echo.

Silence…

“Do I really have to walk 1/2  mile to get to the toilet & showers?”

Silence…

We (I) stagger out to the daylight, eyes squinting, at least the sun is out.

We sit on logs and the parentals organise breakfast, yes bacon and eggs on a campfire (gas burner) tastes so much better in the outdoors.

Shuttlecock time after breakfast – one of the games we played a lot when we were younger. Whack hit, catch, retrieve, whack.

Time moves on….

Camping when I was in my late teens.

Still the vampires, still the uncomfortable sleeping arrangements, still the dirty, dusty ground inside and outside the tent.

This time though it’s a campfire for breakfast, it smells good in the open air. There are cups of warm tea and even with sore backs we (I) can manage to smile and laugh and chill. The walk to the toilet & showers didn’t phase me as it did when I was younger and I put up with enjoy the camaraderie of others.

I’ll camp now – but my version of camping is to stay in a cabin fully equipped – nice beds – toilet – shower – couch – table to eat at – kitchenette –  microwave – TV – radio.

NOT because I am spoilt and want the grand luxuries – but because I’m older and I don’t need to have a sore back, I need a toilet within seconds (if you get what I’m saying here). If it’s miserable outside I want to curl up with a good book, or listen to music or watch the idiot box. I want to shower where I don’t have to wear thongs (flip-flops) on my feet for fear of catching tinea. A table to eat at instead of juggling a plate on my knee.

So there you have my “Why I don’t like Camping” tale..I can DO camping just my style 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instagram clip

http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6853117/look-at-this-instagram-nickelback-parody

For some reason I cannot get the actual clip to paste and or work – someone/anyone tell me how???????

Suffering from tech savvy skills right now. 😦

Daughter showed me this as she is an Instagram nutter – it is quite comical.