Theodore-Emerald

Today didn't exactly go to plan... I had a lazy breakfast with Bill and Kathy, and went and took a photo of the one of the mini Brahmans for you.

Mini Brahman

I left their place about 10.30 and headed into Theodore for a shower. When I took my socks off I wasn't happy with how my feet were looking, so I went straight over to the doctors to see if someone could have a look at my right foot. Because we put a waterproof dressing on yesterday, there wasn't anywhere for the liquid to go. So when I took my sock off, there was a big bubble of liquid and an awful colour (due to the silver stuff we also put on). It was also already irritating my skin. The doctors were running behind so I had a bit of a wait to get in, but since I didn't have an appointment I wasn't too worried- just glad they could fit me in! Bruce (Dr) was a bit busy, so I had a good chat with Simon and Anna, the two med students who are working there at the moment (I met them yesterday). They pretty much know everything about me now, and a bit more about paraplegics in general. So anyway, after the drainage problem, we have gone back to meloin and tape.
By the time I left Theodore, it was about 3, so I headed off towards Emerald. It's amazing the things you remember when you go back to odd places. Like how the first corner out of Theodore heading north is called Fruit Salad Corner by the locals, because of all the fruit trucks that used to take the corner too fast and tip over, spilling their loads throughout the paddock.
I really enjoyed driving the road through to Moura. It was one of those narrow country roads that make you want to wind down the windows and play your music too loud. So I did.
I recognised Moura as soon as I got to it. I have these scattered memories of all these towns, so it was good to glue them all together again. It's funny, whenever Dad tells me about his day at work when he's driving, and it involves cattle yards, I always picture the Moura stockyards. Not sure why!
Once I got past Moura the big cattle properties started. And the properties with no boundary fences. I have passed some huge roos dead on the road-don't fancy seeing any live ones! I did come across three smaller ones about Rollstone, but I saw them in plenty of time. I passed over the ranges coming into Rollstone. I remember the first time we came over the range in 2006, and Scotty telling us about these mountains coming up... We were half way over the range before we realised they were the 'mountains'. I noticed a sign coming through today, for  Expedition Hill, the highest point. All 445m of it! I remember coming back from emerald one day with Ellie and Scotty, and playing a prank on Ellie. We were coming back down off the range and a truck was going past us. I closed my eye closest to Ellie and kind of nodded my head. She looked over and thought I was asleep. She didn't find it near as funny as I did!
I stopped for fuel at Rollstone, next to what used to be Corrugated Cuisine. It was a cafe in a shed pretty much, but they made an awesome Iced Chocolate. There were a couple of blokes filling up next to me, who were impressed with my ability to get my chair in my car. I'm always bemused when people are impressed by something that is so trivial and ordinary for me.
Between Rollstone and Springsure, there was a crop on my right hand side, for about 5km. Turned out it was sunflowers, but they had lost their petals, so it was just the heads left. Millions of them!

Virgin Rock, Springsure

Springsure's main attraction is the virgin rock, a rock formation that looks like the virgin Mary. It looked pretty impressive with the sun setting behind it.
I got into Emerald right on sunset. I went past the service station where I handed over the eastern grey joey, Sammy, that I had been hand raising when we were at Bills. He was as big at six weeks as our wallabies in Tassie are full grown!
Coming into Emerald I passed a massive train. I slowed down and counted the carriages, 2 engines, 93 carriages! A big train in Tassie is maybe 12 carriages!
I made it to Dad's brothers in Emerald, Terry and his wife, Lyn. I'll spend a night or two here. I seem to like houses with stairs lately! This house is upstairs, then split level! Good thing they have two strong boys, Jarrod and Brendan to carry me up and down....

Distance travelled: 340km
Time driving: 4 hours
Total distance travelled: 3150