The warmest night so far, it only dropped to 19.0° at 6:30am, no wonder we were warm.
After watching Sunrise, we left camp about 9:30am and drove down to Robina Shopping Centre. The main object was to find some clothing for Mont's school book costume and for something different, Marg was looking for summer clothes. Do you know how boring it is going in to every clothing store looking at clothes, even when I stand out the front, it is boring as bat shit, and that's pretty boring. After 2 hours of 'shopping' we headed to Spotlight to buy some material for Mont's costume and then over to South Park for some food shopping.

Back at camp for lunch, I still have not heard from the bike shop, that was getting a XL size bike for me to test, SO I rang them and it turns out that the bike has arrived and sent it to their other store, actually closer to me. I rang them and then drove there and tested the bike. It's a winner. I have now ordered the bike from a dealer in Frankston, Vic and will pick it up when we get back to Melbourne.

Back from the bike shop, I then went for a ride, only to the Spit along the coastal path.
Today's ride had 2 bits of excitement.
1. Monty couldn't come and see me, so he sent his little vicious cousin. A 2 feet 'brown' snake. As I rode along the concrete path just out the back gate of the Sheraton Mirage, I noticed a small snake approx 2 feet and about as thick as your thumb. He had nearly finished crossing the path, when he saw me, he lifted his head and headed straight to the scrub. I kept well away and did not stop for a photo session. I maybe an 'old fart' but I'm not bloody stupid. Well, maybe just a little silly.
2. Riding back across the Nerang River bridge on the shared path, I noticed 2 teens walking 2 abreast towards me, the bridge path is just 2 people wide. The one on the outside was deep in conversation on his phone and looking down not ahead. So me being an absolute bastard sometimes, rode straight as him before calling "Passing". his mate saw me, but phone boy didn't until I was very close and he absolutle shat himself. I was going at slower than walking pace and stopped right in front of him. I enjoyed it. He didn't.

Latest riding update: Today's ride of 20kms brought my total at Southport to 435kms or 3,938km so far this year.

Dinner tonight was Marg's magic nachos. It was YUMMA.
We watched Big Brother and then watched part 1 of Kerry Packer's Howzat.

Tomorrow, riding and whatever we want to do.

Happy Birthday, Dad. Mum and Dad left this morning and are driving to the Gold Coast, hoping to arrive Tuesday arvo. Dad is bringing his bike, so we will go riding together.

A cooler night, I got up at 5:30am, because I was wide awake, Marg woke around 7:30am, about 9am Lukey arrived on his motorbike.
We sat on the beach and chatted while watching the magic views. Sunny with a light breeze, Lukey stayed for about an hour then drove off home. I went for a ride to the Spit, I didn't see any wildlife today, which was good. At Labrador, I spotted the Georges and stopped and took just a few photos.
Latest riding update: Today's ride of 28kms brought my total at Southport to 463kms or 3,966km so far this year.

We spent the arvo sitting on the beach, reading Michael Jackson, and just relaxing. About 4pm, I sat in front of the box and watched Lowndesy's win today's V8 Supercar race. Good on ya, Lowndesy. Dinner tonight was pizza and it was YUMMA.
We watched the movie Couples Retreat, it was a funny show.

Tomorrow, maybe Carrara Markets.

A cooler night, I pulled on my 2nd blanket around 5:30am, and managed to sleep until 7am, then we listened to Macca on ABC radio.
Just as we were getting ready to head off to Carrara Markets, I received a phone call from the CP Office, Keith our friend from Surfers, popped in to see us, as he was in the vicinity, SO we sat on the bench table overlooking the Broadwater and had coffee and chatted. Keith left us after coffee and we said that we call in and see he and Lucy sometime this week.
We drove over to Carrara Markets and checked out the numerous stalls. There was a snake demo, which was very informative. I also managed to buy a pair of sandals. Marg didn't find anything that took her interest. We had to visit Luke as Marg and Jodi were making Mont's school book character costume, While Marg and Jodi buggered about with the costume, I drove Luke to Amart to buy a new computer desk, he needed the mighty Navara to fit the desk in, his HSV Clubby couldn't fit it in. By the time we arrived back at Lukes, the girls had done all that they needed too, so we said goodbye and headed back to camp.

After lunch, I went for a ride out to the Spit and then to Anglers Paradise. Being Sunday, there were people everywhere, I rested out at the end of the Spit and watched a couple of boats enter the seaway. Riding from the Spit along the coastal path, I saw another 'brown snake' very close to where I saw Monty the Python. At the snake demo at the market, the guy said there were plenty of baby brown snakes along this shared path. I believe him.
A bit further along the path, as I rounded a 'blind' corner, I came face to face with 2 cops in their police quad bike, I didn't have time to stop them for a photo, maybe next time. While riding towards Lands End bridge in Biggera Waters, as I past the 'old farts' rest home, there was a band playing in the garden.
Latest riding update: Today's ride of 28kms brought my total at Southport to 490kms or 3,994km so far this year.

