Smoky Dan's and another lazy day 13/10/19

Another very lazy day.

Lyn and Wendy arrived at our door about 1030 am having been over to the shops and found out that there was a souvlaki special at Smoky Dan's (the local cafe) for lunch.  They had booked for the four of us.  We agreed that this was a great idea, so at midday we were strolling the 300m or so to the shops (IGA and smoky Dan's are the local shops) to have lunch.

They had an acoustic band playing which was not disruptive to conversation, and some cute little girls were "dancing" to the music in the uninhibited way that kids do. We enjoyed some S and P croc for entree(shared) before a serve of souvlaki each, washed down by a red.

In the afternoon we spent the time chatting after briefly using facebook to say happy birthday to Val Webb (a shared friend) for her 70th.

We had soup and toast for tea (after our huge lunch) and giant twins for dessert that I had found in the local supermarket.

Finished the jigsaw puzzle at last.  The books all have legs!

three thirteen with the Beaumonts 12/10/19

After a really good sleep in we had an excellent egg and bacon breakfast (cooked in two different pots because there is nothing to cook both together in.

Lyn and Wendy invited us to their place mid afternoon and we sat around chatting and playing Three Thirteen (a game which is new to us) with the two packs of cards out of our glove box.  We used jokers (which is apparently a variation) and also scored the picture cards as 11, 12 and 13, rather than all as 10. We knocked when going out (which allowed Lyn to see it happening - he is completely deaf)

We ended up staying for pasta for tea after snacking our way through the afternoon on dip and biscuits

The jigsaw was completed after we went home to our own place, having lost to Lyn, with Wendy a sad last.

For posterity - here are the rules for Three Thirteen (just in case). It is a simple enough game for kids to play without being too boring for adults.

Three Thirteen (Thanks to Pagat.com)

This variation of Rummy was contributed by Leah Mathis

Players

Two or more players

Cards

Normal playing cards. One 52 card deck for two players, two decks for three or four people. It doesn't really matter after that as long as you have enough cards to play with.

The Deal

This game has eleven rounds. The first dealer is chosen at random and the turn to deal passes to the left after each round. In the first round three cards are dealt to each player, in the second round four cards are dealt and so on until the eleventh and last round in which thirteen cards each are dealt. The remainder of the cards are placed face down on the table to form a stock pile. The top card of the stock is being flipped face up and put beside the stock pile to start the discard pile.

Object of the Game

The object of the game is to form all the cards in your hand into combinations. There are two types of valid combination:

1. a set or group of three or more cards of the same rank, such as 5-5-5. When playing with more than one deck it is possible for a set to contain identical cards, for example 9-9-9.
2. a run or sequence of three or more cards in the same suit, such as 4-5-6

Combinations can contain more than three cards - for example four sevens or 8-9-10-J-Q of a suit. However, you cannot count the same card as part of more than one combination. For example 5-6-7-6-6 is either a set of sixes with a 5 and 7 of spades left over, or a run of spades with two sixes left over.

Aces rank low in this game, so A-2-3 is a valid sequence but Q-K-A is not.

Wild Cards

In each round there is a wild card. It is the card equal to the number of cards dealt. Wild cards can be used in place of any other card in making a group or sequence. You can even make a set that consists of only wild cards if you wish. Below is a list of wild cards by round:

• Round 1 Threes are wild.
• Round 2 Fours are wild.
• Round 3 Fives are wild.
• Round 4 Sixes are wild.
• Round 5 Sevens are wild.
• Round 6 Eights are wild.
• Round 7 Nines are wild.
• Round 8 Tens are wild.
• Round 9 Jacks are wild.
• Round 10 Queens are wild.
• Round 11 Kings are wild.

The Play

The player to dealer's left begins, and players take turns clockwise around the table. A turn consists of drawing one card - either the top card of the face down stock or the top card of the discard pile - and then discarding one card face up on top of the discard pile. Note that only the top card of the discard pile can be taken.

Going Out

You can go out at your turn to play if, after drawing the top card of the stock or the top discard, you are able to arrange all the cards in your hand except one into separate sets, and then discard a card. In this case, when discarding you announce that you are out. Each of the other players is allowed one more turn. When the turn to play comes back to you the round is over and the scores are calculated.

