Sunday, March 28, 2010

View from the Balcony 29/03/2010

On looking out through the sliding glass Balcony doors the scene before me appeared to be up there with recent standards of presentation. However once I had stepped out onto the Balcony proper, it was then that I noticed an 'extra' that had not been included in recent morning viewings.

Yes, a gentle curtain of mist was falling, being driven along by an offshore breeze that was coming from behind the Hinterland and heading out to sea. The mist was as fine as any lace and I could not even feel it enveloping my body with its web of covering, save for the jew like droplets that clung to the hairs of my arms and legs and glistened in the rays of the risen sun as I moved around out in the open.

Above the distant horizon line whitish grey puff clouds were again present, but not in the same numbers as yesterday. This meant that the opposition that they voiced against the arrival of the sun was quite muted and non enthusiastic in drive and endeavour. The sun therefore, spent little effort in rising past the slim voice of dissent to its presence.

The sea below, which today has the current colour of surface dam water, is just lazily sending shoreward undulating ripples of waves in the same way as a caterpillars undulation appears as it moves along a branch in search of a fresh new leaf to devour. It is only some ten metres from the golden welcoming sands of the beach that the waves finally break out of hiding and with a covering of foam make their final lunge towards their destiny.

At the Point, only a handful of surfers are present. These must be either very keen or not in the know as to the early morning surfing report. The same can also be said for activity along the Esplanade pathways. It is also very low in numbers when it comes to human interaction. However, the daily flyby by the numerous species of bird life that call the picnic strip trees home was truly alive and well.

Yes, another great opener to another fantastic day!!

Saturday, March 27, 2010

View from the Balcony 28/03/2010

A cool breeze heading seaward greeted me as I stepped out onto the also cool Balcony tiles.

The potted plants were enjoying participating with the tooing and frowing of their leaves as the breeze seemed to strike a happy chord with them. It was almost like watching the audience of a rock concert, minus the lighters.

In the distance, out above the horizon line, a gathering of grey clouds were determined to make the appearance of the sun difficult to witness. It had all the appearances of a conspiracy. The sea, on the other hand was quite docile in acceptance of any goings on, and was calmly sending small undulating, late breaking waves to the shore.

As the sun commenced to enforce its presence, the edges of the clouds began to take on a soft pink glow, which then changed into shades of reds and yellows, as the sun further applied heat to its intention of being the star of the scene.

In the end it was all too much and the clouds yielded to the intensity of the encounter, and began to reluctantly retreat, leaving an albeit rocky pathway for the golden yellow sun to climb.

As far as human involvement goes, both the Point and the Esplanade were light on the enjoyment of company. It was almost a 'go it alone' day. However this will change in a few hours time as the coast will come alive in the way that ants leave a nest once it has been disturbed.

At the rear, the Hinterland is also coming alive, as only shreds of overnight mist remain in the valleys. The hills are looking resplendent in their 72 derwent pack of colours of greens. Ever so subtle, but ever so noticeable, much like the recent pastel drawing that Neroli had on her Facebook post the other day.

Now for some coffee!!

What goes around comes around

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

One day a man saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her.

Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe;he looked poor and hungry.

He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you.

He said, 'I'm here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson.'

Well,all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough.Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack,skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt.

As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through.. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid.

Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty, who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.

He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, 'And think of me.'

He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.

A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home.. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan .

After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be.Then she noticed something written on the napkin

There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: 'You don't owe me anything. I have
been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you.'

Under the napkin were four more $100 bills.

Well,there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve,but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard....

She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, 'Every thing's going to be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson.'


There is an old saying 'What goes around comes around.' (Obadiah 15; Gal. 6:7)

Good friends are like stars....You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Blood Clots/ Stroke - Your tongue is the 4th indicator

INFORMATION EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW........

Blood Clots/Stroke - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator, the Tongue


I will continue to forward this every time it comes around!

STROKE:Remember the 1st Three Letters....S.T.R.

My nurse friend sent this and encouraged me to post it and spread the word.
I agree.

If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks.
Seriously..

Please read:

STROKE IDENTIFICATION:

During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) ..she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening

Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 pm Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die. they end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.

