On the road again

| Chris Riley

After five nights in Perth catching up with family and friends, we’re once again back to living ‘The Life of Riley on Wheels’. And let me tell you, it feels pretty damned good.

Firstly, the five days and nights in Perth. We arrived at our favourite Perth caravan park, Karrinyup Waters around lunch time on Saturday. Time to set up and a quick retail trip before Alice called around for a coffee.

One of two lakes at Karrinyup Waters Caravan Park.

The next morning we enjoyed a pleasant walk with Alice and Tim. Up the beach path from Ocean Reef to Burns Beach, a takeaway coffee (in house dining was to busy to even contemplate), and back again to Ocean Reef. With the coffee, approximately 2 hours, without coffee, not much more than an hour – the Burns Beach Cafe gets very busy on Sunday mornings.

Sunday Night we went with the family to a cafe in Northbridge as Josh had a gig there. The lead singer, Amber, was ill. Never mind, the band managed and compensated quite well without her, even though we could clearly see they missed her as the front person. Most songs went off without a hitch. We took photos of the band, but sadly the stage wasn’t lit well enough so none are good enough to post.

Tim and his dad
Alice and her dad.

Monday, Paul’s birthday – a much needed hair appointment for me, then a visit to friends in the afternoon.

Tuesday, lunch out with friends to celebrate Bob’s 65th birthday, and retirement. We stayed the night at Bob and Di’s, along with Marina and Terry. A lovely night was had by all, drinking, eating and playing cards. We had a good laugh, as we always do. We play an assortment of card games, Pontoon, Brag, various forms of poker, and our own made up version of something that I believe is called Acey Ducey, Shoot the Pot or In-betweens..

It’s an hilarious game, but lethal. This is how our version is played.

Each of us put a dollar’s worth of poker chips in the middle to form a pot.

The first dealer is nominated and shuffles the deck. Two cards are dealt face up to the person to the dealer’s left. That person then has to place a bet against the pot that the next card dealt will fall in-between the two cards already dealt. If an Ace is dealt the player can call it high or low. The wider the gap between the cards the higher the bet is likely to be. This, I believe,  is the basic In-betweens game.

In our version though we’ve added a couple of variations. The first is that should the first two cards not allow for a card to fall in-between, e.g. two threes, or a two and three, then the player nominates that the third card will either be higher or lower than the two cards dealt. Instances when two Kings, or two twos, or a two and three, or a King and Ace (with the Ace nominated as low), most cards dealt will win. Most people will bet whatever remains in the pot.

This is where the game becomes lethal (and often hilarious – thank goodness we all have a sense of humour). In our version we have a penalty should one of the first two cards be repeated with the third card dealt – double the bet must be added to the pot.

So, this is how the first round may go:

1st player is dealt an Ace and a two and nominates the Ace as high. The only possible losing cards will be another Ace or another two. There’s six dollars in the pot, so the player bets the full pot – and is hit with another Ace. He loses $12 and the pot now holds $18.

2nd player is dealt a three and Jack, and bets $2 against the pot. A four turns up so he takes $2 out of the middle reducing the middle to $16.

3rd player is dealt a two and three. She nominates any Aces dealt will be high, which means she can only be beaten by another two or a three. With the odds stacked heavily in her favour she bets $10. A three turns up. Amidst much laughter (and cussing) she adds another $20 to the pot. It now holds $36 and the first round hasn’t even finished.

You may think the odds of this happening would be fairly rare. Let me assure you, it happens often. I’ve seen a pot increase from $6 to over $100 before two rounds are completed. Fortunately, we’re all very good friends and try to ensure none of us gets completely fleeced – we always try and leave some in the pot for any big losers to try to recoup their loses. It’s rare for any of us to end up losing more than $20 over a whole night, and we don’t play often. There’s not many places we could be entertained for so long, with so many laughs for $20 or less a person.

The dealer continues through the pack placing all played cards upside against the unplayed cards. Once through the pack the deal passes to the next player. Should the pot be completely won, all players again replenish it with another dollars worth of chips each. Once the deal passes to the last player the play continues until the pot is completely emptied. It’s a game I’d recommend only with caring friends – without a care factor it could be easy to lose the shirt off your back. With caring friends it’s fast game, and a laugh a minute.