Scoring

At the end of the round, each player arranges as much as possible of their hand into sets and runs. Any cards that are not included in a set or run are counted as penalty points against the holder as follows:

Ace   1pt
Two   2pts
Three 3pts
Four  4pts
Five  5pts
Six   6pts
Seven 7pts
Eight 8pts
Nine  9pts
Ten   10pts
Jack  10pts
Queen 10pts
King  10pts

The scores are accumulated from round to round, and whoever has the lowest score at the end of the eleventh round is the winner.

Note that in this form of rummy, players are not allowed to dispose of cards by adding them to other players' sets or runs. Combinations are made only from your own hand, and any cards not included are penalty cards.

Variations

Some play that Aces can be used as high or low - so A-K-Q is a valid sequence. In this case an Ace remaining in your hand at the end costs 15 points, rather than one.

Some groups score 11 points for Jacks, 12 for Queens and 13 for Kings.

Some groups include Jokers as additional wild cards. In that case, a joker left in your hand at the end of a round scores 20 penalty points.

For large groups of players, Stan Stone has invented 3-13 Speed, in which the play is speeded up by means of simultaneous drawing and discarding, controlled by a caller.

A proprietary version of 3-13 using a special five-suited pack, has been published under the name Five Crowns.

Jared Mellentine has contributed a variation Deuces Aren't Wild with an additional 14-card round and a bonus round in the event of a tie.

Travelling to Tomakin - 11/10/19

We eventually headed off at about 1115.  First we had to get a decent picture of us with Kate

Us with Kate and Billy (the girl dog) 

Vic had told us about a scary road they took once and suggested that we do not go via Captains Flat and on that road, but we were interested to see how "hick" Captains Flat really was and pretty interested in the scary road too, so we headed that way.

.
We actually had a couple of "scary roads" which were marked "not suitable for caravans" but the worst of them was probably the bit heading in to Araluen from Majors Creek.

terrific views from Clarkes Lookout

It was a really lovely drive.

We spotted this cute little place as we headed out of Araluen again- cubby maybe?


It was a really lovely drive , and on the section from Araluen on to Moyura we passed along the Mogo National Park and Deua National Park -If we hadn't been booked in for the night we would definitely have stayed at the Sandy Creek campground  - which allowed us some good enjoyment anyway as we chose to cross the water crossing and have a look at the lovely campsites along the Deua river on the opposite side of the creek as well as the ones on the road side.

Lots of nice camps here - some with fireplaces and one toilet block on the side closest to the entrance. There is very little info on the web regarding these campgrounds, but...

 Bakers Flat is incredibly pretty. It has a parking spot for vehicles and then you need to carry in to grassy tent spots close to the river (30-200m). There's one spot just up near the carpark which you could probably use with vehicle camping.







\

Deua river campground is set up above the river (a bit hard to get down to it) and seemed to have space for about 6 spots. All are in a fairly open area within sight of each other. This is where we had our morning tea. There is a toilet here and a couple of picnic tables and campfire spots.

view down to the river

The winner for us was Sandy Creek by a mile.  Only a short distance further down the road towards Moruya from Bakers Flat and 4WD only.  At least a dozen (probably more) spots in separated areas.  Some across a little water crossing.  Steep hill requiring clearance to get down to the creek and camping areas. A long way to the loo if you take one of the distant spots. right by the river and able to find grassy / flat spot for swags or small tent.  Some big enough for a camper trailer etc.

sign at entrance to campsite track

last spot on other side of river - river behind and on side

lovely spots

track in fairly dry weather - so it would be nasty when wet. This was not a steep section. 

creek crossing

The map below (photographed from one of the info boards) is the best I can do to show their locations.

 We arrived at Tomakin (Moorings Resort) at 3.30pm, and checked in, but I went back a little later to borrow a jigsaw.  Who should I meet heading to reception as well but Lyn Beaumont (The past Principal of Richmond PS where our boys went, and also past members of same parish and parents of some of our favourite youth kids ever) !! He and Wendy are staying for most of the week too, so that will be good.

The unit is pretty basic but adequate (especially when compared to camping) , but downstairs, so no need to walk up each time.  There is a river outside the front door but it is screened by trees.  Ducks and parrots walk and fly past.  No wifi in rooms and you can pay for some, but it's only available in the reception area, so not much point.

I tried to buy an extra block from Belong - and so started a saga which is not worth relating.  Suffice to say that a few days later I had my data after a number of contacts.

main bedroom

lounge with decoration on sofa

fairly basic kitchen

I started the jigsaw and we had the edges pretty much done by the end of today (just a few pieces that had missed the check in the first couple of times, so we are leaving it to find them as we go through the rest of the puzzle.  1000 pieces is too many to check through again.

