Travels

St Arnaud

Hello people, we’ve been interstate to my mum’s place again. If you recall, last November we spent the visit unpacking mum’s moving boxes. This time I hung her picture collection. Mum is thrilled to have her ‘gallery’ around her again after 10 months of being packed away.

Coming home on Sunday, we had lunch at St Arnaud. I always associate the place with horses as my dad used to go to races there when I was a kid. It was built on the back of the gold mining boom in the 1850s and still produces plenty of gold nuggets for fossickers.

starnaud

A statue dedicated to the fellow who inspired the name of the town takes centre stage in a pretty park.

 

Armand_Jacques_Leroy_de_Saint-Arnaud

Marshal of France Armand Jacques Leroy de Saint-Arnaud (Public Domain)         Wikipedia says: He served as French Minister of War until the Crimean War when he became Commander-in-chief of the army of the East.

We were going to visit over Easter, but Mr R spotted a car he wanted to buy – which we did on Thursday. It exceeded our expectations on the home trip. I can’t see it being our last car, as there will come a day when I can’t climb into it!  Later this month, we ‘re getting a wind-down solid floor camper, so needed a proper tow vehicle.  The Triton will pull a caravan if we decide to upgrade from the trailer tent.

car

I keep putting off the date of my retirement … but very soon, that’s for sure. The way I feel at the moment, I’d rather it was now. I think I’m hungover from the single bottle of Chardonnay I drank over the last two nights. Had to celebrate such a flash vehicle. (It is dark blue  but looks black in shadows. )

Thanks for reading.  I do hope you had a great weekend.  🙂

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8 thoughts on “St Arnaud”

  1. sue ouzounis says:

    Great vehicle, at least you will be driving a vehicle suitable for the conditions. You can sleep in the back if you just do an overnighter. You can always buy a set of steps that fold up if you find it hard getting in.
    Every Tom, Dick & Harry in Adelaide has some kind of “big” (pretend truck) vehicle. Told Alec that the next vehicle I get has to be a big one too. Sick of not being able to see around a person who is driving 40/50 kph and when you go past THERE IS NO ONE IN FRONT. Most of them are scared of the size of their “retirement” vehicle and crouch over the wheel. Majority of the 4WD’s have never used the 4WD mode as they don’t go over anything rougher than the kerb as they pull into the driveway.

    Liked by 1 person

    • I crouched for the first hour, LOL. Now I’m comfortable, had to stop myself doing 110kms on the way home and was scared I would put the wrong diesel in it. The 4WD will be handy if we get stuck in mud or something along the Murray. I’ve actually thought them a bit pretentious in the past. Can’t beat them, join them. 🙂

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      • sue ouzounis says:

        Do you know what to do if you do get stuck in the mud? You can always have a lesson or two in it. When we had the Cabinet Making business I used to get surprised looks when I was driving the truck (little one, not a semi or anything), most women wouldn’t be seen dead in a ute let alone a truck. Now the bigger the vehicle the better (but it hasn’t improved anyone’s driving), They think because they are big they can do what they want. Manners have flown out the door.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. What fun! A trip, being helpful to a loved one, buying an awesome truck, still being able to climb into it, contemplating retirement, and celebrating with chardonnay. Could life be any better?

    Liked by 1 person

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