It only takes a minute to read this...

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Thank God for the sense to remember the '3' steps, STR . Read and Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S *Ask the individual to SMILE.
T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)
(i.e. It is sunny out today.)
R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS..

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediatelyand describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue

NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue.. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.

I have done my part. Will you?

Committee Nominee Profile Form

Here are my responses to the form.

Committee Nominee's Full Name : Graeme Edward Brattle

Committee Nominee's Lot Number and Unit Number : Unit 2403 CTS 35038

Nominee's Qualifications : Employment history. 28 years with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, 5 years with Access Property Finance in the area of finance brokering for home and personal loans, 5 years with the Victorian Police Credit Co Op in a Call centre environment doing personal and home loans and lastly 3.5 years with the Child Support Agency again in a Call Centre environment case managing financial/care/collection activity. Currently, working on own business www.wherethereisawill.com.au.

Relevant Experience: currently I serve on the following Committees:

. Neptune Resort, Broadbeech , committee member,

. Grande Florida Resort, Miami, committee member,

. The Mediterranean Resort, Miami, committee member

. Committee member, mens ministry, Gold Coast Christian Family Church (GCCF)

Past Chairperson and committee member of the Big 4 Whiters Holiday Village at Lakes Entrance in Victoria. Resigned as Chairperson with the move to live on the Gold Coast.

How Nominees wish to best contribute to the Body Corporate :

The successful running of a Complex the size of The Mediterranean does not just happen. Dedication, hard work and commitment need to abound in the areas of both Management and the provision of service to both owners and guests alike.

Like spokes on a wheel, the tension between each of the parts needs to be uniform, directed toward the common good of all, if the wheel is to preform as it was designed to do.

In the same way, there needs to be harmony between your appointed Committee and the Sands Group as Manager.

I also want to see the company that you will appoint as owners to assist the Committee in wisely managing your financial investment, to be one that you believe is above reproach in the preforming of their duties.

I believe that it is then, with open, honest and transparent resolve that we will then be able to rightly have The Mediterranean Resort firmly positioned as a premium Resort along the Southern precinct of the Gold Coast.

I want to be part of this action, and with your support, I believe that I can contribute in a meaningful way to make this happen.

Declaration of any 'Conflict of interest' with a Body Corporate service contractor:

In response to this question I direct your attention to the response that I gave to the Body Corporate Committee members on the 11/09/09, as circulated in my letter to owners dated 18/11/09. Extract of my response follows - To the question of if I had any affiliation, interest or other dealings with The Mediterranean Management, The Sands Group or any other party associated with those entities, I replied as follows ' Yes I did, in that I had offered participation in my business as a 'cost free' exercise to both the Belchers and their staff, which was nothing more and nothing less than what I had offered to the very committee members who were sitting in front of me'.

I do not see that relationship as being one that would impede or impose on any sound judgement on my part in relation to The Mediterranean Complex.

Graeme Brattle
0427 523 119

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Myth or real?

The following came from young Kathleen:

Subject: Myth or for Real?

Excerpts from a Dog's Daily Diary:

8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

Excerpts from a Cat's Daily Diary:

Day 683 of my captivity:
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the floor. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a "good little hunter" I am. The audacity! There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of "allergies." I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage. Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow- but at the top of the stairs. I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded! The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe...for now...

View from the Balcony 25/03/2010

Moving though the Lounge area towards the partially opened glass sliding doors that do a great job of separating me from the insects, there was something different. I could not put anything to it until I pulled the glass doors wide open, then it hit me — the sound of the sea appeared to be louder than usual.

I looked out over the water, but no, everything appeared to be in the right place, sky on top and sea below. Oh well, I will put it down to just being one of those little mysteries of life.

Looking at the horizon line, once again yet another bank of light grey cloud has decided to call it home for the present. The
bluey grey sea emerging from below is relatively smooth, but slightly more undulating than yesterday, again with waves only breaking at the last moment before they hit the shoreline, and then excitedly run up the golden sands of the beach only to quickly embrace before then departing from sight.

