Friday, November 7, 2014

A Day Out Driving

It started out with me going to Stone's Corner to get my watch battery replaced, and I ended up at Mum and Dad's place excitedly talking about being at Tarragindi... 

My watch stopped yesterday around midday.  So, I asked Mum where I'd get it fixed.  She told me at Stone's Corner at Rolma Industries; where they specialised in Adina Watches.  This is where we got my watch - all my watches for my life.  I'm onto my second watch ever... they are a great brand.
Well I punched into the GPS the address and I was on my way to the place.  It took me there and I was happy.  The man charged me the princely sum of $15 to get a new battery installed and a seal replaced; very cool.  Then, there was the task of getting myself back home.
Well, okay, I though to follow the road around and take the first right and see what happened next.  Usually the roads either went in a circle, or they'd take you to the next suburb and you'd find a main road at some point.  This was an old suburb, it was bound to happen.  And you know?  It did!  I found myself at Stone's Corner again and back through the way I had come.  
But instead of going back onto the highway, I drove through the back way and onto Cracknell Road, through to Ekabin Road and to Toohey Road very close to my Grandma's House.  When I sat at the lights, I thought it'd be nice to drive by the place... but instead, I parked near the house and got out to see what had happened to it over the years.  You see, I haven't been to the place since the first owners bought it and painted it hideous colours.
When I saw it I had to check the number on the front - number 9 - to make sure it was the right number, because it was absolutely gorgeous!  It didn't look anything like it did before!  I grabbed my stuff out of my car and locked it, meaning to go to Zeni's - next door - but instead, I stood there just staring at the house.  A young lady asked me if she could help me and I told her my Grandparents originally owned the house over 70 years ago.  
Then she asked me the most unexpected thing:  'Would you like to come in and have a look around?'  Oh, wow!  Are you serious? Yes!  She said she'd introduce me to her Dad and we could chat about the place.  Her family has lived there for 3 years and their landlord was a builder and had only fixed the place up really nice just before they moved in.  How cool is that?  Well, I was astounded at how the place looked!
Grandma and Grandpa's bedroom was the only room that wasn't moved too much... except the door.  The rest of the place was unrecognisible.  Where the lounge and front room used to be was the office and two bedrooms.  There was a long hall down the middle - as there is with many Queenslander homes - and the place was better set out.  The bathroom was moved next to the master bedroom and the other bedroom - which had been at the back of the house was split into two and had been moved behind the office.  The kitchen has been turned around (again) and was behind the bathroom and the wall was taken down and the dining and living area was kept open-plan.  And the add-on dunny was removed for a stairwell to go downstairs where a granny-flat has been built.  Out the back was a wonderfully wide deck and stairs going down!  The backyard has hardly been touched.
Downstairs, where the laundry was is a bedroom and the lounge is where Grandpa's workshop used to be... otherwise, it's amazing what the place looks like now.  And the granny-flat has a private entrance around the side so the kids - who are uni students - don't have to go through the front door upstairs to come home, and neither do their friends.  It's completely self-contained.
While I was there, I also visited Zeni, next door.  She's the original next door neighbour to my Grandparents.  She didn't recognise me to start with, but after I jogged her memory, she gave me huge hug and we got chatting after I thanked Anna (the young lady who lives in Grandma's house with her family) for showing me around.  

Soon, I was off to Garden City in Little Green Machine!  I parked the car and had a walk around to look for new sunnies.  My old ones were really had it.  The tint was coming off and the arms on them were wobbly... so yep, it was time to toss them out.  I found a great pair at Bright Eyes.  Then, I thought to have a walk around - seeing I didn't have much else to do.
I found a store dedicated just to skateboarding.  Very cool place to look around in.  The owner thought it was wicked I used to skate, but was bummed the I couldn't anymore.  He knew what it was like when I said I knew how to but my body didn't... we had a laugh over that and then I went on my way.  
I ended up over at Riot Art to buy a few art supplies and then was off home.  But I lost the car by getting out of the lift at the wrong car park level... darn, new it was going to happen at some point!  I found the car and drove to Mum and Dad's place and told Mum what happened at Grandma's old house!  She was so happy... and she loved it that I dropped in on Zeni and had a chat with her. 

What a day!  Well, it's midnight... on the dot!  Wow!  Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

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