Penultimate Day

After two very early mornings and short nights, a restful day was planned. It started with a long lie-in, reading and laptop sorting. Pam and I then went to Indroopilly. HMV had promised to phone when my John Williamson CD came in (the original case was empty), they hadn't done so. It's a huge three storey Mall with a very extensive car park - and it's free parking. I got my money back, we looked round the National Geo shop and drove up to Mount Cootha for lunch.
The cafe and its view

I'd remembered the portions were large but not THAT gigantic. Very American.
We'd arranged with Mike that we'd shop for to-night's schnitzel which we did, returning home to refrigerate it all. It's 33C, cloudless and with a slight breeze to-day.
The house was empty, Mike and the boys still out buying school shoes and the swinmming tops. We waited a while and then drove to Colleges Crossing before returning to fill up with petrol (£1.21.9 per litre, about 60p), the car has to be returned full in the morning. Pam found a minute cricket on her leg, transferred it to her finger and it stayed for a short while before leaping into space.
Tiny quivering cricket

The boys showed us their new shoes, Harry's feet now man-sized, seven and a half. I then played Bowls with both boys before Pam took over to play PingPong (that's what it's called).
Sara will spend part of the morning and all the afternoon at home with us to-morrow before taking us to the airport. It will be sad to leave the family but we're looking forward to being home again.
I'll end with a photograph of another iconic Australian animal, they graze lawns in Toorbul.

O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat

A real achievement to-day. We drove to O’Reilly’s - and back - without any unplanned diversions. i.e getting lost. The first time in three attempts.
Up at 4.20 (!!) and away by 5, we arrived in Canungra at the base of the road to O’Reilly’s at 6.30. The family seem to think it’s a long way - it’s only as far as Snettisham and on a much faster series of roads. Much to our surprise - the place is really a village - we found an open cafe despite the sign saying ‘open at 7’. We both ordered bacon and egg baguette but only rolls were available, fine by us, admired the Elvis memorabilia on the back wall (the Elvis clock had his leg moving in time to the tick) and sat down to read an OK magazine whilst we waited. Only 10 minutes, most efficient.
The road up to the Lodge starts pretty gently through foothills past the O’Reilly vineyard. The last 30 Ks is steep, often single carriageway and fiercely bending. At this time of the morning we only met one car coming down. The views are often stupendous but not to be admired by the driver.
10Ks before the top, we turned off to Kamerun Lookout ( Scotsman who couldn’t spell?), on top of a grassy mound with a 365 degree panorama of valleys, mountains and forests, down to the Gold Coast to the south and, the Dividing Range to the north. A beautiful Golden Whistler sped through and two Grey Shrike-thrushes fossicked for insects.
Such excitement along the road in the darkest section of the forest. A Noisy Pitta walked across the road in front of the car and disappeared into the trees before I could photo it. A much sought after bird.
Having walked a couple of hundred yards down the Balancing Rock Trail and neither seen nor heard anything, we continued to the top. Parked at O’R’s by 8.45 on a blue sunny morning, still not hot. We then walked the Booyong Trail and returned to the centre before realising we’d missed the small Mountain Garden - and we’d only seen a single Wonga Pigeon doing what it should be doing, rustling importantly through the rainforest leaf litter and the ubiquitous never-stopping Scrubwrens. Time for morning tea in the cafe.
We walked past the Parrot feeding area to find it fenced off with locked gates and a notice saying 4A$ entry fee (inc food) and only open 11-3. Plenty of birds hanging around waiting though. Mainly Crimson Rosellas, King parrots and a few Red-browed Finches. I stopped to photo them in their natural habitat and, a male King flew onto my shoulder. They are so accustomed to being fed.
Male King Parrot

Crimson Rosella

Red-Browed Finch
One male and a couple of female Satin Bowerbirds showed fleetingly in the forest trees.
The cafe was empty apart from a family of three French people so we could choose to sit in the open overlooking this misty view to have a drink and half a semi frozen muffin each.

A couple of Crimson Rosellas sidled along the balcony edge, before one swooped onto the family table and made off with a piece of toast. Not what they should be doing.