Yesterday, our last day we enjoyed a walk through Bold Park with Alice. Bold park is a very bushy park that feels like you’re miles from civilisation, yet it’s smack bang in the middle of Perth’s expensive Western Suburbs. A wonderfully maintained track, good hills to get our heart rates up, and the occasional glorious city view peeping through the trees – it’s a gorgeous place. Then Josh met us afterwards at Clancy’s Fish pub, overlooking City Beach – good food, tasty tap beers, and a view to die for,  a lovely last day in Perth for a while.

City views from Bold Park.

And today – it’s good-bye to Perth and for approximately five months. We’re now approximately three hours north of Perth at a free camp on the banks of Lake Indoon (near Eneabba). There’s flushing toilets, hot showers, and good shelter overlooking the lake for happy hour. And as it’s now just gone five, the shelter beckons….. It’s good to be back on the road. What a pleasure!

Pelicans landing on Lake Indoon.

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Reality TV has a lot to answer for

| Chris Riley

I’ve just arrived home from Wednesday’s walk with my local walking group. The topic of conversation whilst we enjoyed our morning coffee was a further scathing restaurant review published in last weekend’s newspaper. On behalf of Amelia Park Lodge, we’ve all taken umbrage at this second review. None of us could relate to it, and we all found it to be not only completely unjustified, but cruel and malicious.

You’ll remember last week I wrote about the lovely lunch we had ALL enjoyed at Amelia Park Lodge. Our visit had followed on an unfavourable review by another local restaurant reviewer, so we hadn’t known what to expect. Not one of us could relate to that review, and now this second scathing review has us more than slightly annoyed.

In this latest review the baby Kale Caesar I had so much enjoyed had been given particular mention, the ingredients listed as an ‘improbable combination’, and given the pompous summary of, ‘Jesus wept’. The only thing that seemed to receive any sort of favourable commment in the whole review was the commercial seeded  mustard.

Reading this latest review, I’m sure,  if there is a Jesus, he would indeed be weeping. Not, however at the the menu, which John Lethlean summarised as, ‘a collection of dishes with no common thread’. I suspect Jesus would be weeping at how pompous and insensitive society is becoming.  Jesus would be weeping that people such as John Lethlean and Rob Broadfield are being paid good money to write what to all of us amounted to virtual libel. What is the world coming too! Has common decency completely gone out the window?

All of the ladies from the walking group live in the South West. We dine out regularly, including places that offer both good honest food, and fine dining amongst our choices. There’s no shortage of both in the region, and none of us are by any means country bumpkins that don’t know the difference.

Where has all this insensitivity come from? Why are these restaurant reviewers so scathing in their reviews? There was absolutely nothing any of us could relate to in either review. Even if there had been, we all agreed that a little constructive criticism would have been far more appropriate.

Reviewers seem to be following in the footsteps of the judges on reality TV shows. I think the contestants in such shows are screened, and groomed, and counselled to help them deal with possible psychological damage from the insenstivity of the judges. Sadly, nastiness seems to make for good TV ratings. The question arises in my mind as to how the chefs, staff, and restaurant owners are dealing with the maliciousness of such written attacks that are now commonplace.  Reviews such as these must surely be impacting the businesses, and the lives of all those who work there. How many people out there are in need of counselling to help them deal with the repercussions of reviews such as these.

To all the reviewers out there, please, please start to make this world a better place. You are not ‘reality TV judges’. The people suffering the repercussions of your cruel insensivety are not ‘willing contestants’ in reality TV shows. They’re just real people trying to make a living. The businesses have clientele who are being influenced by what you write. The staff of the businesses have friends and families who read these humiliating reviews. The reviews could literally spell the end for a restaurant, or the uncalled for sacking of a chef. The repercussions of both could go on to have further devastating consequences for the individuals involved, or their families. I’m not saying reviews should be dishonest, but constructive criticism would make for a far better world to live in than the destructive reviews of both Mr Lethlean and Mr Broadfield.  One Gordon Ramsay in the world is more than enough!

If you want your life to change, change your life!

| Chris Riley

I love quotes and proverbs. The one above is one I read a good few years ago.