I taped today's V8 Supercars race and will watch it later, but Lowndesy came 2nd. Good on ya, Lowndesy.
Dinner tonight was mini pizza and there were YUMMA.
We watched Big Brother, then Kath and Kim, while taping Kerry Packer Part 2.

Tomorrow, Marg may go to the pokies and I might ride.

A cooler night, I pulled on my 2nd blanket around 5:30am, and managed to sleep until 7am, Marg was awake about 6am and got up shortly after that, I didn't hear her.
We buggered about until just before 10am, when I dropped Marg at our club, so she could play the pokies. On the way, back to camp, I filled up with diesel. I changed into cycleman and rode along the various shared paths to Surfers first, then retrace my steps and then along the coastal path to the Spit. Spotted a turtle in the seaway, probably about 15" in diameter, a good size, sat on the seawall waiting to take a photo when he came up for air, the bugger moved on, so no photo. Retraced back along the coastal path, about 500 meters from the Spit, another bloody 'baby brown' snake, as soon as he saw me, he was off into the scrub.

Since the 3rd August, riding this coastal path the wildlife encounters count is:

• 1 x blue tongue lizard.
• 1 x legless lizard, no, he wasn't pissed nor was I.
• 2 x coastal Carpet Pythons, may be the same one, but sounds better if it was 2 different one.
• 3 x baby brown snakes, unfortunately, these were all different sizes and seen in different locations within a couple of kilometers.

Continued upto past the caravan park to Anglers Paradise, where I came upon 2 police in their 'charoit' so I stopped them for a photo. Then back to camp.
Latest riding update: Today's ride of 35kms brought my total at Southport to 526kms or 4,028km so far this year.

When I arrived back, Marg was already there, she lost, but enjoyed herself. After lunch, we drove to South Park for a coffee and some food shopping. The rest of the afternoon was spent just relaxing, on the internet and I think, that Marg may have had a nanna nap, I also watched yesterday's V8 race.
Dinner tonight was nachos which were YUMMA.
We watched Big Brother, and then read.

Tomorrow, We are taking Mont to school.

Well, it all started at 2:30am, when I got up to have a pee, I heard running water noises through the toilet hatch, SO I went outside to investigate. As I stood off the bottom step into our annex area, I was standing in water, NOT A DAMP AREA, but water as in a large puddle, it was flowing through the annex from the back to the front and along the road to the drain. At the taps, I noticed that Dennis's (our neighbour at the back of us) hose connection had come apart and the hose was pointed in our direction and was pumping out mains pressure water, consequently, we had a water problem. Everything in the annex was wet, Marg's chair, my chair, all the cloth bags, containing our rocks. SO I turned off Dennis's tap and dried my feet and went back to bed, where I tossed and turned for at least 30 minutes, when I thought that a towel which covers Margs plastic tub of knotting cottons, maybe wet, SO up again, turn on the outside lights and sure enough, the towel was wet but luckily, it had not worked its way up into the tub. Dried feet again and back to bed. Tossed and turned and slept absolutely RATSHIT. Up at 5:25am, because we had to take Mont to school, as Jodi had to open up at work today and was leaving home at 6:30am. Lukey is picked up each day at 5am by his brother Jay and they drive to Brisbane to work. So Marg and I volunteered to help the kids out by babysitting Mont, dressing her, feeding her and dropping her off at school. The 3 of us left Mont's home at 8:30am and we drove her to school, where the mighty Navara battled with the school mum's brigade. We dropped her carseat back at home and then drove back to our camp, to survey what was damp. Nothing that a bit of airing couldn't fix, so I opened up the flaps and moved a few things to air. SO we got changed from jeans and jumper, as it was cool and dark when we left camp at 5:50am, into shorts and hawaiian shirt and headed off to Bingo. Must keep Marg happy.

Bingo was good, but we didn't win a trick or money. We were down to just one number to get, when some other old fart beat us. When Bingo finished approx 12:45pm, we drove over to South Park for lunch and Marg had to buy some coloured felt for Mont's book character costume, which she is wearing on Thursday, you know 2 days time. We couldn't find any felt, SO we drove over to Spotlight, where Marg got what she needed. I waited in the car, that was more thrilling than walking around Spotlight.

Back at camp about 2:30pm, I crashed on the bed and slept until Dad rang my mobile about 4pm. Mum and Dad had arrived safely on the Gold Coast, after leaving Melbourne on Saturday and driving and staying overnight at Albury, Dubbo, Goondiwindi and finally along the Logan Motorway, arriving at Mermaid Beach.

Marg spent the remainder of the arvo, making the "Grub" costume. She is very talented, I like it. After dinner of ham steaks and vegies, we drove over to give Mont her costume. She loved it.

No riding today, I wonder why.

Tomorrow, Mum and Dad are coming around to visit us.

