Now come on weather gods, enough is enough already!

You guessed it, bad weather, really bad weather. The start of December and the start of summer didn't start very good at all and I don't mind telling you that for free. Read on.

Now, Happy and Safe New Year to all. Welcome to January and 2018 but lets hop on a time machine and slip back to the start of December 2017 just for a mo.

December actually started with storms and strong gale force winds and flooding rains (mmm, sounds like Australia) 1^st, 2^nd & 3^rd /12, not just here at GreenS Lake but all over VIC. It was muddy and wet here but floods were reported not far away up in the real world. I say up cos you actually drive down a little bit into the lake area, so you have to go back up to get out into the real world. The cold southerly winds that also arrived have an impact here as it gets a bit chilly at happy hour so we give it a miss. The ones around me don't like camp fires, including me as it affects me, not that you could have one anyway due to the wind and rain. Pointless even trying to have one. More on the weather later during the weather report :)

I hope you all had a safe and enjoyable Xmas and start to 2018. I enjoyed Xmas at GreenS Lake, Central Northern VIC with Fellow GNs then during the mass New Year exodus from GreenS Lake when all there have to get out and become GreenS Lake Refugees I went down to see my daughter and the boys, all three of them this time, yep, dad was home, I hadn't seen Ash since probably last Xmas. Must be an annual event now :) It was great to see the family again, these things happen though when you are a GN or similar travelling around living in an aluminium tent etc. Still, you meet some great people and make great friendships as you move around so all is good really.

Life at GreenS Lake has been busy, not so busy, noisy, quiet. A mixed bag with people coming and going or staying for short or long times, including some GNs that I had met before and a few for the first time. The two weekends leading into Xmas were of the very busy kind with 100s of happy people enjoying warm to hot weather and a very inviting fresh water lake. Surprisingly everyone was behaved and no loud music or yelling etc late at night. Heaps of families and younger groups enjoying time together away from the hustle and bustle of their everyday life.

Weeknights have also been extra busy with heaps of locals venturing out before dinner or some bring dinner with them and others just stay until dark and obviously get food on way home. The main thing was, everyone had great times, including the on-lookers. It's all like free entertainment for the night. I love watching those that struggle launching or bringing boats back in and try hard not to laugh as I keep thinking that one day I might arrive at a CVP or similar during happy hour with local natives sitting around enjoying a drop of liquid and me trying to reverse into a tight spot with not much luck and them laughing at me, but equally I love to watch those that know exactly what they are doing. One weekend a group of three young ladies, I would say around 20-year-old arrived with 4x4 and nice speed boat in tow, expertly reversed down launching ramp, launched the boat with the greatest of ease and drove out. They were launched and out enjoying the water all within 5 minutes. They put everyone to shame for the weekend I reckon. Well done girls!

Other times people launch their boat only to find it won't start, bugga. The boat has been sitting under the carport since last season so they bring them out to dust the cobwebs off only to find no go. Sometimes a short time later with motor covers off and making it look like they know what they are doing the thing actually starts so off they speed at full throttle to make up for lost time. Other times some are not so lucky and they have to put boats back on their trailer and go home to try another day.

Being so close to the launching ramp you see some funny and not so funny things like, the ramp is very shallow, being the main cause for problems launching the boats and you get the guy that knows everything there is about launching, he enters the water and stands down the end directing the driver down the ramp, keep coming, keep coming, more, more, you know the type. He directs them so far down it was forgotten to keep an eye on the water level and the car doors. OOPS! Water above doors. OH well! Out the car comes after finally about 10 mins of trying very hard to get boat of trailer, yes! Success at last. Might get out of car and enjoy a boat ride for the day. WOOSH! OOPS! Water in car. Yep, some clever people around and Doug watching on in disbelief. Did I paint a good picture then? You really have to see it to believe it. I did try not to laugh though. REALLY!

Then you get the people that have old boats and probably need a new outboard motor but off they go after launching to find they get out in the middle of the big lake and the motor decides it just does not want to play so stops. Out come the paddles to head back to the ramp, PHEY! This is hard work you can hear them say all the way back to shore so a happy boater fires up their boat to go recue the stranded boat out at sea. In they all come safe and sound with no injuries but for their pride. Sometimes at nearly dark when not many other boats around someone will get stranded out in the middle so I have had to look around and get help out for them. One good thing though and like fellow travellers we all look after one another and the same goes for boaters.

Now for that weather report I mentioned earlier. After the shocking start to December the weather improved heaps and we got low to mid-teens overnight with low to high 30c during the day with a few 40c+ even. Very nice weather indeed. Oh! Not a lot of wind either so that was even better. Well until the 19^th anyway. Read on.

