The House(s) of Fran_mart

It was just coming to sunrise as we left Mallacoota on a pretty cool morning. As I was wearing my Ugg boots I wasn’t really cold while finishing loading the car, having done most of the job on Saturday. As I have forgotten things a couple of times recently Frances ran through a checklist before we left. The checklist will be modified a bit for the next trip since she noticed - as we passed through Cabbage Tree Creek - that I was still wearing my Ugg boots rather than the intended walking shoes!  Fortunately we intended to call in to Anaconda in Bairnsdale to pick up a new parka, so we can also get a new pair of Keens. Sticking with coolness, things got a little white on the Genoa Flats, as the car thermometer showed 0C.  It warmed up to 7C at Drummer and then dropped back to 3C at Cann River. After a very productive stop at Anaconda where the parka was collected, new Keens acquired (recognise that, facial AI) and Frances discovered an excellent fleece (for me) marked down fr...

 When we lived at Carwoola water was a constant issue for us.  We either had plumbing problems (too little water); floods across the road due to storms; or a watercourse running from the dam overflowing and flooding the garden (too much water). I thought we might be past all that. However today I was quietly reading, while Frances was out for a walk when there was a rumble from the general direction of the ceiling or roof.  My first thought was the chimney had fallen over but that wasn't the case (and the solar heater and panels all looked OK.  Then I walked past our water meter and it was going berserk, when nothing should have been running.  I turned it about 90% off and started looking for what could be the problem.   Then Frances returned and went to check her bathroom.  She described it as like Niagara erupting from under the basins. Turn off of water goes to 100% and our plumber is contacted. He arrives quickly (he is sort of retired but hel...