I slept like a log last night, finally pulling on my 2nd blanket around 5:30am, and managed to sleep until 6:30am, Marg woke about 7:30am.
I went riding about 9am, as the weather was warm. It is better to ride early in the morning, but as it has been cool to cold, I normally don't ride until it warms up. I rode along the various shared paths to Surfers first, where the surfers were out in force on the glassy waves, then retraced my steps and then along the coastal path to the Spit. Spotted the turtle that I couldn't photo on Monday. Turt was swimming around the end of the seawall, so I sat on the seawall waiting to take a photo when he came up for air, this time I got him. Retraced back along the coastal path, looking for any reptiles, but didn't see any. On last night's Ch 7 news, there was a report about the plague of brown snakes in SE Qld, I can confirm that the report is true. Continued upto past the caravan park to my turnaround point at Anglers Paradise. On my return, I stopped at Labrador kiosk opposite the Georges and was surprised to see inside that it is not just a kiosk, but a HUGE fishmongers. Then back to camp.
Latest riding update: Today's ride of 35kms brought my total at Southport to 561kms or 4,063km so far this year.

I spoke to Dad last night and he said they would come around and visit us today, but I thought that he was ringing me before they came so we would definitely be home. SO Marg and I buggered around camp until 4:15pm, when we were locking up the van, before heading to our club for pokies and dinner, Marg spotted 2 old farts walking towards our van. Yep, Mum and Dad wanted to surprise us. Trust me, I was surprised. We sat around and chatted, the good news is that Dad brought his new motorised bicycle with him to Qld, so we can go riding together, the bad news is, he forgot to bring a key for the battery, so we maybe delayed a couple of days while the key is being flown up here, it may arrive today. Update, Dad just rang, the key has arrived in today's mail and we are ready to ride. When Mum and Dad left us, we decided to postpone pokies and dinner until tomorrow night.
Dinner tonight, was weet-bix and cheese on bikkies washed down with a few chilled refreshers.
We watched Big Brother, and then read.

Tomorrow, We are taking Mont to school and staying for the Book Character costume show.

It is 5:00pm and I am sitting in the bar at our club (Southport Worker's Club), Marg is playing the pokies and I have a chilled refresher beside me as I update this. Dinner starts at 5:30 and tonight is the monthly members number draw as 6pm, so I expect this joint to be packed.
Back to today's activities.
We both slept well and woke about 6:30am and laid in bed and watched Kochie on Sunrise. We were ready and left at 7:50am to drive over to Mont's house, as Marg and I were driving her to school for the schools' Book character costume show, I thought that it was just Mont's Prep grade, oh no, no...
It was the WHOLE school, all dressed in their book costumes. Marg and I dropped Mont in her classroom and had a quick chat to her teacher and then we walked over to the hall and sat down in the front row, beside the wall, so I didn't block anyone behind me. The schoolkids sat in the middle at the front of the hall. There was logic to me sitting beside the wall, as I gave up my seat to a mum and that allowed me to stand up beside the wall and wander up and down taking photos. Which I did, in total I took 84 photos, so Lukey and Jodie, who couldn't get time off work, would see the atmosphere. The show went until 10:15am, Marg being a school teacher loved it, I put up with it. We dropped off Mont's carseat at their home and then drove back to camp.

When back at camp, I rang Dad as we teed up to ride today, so I rang him and he didn't answer his mobile. Typical. About 10 minutes later, he rang me to say that he is out riding and is approaching Southport Yacht Club. I told him to ride to our camp and I would go riding with him, this gave me about 15 minutes to get changed and be ready to go. He arrived on his new 'power asssisted' bike and it is a ripper. We rode through the camp and I told him to slow down. He was showing off. The silly old fart. We rode back to Surfers as Mum wanted to go shopping, so Dad wasn't allowed to stay out too long. After 60 plus years of marriage, he is still under the thumb. :)
Anyway, Dad gave me a ride of his new bike, and it is unreal, as you peddle the motor kicks in and 'assists' your peddling, OR it has a hand throttle and if you don't peddle, the hand throttle powers you. It is bloody brilliant. Dad said he will put it in his will for me. The way he is going, he will out live me. hehehehhe. We rode along the shared paths to Cavill Ave, where I took a photo of Dad and his bike. He continued on to Mermaid Beach, where they are staying until October, and I rode back along the path to the Spit (No reptiles today) and then rode back to camp.
Latest riding update: Today's ride of 26kms brought my total at Southport to 587kms or 4,089km so far this year.

Back at Camp, I had lunch then we drove over to South Park for a coffee and some shopping. We left camp about 4:20pm and drove over to our club.
Dinner at the club, I had roast pork and beef and cracklin' and vegies, Marg had roast lamb and vegies. All of it was YUMMA. We were home in time to watch Big Brother, and then read.

Tomorrow is Gold Coast show day holiday, so I maybe dropping Mont and Grandma at the show. I will probably ride, but the weather forecast is not flash, so we may not be doing anything.