There’s been times in my life since, when things haven’t been going as well as I’d like. It’s so easy to wish and hope that, at such times, things will magically change without any input by me.  Experience tells me though that ‘magic’ doesn’t ‘magically’ happen. Experience tells me that, ‘ if I always do what i’ve always done, i’ll always get what i’ve always got’, (I love that one too). When the changes have happened, it’s been me, myself, I, (or me and mine), that’s caused the changes. We’ve made the changes, and the changes we’ve worked at, have changed our lives. No magic involved.

It’s easy to hear someone be-moaning their bad fortune and to clearly see the changes they need to make. I remember well a person I used to work with . He never had a cent to his name. He used to tell me how lucky I was to be able to afford holidays.

Our place of work didn’t supply tea or coffee, but they provided a good kitchen with fridges and microwaves. My colleague always arrived at work with a take away coffee and a takeaway toasted penini from the local cafe for his breakfast. At morning tea he walked around the block returning with his second takeaway coffee, and often a muffin. He  went out for lunch daily too.

I had my breakfast of yogurt and fruit before I left home in the mornings.  I kept a jar of Nescafé at my desk, and a litre of milk in the work fridge. I either cooked extra dinner at night and brought in left-overs to microwave, or I made a salad the night before for my next days lunch. Once a week I treated myself to a takeaway coffee and muffin for morning tea, and once a week I treated myself to a takeaway Greek salad from the local cafe – they did make lovely coffee, muffins, and the best ever Greek salad.

My holiday money didn’t come by luck, or by magic. It came because I went without things through the year, saving the money for other things. It was easy to see that my colleague could easily change some simple things that he was doing, and his financial situation would ‘magically’ change accordingly.

There’s a couple of things I’d like changed in my life now. Nothing major, and certainly nothing that’s out of my control. But I keep doing what I’ve always done, just waiting for the ‘magic’, to magically happen. If I mentioned the things I’d like changed,  anyone who knows me will clearly be able to see the changes I Should be making. It’s easy for outsiders to see the glaringly obvious….. it’s not hard for me to see either. Perhaps it’s time. Time for me to took ownership, time to take control, time to ‘change what I’ve always done.’  With one of those things being a greater level of fitness, – I guess it’s time for me to get off my butt and go for a walk.

Cowaramup (Cowtown)

| Chris Riley

With less than a week to go now until we resume our ‘life of Riley on wheels’, we thought we’d take a final visit to our favourite little, local town – Cowaramup, or Cowtown as it’s known colloquially.

I’ve mentioned the town briefly before, but thought I’d provide a few more facts, and a few more photos.

The town was gazetted in 1925, and origianally supported the local timber and dairy industries.

Contrary to popular belief, the name of the town is derived from an Aboriginal word, Cowara, meaning purple-crowned lorikeet.

The town centre consists of a local store providing basic produce, a post office, a bakery, a sweet shop, a couple of cafes, a real estate office, and a few specialty stores selling everything from gourmet produce and candles, to all manner of arts and crafts. There’s no supermarkets, and definitely no MacDonalds anywhere in sight (or even out of sight on the back streets) – joy!!! Oh, but if you fancy a good pie – one of the local little cafe sells some beauties.

In 2012, to enhance the town’s growing ‘cow’ identity, 42 fibreglass sculptures of friesian cows and calves were commissioned. As the town is very small town, there’s  literally cows almost every few metres. They adorn the shopfronts, parks, footpaths, and are on almost every street corner.

One of my favourites is the Cowtown’s cheeky answer to Laurence Winery’s 23-carat gold plated, ‘free as a bird’, aka – ‘Chick on a stick’ (more on that later). Centred in the local park is Cowaramup’s, ‘Rump on a stump’ or, ‘Roast on a post’. Cowtown – or should it be quaint-town, whatever it’s called, if you’re planning a visit to WA’s southwest don’t drive though without stopping for at least a walk around.

‘Rump on a Stump’

And now a bit about the ‘Free as a Bird’ sculpture at Laurence Winery. Early in the 21st century concerns were raised when the sculpture took up residence in the dam fronting Caves Road. The Busselton council took umbrage (some say at the instigation of the neighbouring wineries), and sought to have the sculpture removed. They said the 17.5 metre high erection contravened local and state planning policies, and impacted negatively on the area’s natural and rural outlook.

