A fall - and extreme blood pressure!!

WELL WELL WELL..... What have I done!!!

I was up a laddrer, dead-heading the climbing Roses clambering over the arbor over the outdoor dining area, and with a few canes left to tie back, it started to rain... And yeah, rain up a ladder that shiny aluminium, aren't a good combination I found out!!!

As I started to climb down, I slipped off the middle (theres only thee) step, and started my rapid descent, I tried to brace mt fall on the outside dining table (hurt my left thumb in the process), and finally landed on the paving on my right buttock... This did my bad back absolutely NO favours at all, and arranged a GP visit for Tuesday as it was the earliest I could get in...

Anyway, at the Doctors, she asked all the normal things about the fall and injury, gave me some pain relief and then asked to have a look at the Blood Pressure. Well, she was, as I was too, HORRIFIED at the level!! She asked if she could retake it, and I wasn't about to say no, and the second reading was WORSE!!! And whilst it will always rise with pain, the levels were just shocking. So a change in pain relief to something else, and the prescription for BP management, and I was off on my way again...

The following day, I visited my pharmacist, and she re-took my Blood Pressure again to see what was going on, and to report back to the GP...

I was certified OFF work for at least the week, for rest...

Hoo roo for now...

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Bernie

Busy Weekend!!

Well, it has certainly been a busy as weekend... I went out for dinner on Friday directly after work, and it ended up being a late night! Italian was great, with Garlic Prawn - Shelled king prawns, sautéed in cherry tomatoes, garlic and chilli. Served with wood-fired bread, as an entree we shared, and I ordered the Bufala e Gamberi - Buffalo mozzarella & basil topped with prawns and chilli, whilst my mate had the Campagnola - Italian Meat Lovers – ham, salami, sausage and fior di latte cheese!! (we also may have shared there too....) We also finished off with the standard coffee over a chat with a sleeping doggo on the next table!...

Saturday, whilst I went in to do a brief spot to see a mate up from Melbourne, I only stayed a little while, and headed back home to do some housework and stuff; all boring really!!!! Another day, another doggo though!!!

However, today I managed to achieve a lot of things. The half wine barrels with the roses growing over the arbor, I ripped out the Petunias that didn't survive my trip away, with some new trays of flowers to grow, and I also managed to install a security camera system!! Quite proud of that really!!! And finally, ordered some new things online shopping wise, nothing exciting just some new swimmers!! haha

Hoo roo for now...

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Back To Work Blues

Ugh, it was a 'back to work blues' kind of day today....

It was, on the most part, a pretty good day as most of the hype I had heard, wasn't on today, but in the late afternoon, yeah there was a bit of critical thinking needed, and QUICKLY!

We had a driver up north, who would've missed 2 ccritical pickups, but a bit or work, re-routing included, ensured these times were all met... I am yet to see if it all worked out though, but I suspect all is good as I had no calls after I left work!!

ONE more day tomorrow, and hopefully a relatively good day ahead!!! And then out to dinner with a mate, standard thing really!!!

Whats your plans for the weekend?? I just have some editing of photos to get through really, nothing too much!

Hoo roo for now...

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Hoo Roo Brisbane

Today was an early start, and leaving Brisbane at 0430...

Whillst I didn't have a full load of fuel to get me home, I pushed through to Ulmarra near Grafton, which is like a sleepy little village, and 'old school' servo, and the best Bacon & Egg on toast sandwich!!!! And the river view I had it with a Mocha, was great!!

Aside from that, 920km, 9hr 30min of driving, with a secondary stop at another servo on the motorway at Port Macquarie. From here, I had a car with me all the way down to Newcastle, would sit on my ass, I would naturally pull to the left lane and it would pass.... Then, it would pull to the left in front of me and then slow down!!! My Fortuner has adaptive speed cruise control, and this did my head in as I was just losing distance and time, so I simply, after about 4-5 times, stayed in the inside lane, and them on my tail!!!! Oh, and check out the windsock on the Mooney Mooney Bridge!!!!

