2. Old Stomping Ground

Donna's plan 😂

Pete and I have different approaches to plans. He doesn't make them because things change. I make them and things change. 

We intended to leave the Northern Rivers on Saturday after Ella's soccer game. I was supposed to pack up at my place Friday morning and get to Pete's mid afternoon to assist him to get the bikes up onto the bike rack he was making on top of the car; and to pack the car. 

ebikes packed

But after working two days during last week, seeing my dear Mum the other two days, and trying to wash and dry clothes in between I was behind the eight ball. 

We decided I would just go down for soccer Saturday morning and we'd do all the things after that and then leave. We discovered late Friday that the game had been cancelled. Shame - we were looking forward to that I got myself packed up and down to Pete's by 3. We did the bike rack, Pete did a fabulous job - the neighbours invited us to have a beer...the plan changed to leave on Mothers Day. Sunday morning I cleaned out the front of the car - Pete had emptied and cleaned out the back. We started packing and by the time we had squeezed everything in ... we decided to leave first thing Monday.

  

The reason we were not in a hurry is that most of the folk we had hoped to visit on the way down were largely not there or had Covid. Friends at Coffs Harbour were off in their van. My cousin at Scotts Head was away for Mother's Day weekend. Pete's friend at Old Bar was elsewhere. Family at Newcastle were in isolation. 

First swim in 77 days - day 1
We got away about 11am and headed south to Corindi Beach in the hope of finding a mate of Pete's at home. He wasn't of course but we had our first swim in 77 days - since Pete's operation and since the flooding that affected our Far North Coast Beaches so that we have not ventured in for the longest time. It was such a tonic for ocean addicts like us.

2nd swim - Day 2
I was stoked to hear from my niece at Dondingalong - she was home and we hadn't seen each other for an age. Pete and I had the loveliest evening with her on Monday night. I won't go into too much detail about friends and relatives along our path - I am sure they will appreciate that. We snuggled by the fire with home made soup, lots of catch up chat and in the morning we had a delicious swim to wake us up and checked out the almost ready AirBnb that my niece and her husband are readying. 


We drove all the way through from Dondingalong to Church Point on Tuesday arriving at dinner time at Pete's friends. We've been here for three sleeps and leave to travel to Melbourne next Monday morning. Pete had his birthday here on Weds night - a lovely evening with his long term friends. Like family.

Long Reef
The Northern Beaches is both of our old stomping ground - and it has taken us till now to get back here together and cruise around remembering our younger days. Pete mainly living in and around Dee Why, me everywhere from Manly through to Palm Beach. Pete surfing the northern beaches all his young life before he moved up the coast. Me hanging out on boats in Pittwater and the Hawkesbury River. Pretty excited that tomorrow we will be meeting up with my sister Peit, her boyfriend Steve and my niece Hannah and boyfriend Al - for an overnight stay on Steve's yacht Black Magic - hopefully this weather will be a little gentle for at least part of that - as the BoM is suggesting - its hard to look at it because The Far North Coast is in the path of a heap more rain. Sending love to all our people up there. xxx

Luch with Smilesy at the Time and Tide
Lunch with Smilesy at
the Time and Tide
Happy birthday dearest Pete xxx


Comments

  1. KarenMay 14, 2022 at 1:57 PM

    Have fun lovelies, how exciting to have begun your adventure.

    ReplyDelete

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