The Grandkids and I did a trial run around Vic during September school holidays to road test Grannie & the Pelimobile read for the big trip.
First to Wodonga -without the Pelimobile as it was still being repaired - thank you Uncle Jeff& Aunty Judy for Gus's wonder-filled trip to the snow. He will always remember his discoveries on that trip - that Uncle Jeff's hair is not fake, tobogganing is exhilarating and that Mt Buffalo’s huge boulders have crevasses and water worn shapes which make great seats and hiding places. Echuca was the next stop overnight on the way to Swan Hill to pick up the Pelimobile and head to Chewton to pick up Gus's mate Harry to take the really, really long way to Marong Big 4 caravan park. Round in a circle we went again as a very tired Grannie mixed up Maldon with Marong. However, Maldon did have a great IGA where all sorts of fibs were told to the trusting Grannie Evie -eg "I can only eat white bread, I can’t have Wheetbix…" Also, it was great not to stay in the spooky wee van park in Maldon with the grumpy one-eyed (his false one kept wandering around in his eye socket in the most alarming and disturbing way)owner declaring “we are definitely NOT a Big 4”.
It was nearly dark as we arrived back in Marong at the Big 4child friendly, no permeant residents van park I had booked into earlier that day. I was tired, hangry, emotional and disturbed by the fact I lost the kids before I even got to site no 53- I was actually driving off talking to them I thought, but looked in the mirror and found not only were they gone, but the door was flapping wide open.
I dragged them off the jumping pillow and forced them to help me set up and make dinner.
They insisted on the full camping package of put up the awning, assemble the picnic table and chairs etc.
That was all very well but I would have preferred to leave it till daylight so I could see rather than feel the redbacks and black house spiders in the webs I broke through groping about in long-closed outside lockers.
Later I was exhaustedly trying to focus on sleeping instead of wondering if the agitated eight leggers had escaped up in to my bed which was on top of the lockers.I bravely hid my arachnophobic angst thanking my lucky stars that Archer was not with us as it would have reinforced his belief that the computer Game “Grannie lives with spiders that kill you” was real and his nightmares about them were based on fact after all.
We really enjoyed having a fun few days there. Gus & Harry were taking10 minute swims in the outdoor pool every hour or so on a 15 degree day. Guess they did not feel it as they do live & thrive in Chewton and true to sustainable living soaked up heat from the concrete to stop the shivering. Much time was also spent wearing themselves out in pedal cars.
An easy couple of days there then off to Aunty Suzi and Uncle Daan's place in Campbell's Creek to wait for Carol O'Shannassey to join me to go to a wonderful wedding celebration. This was at Kat & Ben’s fantastic entertainment area on their farm at Newstead. So good to see Kat and Ben happily married and celebrating.
A rest & recovery day and off on the train to Swan Hill & back to pick up Knox and Archer to bring them to Castlemaine so Knox and I could head off on his Birthday promised IOU of a roadie in the Bago with Grannie...