An Island Off an Island

Now we’ve come up for air we can answer the question that’s been on many of your lips – does our new home (bought on-line in a COVID world) live up to expectations? Thankfully I can respond with a resounding YES, though as we came up the drive, and again when we put the key in the front door there was a whisper of ‘what if’ running through our minds.

No need for concern, the house and the online photos and videos aligned. Many of you had commented on the kookaburra in the foreground of one of the scenic real estate shots and, I kid you not, as we opened the doors onto the deck there he was in the same position (sent from central casting?). We have spent the 24 hours we’ve been here poking about and planning. The gardens have great possibilities and the views! – well that’s what its all about.

Our other essential internet purchase – groceries from Woollies ‘Çlick and Collect’ delivered by Bruny Couriers was also waiting for us, hooray. When combined with the case of champagne from R and the care package from K, the 3 Vs and C we can last a while in home isolation.

On the topic of home isolation had a lovely chat with the Tasmanian constabulary this morning about the failings of the GPS service on our phones. When we were asked to log our locations today we were nowhere near Bruny! More like halfway to New Zealand. He said I sounded like a very responsible person and he trusted me. I replied that our dog had just escaped and that my husband (and I) were now exiting the property – he said to ‘go for it’. And that is the entrée to my next post!

Hi Everyone, Ruby here. Mum and Dad asked me to post as they are quite exhausted after our 32 hour, 1,530 km marathon. They want you to know we arrived safely but not without incident!

I was sleeping quietly, strapped in on the back seat, when the front wheel began making a strange noise. We were in a place called Young. Dad did some looking and decided we needed to call the NRMA. A nice man arrived and said he thought there was a stone caught behind the brake so next thing Mum’s car ( with me still it in) was on the back of a tow truck heading to a mechanic. The fact that we had a deadline with something called ‘the Spirit’ resulted in an apparent quick turnaround though there was a lot of stress coming from the front seats as we hurtled south.

At this Spirit thing I was allowed out for a sniff of seagulls before showing my papers to prove I’d had all the necessary medications. Let’s not go there, a vet visit isn’t something to share. I was quite enjoying myself when I was bundled off to a kennel dormitory and bedded down next to some yappy white thing. I sighed deeply and put my head between my paws. The plus side was my Mum and Dad had thought to pack my futon, best blue blanket and Tigger ( a rather loved toy). Yappy white only had a piece of butchers paper! A long night. The parents were in quarantine lock down and were moved from their plush suite to a basic cabin and a care package – just saying!

Mum and Dad can’t be near people for a while so breakfast was sitting outside at a petrol station near Devonport. I discovered a new delicacy, wallaby poo. It’s delicious, Lots of ‘Ruby NO’!

The drive south was full of the front seat saying ‘oh look, how beautiful!’. I just wished they’d be a bit quieter, it had been a long night.

Finally we got to the last bit and another ferry ride. We had just missed one and had time to kill so I got to smell the sea for the first time (impressive), and have ice cream overlooking a marina ( learning new terms all the time).

Liked this ferry. Got to hang out of the window and sniff.

A long time after we left Aunty Bev’s in Orange we arrived at what I am told is my new home. Mum and Dad are ecstatic and saying ‘it’s perfect’. Must admit it’s good, very good! And when we went for a walk around the garden I realised there is wallaby poo! Happy Days.

Love Ruby