The iconic ‘Chick on a Stick’, that caused a raucous in 2007.

I’m pleased to say that in October 2007 the State Administrative Tribunal ruled against the shire by granting retrospective planning approval. The ‘chick on a stick’ with all it’s controversy, and the Cowaramup’s humorous take-off, the ‘rump on a stump’ are both here to stay (for a long, long time I hope).

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Bountiful Guavas

| Chris Riley

A friend has recently given me surplus guavas from her backyard. Her trees are laden, and Linda hasn’t been finding many takers for them. Apparently, people aren’t enamoured with the fruit because of the seeds, which can be a little too crunchy for some people’s taste.

I’m never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially fresh, home grown produce. Having a good quantity in the fridge, I decided to do a little research as to the health benefits of guavas. What a surprise – they’re a little power-pack of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidents, with some pretty good anti-cancer properties as well.

Firstly, they grow in tropical or sub-tropical climates.  Busselton seems to be perfect for them. I gather they’re easy to cultivate with few pests, and are prolific fruiters. I think the small, red fruits from Linda’s trees are an Hawaiian variety.

I read that there’s four times the amount of vitamin C than in  oranges, with just one small fruit holding twice the daily vitamin C requirement. They have more lycopene than tomatoes – so guys, they’re excellent for the prevention of prostate (and other) cancers.

They’ve been shown to  improve sodium/potassium balance, thereby regulating blood pressure. They’re beneficial by increasing HDLs (good cholesterol), and lowering LDLs (bad cholesterol). Additionally, they contain B3 and B6 (good for brain function), and magnesium to help relax muscles.

The seeds – firstly rest assured they are edible, and in fact are a particularly good source of fibre, so even more anti-cancer properties. However, they are a tad too crunchy for some people’s taste. I personally don’t mind the crunch of the seeds, but if you find them too crunchy, then flicking them out with a small knife (or your finger nail) isn’t too difficult. The smaller seeds aren’t as hard as the larger ones, so you may find the smaller ones palatable enough to leave in. Fortunately, Paul and I don’t object to the seeds, whether large or small.

We’ve eaten a good quantity of the fresh berry like fruits. Today I decided to see what they were liked cooked. Using my mum’s apple sponge recipe, I substituted guavas for the apples – here’s the result:

GUAVA FRUIT SPONGE (serves 6 – 8)

My mum’s fruit sponge recipe – this time topping guavas.

You’ll need:

A good quantity of guavas (I used 750gms of whole fruit)
2 tablespoons of sugar

For the sponge:

150 gms of butter
75gms of sugar
1 egg
1 cup of self raising flour
2 tablespoons of milk

Desiccated coconut or icing sugar for garnish (optional)

How to prepare:

Pre-heat oven to 175°C

Prepare the guavas by slicing off the belly button at the top of the fruit. Cut the larger ones in half. Remove any seeds that are too large for your liking. (I left all the seeds in mine).

Prepared guavas

Place into a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of sugar and cook over a gentle heat until heated through. Don’t let them over cook or they’ll loose their shape. Tip the hot fruit into a greased oven-proof dish (approximately 1 1/2 litres in capacity)

Keep fruit warm while preparing sponge.

Now make the sponge:

Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. Stir in the flour and milk. Spoon over the warm fruit.

Cook for approximately 45 minutes, or until the sponge springs back when gently pushed.

Removed from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Garnish with a sprinkle of coconut, or icing sugar (if using) and serve with cream, ice-cream or custard. Yum – A pleasurable way to eat your vitamins!

Yum!

Amelia Park Lodge

| Chris Riley

For those of you who have traversed the Busselton/Dunsborough/Margaret River area, you will no doubt be familiar with the heritage listed, farm homestead that used to be one of the family homes of the Bussell family (circa 1851). Located close to the roundabout on Caves Road, almost halfway between Busselton and Dunsborough, the single storey, brick and limestone building with it’s gabled iron roof, encircling verandah and grassy surrounds, is a standout, iconic building in the area.

