Upper Hunter to Liverpool Plains and beyond

Hopemobile beside the creek at Wallabadah, south of Tamworth


Agriculture and mining side by side in the Upper Hunter











Blossoms in the streets of Nundle where I visited the Woollen Mills and a reconstruction of a gold mine.

And from Wallabadah I travelled via Nundle, to Tamworth. Beautiful agricultural scenery which is unusually green due to all the rain over winter.

The last three days and nights have been spent with my friend, Robbie, in her home in Tamworth. We had leisurely days in which she went about her usual activities or kindly took me to show me some of the sights of Tamworth. I also visited some family members (Stacey and Lyle, April and Hamish) and some friends (Trudi, Ella and Hamish). Robbie was kind enough to invite an old friend from my student days for dinner one night - we had fun reminiscing. Robbie is a great cook, so I've been very spoiled while I've been in her home.

This morning before I left Tamworth we went to visit the magnificent equestrian centre, opened in 2009, where the NSW Dressage Titles are are being held over this weekend. It's an impressive complex where a variety of events are held throughout the year, not only equine activities.

At 10am The Hopemobile and I left Tamworth and motored north via Manilla, Barraba and Delungra on our way to Inverell. I was born in Inverell - way back when :) - and have not been back since I was two months old. It's time to visit.

We drove through rain and wind all the way today and the road works between Barraba and Inverell mean that my vehicle is not so sparkling clean as it was when I left.

Tonight I'm staying in a caravan park, had a bistro meal at the local bowling club and am getting ready now to snuggle down and prepare for a minimum of 4' overnight. Brrrr.

Health update

• hair has stopped falling out - in fact, is starting to grow again
• largest tumour is pressing on nerve and causing discomfort on left side and down left leg, so plenty of Panadol Osteo is being consumed.

Daughter update - yesterday was Day 1 of Nikki's climb on Mt. Kilimanjaro. Her Facebook entry says -

Camp Day 1 - cold, tired & dampish but happy campers

So, all good so far. Here is the link to her blog about preparation for the climb and the reasons for doing it

This last pic is of Robbie and me at the Tamworth Lookout

On the road again

Well, the Hopemobile and I are on the road.

I spent the weekend in Sydney, with the bonus of having brunch with Tim and Debs at Waverley on Sunday morning before setting off to head north. I drove to Singleton to stay overnight with the Williamsons - Sarah and Hamish, Max and Lucy. The children (Max and Lucy) love the van and we spent some time sitting in it reading stories after dinner.

Today I meandered up the New England Highway under blue sky and sunshine, stopping for short breaks along the way and detouring into the small towns of Denman, Jerrys Plains and Sandy Hollow and into the Washpools at Towarri National Park.

Tonight I am camped at Wallabadah beside a creek with several other happy campers who tell me they often stop here on their travels north or south. Cooked some fish, sweet potato chips and tomatoes on the BBQ beside the creek before retiring under the doona to read and to write this post. G'night :)

Whew! Yet another reprieve

More pics from Norfolk

And now to the exciting news :)

Yep. It's official! Yesterday's scan has revealed that the tumours are not as 'avid' as they were, one of them has disappeared and the others are partly calcified. It's all good news.

From the oncologist's mouth - "These tumours are not affecting your vital organs, you can live a long time with them like this. Go off and have your holiday. Let's do blood tests every 6 weeks".

Next 2 weeks are busy with:

• visit to Chinese herbal Doctor tomorrow
• social activities with special friends
• preparations for the Hopemobile to go back on the road- planning to leave on 4 September to head north for some warmth - not sure how far, but will spend some time with Tim and Oscar on the Gold Coast

Tuesday 23 August @ 6.30pm

Ah! Norfolk Island

Roslyn, Carole and I have returned from a wonderful week's holiday on Norfolk Island. We stayed at Steele's Point in the Phoebe Adams Cottage at Trade Winds Country Cottages. Our cottage had everything we needed to be comfortable and either stay in or go out every day.

We chose to go out every day even though the weather was so unpredictable - cold, windy, raining, sunny, sun showers, rain squalls, downpours - and sometimes warm. We never left the cottage without our umbrellas. The photo above was taken on our first day there - Ros' scarf tells the 'wind' story that day.

Pancakes for breakky on a sunny morning. We had healthy breakfasts at home every other morning. I swear :)

Mother-of-pearl inlay in the pew ends at St. Barnabas' Chapel

View along the coast from the Captain Cook Memorial in the national park

Coastline in the opposite direction at Captain Cook Memorial

There are several beautiful beaches around the island, but this is the only one we ventured onto. It's the beach at Cemetry Bay

If you look closely, you can see a skull and crossbones at the bottom of this headstone. Convicts who were involved in an uprising had this symbol carved into their headstones when they were buried.

Enjoying the sun, the Norfolk Island pines, the coastline and the Pacific Ocean at Simon's Water on the NE point of the island.

We had a great week, but Ah, it's good to be home. It was nice to be free of the effects of chemo while I was away. Just needed the take a little rest in the afternoon to be able to keep up the pace :)

On Monday I go to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney to have a PET scan and then take the results with me to see the oncologist back here in Wollongong on the same afternoon. So, by Monday night I will know the real story about the state of my tumours and the level of cancer activity.

Will write here again then.

It's Thursday evening on 18 August @ 7.15pm

No chemo for a month

This week's blood test revealed that my white blood cell and my platelet counts are too low for the administration of chemo. Those of you who have been reading this for what seems like forever, will recall that this has happened on previous occasions.

It's not uncommon for the chemo to destroy white cells and platelets, and thus your immune system. There is a level below which it is dangerous to continue with chemo, so.............. I'm free of chemo for a month.

That's quite good really as I'm off to Norfolk Island, with my friends Ros and Carole, on Thursday. It will be much more enjoyable not being under the influence of chemo.

When I return I am scheduled to have another PET scan. That really will tell the story about what the tumours are doing.

I will see Dr. Chen tomorrow and discuss with him what this all means from his perspective.

I've just had a wonderful weekend in Sydney spending time with special people. On Saturday morning, Tim and Debs and I went to the auction of Nikki's Sydney home. Unfortunately it did not sell so they have to make decisions about what to do next. My friend, Jennifer, joined us and we all went for a cuppa and chat in the sun afterwards.

Then Jen and I joined another friend, Marcia, at Ripples Restaurant at Chowder Bay looking out onto Sydney Harbour. Delicious food and lovely company. I stayed with Jennifer overnight and we had breakfast at Balmoral and then a walk at Gunnery Barracks before I headed home. The weather was brilliant all weekend, Sydney Harbour was spectacular - as was the company. Thanks, everyone. I took some pics with my iphone, but don't have the know-how to transfer them to this page. What a pity. I'll work on that.

It's almost 11.30pm on Teusday 9 August. Good night.

Bowel Cancer Awareness II

You'll need to go to this site if you wish to donate to Nikki's fund raising climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro

Jodi Lee Foundation

When you get to the site, see the drop-down box that asks you to select an event - choose Kilimanjaro Climb

Thanks everyone :)

Bowel Cancer Awareness

Please take a look at my daughter's blog. She is climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro next month in an effort to raise money for Bowel Cancer awareness. You might like to donate to such a worthy cause.


http://offtoclimbamountain.wordpress.com


Sunday 7 August @ 11.45pm after a wonderful weekend in Sydney with special friends. Also spent a little time with my son, Tim, and his girlfriend, Debs. Very special.