What did we make I hear you ask?  Well, we made the climb up the hill of 2015 is what. The year is well and truly half gone now and we have started the journey down hill and at the bottom will be 2016 and I tell you that for free.     TRUE.

 

It's also time for my monthly update so as usual,  a u-turn is called for.

 

Weather, well dry is a very good word to describe it really as for the month of July here in down town Townsville we have had no rain. Everything looks dry and in need of a drink. People have sprinklers going when they can to try and keep what garden is left in as good a nick as possible. That might not last long though as there is talk of increasing the water restrictions already in place.  Apart from no rain the temps have ranged from 6-22c over night and 24-28c during the day, the higher temps just this last week or so. Very nice indeed. I hear from people down south and all tell me about the cold weather down there and it reminds me why I actually head north nowadays during winter. Being retired really does help make doing that so much easier.

 

The Army and Airforce were busy with their training and those Hornets etc were flying around and were very exciting until about mid month when things started to settle and the training came to a big slow down, here in Townsville anyway.

 

The beginning of the month to mid month saw School Holidays, V8 Supercar Races and the boys in their big speed boat toys zooming around just off the Strand. The V8's made a crowd record with 152,000+ people going through the gates, you could say busy busy busy.  As usual one of the things they do up here and does attract a big crowd along the streets is a big parade with most of the big trucks that transport the V8 cars around, did I say they are big, well they are. It's nice and quiet again with all those activities all done and dusted.

 

I have spent time meeting some new GN's and catching up with some I already know so have been reasonably busy in that department. The people I house sat for down in Milton near Batemans Bay turned up as they are travelling around with their little dog, Ruby and we caught up and spent a day together so was good to see them again. They have their daughter and her family living in the house until their new one is finished being built so no need for a house sitter.

 

A mate from down in Victoria who had a Avan as well sold it to some people from here in Townsville. They flew down to check the Avan out and bought it then negotiated with Terry to bring it up for them. Terry took about 10 days to arrive here so we spent a day together before he started to head back south to pic up his van and continue his travelling around. I hadn't seen Terry since I left Greens Lake.

 

Now I am not one to frequent doctors, in fact I usually leave things to the very last minute but due to a bit of a health problem, like blood pressure, I was unable to get away as I wanted due to many GP visits and monitoring my pressure 4 times a day. We will get it right at some stage I reckon. The GP decided it was time to take things a bit further so got me in to see a Cardiologist within 48 hrs. After CT Scans, Blood Tests etc It is time to do another visit to him to find out results etc. 

 

Most of the pain I had earlier in the year is either gone or not too bad now so at least that's good. Still thinking of ducking up to Cairns for a few days but not as long as first thought, hopefully that will take place mid August now. All depends on what happens at the Cardiologist. 

 

Something I have been doing this month is mucking around getting the iPad set up so I can watch some TV programs through the apps set up by a couple of TV stations. I have already watched a couple of good shows and one good movie. I have also found out if I copy shows or movies onto a USB stick from my portable hard drive I can watch through the TV without having to set up the laptop first, so much easier now. I have a lot of TV programs, mainly from overseas and movies on a portable hard drive but my TV doesn't recognise the format or size so this new way on USB stick saves a lot of mucking around.  

 

Next year I might even have a way of watching my beloved Atlanta Braves Baseball team over in the States. I will look into all that during our summer months and their off season. I think it's called "Streamlining" or something like that anyway. 

 

Well this has been a relatively quiet month for me here in the tropics so only a short update this month.         I heard that down the back row!

 

Until next month keep safe out there everyone.

 

DOUG 

 

Some pics as usual,

 

Top Left.................Looking down on Townsville from Castle Hill.

Middle Left............Big boys toys getting ready to go in water.

Bottom Left...........Big Boys toys in action. 

Right......................Boardwalk at Jessine Barracks, Townsville.