The sun briefly made an appearance, like a filling in a sandwich, before it was hidden by the pesky clouds. But give it another two hours and we will see the sun again as these clouds will have moved on by then, and it will just be the blue sky and the sun as the centrepiece.

At the Point only a handful of surfers are out on their boards, bobbing up and down like corks in water, going nowhere. Along the Esplanade early outdoor enthusiasts are strutting their stuff forward and back along the well presented pathway system. The lawn picnic area is free of any 'get fit' classes today — must be a time out day. On the other hand the roadway is playing host to a large pack of brightly coloured lycra outfits, all neatly lined up in rows. I felt like shouting out, 'Roll on bro,' but decorum put an end to that thought.

Looking at the rear, the Hinterland has emerged from its overnight covering of mist and is flexing it's covering of greenery ready for being on display for all to admire throughout the day. Yes, another great day has arrived

!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

View from the Balcony 24/03/2010

There was a calm in the air as I stepped out onto the Balcony and it was not until I moved around the corner that I felt the coolish breeze which was coming from the Hinterland and heading out seaward. Our building was its last stop on the mainland. I wished it safe journey and happy adventure.

Looking out over the horizon line, all I could see was flatness. The calm blue sea was not giving away any hints as to the power that it holds and only late breaking waves appeared moments before they melded with the awaiting golden sands of the shoreline, where after a quick embrace, they then disappeared from sight.

The sun upon arriving was required to fight its way up a large cloud bank and in doing so it sent out shafts of light to indicate its progress.

At the Point, a good number of surfers are sitting on their boards doing anything but surf, as the calmness of the sea has embraced them as well. Along the Esplanade joggers and walkers are striding along at a pace that puts shame to the couple of lycra clad wheelie groups that have ridden on by.

At the rear, as per normal status, the Hinterland is stretched out, having just cast aside its overnight covering of mist and is in the process of making sure that it is ready to keep a watchful lookout over us for yet another day. Hmmm, restful!!!

Monday, March 22, 2010

View from the Balcony 23/03/2010

A stillness in the air today as I stepped out onto the Balcony to look and see what the day has for me via the hand of Mother Nature.

Well, the sight was so calming, so muted in colours that I just sat and gazed out over the water for a number of minutes before my mind reminded me that there were things to do. Don't you just love having, 'things to do?'

The sea is quite calm and a mist is hovering above the horizon masking the sight of the greyish layers of cloud that already are putting up a barrier for the sun to rise behind. The golden sands of the shoreline are eagerly awaiting the soothing caresses of the waves as they gently embrace as a reward for them finally making the journey to land.

Surfers are in full supply at the Point, and they are sitting with their boards pointed at the horizon, eagerly scanning for any tell tale sign of a rideable wave hitting the scene at any time. They are a patient group today as not one of 'bragging' proportion has arrived so far.

The Esplanade is quite full of early morning enthusiasts, strutting their stuff, so to speak.

Always at the rear, the Hinterland still has the last vestige of covering slowly disappearing, allowing the beauty of the hills and valleys to shine forth with their array of green coverage.

As I have been typing, some of the surfers have moved up the beach, and so now from a distance they look like a broken string of pearls spread out waiting to be restrung. Yes, a soothing site!!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

View from the Balcony 22/03/2010

As I approached the sliding glass doors to the Balcony I could see the colours in the sky and I knew then that I was to be in for a treat. Upon opening the doors a soft gentle breeze gave me the barest of hint that it was present. It was so light and delicate that even the most fussy of the potted greenery failed to give any hint as to the awareness of its presence.

Now to the sky. The colours were of a fiery red with amber mixed in along with as our cooking friend Jamie would say 'a healthy knob of butter' or in this case... yellow. It looked fantastic and I know that the photos that I quickly took of the scene will fail to do it proper justice. Shame about that.

The sea is emerging from a bank of mist that is sitting along the horizon line and is filling the role of a border between the water and a light grey bank of cloud that appears to have taken up residence just above the horizon line As the sun quickly but regally ascended into the heavens, the aforementioned colours quickly faded, only to be replaced by washes of various shades of light blue.

