Yesterday morning after seeing Gordon off about 6.00am it was raining sparsely so I decided to wait bfore setting off on my walk. The sky to the west was grey and heavy and the raindrops were big, every indication was that an October buster was imminent. I wrote an important email instead, and before I knew it the rain had stopped but I didn't have time to walk as I had to run Robbie to Emerald to catch a bus. I did some grocery shopping while there and came home again and complained to Lib that I missed my walk.
She asked me would I go for awalk with her later in Cockatoo. She still can't drive, not being able to change gears with her broken wrist, so I agreed, thinking it would be good for her to get out and have a change of scenery.
Around lunchtime I pulled the carry van into the car park on Bailey Rd. and we took off, Lib, me, and little Snow. We'd not walked here before and I vaguely noted the sign naming the track as Yellow track. It was wide enough for Lib and me to walk side by side with Snow at our heels. Lib commented that Snowie walks close to her on the way out when she walks but then on the return is always 20-30 metres in front because she knows the way back.
Yellow track soon merged into a bigger track called Wright track which gently meandered down through the messmates and peppermints which predominate in this bush. It was open forest with a low undersory which I suspect is 'controlled burned' every few years by the DSE for bushfire prevention. After a kilometre or so we came to a gravel road and we decided to turn back rather than continue along another track which would have taken us to Emerald.
Sure enough on the way back Snowie took the lead. A shower of rain and a cold wind made us walk briskly, talking as we did as husband and wife do about anything that caught our interest. "Look at the heavy budding on that sprig of messmate". "See that pepermint trunk with hardly any bark". "Check out the big crown on that tree and the trunk's big angle and the hollow at the base, it's a wonder it's still standing".
Lib pointed at Snowie taking a track off to the right.
"Look at Snowie, she thinks that's our track", Lib said as we walked straight ahead.
I laughed and wondered when Snow would turn and come after us, then I saw a sign saying 'Yellow track'.
"That is our track" I said. We laughed at ourselves as we followed Snow back to the van.