Heritage listed old Bussell farm homestead.

There’s cosy indoor dining areas, an alfresco area, and a recently added,purpose built outdoor glassed private room.

A cosy inside dining room.

In the 19th century the main building served as the Bussell family home, and the local post office.  Mrs Bussell being a midwife, also used it as a ‘lying in house’ for the local expectant mothers. From there, I found the history became sketchy until late in the 20th century when it became Newtown House Restaurant. Newtown House offered fine dining, and from past experience I can vouch that it was indeed ‘fine dining’.

The restaurant recently changed hands and has been closed for sometime as refurbishment took place. Anxiously, the locals have awaited it’s opening. Approximately a month ago the long awaited, upgraded restaurant opened it’s doors again under the new name of, Amelia Park Lodge.

It was with some trepidation that the girls (and one token guy) from my heart foundation walking group chose to try it out for our monthly lunch-date. I say with trepidation, as a local restaurant reviewer, Rob Broadfield, gave it very mixed reviews recently. Rob had a few good comments to make, but some comments were so scathing that we thought long and hard as to whether or not we were willing to give it a go.

There were quite a few of us so we were seated at two tables in the private, airy, outdoor addition.  Not being part of the original farm building, what it lacked in heritage quaintness it made up for with it’s large windows on all sides. It had an open air feel, but still had the warmth of glass surrounds, had it suddenly turned cool.

Some of the ladies (myself included)
more ladies seated in the light, airy dining room
and our one token gentleman.

Several people chose the lamb shanks, which came on a bed of potato mash with seasonal greens, and served with  glass of Newtown Shiraz ($29). All, without exception, pronounced the dish superb.($29.00)

Three people chose the beetroot risotto, charred greens, macadamia salsa, with aged parmesan. ($26.00). No complaints there either.

I had difficulty choosing, but finally settled on the baby kale caesar with poached chicken, serrano, white anchovies, aged parmesan and crisp brioche. ($20.00). I’ve only once before had the pleasure of eating white anchovies and that was in a little village in Saddleworth, UK. They swayed my choice, and were just as delectable this time as I remember them being. An added surprise with the dish were some soft boiled, quail egg halves. Delightful!

A few other dishes were chosen, including one person who braved the Barramundi, reviewed infamously in Rob’s recent review – the one that caused us so much trepidation about trialling the  restaurant – no complaints this time round.

In fact, not a murmer of complaint from anyone in relation to only of their chosen meals. Plenty of murmers of appreciation though. The desserts, wines, and coffee also superb. But I suppose I’d better be fair and report the negative along with the positive. One person said one of her petite fours was a bit bland, and one lady said her coffee could have been hotter……

They have a breakfast menu, a lunch menu, an afternoon menu (reduced lunch menu), a dinner menu, and they also serve High Tea on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. So, whatever time of day you chose to call by, there will something to tempt your tastebuds. And if you’re in the area, I do recommend you put Amelia Park Lodge on your dining list. We all agreed, it’s definitely on our ‘return to soon’ list. In fact, I think I heard some of the ladies making enquiries for the High Tea, and at only $18 per person, why not. I’m tempted myself.

I wonder did Rob get it wrong, or was it just a day with some problems. Certainly none of us could relate to any of the negatives in his review. But then again, sometimes I’ve chosen  restaurants because of some restauranteur’s brilliant review, only to be extremely disappointed. Perhaps they’re a tad more pedantic than the average person.

So, that’s my findings on Amelia Park Lodge and it’s new fine dining menu – very enjoyable.

If you can provide any updates on the building’s history, please feel free to enlighten myself and any future readers with your comments below. I’d love to know more of it’s history between the running of the farm, the selling of stamps, the birthing of babies, and the late 20th century restaurant of Newtown House.

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The crazy gardener’s been at it again.

| Chris Riley

We’re only two weeks away from leaving, so the dilemma of what to do with the front garden before we left arose. Although we know it’s not the ideal time to prune roses, we also know any pruning is better than none at all. We had decided to prune prematurely sometime over the next two weeks. Frosts are rare here so they should be okay with the earlier hair cut.