The water is currently grey in looks and is so much calmer in appearance than the previous two mornings. The waves are breaking some one hundred metres from the shore and with the tide being out are taking their time to roll and tumble their way to the welcoming arms of the golden sands that make up the shoreline.

Several surfers are at the Point but they appear to be mesmerised like me, by the great sight of the ever changing colourful sky. The Esplanade has the occasional foot soldier strutting their stuff, but they are again few and far between.

The Hinterland is emerging from its overnight rest and the covering of mist has all but been thrown back thereby allowing the masses of greenery of the hills and valleys to contrast against the clear blue sky above. A top sight everywhere I look!!

Saturday, March 20, 2010

View from the Balcony 21/03/2010

Well, it was with a sigh of relief that I opened back the sliding glass doors to the Balcony and being greeted with everything still standing where I had left it last night. I quickly unstacked and returned the two lounge chairs to their rightful position, moved the stacked plastic chairs back to their normal spot and took the table chairs that I had placed in the Lounge back out onto the balcony. All is normal!

For the benefit of young Jeanie (FB friend from the USA) I can report that the potted plants and the rock garden are fine!

Looking out over the grassy picnic strip and beach scrub, the grey sea is churning up the sand as it arrives along the shoreline. The froth generated looks like the top of a delicious malted milk shake. Hmmmmm lovely.

There are a number of surfers at the Point taking advantage of the increase in the size of the waves and swell. However the word is that only seasoned surfers were advised to enter the water today.

Overseeing all of this, grey clouds fill the sky, masking the sun from direct sight but allowing warmth to be felt via the onshore breeze. Along the Esplanade a number of joggers and walkers are taking advantage of the slightly cooler weather conditions. A group of bold lycra clad enthusiasts have just passed by heading towards the North Burleigh Heads Surf Club which is a favourite resting spot for the riders.

At the rear, the Hinterland still has a veil of mist covering its features and the greenery of the hills and valleys is of quite muted tones as a result. It will be interesting to see the day unfold!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

View from the Balcony 19/03/2010

Today, sheets of misty rain welcomed me as I slid open the Balcony door. The chicken in me said that this was no place to be and so I stepped back into the Lounge and decided to take the morning photos from the safety of feeling the carpet softness between the toes, and not that of the solid wet Balcony tiles.

A heavy bank of dark grey cloud is stretched across the skyline and this is hovering some feet off the distant horizon line. The sun is indicating its presence by shooting piercing rays of light through any gap in the clouds that it can find. Even as I pen this note the clouds are breaking up and more light is beginning to shine through to brighten the view.

The sea is a green colour, and looks great as the white of the sea foam from the tossing waves sits on the water surface making a nice contrast as the waves break for the last time before they rush up the bright golden sands of the beach before they disappear from sight. Gone!

Only the odd surfer is at the Point and they seem to be going nowhere as they bob sparsely positioned along the rocky outcrop. Along the Esplanade foot traffic is non existent but an enthusiastic fitness group is making use of the luscious green picnic grass area that is to the right of our building complex.

At the rear, the Hinterland, which usually is prominently positioned as a great backdrop, is shielded from view by a blanket of mist. and the scene is more like that of a fog with fairy lights winking a morse code message indicating where houses and street lights are positioned. It is quite a surreal sight. Totally out of the ordinary.

Today has the look of being interesting to say the least.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

View from the Balcony 18/03/2010

A slight onshore breeze greeted me as I flung back the glass Balcony doors and stepped out into the world of the new day. The potted greenery seemed to look back at me with the expectation that one has when you are about to sit down to a great meal. Yes, I internally muttered to myself, today is the day that you receive your regular supplement of seaweed extract and fish emulsion. I'm sure that my mind was being read for at that very instant the leaves of the plants seemed to give an extra rustle.

Looking out over the horizon I could see the sky filled with whitish grey puff clouds gathered in front of a light blue wash of clear sky. The sun is playing 'peak hour traffic' as it seems to be rising in the heavens slowly but surely as the small clouds weave and bump into each other in the apparent excitement of the moment.

