March 2019 Stats

Total km for Month 748 (year to date 1,658)

Most km in a day 141(264)

Average Daily 24 (28)

Monthly Budget $2,000 ($4,000)

Spend $3,526 ($3,935)

Spent over $2,000 on a couple of pieces of equipment that were necessary and that will pay for themselves in the long run.

Accommodation Nights 31 (58)

Family/Friends 3 (26)

Low/No Cost (<$15) 26 (30)

National Park

Showground

Caravan Park 2 (2)

**Fitness. Sadly (maybe not) my Fitbit died towards the end of this month. I don’t think it was overworked but nonetheless it stopped and as I don’t plan on replacing it no more fitness stats (yay!) So I guess that means Judy you are the winner of our little competition.

Books Read 6 (7)

A Kings Story – Memoirs of the Duke of Windsor

This is a fascinating insight into the liv and lives of the Royal Family. It covers the life of King George VIII right up until his abdication in 1936. It was written in the early 1950″s. A history lesson that changed the course of the Royal Family as we know it today. With over 400 pages of quite small print it took some getting through. Whilst not changing me from pro republican, it gave me a deeper understanding of the benefits of a Royal Family.

Red Sand Sunrise – by Fiona McArthur

Not sure how this book came into my possession as I normally only read biographies or autobiographies but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Based in a fictitious small town in outback Queensland, the landscape draws you in. It has that “chick flick” touch with romance and relationship twists that becomes compelling reading. It is one of those books that you can read well into the night as each chapter leaves you wanting to start the next. And the next one. And the next one.

Women of the Land – by Liz Harfull

8 mini books in one, these tell the remarkable stories of eight female farmers from all around Australia. They are all farmers in their own right, most doing it on their own and all doing it tough, as farmers do. An incredible insight into the everyday lives of some of our most courageous women.

A Tumultuous Life – by Brian Burke

Ever since the “constitutional crisis” of 1975 I have taken a keen interest in politics. In fact as a 16 year old, much to my parents dismay, I handed out how to vote cards, two years before I could vote! When I first came to Western Australia I worked for Mark Wake Group of Companies, firstly as a Credit Reporter, then as State Credit Reporting Manager. My job as a credit reporter involved investigating and writing reports on endless numbers of companies. As it was coming to the end of the Burke era as Premier and the “WA Inc” era, many of the names in this book were very familiar and the companies mentioned likewise. I remember at the time staggered at the links between perhaps 20 to 30 names that cropped up time and time again in the various web of interlinked company names that I investigated.

A political book is always hard reading. With so many facts, figures and details to be written into it, it is always going to be a hard slog to make it into a readable document. As a political junkie I enjoyed it. Obviously written from a biased point of view (but then what piece of literature isn’t?), I enjoyed the read. Perhaps not worth the $50 I paid for it at the time (last year), I did get Brian’s autograph sor surely that is worth something? Tongue in cheek.

You need to be a keen political buff to not only understand some of it, but to enjoy it as well. To put things in context, as far as TV goes, my 3 favourite “one off/once a year” programs to watch that I hate at the time to miss would be the AFL Grand Final (and all things live sport), Carols by Candlelight on Christmas Eve, and the Election Night coverage. Yeah, sad I know!

Life, how it was – by Vic McDougall

Vic McDougall is the father of Gordon McDougall, a true gentleman I got to know during my 2 years spent on the Board of Management of Lions Dryandra Woodland Village Gordon, a Narrogin Lion, is the long serving Treasurer of the Board. He has been involved in the restoration of this old timber housed village for over 40 years. Vic was a pioneer farmer in the Wagin area and his story is one straight out of the school of hard knocks.

Sunshine and Shadows – by James and Stephen Dack

These guys grew up in the same era as me though in a totally different environment. An insight into growing up in inner Sydney in the 60’s and 70’s. Housing Commission, dysfunctional family life, alcoholism. The environment we grow up in has a lot to do with how we turn out as humans. Some make it. Some don’t.

Water for Elephants – by Sara Gruen

This was another “wow” read. You can see why this book was made into a hit movie. Powerful storyline. Underlying insight into why you don’t want to end up in a nursing home.