(This post was written a few weeks ago. It was a post that I’d originally thought wouldn’t be published owing to the poor formatting. I can’t do anything about the formatting, but have decided to publish anyway. So Margaret, you’ve probably guessed what we’re up to on the home front, but if you haven’t, read on. Here it is – warts and all.)

A few months prior to Covid we had a garage sale, and we advertised some things individually on Facebook market place. The world was much more affluent then. Items advertised for a fair price hung around for days, often with barely an enquiry. Some things eventually sold, usually after much bartering, and we were lucky to receive a tiny fraction of the original purchase price.

Fast forward about twelve months. It’s now approximately seven months since Covid arrived in Australia. Some people have lost jobs, others fear losing their livelihoods.

However being retired our income remains reasonably static, and currently prices for home renovations are competitive. After a favourable quote for some work, we’ve decided our man cave is to be no more, and in its place we’ll have a new master bedroom suite.

Consequently we’ve needed to have a cull of the man cave furniture. With some trepidation we advertised a few items, a coffee table, two lounge chairs, the fridge, and a few other items. The result indicates there has been a major shift in people’s mindsets. Clearly the affluent, ‘ buy everything new’ mentality has gone. There has been no bartering for lower prices, and most items have sold within half a day of being listed. We even lifted the laminate flooring from the man cave and advertised it. We photographed it and listed it prior to lifting it and had a committed buyer almost immediately.

Recognising the shift in attitudes we’ve taken our cull further and have moved out into the garden. A couple of portable fire pits (now replaced with an Ozpig) have found new homes, and some potted plants that I had been using as gap fillers in the garden have also now been off loaded.

Everything was advertised for a fair price, but I still expected a considerable amount of bartering, and I expected the selling process to take weeks. I anticipated some things wouldn’t be saleable at all and would either eventually go to charity, or to the tip. Everything sold, and very quickly.

Whilst the reason behind this shift in mindsets has been brought on by a downturn in circumstances, or a reduced sense of security in general, its good to see a shift away from the wasteful society we had become. A silver lining perhaps…..

Anyone who has been following along with me on my blogging journey will be aware that I’ve been frustrated with the application of WordPress of late. Recently I was so frustrated that I made a hasty decision to discontinue blogging. I switched off all the auto re-news and was set to just let the blog drift off into the ether.

However, one of my blogging friends wrote a post recently on blogging, and why she blogs. Whilst Amanda’s reasons for blogging didn’t particularly resonate with me, one of the comments added to that post has prompted me to re-think my hasty decision. The reason I started blogging in the first place was so as friends and family would be aware of where we were,and what we were doing as we travelled around this great big country of ours. The full time travel stopped but the blog continued becoming a bit of a personal diary, a record of our daily lives, and at times, my personal thoughts.

Originally, the blog was supposed to be a travel blog with the ‘ow’ in lifeofrileyow.com representing ‘on wheels’. Our home at the time was where ever we parked our fifth wheeler, anywhere in this big, beautiful country of ours. When we settled back into a house, the original purpose of the blog had disappeared, but the blog was still serving a purpose. It had become a place to record our day to day lives, and our favourite photographs. The blog became as eclectic as I am, a record of my fibberty jibbert personality and a record of our life, I wanted the ‘ow’ to represent the things I write about, and as I write about whatever takes my fancy it seemed appropriate for the ‘ow’’ to represent ‘on whatever’.

So, after a re-think, the blog is to continue. However, it’ll change from now on. I’ve thought long and hard about why I like blogging, and why I was going to stop. I like blogging because I enjoy writing. I love the diary aspect of my blog, the recording of my day to day life and, at times, my thoughts. I sort of lost track of all that when I started writing for my followers. That’s when I started to feel pressured into keeping up appearances. When the technical side of blogging became frustrating (I’m a techno numpty), I became agitated and was feeling the pressure of presenting sub-standard posts for people to read, and I decided I wasn’t up to this blogging thingie. But you know what – I’m just going to continue writing for me. Anyone who follows along is very welcome of course, but from now on I’m not going to try and keep to a theme (like I could anyway), I’m not going to worry if my content gets repetitive (Broome year after year after year), and I’m not going to worry about tags, or categories, or photo alignment. I’m not even going to worry to much about spelling and grammatical errors. I’m just going to continue to write on ‘whatever’ without the pressure of trying to appeal to my followers. And then writing and blogging will return to being the pleasure it once was.