The dark blue sea is of rougher texture today, and with the tide being out, the waves are breaking further from the shore and then end up rolling over themselves as they make a last ditched run for the ever waiting outstretched arms of the golden sands of the beach.

The Point is playing host to the equilivent of a busload of surfers who appear to be intent on catching every wave that they can as though they are on a time limit and their ticket to ride is about to expire.

The Esplanade pathway is strangely quiet, although having just said that a raucous chorus of cockatoo laughter suddenly pierced the background sound of the pounding waves, and then stopped. Ah, I can now just sight two walkers coming into view, so the beautiful walkway is being used after all. That is good.

Turning around I can see that at the rear of the scene the Hinterland proudly stands majestically attired with its covering of various shades of greenery that highlight the hills and valleys of its David like ruggedness. Patches of vapour trail remains of the overnight covering of mist can still be seen in places, but they are quickly dissolving as the suns rays warm up the day. Yes, another great sight.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Death - What an explanation!!

This was a FB post from young Danny:

~DEATH~

WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO EXPLAIN IT.

A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to

Leave the examination room and said,

'Doctor, I am afraid to die.

Tell me what lies on the other side.'

Very quietly, the doctor said, 'I don't know.'

'You don't know? You're a Christian man,

and you don't know what's on the other side?'



The doctor was holding the handle of the door;

On the other side came a sound of scratching and whining,


And as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room

And leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said,

'Did you notice my dog?

He's never been in this room before.


He didn't know what was inside.


He knew nothing except that his master was here,

And when the door opened, he sprang in without fear..


I know little of what is on the other side of death,

But I do know one thing...


I know my Master is there and that is enough.



May today there be peace within you.

May you trust God that you are exactly

Where you are meant to be.

View from the Balcony 17/03/2010

Once again I step out onto the Balcony, through the clean glass sliding doors that only yesterday again required the salt from the further recent strong wind gusts to be removed. This cleaning has all the promises of becoming a regular exercise. The leaves on the potted foliage are moving silently as a coolish on shore breeze passes by, heading with some sense of determination towards the Hinterland.

The sea is on the smooth side, with pronounced undulation as the waves roll in towards the ever faithful and ever waiting shoreline, only to reveal themselves like a head appearing from under a doona, some five metres from the beach, when with great display of frothy foam the waves then run in single line formation up the golden sand and then with a startled look, promptly disappear from sight. This happens every day, will they not learn!

The sun remains hidden behind a bank of grey cloud that is hovering above the horizon line. But this should change within a couple of hours as already patches of blue are appearing in the heavenly canopy. Along the Esplanade a good number of pedestrians and joggers are using the pathways and one fitness class is resting on the picnic lawn area to our below right. Enthusiasm appears to be lacking with this group, or perhaps they are in the cooling down stage of their paid ordeal. Surfers are not only at the Point, but they are also spread out in little clumps along the beach, each group apparently thinking that they have found the best position to catch the 'wave of the day'.

At the rear the Hinterland, as it does daily, stands with great dignity and presence with the multi greens of the hills and valleys showing all who would take the time to look, just how magnificent it really is. Well, at least I think that is so.

Yes, another great day is upon us.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

View from the Balcony 15/03/2010

Well, it is now 6:35am, well past sunrise as I open the once again salt encrusted sliding glass balcony doors and step out onto the damp balcony tiles to check out on what is around me in the real world. The first thing that I notice is that mother nature did not like the way that I had the chairs placed or stacked and last night obviously decided to do something about it. On this issue mother nature and I disagree, and so a couple of minutes was taken to undo the creative stacking that I faced and to restore 'balance' to the balcony layout. The pot plants as well as my rock garden and water feature fared better, so it seems that here mother nature and I were in agreement, well at least for the moment.

Looking out over the slightly grey turgid water with white caps appearing intermittently as the waves rush towards the shore, being driven by a cool onshore breeze, I notice that a line of rain mist is rapidly heading towards land. Not that we need any further disbursement as at the moment the lawns and flowerbeds have had enough consumption to last for a good few days at least, before a refill is required.

