It’s been a long day. I watched the moon set this morning over My Wellington in Hobart, as I fed myself, the rabbits and the chickens. I filled up on coffee, packed the car and drove off from chilly Hobart to the beautiful east coast.
I stopped a couple of times to stretch my protesting muscles and joints and walk around. One of the things I’ve noticed battling arthritis over the years is that I need to keep moving and if I’m stuck behind the wheel for any longer than an hour I start to fidget. Safer to pull over and walk around for a while. So, first stop was Orford, on the banks of the Prosser River, incredibly pretty as the mist was burning off in the warm winter sun.
So nice to see Black Swans feeding in the shallows and smell eucalyptus again!
Further up the Tasman Highway, I stopped for a stroll along one of my favourite places at Old Man Creek. Nestled into the cliffs, there’s a small camping ground and a gorgeous white sand beach.
Even in mid winter, there were a few people at the dozen or so campsites and it made me reminisce about many camping trips I’ve spent there going back thirty years or so. It was lovely just to walk, breathe in the sea air, listen to rhythm of the waves and watch sunlight on the water. Also, it was surprisingly warm for this time of the year and very sheltered from the prevailing westerly winds. Pretty close to perfect conditions 🙂
As I write, I’m crashed on the couch at the Bicheno Backpackers, very comfortable and full of Earl Grey tea. The sun is slipping away and its starting to chill off quite rapidly.
Tomorrow, I go to say hello to a friend when in actual fact, it is the biggest and final goodbye. Jeff is dying and there’s nothing any of us can do about it. I have strange and conflicted feelings about the whole thing. Above all, I know this is the right thing for me to do, to celebrate this dear friend while I can, with him before he passes away.
Take care dear people, be good to each other
Debra ❤
Debra Manskey 