It is with much sadness that I’ve made the decision to discontinue blogging, and am going to cancel my wordpress account. I used to get a lot of pleasure from blogging but that isn’t the case any more. I’ve never seen eye to eye with technology but the frustrations of trying to post blogs over the last few months has been causing far more pain than pleasure.

I’ve tried asking for help from WordPress, but I can’t even begin to explain what the problems are. When I try to explain it to them it’s like I’m speaking in a completely foreign language to the language they speak. The last problem I sorted out with them took literally months. I don’t think it was a difficult problem to fix, the only difficulty was getting them to understand what needed attention. And something at their end did need attention – but like all call centre staff, they listen, not to the full story, but for a key word and then go to their robotic scripting that relates to what they deem to be the key word.

Every time I try to complete a blog there seems to be more changes to the process. I try to add photos the way I added them the last time, and I can’t. So I click all over the place trying to work out the new procedure. I try to break my writing into paragraphs and to place images in the appropriate place between paragraphes. But no, it seems my two paragraphs are inside one block, so images will only go after the second paragraph. I try to change the blocks – but have no idea how to. I keep trying – the image appears irrelevantly at the head of the post. I re-click everywhere and keep trying. Another hour of trying passes. I put the blog aside and decide to try another day.

Another day comes. I try again. Sometimes it works easily, and other times I return to the same frustrations. I can’t get into the flow of it anymore. The blog post has taken me around two hours to write and to do a rough edit. It’s time to add images and getting it formatted for publication. And that’s when the problems start, and it can take me anywhere from one hour to ten hours, or not at all. Today I tried to add the images to a post I completed a few days ago. I tried, and I tried and tried. It was when I almost hurled the computer through the window that I decided this is madness. Enough is enough – the problems I’m encountering have taken all the joy out of blogging, and it’s ceased to be a pleasure.

So this will be my last post. Now all I have to do is work out how to cancel my account….

There is hardly a day goes by that doesn’t have me thinking at some stage, “how lucky am I”, lucky to have a wonderful, healthy family, lucky to have good, solid friendships, lucky to have taken a leap of faith several years ago, and after a few topsy turvy years, very lucky to have landed on my feet approximately 300 metres from gorgeous Geographe Bay. Lucky to be alive! And in this crazy, crazy, Covid world, I am so, so lucky to be not only living in Australia, but to be living in the big, and relatively safe state of Western Australia (touch wood that it stays safe).

The America’s, Europe, Africa, India, and much of Asia are having a terrible time. Their elderly are dying, as are some of their younger folk, hundreds of thousands of them. Their personal livelihoods are decimated, and their economies are in tatters.

The population in Australia is approximately 25 million. We’re not an over populated country. So far we’ve had approximately 27,000 recorded cases of Covid, and thanks to our freely available medical system, most People have recovered. The recorded deaths currently stand at less than 800. Whilst devastating for those directly affected, as far as the country goes we’re not doing to badly.

The State of Victoria is in In the midst of a second wave. There is also a few cases of community transmission going on in Queensland and NSW. Victoria has had to go back into lock down, and state borders have been closed again on the Eastern side of our country. By far, the majority of deaths in this country have occurred in Victoria, with more than 650 recorded. Western Australia, with its borders virtually closed to the remainder of Australia, and to the world, has to date suffered only 9 deaths. We currently only have two active cases, both of which are returned overseas travellers who remain in hotel quarantine.