We ate our pasta and remaining pasta sauce for dinner and fell into comfortable beds (separate rooms) for a really good sleep.

Kate's birthday 10/10/19 (14!!)

Today was Kate's birthday.

Andrew and Vic went to work and we spent the day lazing around with Kate.

We did crosswords, read a lot and sat around chatting and playing cards (unsuccessfully trying to remember how to play gin rummy and then successfully teaching her to play Rickety Kate.

We had a late birthday feast with caramel cake (very sweet)

She loves this fluro zip up fleece (yes - safety gear) which she has stolen from Andrew and it sure comes in handy when the wind is whipping through the place (brrrr)

A lazy day at Worra Worra 9/10/19

We had a good sleep in at Worra Worra (their new rooster is nowhere near as noisy as the old one was) and then spent the day mooching around the place with Kate and Andrew. We had tossed around the idea of going in to the Floriade, but decided against it.

After an egg (home grown)  and toast breakfast we headed up the hill in the ute initially, and then on foot, to the rock feature which sits pretty much on the ridge of the hill. The property does go down the other side too, but it is much thicker bush and it was already a fairly snaky day, so we kept to the clearer areas and perched ourselves up there for a while to admire the views and the scribbly gums.  one lizard poked his head out briefly before hiding away again.  I can't believe I didn't take any photos!

Trev and Andrew talked through some possible track locations if Andrew decides to extend the current track. Kate and I enjoyed the rocks and chatted.

In the afternoon Andrew did some computer work, and Kate made her way through most of her maths homework (Tesselations) while Trevor and I caught up with some reading.

The evening was taken up with a trip into the city to Endangered Heritage where they had their "end of Financial year" staff function attended by staff , contractors and family members.  We met Elaine (librarian of rare books)  and Gary (photographer) and chatted for a while to Emma (queen of puns) who is the general lab assistant at the moment.

brother Andrew having his say

Vic- the Casual Boss - chatting to staff.

It reminded me of HSS days  - appreciating staff is always so important.

more catch up with friends before an arrival at Worra Worra 8/10/19

After a lazy morning of eggs and bacon and more chinwagging we tore ourselves away from the Abbertons (point 1 on map) and headed for the botanical gardens where the cafe "Pollen" was our destination. (point 2 on map)

We met Sue Brown there (she works nearby) and John was soon along too.
The place was pretty busy, but the food was good and it was sheltered from the weather pretty well (which was a good thing as the weather became steadily worse through the time we were there) .
We had an hour and a half of catch up before John was looking exhausted and Sue had to go back to work.  Now they are living back in Oz again it might be easier to catch up (but we do regret that we never managed to fit South America into the travel plans while they were there).

As we left the cafe the hail started and we go dumped on as we ran (Trev hobbled) down to the bottom car park where our car was located,  It didn't last for long, so we were able to make it out to the Endangered Heritage shop (where brother Andrew was working) OK. (point 3 on map)

We had a good look at the current projects in the shop for conservation (some ugly, some beautiful) and a chit chat with him and some of the other EH employees, before heading out to Worra Worra where Andrew, Vic and Kate live.  The name Worra Worra  is a reference to what Tigger said in "The house at Pooh Corner" , and that makes sense since the place is on 100 acres (most of which is a wooded hill)... hence it is very nearly a "Hundred Acre Wood" as in the same book. (point 4 on map)

This was Trevor's first visit and my second one to Worra Worra , and once again the "shed converted to housing" out the back was our home.  I dragged in the swag (much to Vic's disgust) so that we would have separate sleeping spots which made for some really good sleeps while we were there.

Of course it was wonderful to see them all again. Vic  and Kate gave us a guided tour of the garden, sheds and house and then Andrew came home.  The swales are working well on their  side paddock and seem to be moistening up the soil and keeping the many fruit trees that they have planted going so far. They have a young man called Dan staying with them at the moment and assisting with some jobs around the place in return for food and lodging. 

The dam out the front of the house . (with frogs!)

Beechworth to Canberra 7/10/19

We left just after Ten am and headed towards Canberra along the Hume highway. 

After one last breakfast at the George Kerferd, (this time a little more relaxed) We climbed back up the hills from Beechworth to Albury/Wodonga.

We had lunch at Gundagai (a soggy pulled pork burger) for horrendous price of $14 each sitting by the river , and a cuppa from the thermos.