Back to the Booyong track and the gardens, very pleasant but virtually no birds. Such a poor time of year. We were also reminded how annoying and frustrating this very popular and lovely place can be. The number of walkers increased, multi national and exceedingly noisy, the adults as bad as - often worse than - the kids. It was humid too.
We drove back to Kamerun Lookout to eat our sandwiches before calling in at the vineyard (also O’Reilly’s) to buy some Picnic Red which Sara and Mike liked previously.
The journey home was smooth and uneventful. We got in to find Ryan still here, Jonno having recently departed. The boys, especially Josh looked whacked. They’d had a competition to see who could say awake the longest and were also up early this morning, spending much of the day in the pool.
We downloaded pics etc until Sara came home, Ryan’s mum called in for him and we had Tina’s chicken dish for supper. Yes, it was delicious and Sara asked for the recipe. No Banana Bread left... the males had scoffed it all.

Boondall Wetlands to TinchiTamba

We made good time -and had an easy journey - to Boondall Wetlands via Nudgee Beach. Nudgee is at the end of Kedron Brook Floodway north of Brisbane Airport. Boondall is a mile or so past it; it's a mangrove reserve area along a creek with a good raised boardwalk. Very peaceful but for the cicada dawn chorus.

Apart from leaping fish, some of a good size, we saw little apart from the mangrove loving Collared Kingfisher on the way out to where the creek meets the sea.

Even the Rainbow Bee-eaters which nest along there were missing. A small flock of Leaden Flycatchers played chase through the treetops, a dimunitive Mangrove Gerygone fled into a thicket and we sat on a bench enjoying the lovely morning.
We noticed a blue rope floating in on the incoming tide, out of our reach - until Pam found a branch. Hauling the rope in, whilst lying on her front on the boards, it became heavier. It was attached to a round metal fish trap. At the expense of muddy shorts and rusty hands... we undid the knots and, were just about to jettison the trap on the mudbank, when a local informed us that we were not allowed to fish in the creek. He then noticed our bins and said 'ah you're birders' and we put him right on the trap.

A few clouds came over, the humidity rose and the mozzies descended. We hastened back to the car seeing a few small red-clawed crabs en route.

We breakfasted at a table under an awning overlooking Kedron Brook where it meets the sea. A large flock of White-throated Needletails fed above the trees , a single Great Crested Tern cruised by and three Dollarbirds sat in a dead tree across the river.
After a drink at Pam's Cafe 88 (!!) we drove to TinchTamba Wetland Reserve the pretty way, via Redcliffe. It's not far in distance but rather circuitous to find. Some very helpful women in Redcliffe Info Centre provided us with local maps and advice which helped no end.
We ate our lunch and then, despite the heat, we walked from the car park to the riverside via another good boardwalk through the casuarina and then Mangroves.

Doing this at mid-day was not a good idea! We were steaming. Pam left her hat in Bundy so wore one of mine which is kept here. Hm.......

I noticed a non poisonous Golden Orb Spider in its web, well above head height across the boardwalk. It's about 5 inches long and very lovely.

We were home by 2, cooled down whilst eating a slice of warm Banana Bread cooked by Mike (his second ever and using my recipe, it was a 10/10). They were out. Pam and I spent an hour in the pool which was lovely, most re-enervating. After a shower and a cuppa, Mike and the boys + Jonno (Harry's friend) and Ryan (Joshua's friend) arrived home from Belbowrie swimming pool. Mike warned us that they were staying for supper and a sleepover. An early night for us I think.

Last Sunday with the Family

We needed to shop for to-night's meal. Pork Tenderloin in mushroom and cream sauce had been requested. Sara volunteered to drive us if we didn't mind doing a bit of exploring. This turned out to be driving a rural suburb of Brisbane looking at houses - Golds Creek road to-day. Apparently she has started doing this on her solitary shopping expeditions. When the final agonising steps towards sale of the London house have gone through, they will be looking around and Sara is doing some initial investigating. We saw some palatial houses set in plenty of ground, in wooded valleys - and three camels grazing in a hilltop field. Most unexpected. As were three Bush Curlews in a roadside garden, our first this trip, no bins, no camera.
Shopping in Coles over, Sara cooked us bacon rolls for lunch, Mike and the boys had eaten. After a few games of Fragger on my laptop with Josh and Harry and then a game of 10 pin and 100 pin bowls with each in turn, I cooked - in both meanings of the word. Lovely sunny day so one stays indoors with the aircon on. Firstly the garlic chicken a la Tina ready for to-morrow and then the pork dish. Haven't had the latter since we were last here. It was requested then too. Sara cooked the veg though, I went on strike.
Another game of Dash About Australia after supper....I didn't know how many sheep there were in Australia nor which state's inhabitants are known as crow eaters.Do I care?
Can't have a day without photos, here are some I haven't used.
Australian Wood Ducks