Mark McGowan, our state‘s premier is responsible for our closed state borders, despite this becoming a bone of contention with our country’s Prime Minister, and with some of our Eastern Staters. I’m sure there are also a few people within WA who would like our borders to be opened, but these people are in the extreme minority. I certainly aren’t amongst that small minority. I’ll show you why:

Look at the size of WA compared to the other states. The bottom of our state experiences four seasons per year, spring, summer, autumn and winter. The top half of the state experiences only two seasons, the wet, and the dry season. The dry season has temperatures around 30°C each day, at the same time as those of us living in the south are freezing our butts off with daily highs of around 15°. Now look at the size of the other states. With the exception of Queensland, the border closures between the states On the East coast prevent the residents in the southern states from freely travelling up to the warm dry season in the top of the country. Queensland, whilst not as big as WA, does have a reasonable seasonal difference between the bottom and the top of their state.

Now let me show you what it means to be living in WA. Let me take you on a six month caravan trip around Western Australia. I promise you good weather, and I promise you there will be plenty of things to see, and plenty of things to do.

We’ll start off in Albany around the 25th April. Autumn is well under way, and the weather while not yet really cold, is getting a little chilly. What better place to remember the brave ANZACS who left our shores early last century to go off and fight the war that was supposed to end all wars. A visit to the National ANZAC centre is a worthwhile place to begin this trip around this wonderful state.

As I said though it’s starting to get a little cold, so with ANZAC day done and dusted it’s time to move a little further north. Exmouth should be perfectly warm by now and the summer winds should be dropping. The whale sharks will be arriving. The month of May is a perfect time to be up in the Exmouth area, and while you are there you could perhaps go snorkelling with these gentle giants of the sea on Ningaloo Reef.

Next stop is Broome. Lots of walks down Cable Beach, and perhaps an iconic sunset camel trip. It’s easy to spend a month or more in Broome, and in June the weather is rather pleasant.

I know, you could happily spend the rest of the dry season here in Broome, a month is barely enough, but there’s still lots more to see. Lets travel a bit further and take a look an those famous Bungle Bungles you’ve heard so much about.

You’re now getting close to the Northern Territory border. Lake Argyle which is very close to that border is an amazing place to spent a few days. Maybe you could take a sunset cruise on the lake, and you’ll definitely want a swim in the infinity pool that overlooks the lake.

It’s now the end of July and only another month before the humidity that precedes the wet season will be on its way. There’s still lots to see so it’s time to start our slow meander back down. If you didn’t stop off at Kununurra on the way to Lake Argyle, you’ll want to stop there on your way back. There’s plenty to see in Kununurra. It’s a big agricultural basin, irrigated by the Ord River. Kununurra supplies much of WAs produce throughout the year. If you’ve never experienced the wonderful flavour of a juicy, ripe, red Pawpaw (sprinkled with fresh lime juice) then this is the place to do it. Forget those insipid, tasteless yellow pawpaws you’ve had the south – there is no comparison. Try it – you’ll be hooked.

A few nights later will see you in Port Hedland and you can see what a real mining town looks like. Take a tour of the harbour, and a minesite. Juxtapose yourself beside one of those massive trucks. There’s a lot to see in the iron ore country of our stunning Pilbara.

No trip to the Pilbara would be complete without a visit to Karijini National Park. It’s easy to spend a week here, hiking the gorges, photographing the most amazing scenery, and swimming in some stunning pools.

Next we’ll be travelling down the Great Northern Highway during August so we’ll be travelling through wild flower countryside at the height of wild flower season. Stunning vistas of amazing colour including fields of glorious everlasting daisies will have you enthralled.

Perhaps there’s time for a trip out to the old gold mining town of Kalgoorlie before you head home for summer. See the ladies of the night at the famous Pink House in Kalgoorlie’s famous Hay Street (I believe tours are now available, mmmm interesting!) or you could test your luck at the only legal Two Up ring, a betting game synonymous with the ANZAC spirit, a game which seemingly kept our World War One heroes amused during their free time when serving in the Middle East. With those two attractions I’m sure you can understand that Kalgoorlie is not your run of the mill type of town! Could be worth a look…..

