April 15, 2019 – FrankieG Home & Travel Gallery

Tuesday 9^th April

As the sole Admin for the Facebook photo site Aussie Photography for Beginners, I am beginning to find I have created a workload for myself. What started as a small group, of mostly inactive members has grown, with encouragement, to a busy schedule of daily photo posts, comments, likes and replies. Toss in the occasional hiccup by Facebook plus a bit of uncertaintly by members and I feel like I am putting out spot fires. Combined with a Home Owners Committee meeting last night and my role as Treasurer and a self – appointed researcher into CCTV and being on the Social Committee and arranging a Dawn Service on Anzac Day plus 11 am Service plus a luncheon with invited Council and state parliament politicians I am beginning to feel I would have more free time if I went back to work. I worked until after midnight last night.

Friday 12^th April

I have spent many hours over the last few weeks looking back over my old photos, especially those that were taken with my first digital camera the Panasonic Lumix DM FZ 7. On looking at them in a new light I have found many which I have previously ignored which I now consider quite good. Anzac Day is approaching and I have a selection of 132 photos which in some way have a connection with Anzac Day. I have prepared them in a slideshow which will play as a loop on our 75 inch TV. It will just cycle continuously as a background much as pubs and clubs do. I have also prepared about 30 songs with an Anzac theme which will also play in a loop, again as background music. Both the slideshow and the music will be played during our Anzac Day luncheon. On the morning I will broadcast the Dawn Service from Canberra via the ABC App at our private Cenotaph where we expect over 100 people to attend including guests of the caravan park next door and a couple of State Parliamentarians along with our local Gold Coast Councillor. So far we have 50 people confirmed a booking for our luncheon.

Saturday 13^th April

The quality of the photos is not the best as Rock and Roll, unlike say surfing, or rugby league, or car races or horse racing, I can pan and follow the action and usually get good shots. Dancing I cannot pan or follow the action as it changes constantly.

130419 dance — Dance floor and band area.

Tonight we went to a bushland setting known as Heritage Park in a location called Guanabah where the local Country Music Association has a rustic clubhouse.

130419 dance1 — Guanaba Country Music Club

Tonight was their first of two Rock and Roll nights with a rocking good band well known among the rock n roll fraternity.

130419 dance2 — The twirling skirt looks like Marilyn Monroe. The man in the blue shirt is my friend Frank who has been dancing Rock for 20 years.

Despite its somewhat isolated location about 170 people turned up at least half were from the Gold Coast, the rest from Brisbane.

130419 dance3 — Here is Frank along with a pocket rocket dancer with so much energy. She is apart of a professional team of 3 dancers who teach and perform.

Our friends Graham and Wencke came with us and we met up with other rockers from our village and their group of friends.

130419 dance4 — Pocket Rocket again. I did line dancing beside her and she managed 3 steps to every body else one.

Donnis and I tried to dance but we are out of practise.

130419 dance5 — I was intrigued by the dancers outfits and their shoes were so special. This couple had matching outfits including shoes.

Luckily a couple of the women took pity on me and asked me to dance.

By now Donnis was not well, probably a bout of hayfever so she went to i30 for a sleep.

130419 dance9 — More shoes. My friend Frank seems to feature in many photos.

A few line dances were played so at least I knew the steps.

Or thought I did.

Different locations have variations but with a couple of professional dance teachers in the group they really put on a show, not only in line dancing but rock and roll and even a waltz.

130419 dance12 — Shoes Shoes Shoes. Theres Frank again.

Three of them make up a team and put on dance displays and travel to various dances every week.

130419 dance6 — The professional dance team. Later in the evening they were joined by the third team member.

I enjoyed just watching them dance.

One is about my age and has the energy of someone 20 years younger.

I really need to make up for all those years when I refused to dance. Lessons start next month and cannot come soon enough.

Our village also has a twice yearly rock and roll night and I think we have now cemented ourselves into the rock and roll calendar as has Guanabah.

130419 dance14 — Twirling skirts were everywhere.

130419 dance16 — This lady could have been straight out of the movie, Grease. She never stopped dancing all night.

Sunday 14^th April

Today we took a drive although Donnis is still suffering with hay fever. We drove to Carrara Markets. I am looking for a pair of leather soled boots similar to my Florsheim boots I once wore when I was still working. I want the boots for line dancing and rock and roll. I found a pair at the markets which was in my size but nowhere on the box did it say what materials were used in the sole, the upper, the lining. The sole feels like a rubber compound. Also lacking from the box is where the shoes are made or even an address or contact details. Apart from a brand name and shoe style and size there was no other information on the box. I did not buy anything but will keep looking.

In the afternoon I went to Specsavers for a checkup as I have been having some trouble lately reading numbers on the computer screen or labels on packets and cans. Yep my eyesight has changed. I will need a pair of glasses for close up reading and a pair for computer work or a pair of triple prescription lenses that will do the job. Either way I am not happy but ended up ordering two pairs of glasses. I only need them for working at the computer so no big deal if I can see the screen a bit clearer.