Since Christmas

 17 days. Wow, talk about getting on with it. We've bought a house in McCracken S.Aus. Take possession 26 Feb conditional to termite report and Covid clause.

Left with Ricky Ralph 27 Dec 8pm. My customers were all taking a break; Ralphie was keen to do a trip away with his caravan and kindly suggested we could go to SA where I could look around for prospective future location and residence. Good fortune for me. Thanks to Ralphie, he was amazing to do what he did.

We got over the West Gate Bridge and somehow got off the Freeway to Geelong at the wrong exit. Probably lost half an hour or more driving around in the dark before we found the Ballarat freeway. Cold and rain. We camped at truck stop, one we couldn't find on the way back, we couldn't even recall which side of Ballarat it was.

As we approached Adelaide next afternoon my phone rang. It was Lib. She found a good house on the net at Encounter Bay and suggested we look at it, so with the help of Ralphie's GPS we were looking at mid afternoon. Loved it and the location. Later, after miraculously finding a vacant site at the Port Elliot caravan park, I checked out the photos of the house's interior and back garden. Loved it more. I rang the agent to find it had been put under contract 2 days before Xmas. Would have been too good to be true to find the right house and buy first up day one.

We got comfortable in the caravan park and for the next few days tripped around looking at areas and houses. Anything that looked promising was under offer already by the time I inquired. Houses selling quickly I was told, within a couple of days of advertising. Second last day Lib asked had we been to McCracken yet. No, going there tomorrow. We'd found a few to look at on the google and I mentioned one to Lib, she said she'd seen that too, and had told me about it pre Xmas. 

Why it hadn't already gone like the others by the time we looked at it I don't know. We liked the look of it and the location fronting on to the Hindmarsh River Reserve, so I rang the agent on the board out front, she said she'd be there 2pm. tomorrow, owners would go out, to show us through. I think it was day before New Years Eve. The house, 25 years old 1995 build, has been refurbished throughout and was neat and clean as a pin. I told agent I'd check with Lib and if I got thumbs up I'd ring her later to say we'd make an offer. Lib agreed. We went to the agent's office in Victor Harbor 9.30 am Saturday New Years Day, caravan on behind as we were leaving for home straight after, and I did the necessary paperwork.

Safe home Sunday 2 Jan well before lunch after spending the night in the parking area at the Cresswick Sports Reserve. 

Ralphie and I had spent a full week away together, talking, reminiscing over school days and the 56 years since we first met at Malvern Grammar. We spent much time together travelling in our youth and trips as young adults, but nothing prolonged for 40 years since we both were married a couple of months apart in 1981. It's impossible to do that without provoking a lot of thought, given that we have the benefit of experience and hopefully wisdom. Significant that neither of us smoke. Cigarettes and alcohol were always a big part of it when we were young. I don't drink now, and I think Ralphie had one can of beer one day because it was in his van fridge and he was thirsty.

More on thoughts next post, my mind has visited my childhood, my Mt Waverley days, and meandered through my entire life. Not surprising I suppose, given that I'm making a life changing move in the months to come. 

For now I close and repeat my gratitude to Ricky Ralph.

Should just add that the countryside looked fantastic all the way across Western Victoria and SA to Adelaide. Amazing what good rain does. I reckon it would have been just about a record harvest, mountains of wheat recently harvested at depots and sheds full of hay and huge stacks outside. A joy to see.