We arrived at Tim and Joanne's place at 3.30 pm to a very friendy welcome and spent a lovely afternoon and evening catching up on the latest news, eating Thai at the local restaurant (still very good) and watching Eliza's wedding video. 

Lots of good times relived, lots of memories shared.  A late night gone too soon.

final day of competition - 6/10/19

Today was the middle distance Oceania championship, held on land adjoining he prison here at Beechworth.

The map included what the commentary team called a "blackberry maze" and 'mountain bike track puzzle"

We were not allowed to cross fences except at marked crossing points for fear of crossing accidentally into prison land.

As you would expect for a middle distance event, there were some quick decisions to be made, and some tricky controls amongst the rocks too.  Apologies for the quality of the map photo.  I went terribly wrong from control 6 and you can see the unnecessary loop on the right hand side of my track showing all the extra effort that I went to in the wrong direction when I crossed the wrong creek junction.  Apart from this I did well on the course, but I had wasted too much time and came in 22nd of 28 starters (my worst result)

Trevor also managed to miss his 3rd to last control , needing to come back again to locate it, and then messed up the 2nd to last control, but still managed to claim another 3rd placing despite about ten minutes of errors.  What a champion!!

A detour was required past the Beechworth Bakery to have one of their stunning vanilla slices (still so good...) for the first time this trip. 

On the way back from the event we took the time to drive around the grounds of Mayday Hills and saw the derelict state of some of the old classic buildings, the remains of the haha wall, and the lovely trees and rhododendrons that populate the grounds.

Dinner tonight was at the Commercial Hotel with the remaining South Aussies - Bob, Karen, David George (now recovered from the lurgy that kept him away from the SA get together in Wagga Wagga), Al, Zita, Kiana, Clive, Marion, Trevor and Erica.  

Oceania Long Distance 5/10/19

The Oceania Long Distance event at Kangaroo Crossing started with a long uphill walk (2km) to the start. You can see it on my map below.

We had a quiz to do on the way, which helped to take our mind off of the long walk, but it was really humid, so we were all wringing with perspiration by the time we made it to the start.

The promotion of this event as "one of the best areas in Australia (or maybe the world) for orienteering" had really spooked me and I was convinced that I would run badly.  Warren Key was also the course setter - and I knew he would have done an amazing job (also scary) with many traps laid to get caught in. Because of this , I had chosen to do the W55AS (short) course today (the only time for the carnival)

I was surprised to find myself at number 4 with no real errors (just a bit messy at times) , but then had to make a route choice and commit to it.  All courses had a long route choice across this section of the map , with slight variations in the actual control sites used.   I deliberated briefly, then decided to go down and across the gully and try to pick up the mountain bike tracks shown on the map and allow the creek to lead me in to my control.  This turned out to be a decision for some very hard work, and by the time I was trying to make my way between cliffs on the other side of the gully I was regretting the choice, but committed.  I figured all I could do at that stage was execute the plan as cleanly as possible.

I managed to do this , and then to find all but number 8 pretty cleanly (I wasn't far enough up the creek there) and turned for the finish from 8 feeling very tired and glad that I was running a short rather than my usual long selection.

When I made it back to the finish the results were not working and I wasnt too worried, being well aware of my lousy route choice from 4-5.

Trevor had a late start (last start for all the entered runners) so I knew it would be a while before he made it back to the finish. He was only just starting as I was finishing.

When he came it , it wasn't too long to wait to know that he had come third in this Oceania champs event (his best effort so far) , and as he walked up form the finish to check his results he also found my name at the top of the list!  Despite all, I had managed to win my course today!!

Not many stayed around for the presentations (everyone is getting a bit tired by this stage of the carnival) but we took each other's photo on the podium and patted each other on the back.

Trev coming in to his last control - still looking good

Erica a winner

Trev third place.

We headed back to the loony bin for much needed showers and out to see Julie (my old workmate)
She has done a great job of restoring her historic little cottage and we enjoyed a couple of hours of catching up chatter along with wine and cheese and delicious pate.  I was very glad that I had persevered in trying to get in touch. 

Dinner was with Maurice and Kirsten that night , along with Al, Zita and Kiana.  So we had a bit of a chance to catch up with them as well.  Since they live in ACT and we live in Adelaide, the champs is often a good opportunity to play catch up with those two. It was good to hear about the "almost renovated" house and exciting new job opportunities.  The bangers and mash was as good as recommended by Julie, but we happily shared only one serve after our afternoon feasting.