Merry Christmas everyone and greetings from Tasmania.
Well, we haven't made it too far away from Devonport yet, we moved from the farm last Tuesday to a nice little camp spot at Pioneer Park, Riana. $7 a night with access to power and hot showers ($1 for 5 minutes). It's a little bit cooler here but nice and quiet and out of the way for the Christmas holiday onslaught.
We have grouped up with our friends Sid and Bing and new friends from the farm, Len and Helen, as well as a Canadian couple and one of the Park caretakers, Jo, for a Christmas feast. We are all bringing a plate for mains - Geoff and I are doing our usual Chang's Chicken Salad as well as making brandy butter and brandy custard (shops were sold out). We've got desserts laid on, Helen has made a rum fruitcake, Sally (from the farm we were at) gave us a pavlova before we left, I've made caramel brownies and Jo has made a pineapple fruit cake. Now, where are my elastic banded pants……..
We've done a few touristy things like going to Sheffield for the murals, Railton for the topiaries, Don for the markets and railway and we've seen the big Penguin dressed in his Santa suit at Penguin.
The weather here is incredible, for me it's thermals one day and t-shirt for half the next day before the wind picks up and drops the temperature again. We've had our fair share of rain too, minor flooding in Devonport caused a bit of damage to some shops including Woolworths and the library. On the up-side everything is flourishing and green here. The pyrethrum and poppy fields are in flower and there are so many cottage gardens and rose bushes everywhere.
Erin had a nice birthday, we got take out pizzas and sat on a brick wall in Devonport and watched the Christmas parade go past. Sid, Bing, Helen and Len joined us. After the parade we watched the police chase a couple of older teens through Macdonalds where we had stopped for ice cream afterwards, who needs telly? Erin did well with birthday money and bought herself a new DS as her old one was so well used the buttons barely respond anymore. The remainder is burning a hole in her pocket, combined with her Christmas money, and she has been browsing through catalogues on-line.
We've just had a surprise from Len and Helen, they had Christmas stockings for each of us with little pressies representing wishes – Peace, Joy, Love, Laughter and Wealth. I hope everyone has had as wonderful a morning as we have.
Best Wishes and Merry Christmas to all. We hope everyone has a happy and prosperous new year.
