We had lunch at the Fitzhardinges with Jan and Richard, Rachel and Jeremy, Bigman, and Jeremy's Aunt Jan.
The food was, as always, wonderful and the conversation went on until early evening.
We had to do some shopping so we went to Chatswood. there was really nowhere to park so we went on to Warringah Mall. Driving in Sydney is so bad.
On the way back I went to Alphega to get a scrip and a referral to the dermatologist.
We settled back in to the caravan park with some relief. The park is on the edge of the National Park and our site looks straight into the bush. The rabbits come out in the evening to feed on the grass. This is all just ten kilometres (6 miles) from the centre of the city.
Rachel and Jeremy had all the Chalmers and all the Fitzhardinges to dinner at the Darling Mills to celebrate a couple of birthdays, Rachel and Bigman, and a couple of wedding anniversaries, their first and our fortieth. It was wonderful. We had a private room, superb food, lots to drink and plenty of spirited conversation.
It being hot as hades we took a very quiet lay day.
I had an appointment with the dermatologist in Dee Why and we had to visit the Credit Union.
We had had Landbase send the mail to Dee Why PostOffice.
The truck rego renewal had just come in the mail and indicated that we had to get a road worthiness certificate as well as a CTP and have it all done by Saturday.
The NRMA did the CTP. They had to take out a new policy as the computer wouldn't issue a renewal for the existing one. Doing CTP for a motorhome takes several tricks involving answering some of the questions as though it is a car and some as though it is a truck. Each person who has to do this seems to have to do it for the first time so it isn't easy.
The only authorised inspection station for trucks over 4.5 tonnes in Brookvale couldn't do the inspection until Saturday morning.
We had had more than enough by five o'clock particularly as the temperature was in the high thirties (around the 100 F mark) so we retired to the caravan park and fired up the airconditioner.
Being a holiday and incredibly hot, we took another lay day.
Up at sparrowfart to get to Brookvale catch the truck inspector early. We left the truck and taxied to Harbord for breakfast at the Bronzed Onion which is, happily, still there and still doing great breakfasts.
We had the truck back at ten and renewed the rego at Manly.
Kelso King rang and invited us to look over the newly renovated house in Chippendale. It is really nice even now and when all is complete it will be quite stunning.
We had coffee and chatted and returned to the caravan park to escape the heat.
As we had missed the renewal date for the comprehensive insurance for the Motley, we decided to stay on an extra day at the caravan park, planning to renew the insurance before going on the road on the morrow.
Big Al came round and we went to lunch at the Malabar in Crows Nest. It was really, really good. Al had to drive a mate to Newcastle so we retired to the caravan park and watched the tennis.