Brolga

Introduction to Zulu

This morning, Sara manicured my feet for me, which was great. I cut my own nails and she did the rest. Only the second time someone else has done so. There are many nail bars here in Brisbane, usually run by Vietnamese. I'd planned to visit the one in Kenmore village but the Taralye deal was better!
Eventually - not until 12.15 - we set off for Mooloolaba. The appointment wasn't until 2.00 and we were there ten minutes early, it's well outside the town itself. It's not a cattery, they all live in the house and are handled frequently.We were shown into the 'showing room' which held the kittens ready for going to new homes,with lots of toys, beda and scratching posts. There followed an enchanting hour playing with kittens. We were allowed to handle the ones who'd been vaccinated but not Zulu (Sara wanted a female originally and was going to call her Lulu) who's only 5 weeks old. He was shy to begin with, then soon started running about and playing with the boys. Seemed delightful. Cheeky enough with plenty of character.
We all sterilised our hands first but only Sara was allowed to hold him.

Zulu

The next would be owners arrived so we left before three. The family went on to the beach, Pam wasn't keen so we drove back to Toorbul on the Pumicestone Passage. We stopped to look for the Brolgas finding 4 on the opposite side of the road from previously. Some Straw-necked Ibis flew over which I tried to photograph. Suddenly a much bigger bird appeared in my lens.......a White-bellied Sea Eagle.

Outside the Toorbul loo, Pam found this impressive Stag Beetle.

We arrived at the wader roost to find it was over high tide and there were even more waders than last time. Pam ate her Beefy pie lunch (at 4.00) whilst I scrutinised the flocks. Nothing new to-day but many more non-breeding Red-capped Plovers and non breeding Gull-billed Terns.

Tiny, non-breeding Red-capped Plovers


Home by 6.20 to download a myriad photographs.

Bundaberg to Brisbane

After a night when Pam's coughing disturbed both of us, we breakfasted at 7.45 before packing the car and taking the last photos of Tina's home - it wasn't raining!

The midnight cactus at the entry way.

One of its giant buds nearly ready - it blooms at night as the name suggests - and only lasts until morning.

Tina rose much earlier and had picked a boxful of mangoes to take home for the boys, supplemented by a carrier bag of the smaller Strawberry Mangoes. We were also given a jar each of green mango and ripe mango chutney and one of mango jam. Such a generous lady. As we were about to drive off, another present, wrapped, was handed to us. I opened mine. It was a very lovely Australian bird calendar.
The drive home was uneventful and very interesting. Unlike the journey up, it was dry and bright so that we could appreciate the scenery. The Bundaberg area is known for growing Macadamia nuts as well as sugar cane. The trees are kept small for easy picking but, as yet, had no fruit.

Phone reception at last. Sara texted to say that Snuffy had been put to sleep yesterday. He was a very poorly little cat and he'd had a bad week. We'd agreed with her that it would be a kindness and the vet concurred. We got in at just before 2.00. to find the boys about to have a swim. They were very excited by the mangoes. J and H and I had a strawberry one each after tea to-night, even the flesh around the stone was sweet.

When Sara got in we discovered that she'd reserved a Ragdoll kitten from a breeder in Mooloolaba.We're going to have a look at it to-morrow. It will not be old enough for homing until early March though.
I duffed up Josh at Bowls, both 10 pin and 100 pin, before Pam took over, she could hardly wait !
After supper, Josh, Harry and I played Fragger on my computer whilst Pam took photos. J is a natural comedian and Harry is a good feed.

Early bed to-night I think.