That then left the dilemma of what to do about the seaside daisies that are popping up everywhere and look like returning with a vengence. If you remember, last year when we took possession of the house, the roses were completely buried alive under the daisies. I didn’t want to return to the same thing again.

Remember this!

We’re reducing the size of the rose bed next spring anyway, and are planning to increase the paved, parking area. We’d worked out how best to to accommodate the existing roses, minus all the pretty blue salvia which have been planted to fill up the gaps, and provide a united colour scheme.  We were going to leave the transplanting until spring.

One thing led to another, and hey presto – they’ve all been transplanted. We’ve found a spot for the red roses around the back. All the pink and creamy coloured ones have been transplanted to what will be a much smaller, colour co-ordinated, semi-circular garden bed, once the pavings finished in spring. All the annuals have been removed, and the garden now looks like a big plot of bare dirt. The seaside daisies were predominantly at the front of the garden bed where the paving is going to be, and it looks like that’s mainly where they’re hell bent on popping up again. So, any that come up while we’re away can grow to their hearts content until we get back – all the roses are safely transplanted out of their way.

From this
to this in a day
Transplanted roses now looking like twigs

It won’t be looking as pretty when we leave as it would have been looking had we stuck to our original plan. It won’t be looking pretty at all!  It will, however, look a lot better in spring when we return than if we’d stuck to our original plan (I think). And, most of the hard work is behind us. The rest is now up to the brick paver. Of course, the neighbours won’t know the reasoning behind the garden demolition – they’ll no doubt be thinking i’ve lost my marbles. It was looking pretty….

Cape to Cape walk

| Chris Riley

We’re fortunate enough to have the 135 km Cape to Cape walk located only a short drive from home. The spectacular coastal track winds itself along the Leeuwin/Naturaliste ridge, taking in a fascinating geology of cliffs, caves, headlands and rock formations.

Stunning cliffs.

Starting in the north approximately 13kms from Dunsborough at the Cape Naturaliste lighthouse, the track takes between five to eight days to complete. It finishes at the Cape Leeuwin lighthouse. Sections of the track incorporate some soft sandy beach parts, as well as some steeper rocky climbs and descents. Some sections are easier than others, so the degree of difficulty depends on your fitness level.

Rock Cairns
Amazing coastline.

Our friend and neighbour Brian, has been completing the track section by section on day walks when time allows. Yesterday, Paul, along with another friend of Brian’s, Sharon, tackled the 17km section from Moses Rock to Gracetown.

Towering rocks.

Kay took them to their starting point, leaving home at around 6.30am. I stayed tucked up snugly in bed….. They expected to complete the walk around 11. Kay picked me up around 10.30am with the plan to meet them at the conclusion at the Gracetown general store. However, we had just left when Kay received a call from Brian advising they would take an hour longer than anticipated, a good excuse for Kay and I to enjoy a coffee at Cape Lavender tea rooms.

We arrived to pick them up in good time, passing them with only about 50 metres to go. They were ecstatic, in awe of the scenery they had encountered, and showed no visible signs of exhaustion. Apparently, they followed the coast virtually the whole way. The swells were enormous, Brian reported the biggest he’d seen. Surfers where clearly taking advantage of the the giant waves and whenever they passed good breaks, they were entertained by young (and some not so young) men and women taking their lives in their hands doing what surfers do. Some were apparently doing their best to paddle out to meet the gigantic swells, while others made use of jet skis to tow them out to the swells, and then to pick them up when they either finished their ride, or came to grief, getting pummelled by the following waves. Certainly not for the faint hearted!

Sitting outside the Gracetown general store whilst the walkers relaxed with a well deserved coffee, Kay and I had a chance to also be entertained by the dozens of surfers opposite taking advantage of the spectacular surf conditions. Not so long ago I would have been joining them on the walk. Perhaps one day I will again, but I won’t risk inflaming an old ankle injury until after I’ve done the Gibb River. I was content enjoy the view at the end.

Enjoying a well deserved coffee
Surfers entertaining us.
Sun sparkling like diamonds on the water.

And today – Paul reports slightly sore muscles but nothing that would prevent him tackling the next section. He loved it. Living close enough to be able to complete such an amazing walk a day at a time – what a pleasure!

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