Ready to ramble out of Rocky

So-called dinner time …

November 25, 2016

As I sit here in the Ambassador Motel, Rockhampton eating a re-heated mystery box out of my freezer, I’ve come to a conclusion: charcoal just can’t be good for you!

Those nasty black bits are the charcoal … yuk!

I’ve never been the smoothest roller in the kitchen, and unfortunately, I haven’t got much better with age.

This concoction I created at some point over the past four months I felt worthy of freezing and eating at a later date really wasn’t worth it.

Once I picked out the black bits (the charcoal – I’d obviously burnt the arse out of it and possibly been pissed at the time), the only redeeming features left in it were chicken fillet pieces, spiced a little too heavily with some sort of curry concoction.

Oh, dear. What am I doing to my intestines?

Note to self: ditch the other container in the freezer that looks identical to this one – it’s just not worth the agony.

Mind you – I must have been hungry because I did eat it all!

Now for some good news

Rambling Rose having a sleepover in the car park of the Ambassador Motel.

First thing tomorrow I’ll be officially rambling again!

The gorgeous Grub from Love Auto Electrics came and collected me this afternoon so I could bring Rambling Rose back to the motel to have a sleepover, seeing NRMA Premium Plus had booked me in an extra night.

It’s a good thing, too. It was about 3.30pm by the time I got her back, and at that stage of the day, I’ve usually found somewhere to camp for the night. Lucky for us it was the Ambassador.

Waiting on parts is such sweet sorrow

Phillip Love from Love Auto Electrics informed me on Wednesday morning he’d ordered a fuel solenoid, which would arrive the following day from his supplier in Hervey Bay.

The only problem was, his supplier delivered the part to Maryborough – and that’s where it stayed. Missed the truck. Didn’t have a hope of getting here the next day.

When the part didn’t show up yesterday, Phillip went chasing it, only to discover what had happened. You can imagine he wasn’t happy.

Catching up on the last few guide stories

That’s the program I’m proofing – no wonder my eyes are hanging out of my head!

Fortunately, the delay gave me time to sit quietly in air-conditioned comfort (and the girls to snooze quietly in those same cool surrounds) and write a heap of stories for the Official Guide to the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

I was also able to spend an entire day (and half the night) trawling through the program checking for stuff-ups and double-ups – and there were plenty of them to keep me on my toes.

Bill pain not as bad as I envisaged

When Phillip called me to let me know she was right to go, I tentatively asked what the damage was to my pocket.

“I always try to look after people in motorhomes and keep their bill way below $10,000,” he quipped.

Picking myself up off the floor, he assured me it was far less than that – in fact I’d get change out of $380.

Back to the laptop

The girls just love to chill out – particularly in air-conditioned comfort.

After that dreadful excuse for a meal, I’m head down, bum up again, writing more stories and I might even get a chance to check any day or so of the program before I hit the sack.

It was after midnight last night, which is quite a late night for me these days.

On the road I’ve been heading to bed most nights around 9.30 or 10 o’clock. I guess travelling does tire one out.

Making plans to ramble

Here’s a selfie I grabbed in the tow truck on Tuesday. Why on earth was I smiling when it was my house on the back of that truck?!

The plan for tomorrow is check out Seventeen-Seventy as I cruise on down the road to Bundaberg – catch up with some good people and then hopefully make it to Maryborough by nightfall.

Maybe I’ll find that missing part that didn’t turn up yesterday … could be handy to have a spare.

Then, if I have any energy left at all, I might just get to Fibber’s Christmas party in Joyner, between Caboolture and Brisbane … or maybe I’ll just chill out with some good folk in Maryborough and catch up with Fibber on the way to the Gold Coast, which I’m aiming for early next week.

You can’t say life on the road is predictable. You just never know what will be around the corner – or over the hill, as the case may be.

A BIG thank you to NRMA Premium Plus for finding me and the girls a place to lay our weary heads in Rocky while Rambling Rose was in the workshop. The Ambassador was a top spot to chill for a few days in cool, air-conditioned comfort. And thanks to Love Auto Electrics for looking after us.