November 28th - December 6th Tarragindi Queensland

I love the iPhone! It never fails to blow my mind that we can run our lives from this small bit of kit. As we ride North we stop for coffees and catch up on house sitting emails, post on the blog, apply for sits we think we are suited too, and basically organise our lives on the hop. Today is no different. In one short coffee stop we have emailed and spoken to two new house sitting opportunities and almost organised the next three months on the road.

It was on such a coffee stop that we made arrangements for our current house sit at Tarragindi. I saw an ad posted on one of the sites we use, in this case http://www.aussiehousesitters.com.au and called Maree.

Maree had never used a house sitter before and understandably had a lot of questions. We had quite a chat and I emailed her our website and references. At our next stop we chatted a bit more before agreeing we all felt it was a great match. It's as simple as that in most of our house sit arrangements.

We are looking forward to meeting Maree her young son Louis. Also Tiger the dog who will be our latest pet crush. We leave Coffs Harbour and take the back roads, heading out on the Caramba and  B91 in search of Grady's Creek Road and Lions Road which we think should be re named as the' Road of Beautifulness'. It's no exaggeration to say that our ride from Coffs to Tarragindi was anything short of a display of nature at its most spectacular. I'll let the pictures do the talking. Its been our most fabulous day on the bike yet.

Black tarmac is our newest friend only bested by the searing heat. On the road once more and heading North. The skies are blue above us, well there's a surprise! We drive out of Coffs and I am filled with the feeling of adventure and travel again. Parched beige expanses of land slowly change to greener vistas and fields upon fields of sugar cane which have a distinctive aroma cooked up and in the air with all this sun and heat. Mango plantations, and macadamia nut farms line the roads. Battered old Queenlander houses and sun bleached corrugated shacks add to the romance of the land. Inside my head its suddenly Brazil or Cuba. I love this feeling of cutting through the space and being bufferted about on the bike. The air is hot and humid and it only adds to feeling like a adventurer in a very foreign place.

I'm feeling poetic, can you tell?

The weather is perfect not too hot, clear blue skies and a light breeze. It seems we are the only people on this road for miles and miles we don't see another vehicle. I watch our long shadow undulate over the fields and rickety wooden bridges. We feel very small and insignificant amongst such grand enveloping landscape. There are wandering oxen along the roadside and suddenly I feel we are cutting through an alpine vista, and parts of the road remind me of the yorkshire dales or devon in its most luscious in spring.

Chuffed

We have to stop a few times just take it in. Look how happy Jason looks to be riding through such a great part of the country! We see smoke in the distance and are wary given the recent bush fires that decimated so much wildlife and flora, but it looks worse that it is. We think it is controlled bush burning, started on purpose to burn off dry bush, to avoid much larger uncontrollable fires later.

Fire!

On top of old smokey.......

Its a cracking day on the road, the most pleasurable to date and the time flies by with so much to see. We arrive in Tarragindi with an extra hour to spare as we forgot about the time difference between the two states.  Maree, Louis and Tiger pull up just after we do and we are greeted with a few barks from the lady of the house! Woof Woof to you too!

Louis and Tiger

This is the adorable and very handsome Louis and Tiger who looks a lot bigger than she is here. Louis is 5 has the biggest brownest eyes and long lashes you have ever seen. I'm instantly smitten. Tiger is a lovely soft and very protective cross breed who's mix Maree is unsure of. 

Maree is a one woman marvel. She is a single Mom with a seemingly unfair share of difficulties to cope with. She works full time, but has even managed to have a dinner cooking for us too! She is open and smiley and I feel instantly easy in her company. 

Tiger was saved from certain death, when she had the good fortune to be rescued by Maree, who we quickly realise is nothing short of a Saint. Whilst Maree was in New Zealand camping, a fellow camper discovered a bag with several puppies in it, presumably thrown short from a car aiming to drown them in the river where they were discovered on the bank side. 