Thursday Jan 7 : Burrum Heads and Woodgate

Rain and more rain, some of it torrential, for most of the day. A late and leisurely breakfast after last night’s exertions, 7.30. We took the opportunity in a slight weather lull to photograph some of the lovely trees in the garden.
Cassia Fistula + bamboo hedge Cassia Fistula panicle-Indian senna
Pink flowered cactus


Pink cactus bud


Tina drove us to Burrum Heads, Woodgate, the opposite side of the river to that which we visited en route on Tuesday. Tina pulled in suddenly saying ‘Crested Hawk’. Pam and I walked back a little way and had very good views of the Pacific Baza, the modern name for the bird. It has a good crest and a heavily barred cream breast, it’s habit of flying short distances from tree to tree soon apparent.
Stopping at Theodolite Creek, a small 3 car parking area overlooking the Burrum river, I spotted a picnic table under an awning. There we sat, sheltered from the rain, watching the sand banks as the tide rushed in. The birds were a little distant for comfortable ID but we managed: Eastern Curlew. Red-capped Plover, Terek Sandpiper, Grey-tailed Tattler, Sand Plover, Caspian, Little and Black-naped Terns. A lone Pelican amused us by opening his beak as wide as it could go and pointing it at the sky - was he catching the rain? A Brahminy Kite and a White-bellied Fish Eagle perched in some bare trees to the north, two Osprey in some to the south. We thoroughly enjoyed about an hour and a half’s birding here.
What to do now........I could imagine the thoughts going through Tina’s head. Woodgate Esplanade is an attractive road beside a tree-lined beach, houses and the occasional shop on the other. We lunched at a table under an umbrella beneath a lovely beech almond tree. The food was good too; a bacon, egg, tomato, cheese and lettuce toastie which we all chose.
We then drove to Walkers Point but, there was no let up in the rain so we couldn’t walk in the hope of Black-breasted Button-quail. After a short detour along Foley’s Road, we were back at the house by 2.30 for a cuppa and some of Tina’s delicious cake. Pam loves the macadamia slice best, I like the Pumpkin cake (as well as the macadamia!).
The afternoon passed very pleasantly, chatting, discussing Tassie where Tina hopes to go with her son,doing our bird lists and starting to-day’s Blog.
It’s now past eight after a delicious supper of beef casserole and polenta followed by mango and white peach (me), ice-cream (Pam and Tina). Tina is a very good cook, Australian with Italian influence.

Wednesday Jan 6 : Birding with Tina

After breakfasting on muesli at 6.30 - we turned down everything else - Tina drove us for a day’s birding. We’d been really looking forward to this. At first we drove some local unmade roads, lined with a grassy verge and pasture scattered with many dead trees. The birds were numerous and, there was a good variety, most enjoyable. We were able to add several birds to our trip list, including Golden-headed Cisticola. The end destination was Burnett Heads Boat Ramp and Park. As the sun came out, the temperature rose,as did the humidity, making it very uncomfortable walking. Seeing good birds helped, as always. A small mixed flock of waders,


Striated Herons, Mistletoe Bird - one of my favourites-


Mangrove Gerygone and Honeyeater to name a few. We walked to the lighthouse as a Brown Booby patrolled the reef, ending with a flock of Sparrows before escaping to Tina’s comfortable air conditioned car - a Subaru Woodlander.
Someone had seen a Native Hen at Smiths Crossing, worth investigating. The old wooden bridge across the Burrum river had been damaged last year and not repaired. The parking area was largely under water, the river a torrent after all the rain. A Brown Cuckoo-Dove rose from the ground into a tree as we started walking. I stayed in the area whilst Pam and Tina walked into the bush. I was so hot and sweaty and listless, my back hurting too, definitely No 3 in the stickability list to-day. When I’m this hot I lose all will to even bird. A Little Cuckoo-shrike was a bonus.
After lunching at the Botanical Gardens, - and cooling off - we drove to Baldwins Swamp. Again a lot of water and, by now, very few birds. Pam voiced all our feelings, time to give in. We returned to Dahl’s road to photograph the Lorikeet feeding and have a welcome nap.
An early supper of Pumpkin Soup, roll and cheese, fruit before leaving at 6.15 for Mon Repos Turtle beach. What a surprise - for Tina as well !! Dozens of cars, the car park was full, and a queue reaching back to the car park. We queued from 6.45 until 7.20 before an announcement stating that we would be allocated groups according to order of booking (hurrah) and there would be five groups of sixty !! The waiting wasn’t helped by a group of four adults and six children immediately behind us. And they were in the same group, Group 1 fortunately.