Got home, watered the garden, made dinner whilst the washing was done, and I am now all ready and waiting to go to work tomorrow morning!!

Hoo roo for now...

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Last Day In Brisbane...

Well, today is the last day in Brisbane, and tomorrow, bright and early start of 0500, I will start the long drive home.... The road between Sydney and Brisbane (and even Sydney and Melbourne) is quite an easy drive actually, and very pleasant as well with lots to stop at along the way!

Today was spent with preakfast with a mate, I forgot to save the pic of my 'Chili Scrambled Eggs, but yesterday I had breakfast with another mate, and there I had the 'Black Forest Crepes' which was devine, and he the 'Scotched Egg' with bacon!!!

The weather hadn't eased up at all until late this afternoon when it receeded to light showers, and finally stopping about 1730 or so. I went and tended to my mates pool whilst he is also away, and reported via pics as to whats happened; he was very pleased and grateful!!!

Meanwhile, John and Murrays furkids have been mischevous with Month being my constant shadow (even to the shower) whilst Oscar has been getting into all sorts of places, one of which I don't think he would be allowed to be atop of the wine fridge!!!! They have been great to also look after this past week!!!

So, Thursday it is back to work day, not sure what I will be going back to, so that will no doubt be fun, and interesting at the same time!! I am hoping to be able to get back into a regiem of gym and swimming before work as well every day, as I seek to get back to a healthy lifestyle and lose some weight!!!

Hoo roo for now...

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Welcome to 2024

Well, I am back, and my aim for 2024 is to post on a daily basis.... Lets hope I can do this!!!

I am currently up in Brisbane on a 'short break', as work went to a partial shutdown; I am also grateful for the break too I might add!

I drove up on Boxing Day, probably the worst possible day to travel? NO! I left nice and early at 0400, and the 940km journey took just on 9hrs. I went straight to my friends place in Brisbane, and given the recent storms, over to another friends to discharge some of the pool water given the storms. I have done this now twice!

The South East Queensland has been hit with severe storms, and on the Gold Coast, even a tornado!! The humidity has also been HIGH on average on a daily basis, upwards of 85%, which is not ideal!

I have managed to do some plane spotting, visit some friends, have more than enough coffee as well, however today, has been a ''day at home' with it raining all day! The Gold Coast alone has had in excess of 500mm!!

Wishing you all a Happy New Year, and all of the very best for 2024!!!!

Hoo roo for now...

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Toowoomba Daytrip

Yes I was mad to have driven up the range to Toowoomba, but it was needed, 1 to chckout my sister in-laws old house she built, and 2, catchup with a mate living here at the moment for lunch...

My mate had the rump steak, I had a Chicken Katsu Curry burger, which was excellent!!

The drive back to Brisbane was a bit hairy, but ok in the end.... I went past the University of Queensland Research lots at Gaton, and the storm to the north was building... Dinner was excellent at the 'Satay Ria' Malaysian, and I finally got to meet a mates wife, who I think was up to about the 15 or 20th revision on getting her here to Australia !!! 😂😂😂

Off to the Sunshine Coast, hopefully, as there are LOTS of road closeures about to flooding, after some 423mm of rain!

Hoo roo for now...

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A brief planespot, mate catchup and a Greek Dinner

A bit of an 'all over the place' sort of day, and I loved it!! haha Totally wound down now and enjoying the holiday (just hope the wet weather STOPS!!)

I got out of the house early so I wasn't annying my host (working a conference from home) so stopped at the Brisbane Airport spotting location known as 'The Acacia St Loop', and literally spotted one movement (everything was heading out to their new parallel runway... Regional Express have recently started using the B737, yet to fly them though!

Went up to the nearby DFO, and found a mate to have lunch with and talk train photography, mainly! WAs good to catch up. Afterwards, he checked out my car, and then I went shopping to grab some new shirts!