Down from Kalgoorlie you’ll find the town of Esperance in our far south. The sands, as white as snow, in Cape Le Grand National Park are a sight to behold. And those turquoise waters – wow, wow, wow!

It’s now October. The weather’s warming up again in the south, so it’s a good time to conclude our trip around WA back in Albany.

I’ve now taken you on a reasonably full circuit of Western Australia. I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as I always do. I have only shown you a brief snap shot of what there is to see. There’s so much more. The horizontal Falls, The Gibb River Road, Coral Bay, Kalbarri, Geraldton, my home town of Busselton, Margaret River – the list of places goes on and on. There’s forests, and oceans, and walk tracks, and vineyards…..And of course there’s the capital of the state – Perth. For me there’s a lifetime of travel and experiences still in front of me without ever having to leave this wonderful big state.

I hope I haven’t upset anyone by bragging about how lucky I am to be within living within the closed borders of Western Australia. I hope you understand why I think I’m one of the luckiest people in the world to be living where I’m living in this insane world. For those of you in less fortunate places, I hope you are making the most of whatever opportunities you can. Keep safe everyone, and do what you can to stay healthy and sane. Thanks for following along – it’s great to be alive!

Having arrived home from our 2020 Broome trip just over two weeks ago, I thought I’d record some of this years highlight. 

BEACH WALKS AND FOSSICKING

Broome beckons winter after winter with it’s stunning Cable Beach to walk along in perfect winter temperatures of around 30 degrees almost every day. We walked most days along the beach, sometimes just for a relaxing walk to start the day off, sometimes in the afternoons to do a bit of beach fossicking, sometimes around the rock pools at low tide, and sometimes all three. There’s always something different to see on beautiful Cable Beach.

CATCHING UP WITH FRIENDS

We managed to catch up with several friends. Some were staying elsewhere so we caught up often – sunset drinks, fun and frolics on the beach, and meals (some out, and some in). One morning we even drove down the beach and cooked our breakfast. Towards the end of our time in Broome a couple of very special friends from Perth flew up and stayed with us in a tent on our site for 10 beautiful days. We walked on the beach, played cards, swam, fished (notice I didn’t say catched – not a fish to be hooked), went out for meals, ate in, lots of beach drives, sometimes just the four of us, and at other times meeting up with other friends on the beach. We had a great time, generally chatting away, relaxing, and having some down time, as you do when on Broome time.

AND OF COURSE THE FAMOUS BROOME SUNSETS

As always we were very spoilt by some magnificent sunsets. It’s such a unique experience to load your drinks and nibbles into your car and drive up Cable Beach until you find a piece of secluded beach far from the madding crowds, and just sit and watch the sun go down. If there’s a few clouds around the full glory of the sunset appears after the sun disappears over the horizon.

These next ones where taken at Sunset on our last night in Broome for 2020, not on Cable Beach though. For these ones we drove along a dirt track to get to picturesque Riddell Beach. The sunset, as always was gorgeous, but the real beauty was the way the suns setting rays lit up the red cliffs and rock formations on the beach.

My favourite sunset of the trip though was the amazing one that apparently was so photographed that it appeared on both the TV news, and on Sunrise the following morning. So much of Australia’s population have seen this beauty via their TV sets. We were lucky enough to see it for real. It was AMAZING.

And one final sunset to finish off my Broome memories for 2020. Although not taken on our last night, the final photo is of our good friend Brian. It seems a fitting finish to this post, Good-bye Sun – we’ll be back to say hello again next year I’m sure.

Paul tries to play golf at least once a week on Busselton’s Par three golf course. He’s trying to make a habit of playing in the Thursday morning Men’s Comp, and when he can he gets a second practice round in on another day. Two Thursdays ago the weather forecast was for severely wintery weather so he stayed at home in the warmth. The morning was beautiful! Then the next Thursday the forecast was equally as bad, but the skies were clear and blue, so he chanced it.

It was freezing, but apart from one shower of hail he managed to play his round without having to take shelter.