We were haunted by them all evening. The youngest, named Noah, was under 2 and they were all noisy and like lemmings.
By 7.20 we were through to the covered waiting area, sitting on a bench in the open until rain drove us in - after a dry day. Noah et all sat nearby.
Called to the amphitheatre we arrived too late for seats, I sat on the concrete steps. Guess who sat below us........
We then had a Ranger talk about Loggerhead Turtles, followed by a film telling us how to behave and then a DVD with more of the same. Very repetitive but interesting.

We’d been told that being called to the beach was dependant upon turtles arriving which could be any time from dusk until dawn. Some nights all the groups were on the beach by 7.50, some nights no turtles arived and on others it could be gone midnight. Phew.
Group 1 was called at 9.10 to make our way along a dark boardwalk, following a female ranger onto the beach. Stumbling along in the dark - no torches allowed - in a balmy light breeze, the sea creaming in, in long rollers onto the beach, a few stars appearing overhead. Magical. We didn’t have to walk far but had to stand for forty minutes before the children were called first to climb the dune and sit in a circle around the laying turtle. We’re not allowed near until she starts to lay and ours was awkward. She was facing down the beach and had dug up a previous nest so that there were damaged eggs lying about her. Group 2 were at their nest 20 minutes before us....That’s the way it goes. The enormous beast, about a metre long and a foot and a half across, wallowed in its pit whilst they tried to prevent her back flipper - covering in by now - uncovering any more eggs. Two of them heaved her to one side before the measuring, tag reading etc was carried out. Only one short photography opportunity during the forty five minutes we stood watching, mesmerised, - and we were at the tail end. The promised rotation did not happen......


We watched her heave back down the beach in a rather laborious and angled line whilst one ranger dug a new pit into which all the newly laid eggs were re- positioned, a decision made earlier. The children were called back up the beach to help carry the eggs, what a treat for them. I’d have liked to have done that. Instead of waiting, as we should, we decided it was late enough and returned to the Centre and the car. In by 11.30 and straight to bed.
A wonderful experience despite all the hanging about. Thanks to Tina for organising it all.

Tuesday Jan 5: Brisbane to Bundaberg

Left home at 6.10, earlier than planned, I’d been awake since 2.50 and Pam’s coughing had woken her.She sems to have a second bout of upper respiratory infection but says she feels alright.The Gympie Highway and then the Bruce Highway was empty going north. Excellent. The onset of heavy rain was not.
We stopped at the ‘Beefy’ way station for a muesli breakfast, buying Beefy pies for lunch (they were the ones we had on the way to Mooloolaba on New Year’s Eve). I was determined not to go too far between stops in such concentrated conditions. Morning coffee at a pleasant roadside cafe where we could also refuel and use the loo. Much to our surprise, the main M1 Bruce Highway between Brisbane and Cairns had now become an ordinary A class single carriageway.
We were much too early to arrive in Bundaberg and decided to make a planned detour to the coast at Burrum Head, the mouth of the Burrum river. It stopped raining and we could lunch sitting on a bench overlooking a narrow strip of sand with a few swimmers and fishing boys, looking across to the north bank of the river. The north shore held a frustratingly distant flock of waders and terns, large and much too distant to ID. A small flock of Black-naped Terns flew by, a single Crested Tern fished close in and a juvenile Wedge-tailed Eagle flew overhead. Most enjoyable - as was the pie.
We could see the rain sweeping in, making a dash for the car just as the heavens opened....again. I phoned Tina to let her know our whereabouts and agreed to phone again when we reached Childers.Twenty kilometres drive back to the highway and then only a short distance to Childers which advertised an Information Centre. Pam bought some cough mixture at the pharmacy before we picked up some useful info and maps at the IC.
Off the Bruce and onto the Isis highway, driving through harvested sugar canes and, what we now know to be, rows of 12 foot high macadamia nut trees. The nuts are very cheap here in Aus., we must take some home.
Bundaberg is much bigger than Sara led us to believe. We just drove straight on along the main road and found the Post Office - where we were to meet Tina - very easily. It was good of her to meet us and then lead the way to her home, some distance south out of town on an alternative road from Hervey Bay which we’d considered using. A very comfortable, welcoming bungalow set in a large garden, open to extensive cultivated fields but with an area of very interesting shrubs, flowers and trees.
After a cuppa and some very good pumpkin cake - Pam sampled two other varieties of cake too - it was time for Tina to feed the birds. There was already a flock of Galahs in residence, they flew away as we approached.



