Wangi point, 2012

April 14^th, left Dunleith Holiday Park this morning after saying our goodbyes. Dianne drove up from Sydney this morning to pick up Jessica and Annaliese. We always enjoy having the Girls staying with us and it allows us the pleasure of watching them grow and change, as they get older.  Our new Park Manager, Ryan, had some “fun” taking our Van off the waterfront site with the Tractor, but managed it eventually. He is still in the learning process, having never handled Caravans before. We arrived at Wangi Point Caravan Park after the Office was closed for their lunch period, but as we knew our site number, we were able to set up the Van and Annexe.

April 17^th, I finished all the setting up on Sunday, thankfully, as yesterday it started raining and hasn’t stopped. I took a lot more care in setting up the Annexe this time and was very happy that we didn’t get any water leaks in all the very heavy rain. At 9am this morning we arrived at Toronto Private Hospital for Val’s eagerly awaited Carpal Tunnel Operation, on her RH. She was admitted, after we paid the $1050 fee, which is normal Private Hospital requirement. It was only a day surgery operation and we were back home by 1.15pm, with Val’s hand heavily bandaged and all the instructions for Val’s recovery. I read through the instructions and when I read out “no alcohol for 24 hours” she promptly replied “NO WAY”, I wasn’t surprised. The operation went well and although Val didn’t have any tingling feeling, the hand was very sore. I prepared my first meal for Val, under instructions, as this was now my job to look after her during the 10 days while she recovered and was due to have the stitches out. Val felt like 2 minute noodles for dinner, so as directed, I put “some” water in a pot and brought it to the boil. Now I added the contents of the packet into the water and let it re-boil for some time. My meal was just as easy, as Val had pre made meals for me and put them in the freezer. I enjoyed my roast pork and vegies with lots of gravy, while Val, having eaten her “home cooked meal” had the audacity to complain that it tasted like noodles in dirty dishwater. How Ungrateful, next time??? I won’t use a litre of water, but I doubt that she’ll ask for 2 minute noodles again.

April 20^th, I managed to get the boat off the car, in between the rain showers, and yesterday was our first fine day since it started raining, which allowed me to remove the barnacles from the bottom of the boat. After 7 weeks at Dunleith Caravan Park, I have never seen the barnacles so thick and big any other year. So after scraping the barnacles off I had to get stuck into it with a wire brush, in the electric drill, to get back to bare metal. We had joined Wangi Workers Club, so went there for dinner, raffles and members draw. The meals were great, quite large but we had no luck at the meat raffle.

April 22^nd, I set the boat up yesterday but it was a windy day, so I didn’t put it in the water. We went to Macquarie Hills today to Joan’s daughter (Kirrie’s) place to a “Baby Shower” for Joan’s daughter in law, to be. We had a lovely afternoon, with enough food to feed 3 times the 28 who attended. Maryanne received some very nice gifts for her expected baby boy.

April 23^rd, Carole and Rob came down for lunch and stayed for dinner and tiles (Rummikub). Carole arrived with Pizza’s for lunch, a tray of slices and Vegie Soup, which we had for dinner. The weather was lousy but we had a lovely day and an enjoyable game of Tiles.

April 26^th, yesterday I took the motor and seats off the boat, so that I could paint the bottom with plastic paint. Rob had suggested this when they were here on Monday, to make it easier the remove barnacles from the bottom of the boat and Val had remembered that I had some old paint in the back of the car, so it was a done deal and worth a try. We went into Newcastle today for a 2.45pm appointment with Dr, Hicks. He was pleased with the operation and the external cuts were healed well, so out came the stitches. She was told that it now needed time to heal internally and he would see her again in a months time for a final checkup.

April 27^th, Put the boat in the water and went out for a fish. I caught an undersized whiting and a 26cm Bream but both went back to grow bigger. We went to the Workers Club for Raffles and Members draw and came home empty handed but enjoyed tonight’s entertainment. We have now been in Wangi for 2 weeks.

The Entrance, March 2012

March 17^th, Now that we are settled back in, it’s time to get back to Fishing. I was about to jump into my boat to go out when Rob asked me if I wanted to go out with him and try catching Flathead using “poddies” for bait. This is the much sought after bait (live poddy mullet) of the local Fishermen. A couple of hours later we came in with nothing but the knowledge that you don’t get a lot of bites on live poddies,  as the little fish leave them alone. Rob and Carol took me down to Long Jetty and showed me how to catch the live poddy mullet.

March 20^th, The last 3 days have been wet and windy, very strong Southerly’s. When I saw the sun out and skies clear, out fishing I went. After 2 throw-ins I hooked a beautiful 51cm Flathead, caught on cooked prawns, and should have quit then as I didn’t catch another keeper all day.

March 21^st, No fish today. Rob and myself went to BCF at Tuggerah for a Members Night, free sausage sandwich (we had 2 each), a talk on using plastics, by a Fishing Expert, (Didn’t interest either of us) and a Rep. from “Lowrance” discussing Fish Finders. It was an enjoyable night and I found a few items that I had needed anyway. We stayed for the first “lucky door prize” draw and I won a new fishing reel.

March 28^th, The weather hasn’t been great, southerly winds most days but managed to land a couple of Flathead on the good days. Drove up to Salamander Bay yesterday to see Dr. Jim, Val has had a lot of pain and “pins and needles” in both hands, so we had to get her diagnosis confirmed and sure enough it was confirmed to be Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Today we drove into Newcastle to see the Specialist, Dr. Hicks, who agreed and then sent her to Charlestown for tests to determine the severity and recommend the appropriate treatment.

April 1^st, Daylight Saving ends, what a shame. They could leave it on all year for my money, I like it.

April 5^th, The fishing has been fairly slow, but have bagged a few good sized Flathead and a 42 cm Bream today. Yesterday Annaliese turned 8 years old and today is Ed’s Birthday, we won’t mention his age. We went to Newcastle this afternoon to see Dr, Hicks and the Test Results showed severe nerve entrapment in Val’s right wrist so the operation will be done on the 17^th April at Toronto Private Hospital.

April 6^th, Good Friday, Joan and Robert came down for a visit and brought our mail. Val did a nice crumbed flathead fillet lunch for them, while I enjoyed a chicken snitzel. I took Robert out for a fish, in the afternoon, and Robert caught our only keeper (26cm bream). They stayed on for dinner and we finished off the night with a game of tiles.

April 8^th, Easter Sunday, Steven and Ed came up from Sydney for a visit and were treated to a nice crumbed flathead fillet lunch while I (once again) had a chicken snitzel.

April 9^th, Easter Monday, We drove down to Sydney this morning to pick up Jessica and Annaliese and bring them back to Dunleith for a holiday with us. They were very excited to be with us. I took Jessica our prawning, in the boat, at 6.30pm (her first time) and she was very happy when she netted her first prawn. The tide had almost run out and there were not a lot of prawns about, but we had a good time and came back with 10 prawns.

April 13^th, Unfortunately, the Girls haven’t had great holiday weather, strong southerly winds for the first few days. They did manage to get a swim in the shallow water in front of the Van, on one of the good days. Last night was the first night suitable to take Annaliese out prawning but the tide was much later and plenty of small prawns were about. We came in around 9pm with 1.1Kg. of prawns, which is a good night for me. I took the Girls out for a fish this morning but they weren’t biting. The boat had to come out of the water and get put away as we leave here tomorrow for Wangi Point.