The sun is well protected from direct view by several layers of cloud banks and will most likely not make an open appearance for at least another few hours, if at all today. At the Point, less than a double hand of surfers are enjoying the opportunity to get close and personal with the waves as they break and run alongside the rocky outcrop to the waiting shore. Along the Esplanade it is the same, as only a mirrored number of people are out and about strolling or jogging along the well presented pathways.

At the rear, the Hinterland is covered by the only area of blue sky in sight, and is positively glowing in shades of lush greens as its hills and valleys enjoy the 'spotlight' of attention that the light sky provides. An interesting sight today.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

View from the Balcony 10/03/2010

It is 6:30 in the morning and the clean washed balcony doors are wide open and the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore are filling the lounge with a beautiful energy filled background sound of might and power. Upon closing my eyes and just listening, I feel ... 'alive'.

Stepping out onto the balcony, I hear a slight crunching sound. I look down only to see masses of tiny hard pieces of compressed paper lying all over the balcony floor. I look at GTF's litter tray only to see that during the night he played pyramid building and one piece of creation had overflowed onto the floor tiles and the pieces then ran amuck, being driven by whatever breeze was passing by.

I turned around to get a broom and pan, only to sight GTF lying under the lounge coffee table with eyes half closed purring loudly as if to say, 'Yep, that was all my work, doesn't it look great'.

After cleaning up the stray litter, I then was able to admire the panoramic scene that mother nature had for me to enjoy. A scene that was on a far greater scale than the one that GTF was able to create. A bit like comparing 'Avitar' to 'Steamboat Willy' if you catch my drift.

Above the horizon line the sun has already risen past an elongated bank of white cloud and was now shining forth through a thin veil of sea mist. The sea has a gentle swell to it and the waves are breaking for the first time, some 50 metres from the shore, and then they repeat the manoeuvre a second time as they crash against the sandy beach line, and then race up towards the dunes, only to disappear from sight far short of their goal.

The Esplanade is playing host to both joggers and walkers and the grassy picnic areas are also home to a few fitness group activities and looking to the right I can see a number of surfers enjoying a swell time at the Point.

At the rear, the Hinterland is fully alive, having cast aside the night blanket of mist. The rippling cover of the greens from the various trees give a soothing look to this great sight.

Yes, it is going to be another great day.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

View from the Balcony 08/03/2010

There is a dampness in the air that is a result of a heavy mist that is slowly moving on shore and masking everything in its path. The air is still and the balcony plants that are able to, are eagerly lapping up the moisture on their leaves.

The sun was sighted for all but a brief moment but that was due to me missing its actual appearance over the horizon line. Nevertheless, I was able to snap a couple of shots before it rose behind a solid curtain of grey cloud.

The sea has a slight undulating wave to it, and with the tide being out, there is a long wash from the final breaking that then leisurely makes its way to the ever waiting/ever patient golden sands of the shoreline, where upon meeting the two meld into one, before the wash disappears from sight, buried somewhere in the layers of sand.

The Point is bare of surfers and the Esplanade has only the most hardy/dedicated person taking advantage of the walkways.

Looking inland, the Hinterland is hidden from view and only an impressive wall of grey can be seen, stationed as it were, between the highway and the mountain range.

One gets the feeling of being slowly boxed in, however, all in all it is a restful sight.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Are YOU listening...

This came via a FaceBook friend:-

My Friend Dave posted this and we want to share it!!!! Have a Blessed Day Everyone,

You want to listen?


The man whispered, “God, speak to me”
And a meadowlark sang. But the man did not hear!

So the man yelled, “God speak to me” and the thunder
Rolled across the sky, but the man did not listen.

The man looked around and said, “God let me see you”
And a star shone brightly, but the man did not see!

And the man shouted, “God show me a miracle”
And a life was born, but the man did not notice!

So the man cried out in despair, “Touch me God, and let
Me know you are here” Whereupon, God reached downAnd touched the man, but the man brushed the butterfly Away.

The man cried, “God I need your help” acd an email arrived reaching out with good news and Encouragement, but the man deleted it and continued crying!

Unknown Author


Don’t miss out on a blessing because it isn’t packaged the way that you expect.

My instructions were to send this to people that I wanted God to bless, he blessed us with this and now I pass it On to you.