Dinner tonight was at the 'Kafe Meze Stones Corner' with a group of friends of J&M; to which I have become friends with. Its a regular Wednesday night catch-up for the guys with a different host selecting the style of restaurant to go to!!

There was a mixed 'Dips with Pita Bread' (no photo), but they were delicious, and for the main, I selected the Prawn Saganaki with Pita, and an additional Paidakia (Lamb Cutlet), and it was AMAZING!!

Tomorrow, I am off to Toowoomba, I have had a change of plans and routing, and then to Blackbutt area on my way to the Sunshine Coast on Friday.

Hoo roo for now...

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Gold Coast cruise

Today, was a casual trip down to the Gold Coast for lunch; ended up being a 'mini-cruise' with a mates younger brothers new car!!

It was an easy as 60 minute drive south, and although theres is some roadworks along the way, we landed at a place for some quick car pics. HOWEVER, the spot, was backlit and not really good for photography, so I adapted. I ended up taking 17 images (YES, 17!!) of various exposure incriments to pull out some of the shaded areas (otherwise black) and stop the highlights blowing the image, and then using Adobe Lightroom to layer them all together... I knew in my head what was needed, but with me relatively new Canon 5Div, I hadnt used these settings/process before!! I was 'winging it'!!

I was pretty stoked in the end result!!!

THEN, it was to the Curumbin Vikings for a catchup lunch with another mate, the 'Salt & Pepper Calamaari' was FANTASTIC at the Curumbin Vikings Club, before heading off to a well know location for planespotting at Coolangatta.

After a very quick knee-deep poke around in the beach; it was closed due to RIP's, and 'Red Flagged', so I stayed safe, I headed back 'home' and a quiet night.

The next couple of days aren't looking to pretty, lots of rain (c. 120mm tomorrow alone) with the warnings already set out, with a severe weather warning being in place in Queensland for the Wide Bay, Burnett, Darling Downs, and Granite Belt forecast districts. Flash flood warnings are in place for the Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Brisbane, Maroochydore, Gympie, Caboolture, Coolangatta and Ipswich.

Hoo roo for now...

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Bee Gees Way and Hornibrook Bridge Redcliffe (Brisbane)

Today was a bit of a nothing day, I mean we still had the 'Brunch Meeting' at 'The Kelsey'... haha

After that, and dropping John back home, I grabbed my Budgy Smugglers and headed north for a swim; or so I thought! Was recomendeed that Sandgate was good, but with the rock groins along the beach to keep it stabalised having a fisherman casting, I wasnt about to hop in for a swim and get hooked!! So, I stopped at the nearby hertiage listed Hornibrook Bridge! It looks magnificant however, I have no idea what the bronze draw thing is in the southern abutment!!

After this, I then headed into Redcliffe to visit the 'Bee Gees Way', a tribute to the bands legacy, Bee Gees Way is a 70-metre walkway in Redcliffe, free to see every day and night, celebrating the illustrious career of the band. The Moreton Bay Region is the home of the Bee Gees, a group whose tunes have been heard all over the world, having sold more than 200 million records.

Every night from 7 pm to 9.30 pm, visitors witness light shows set to the Bee Gees’ greatest hits, such as “Stayin’ Alive”, “How Deep Is Your Love”, and “Night Fever”. (I SHOULD have stayed for this, next time!!)

Bee Gees Way was developed in collaboration with Barry Gibb. It features life-size statues of Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. Be sure to snap a shot with both of the statues. #BeeGeesWay

Bee Gees Way hosts more than 60 captioned photographs, 13 album covers, personal stories and reflections and a 70-metre mural featuring the artwork of the Gibb brothers. It also has a giant 5.3 square metre video screen playing exclusive interviews with Barry Gibb and never before seen home movie footage, along with Bee Gees songs.

Tomorrow, its off down to the Gold Coast (Currumbin) with a couple of mates for lunch, and maybe a swim down there!!!

Hoo roo for now...

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