Maree took one and named her Tiger! Consequently she spent a great deal of time and hard earned cash to bring her home to Brisbane. Tiger, Maree and Louis have a very evident & strong bond. Tiger is the smartest dog we have yet to have cared for. She seems to understand everything you say to her. She is so ridiculously gentle and patient and very calm even when as Maree explains, Louis gets over excited and pulls her ears and tugs her about.

Horse or dog?

Definitely Dog!

Super Model

There are some great bush walks around Tarrgindi. Maree has made us a house manual and details of where we can take the young lady for a nice jaunt and those where she can be let off her leash. We head up to Toohey Forest and follow one of the many walking tracks. 

Usually we don't let the dogs we look after off the leash the first time we take them out. So that the dog gets used to us and vice versa.The first walk on any house sit where we care for dogs is very important. We make sure that there is an empty tummy involved (The dogs not ours!) and that we have a pack of treats or a favourite toy depending upon each individual pet. We award the dog with a treat each time he or she sits when we ask, or for any other good behaviour. That way we know or hope that when we let them off and call them back they will come and if they do we treat them for it. Easy! Well most of the time. 

Tiger is a very very bright dog and so she easily understood that if we called and she came we would treat her. We had a lovely time walking her. She seemed to really enjoy herself and the freedom of running about and tracing any interesting smells.  Jason took some lovely portraits of her too. The one above is our favourite one.

Checking out the view

There have been a lot of storms here and this huge tree became a casualty of the power of Mother Nature. Boom Bam! Take that tree.

TIMBER!!!!!!!!!!

Maree and Louis are off on a well earned short trip to Melbourne to watch the iceskating that Maree usually competes in. This year she is there to support the team but is having a break from taking part. Maree will come come home for one night during our house stay as she has a work commitment and training course. This is a new thing for us, as most of our hosts go off on holiday and we see them only at the end of their trip. We are looking forward to seeing her and getting to hang out for another night. 

We are headed into Brisbane to see whats of offer for a couple of creative house sitters. http://www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/ we find our feet take us to The Queensland Art Gallery to see the Californian Design Exhibition. 

After our recent trip to San Francisco we are keen to see the design history of California and its far reaching influence.

San Francisco!

Beautiful.

Surfing USA

Reminds me of a certain lady we are caring for!

Adore these bright bold illustrations.

Barbie and Kens first home.

The very first Barbie and Ken

Eames at their best

I want!

The first Oscar.

Le Classic

Entry Tattoo

We both really enjoyed the few hours milling around and finding out more about the Californian way. 

In another part of the Gallery we saw these beauties and after the recent Hockney exhibition in San francisco Im feeling very inspired to get the paints out!

love the light in this one

Gorgeous

Mr Surf

Another hot day and the temps are soaring into the mid 30's . We decide to have some pool time and leave this lady indoors with the aircon on as its just too hot for dogs.

Nice and cool in there?

Maree and Louis are home for a few hours in between them returning from their trip to Melbourne and Maree shooting off for a few days training course for her new job (Well done Maree!) and so we get to hang out with Louis and 'Ra Ra' his much loved Grandma.

Louis has Cerebral Palsy and Autism. He loves music and especially the Ukulele. Every time Jason plays it for him he dances and has such a beautiful and ready wide smile. He's very affectionate he has been showering us with hugs and attention. He's very interested in Jason's motorbike and loves aeroplanes!

Louis is off to stay with his Ra Ra for a few days whilst Maree is training and so we are left back in charge of the gorgeous Tiger. She looks so very much like Gini who we had tiem looking after in Townsville I keep doing a second take!

Play time!

Its time to say farewell, Louis comes and wakes us up early, Its his Christmas play day at school and he is rather excited about it. We Wave him off when his bus collects him and have just enough time to give Maree a big hug and birthday wishes. I know we will see these two lovelies again. X

Here's what Maree had to say about our stay in Tarragindi. Thanks so much we loved coming to stay!