Unknown Author

View from the Balcony 06/03/2010

The opaque salt encrusted doors of the Balcony gave me a hint of the type of weather that has been pounding the poor greenery over the past few days. On stepping out into the warm but strong on shore breeze I noticed that a least one of the plants in the man made rockery has flowered with purple daisy like flowers on display. Looks good.

The hardy plant that sat on the pot on the small round Balcony table is no more, after a strong gust caught the leaves and completely uprooted and hurled it against the outdoor cat bowl, which no doubt would have been quite surprised to be on the receiving end of such treatment.

Around near the kitchen window, another plat pot had a piece of it wrenched off after one strong wind gust moved a small stack of chairs into one of the lounge seats which in turn then collected the said pot plant. It was the classic three car rear end car accident, only this time it was pieces of Balcony furniture that were involved.

All in all, a minimum amount of damage, considering the report that I was given about the strong breezes that have been in play over recent days.

Looking out over the quite rough sea to the horizon, I ask myself, why am I not surprised to see a heavy bank of grey cloud as the feature piece?

Turning to where the sun usually reveals its presence I noticed that the clouds were parting slightly and allowing a red glow to tinge the edges of some of them as a mark of heralding that the sun was indeed present, although out of sight at this instant.

The previously mentioned rough sea is churning up quite a foam surface as the waves have their final fling before running up the still golden sands of the awaiting beach, only to sink out of sight after expending all that previously contained energy.

Surfers are absent from the Point and the Esplanade pathways are also the recipients of less human traffic as well. The grassy strip of land known as 'picnickers paradise' is looking great as it has been on the receiving end of a Council trim.

At the rear, the ever faithful Hinterland stands firmly in place, however today it stands masked in a wrap around of heavy dark cloud. An ominous sign that more rain is due to be received.

A great day to be alive!!

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Sitting on the Edge!!

Here we are, already it is Wednesday morning on the last week of our 'family' get together at Lake Edge Resort on the bank of the fantastic Lake Mulwala. The winding down has commenced.

As I record this I am sitting at one of the seats on the grass verge overlooking the beautifully presented lake scene.

A family of swans are just swimming by, having arrived due to the wafting smell of well cooked bacon, eggs and sausages reaching them from one of the BBQ's. The parent swans swim up to the retaining wall and peer over to check out if anyone is present and if they appear to be willing to part with some food in their direction. I will have a photo of them on FaceBook later today.

The water is calm as only a wisp of a breeze is subtly making its way across the lake and into the Resort. Give it another half an hour and we should be enjoying the sound of happy families out on the water either skiing or being towed behind one of the boats on a donut. or two.

At around 4:30pm the girls (Viv & Carol) will be hosting another 'Cheese and Bikkies' afternoon gathering for the women staying in the Resort. Over the past few years this has now turned into a weekly event and is now eagerly anticipated by the regular guests of the Resort.

If nothing else, the gathering usually means a GYO evening meal for myself and Steve as the girls find that the afternoon snacking is usually enough to wee them through until Thursdays breakfast. Thank goodness that we males are adaptable!!

My apologies to all for the number of photos that I have inundated you all with since arriving here. However, there was a reason for that, and that is because one family (the Carroll Clan) could not make it for their usual bi annual stay due to their young daughter Mariah attending High School for the first time, as she is now in year seven. How time flies!!!

The many snaps were to remind them of faces and places, so that next year they will hopefully be able to join us as Mariah will then be a High School old hand. Young Jack, a big Hi to you as well, as I cannot allow Mariah to be the only one of the family to be mentioned.

The fishing rods that are resting along the grassy bank remain silent, as there have been no bites from the fish today. Yesterday was different as a few fish were reeled in, with the only oversized and legal fish being Carp! As they are a banned species they are required to be kept and destroyed. No returning to the safety of the water for them!

Time to finish the post as the call of 'coffee' has just registered.

Yes, back to Burleigh Heads and the real world on Friday night. There is always next year as we have already booked three weeks commencing from the 18th February (did you get the dates young Graeme & Julie).

Have a great rest of the day everyone!!