A large metal stand held several large shallow, plastic bowls which she filled with slices of wet bread then sprinkled with sugar. At least 50 screeching Rainbow Lorikeets blossomed the trees around, flying down to feed as soon as Tina moved away a bit.

A few pairs of Scaly-breasted Lorikeets joined the noisy throng, two Galahs hung about nearby. A Pheasant Coucal did its poo poo poopoo call out of sight.
We were then given a tour of the garden. Three mango trees heavy with fruit, the fallen ones inspected for flying fox claw marks. They were then discarded, the foxes carry Lissa virus which can be transmitted to horses and then humans. Down came the rain, driving us indoors.

Strawberry Mangoes

After a truly delicious chicken supper - I asked for the recipe - including a veg called snake beans, about a foot long, pale green and unlike any I’d seen before and followed by a large mango, we chatted and then watched an interesting programme about Lake Eyre. It’s in Queensland and is the largest salt lake in Australia. It only floods about twice a century - I reckon it will this year!!

Another Wii Day

Rose to a much more comfortable temperature, it actually felt fresh - 26C. I cleaned out the footwells in our car - pine needles, dead leaves, sand and little gold stars. ON Christmas Eve, Sara sprinkled small glittery gold stars on the tablecloth. They've got everywhere. In bed, stuck to feet, on carpets, in handbags, the shower. You name it....Pam vacuumed our bedroom before watching Josh play Wii against himself. Harry was in his room all day, talking to friends and playing games with them via Skype.
Pam and I went for a ride up Mount Cootha mid-day, ending up at Bardon where a small flock of Straw-necked Ibis was feeding on the rugby field. Much less common than the pest Australian White Ibis.

We ended up walking in the Botanical Gardens; haven't been there for ten days so, found different flowers in bloom. This Australian native is not one we know, we'll have to ask Tina.

Sitting by the lake watching the wildlife is very pleasant. This turtle was sunning itself on a rock, must find out which one it is, Australia seems to be lacking in basic ID books for general wildlife - or we haven't found any.

A Water Dragon looked as though it was cooling its tail whilst sunning head and body.

Stopping at traffic lights on the Moggill Road junction, I took a quick snap of the Aus pedestrian crossing sign which is rather novel for us.

Mike was out shopping. We had a quick lunch and then played Wii with Josh for the next couple of hours. Mike goes out for a run/walk up the mountain most days so we're useful child sitters.
We're driving north to Bundaberg to-morrow, returning on Friday. Tina, who we met in the Outback last year, invited us to stay for a few days and do some birding with her. It's about a five hour drive, motorway all the way, we shall set out early to avoid the Brisbane traffic. Don't know whether I shall be able to Blog daily until my return but will take my laptop.

Big Wet Cat Trip

Sara's last hols day, she got to choose. The suggestion was a river trip - there and back - on a City Cat. When pushed...what she REALLY wanted to do was to go to the Brisbane Museum of Modern Art. We compromised; we all started on the Cat and they were to get off at the museum stop. It was a horribly muggy morning and 30C, I was rather grouchy.....
After a few kilometres drive past the Uni of Queensland campus to the river, we waited only 5 minutes or so before the cat arrived. Very cheap fares, 2 dollars 20 (about £1.25) for oldies, for the round trip.

We made our way to the back and a seat, eschewing the very hot and stuffy cabin. Ten minutes later, it started to rain, and rain, the most enormous drops, quite refreshing - until it got harder and harder. We moved to the back area where there was a slight overhang but it became torrential. The decks were flooded. Sara decided not to get off....After an hour of zero visibility, we turned round and started the return journey. The rain stopped. Josh found a most beautiful tiny, 4 mm, iridescent green beetle in his hair. He decided to name it Krell and keep it as his pet. Sara's just told me it flew away at lunchtime.
The family got off at the South Bank stop, we decided to continue the journey as I was cooking to-night's meal. It was still overcast but dry so, we were able to enjoy the trip back.

The Brisbane Eye - much smaller

The Catamaran we used

Home for a bite to eat - at 2.40 - before a supermarket trip and a giant Bolognese sauce cook up.
As we settled with our reward, coffee and banana bread, the family arrived home having thoroughly enjoyed their museum trip.
Pam's just thrashed me 3-0 at 10 pin bowling. The best she's ever played - and my worst. More practice needed.