Sort of still on the weather, there are some magnificent sunrises at GreenS Lake in fact most mornings there is a lovely sunrise with a magnificent one here and there. I know there are good sunsets as well as the sky goes red and turns the lake red but I can't see the actual setting sun from the lake but I prefer the sunrises as they really set up the day to be a great one and makes me feel great and thinking why I choose this lifestyle.

Ooops, I spoke too soon didn't I. Tuesday 19^th December we got hit with a massive storm 60km wind with 90km gusts and the lake looked like surf. I got through it ok but the camper trailer on other side of ramp didn't. Things were flying everywhere and his boat was swamped. I got hit with rubber matting, ropes and blow up boat biscuits (floaty devises) from his boat flying past, luckily it was only soft stuff. I wouldn't have been happy at all if my van got damaged as the owner of the camper decided he would stay away. Looking around when things settled everyone else seemed ok. His boat is beached and full of water so he had to sort that out, lucky him.

Double oooops, one hour later we were hit again with stronger wind and again 90km gusts with that heavy rain again. This time one end of my awning had come out of the anti-flap rail and the cloths line came undone. No problems as it indicated I needed to tighten the nuts up on the grippers of the railing. I sorted that 30 mins later when things calmed down and all good again. No damage for me, phew! My van and awning has gone through some pretty rough weather here at GreenS Lake and I tell you that for free. I did go over and sorted a few things to make safe on the other side of ramp but due to not being well for a couple of weeks I was unable to do too much. I had already done too much with my van. I needed time to settle down again. All good one hour later and as if nothing had happened. As often the case here at the lake. I did here about someone further down the shoreline that lost their awning and people around them helped make things safe as the owner had left the van there un attended ready for Xmas. The owner had a nice Xmas present waiting on his return, thanks Santa.

Speaking of Xmas, I touched on that a short time back. A group of GNs and Myself had a great day with great food and company so thanks to David and Carol for once again being great hosts. Its always good to see those two. We all enjoyed sharing our time together during the day and re-gathered for dinner later that day also including happy hour. You can't forget happy hour just cos it was Xmas day. No way known to mankind. Both David and Carol enjoyed a week away from their usual routines until time to get kicked out and became refugees like the rest of us. Unfortunately they also had to head back to the real world and the horrible word w..k, sorry, just cant bring myself to say that word.

The time came to head off for the new year refugee camp, where ever, so my mate Dave and I headed to a lovely spot down the road for a few days until time to return a year later, 1/1/18. While away from the lake and seeing I didnt get to see my daughter south of Melbourne for Xmas I made a trip down on the 30^th to see her and the boys as mentioned above. Another great day with them and young Max is very imaginative, he has turned the Max Project into a fire truck as well so when not helping mum in the kitchen he is now putting out fires around the house. He has also left instructions he wants it painted red as that is the colour of fire trucks he has seen. I didnt even know he knew the colour red. I'm obviously not very smart.

Now, you get all sorts out at GreenS Lake and camping in whatever they like to camp in, be it a tent, swag, caravan etc etc and mostly everyone enjoys it here and have a great time but on the odd occasion a group arrive and set up camp and not all the group enjoy life at the lake. Like a reasonably large group from a local town very close by arrived a week before Xmas and set up camp around and under the Greens Lake Thong Tree mmm, who said that? This group were horse people and decided in their wisdom to bring along 4 very lovely looking horses. A portable metal holding yard appeared from out of a very large semi with horse transporter attached and was set up around the trees to hold the horses in. Now we all here at Greens thought what a great idea and not to leave the horses out in their fields of lovely food etc and heaps of room to run around. Not to be. Those poor horses spent most of their time in very small confined portable holding yards. I did notice on the rare occasion they were led out into the water for a short splash and on one occasion I saw 2 being ridden around that area only. Plenty of food and water was supplied so that was good. I just felt that 2 weeks in those tiny portable yards was a bit much really, so did many others here. The human group sat around and enjoyed themselves at least. Xmas day arrived and the group of humans left the area leaving the horses and a dog tied up to the truck behind, with water and food. All day. The dog was crying most of the day. From where I was told they came from a quick trip home maybe even every second day might have been better for the horses. I'm not a farmer or horse breeder/person so could have it all completely wrong and if so apologise to the group.

Enough already!

So, that was my December and end to 2017 and in the history books. I hope your December was good to you so until next time, keep safe.

Some pics below as usual.