From the Outback to the South East

I left the Outback and flew home yesterday afternoon and, for the first time, I haven't felt the chilly temperature as soon as we hit the Toowoomba Range. The weather here is still very warm for this time of the year and it was 27C today which is hard to believe as we are usually rugged up by now. Mind you, I am not complaining as I haven't dragged out my winter clothes yet but it does make you wonder what summer is going to be like. I did read online though that the temps will plummet at the beginning of June so I guess things will get back to normal then. One thing I noticed was that the sun rises an hour later in Mt.Isa and it is just getting light at 7am which makes it very easy to sleep in.

 

However, by the time I dragged myself out of bed my daughter had already been up for an hour or so as it isn't easy to get a sleep-in when you have three children including a toddler. School starts early in The Outback and the bell goes about 8.20am so it is a mad dash getting everyone fed, dressed and in the car by 8am each day. School finishes at 2.30pm because of the heat up there I guess. 

The flight home was uneventful thank goodness as it was quite a bumpy ride on the way up. 

 

 

We left Mt.Isa on time. This was taken as we were leaving the city...

 

 

...and then we were fed 'lunch' and were handed a cardboard box containing Peri Peri Chicken Pizza plus a mini packet of M & Ms which I handed back and afterwards were offered tea or coffee in a cardboard cup. When I first started flying up north we were given a tray with a meal and possibly fruit or a dessert plus a hot drink in a washable cup but I presume that serving a meal in a box etc. means less work for the staff. I find it very disappointing considering that the normal fare one way is approximately $400 although I always buy when specials are on. What can you do though? One good thing is that you can now take knitting needles and crochet hooks on board as my bamboo needles went through okay and I asked if metal knitting needles are permitted and the answer was yes. 

 I used to be able to watch a movie on the screens on the back of the seat in front of me but it seems that the older planes now fly to Mt.Isa and when I checked in yesterday I was given instructions on how to download the QANTAS Entertainment App onto my iPad before we flew and then once we were on-board I went into 'Settings' then 'Flight Mode' then 'WiFi' and then connected up with QANTAS and was able to watch movies, TV shows etc. on my iPad. Nothing there interested me though so I watched the scenery below and as soon as I saw some green areas I knew we were near the Sunshine Coast. This is my favourite part of the trip home as I see the Glasshouse Mountains...

...which are on the left in the photo and the ocean which is on the right. I really wanted to take a photo with my camera but the seatbelt sign had gone on and we were told to put our bags under the seat in front and all that but I quickly picked it up and got my phone out and took a photo which didn't turn out very well but that is what you get for not obeying the rules :-) Even though it was hazy it is always a spectacular part of Queensland to see from above. A couple of minutes later we descended and with a rather loud bump were on the ground once again. Then it was a rush to pick up my luggage and walk over to the area where I picked up the Greyhound coach for the drive home which always seems to be the longest part of the trip. 

I only saw my granddaughters before and after school and at the weekends but this little fellow and I spent a lot of time together as his Mum had a really busy week. We got into a routine of play, then morning tea on Nanna's lap to quieten down and relax before having a morning sleep at the same time each day and he would sleep for a couple of hours. He is a gorgeous child - full of fun and mischief and I am sure he understands everything that is said to him. When his sisters are home he tries to keep up with them and it is so funny watching him. The girls are enjoying school and are growing up so very quickly as children do. I think the years before school starts are so precious as once Prep starts everything changes and Mum is no longer the centre of a little one's universe. 

So now life is almost back to normal....whatever that is. Gertrude my sourdough starter has been fed, Sally the chook is following me around like a lost puppy and the plants are getting some extra TLC. I hope all is well in your neck of the woods and don't forget if you live in our area that our Simple Living Toowoomba Tunisian Crochet Workshop is on this Saturday the 21st May. I can't wait!