Having the house to myself I enjoyed a couple of hours of pottering around doing a few household chores. A short trip outside had me scurrying back indoors out of the cold. The temperature of around 9°. It felt closer to zero. We had decided we wouldn’t make our annual winter pilgrimage to the top end of Australia this year owing to Covid. However with Western Australia having successfully contained the virus to date, I had to ask myself why we weren’t being more flexible with our plans.

Paul returned from golf, so I posed the question, “remind me again why we’re not going up to Broome this year?” I asked. He informed me he had asked himself that very same question while sheltering from the shower of hail at golf. Needless to say in less than two hours we had made our plans. Commitments and appointments on the home front were either postponed or cancelled, and a booking was secured at the Broome caravan Park. Plans were in place to leave the following Friday, the 26th June.

it’s now Wednesday morning on the 24th June,and I’m snug in bed inside the caravan after waking up on the first morning after day one of our trip. We had the van packed, and could see no point in sitting around twiddling our thumbs waiting for Friday, so here we are. We’re booked into the caravan park as of Monday, so, for once we are going to actually do less driving each day. We always plan shorter days but get impatient to get to our destination. It’ll take us a week to get there but it’ll be a more relaxed journey with the shorter driving days. Hopefully the dog won’t get the huff with us from the back seat this time. Mr Tilly won’t even look at us after more than four hours of sitting in the back seat on previous trips.

We use Wiki Camps for our trip planning as you can see below. All planned overnighters are pleasant roadside stops, either completely free or require only a small donation.

In case you’re not sure what the attraction of Broome is during our winter months, just check out the consistent weather. It’s like this day after day, week after week for June, July and August (our winter). The dry season in Broome is actually dry, unlike North Queensland where it can bucket down day after day in their dry. For us the weather is perfect, and that goes a long way towards making it perfect holiday.

And then there’s the beach….. Enough said!

Apologies again for poor photo inserts and alignments – WordPress continues to frustrate!

I started experiencing a few minor frustrations with WordPress last year. The problems coincided with a time when I was ready for a bit of break anyway, so I didn’t do a lot about it at the time.

Fast forward several months and I’m starting to re-kindle my blogging interest. However, the small problems I had been encountering seem to have multiplied. Not being particularly computer literate I find it hard to relate what my problems are. Computer terms that may make it easier to describe the problems allude me. Seeking help via Web chat with the WordPress tech gurus is like asking for help in a foreign language with only a smattering of words in common.

In the past, when I left a comment on someone’s blog I would receive an alert if that blogger responded. As I recall this notification was by way of both email, and the little blue WordPress icon displaying a number which indicated the amount of comments awaiting my attention. The first of the problems was that when this little notification showed up on my desktop, clicking on the blue WordPress icon had stopped taking me anywhere. As I was ready for a bit of a break from blogging at the time I didn’t follow up on this.

I’m aware that in settings I can tick so as to to receive an email alert when comments are placed on a blog I’m following. I tried this with the result that I received hundreds of emails in a day, one for every single comment placed on all of the blogs I follow. I can’t seem filter the comments so as to only receive comments relevant to my own. This means the only way I can now enjoy the blogging conversations I used to enjoy is to continually scroll through everyone’s blog comments looking for the thread relevant to me. So apologies fellow bloggers for my lack of engagement with you all. I have been trying from time to time, but trying to engage with you all is just ridiculously time consuming- not that you aren’t all worth it, but there just aren’t that many hours in the day.

I’ve tried to sort this out via word press. I thought I’d finally managed to get my web chat person to comprehend what I was describing, but they couldn’t offer me a solution. The conversation was left with a promise that I would receive a response via email once they’d looked into it. That was over a week ago now, and nothing more. I guess I’m going to have to chase it up again, but where to start…..

Once I can get get that sorted out maybe I’ll move on to the other problems, and there are many. These include problems loading photos, problems with choosing a category when publishing, problems with inserting a key photo, difficulties doing anything other than a draft on the iPad, the list seems to be endless. I keep putting it off but I shall have to remember, ‘once begun, half done’! Maybe tomorrow I’ll begin…..