Home Sweet Home

We are home!! Yippee - although our camping trip was fun and enjoyed by all four of us it was great to drive into the court and see our house. Electricity, running water, fridge, etc, etc.

I will give you a little insight into our adventures over the last 5 days..... grab a cuppa this could be long!!

Friday:
On the road pretty much as planned 5.30am and off for our 2.5hour drive to Snobs Creek. Got there everyone excited and the campsite was empty which was a bonus! Set up camp, got the fire going and started bush life. Weather overcast in the evening with a little drizzle but at least it was nice while we set up camp.

Saturday:
Had our first shower. Noel has made a shower unit up that runs with his engine. It has a pump and a heater exchange and is bloody fantastic! Alex must have got something in her eye at some stage during the morning as all of a sudden she was bleeding from her eye and nose. Off we went to Alexandra hosipital to see the doctor - who I might add was very vague - but reassured us that is was just a blood vessel that had popped probably due to getting something in her eye. We were told to just keep an eye on it. (No pun intended there) Had a look around Snobs Creek and visited the Snobs Creek Discovery Centre, which was very interesting. The kids got to feed some trout and chinook salmons, we learnt a bit about the breeding process and then in the aquarium section of the centre we were all able to touch baby brown trout that were no bigger than an inch long. After that it was back to the campsite. The weather was crap - drizzle on and off making it really miserable in the camp and all of us went to bed by 8.30pm.

Sunday:
The weather has cleared - yey! Another day of adventure - a little bit of exploring some tracks in the 4wd. Some were a bit hairy especially as we had the trailer in tow as we were meant to be looking for firewood. Went to Thornton as the primary school was having a fete. Not much there - the kids got to have a pony ride and a bit of time in the petting farm. They were also having a fireworks display in the evening so we headed back to camp for dinner only to return back to the school yard for dusk. The fireworks were great and a well organised show. Noel and I were surprised and it obviously cost the school a bit of money. Just as we were leaving Oliver and Alex were mucking about and chasing each other. I was caught off guard as I was getting up of the blanket we were sitting on as the next minute I looked up and Alex was running towards me like an out of control freight train. Crash!! The top of her head and my nose colided BIG TIME. It hurt and the next minute blood everywhere.

Monday:
Woke up a little puffy but no black eyes thankfully. Spent the day driving around Eildon Lake and exploring other camping areas. None as good as the spot we have found although the area is very popular. On the way back to the camp site we stopped and had a look at Snobs Creek Falls. The walk down was okay considering the warning about the steps being uneven. The falls were magnificent. Both Noel and I agreed that the were about the nicest falls we had been too and I must admit we have been to quite a few waterfalls. A 12 year old girl, Elisha Ross, lost her life there by slipping on the rocks in 1990. A little memorial placque was there and it was quite moving.

Tuesday:
We decided to go for another snoop around the forest in the 4wd today. We headed to the start of the Big River camping area and took it from there. Another well mentioned camping area that we didn't think too much off. Very crowded and the bush was fairly thick. Most of the campsites looked dark due to the mass of bushes surrounding them. I like the bush camp idea but need plenty of room and light. Noel was feeling fairly tired today so asked me to drive. OMG - he was letting me drive his baby!! Normally I don't get near the steering wheel whilst we are trekking. So Melbourne Cup Day 2005 I did my first 4wd track. At some stages it was quite howdy doody but I enjoyed myself and Noel said I did well.

Wednesday:
Time to come home - packing up is always harder. I suppose it is because everyone is tired, aching and sore. We left the campsite at 3.30pm and headed back to the normality in which we live. Got home at 6.30pm and unpacked the trailer.

Now I face the day with a huge amount of smoky washing, two kids that are full of colds and not going to school/creche. I was meant to go back to work today but I am doing the right thing and staying home with the kids (hard decision that one).

It is strange that the kids and I were soooo looking forward to sleeping in our beds but had the worst night sleep. Oliver kept sneezing and crying, Alex kept stirring and coming into our room only to be sent back to hers and I couldn't keep asleep with the heat. Wow what great weather it has been for the last few days but I must admit that at 4am this morning it was good to hear the rumble of thunder and see the flashes of lightning.

Tonight I face the scales - my points guides went out the window on the way to the camp site and I will be totally honest and say that I haven't given them a second thought all weekend. I hopped on the scales when I got home last night and they didn't seem to bad although it is the WW ones that count.

Better fly and get started on my jobs for today. Mind you I could just curl back up in bed. Maybe the kids and I will sneek in an afternoon siesta!~!~!~!