Hmmm...Blogger what's going on?

This morning I checked back over the post I wrote yesterday to see if there were comments which hadn't been sent to my email inbox. For some reason, comments from Una, Carol, Sharmayne ( and maybe others too!) don't get sent as an email. (Sharmayne did comment yesterday and I will send you a reply)
But something else I noticed was that a big chunk of the post didn't publish...the photo of me with the koala had quite a bit of text attached, including links to explain about these tourist attractions in the Port Macquarie district. I was photographed standing next to Komorebi...this link will take you to a Gallery page with all these wonderful sculptures that are dotted through the Port Macquarie district. And this link and this one, will explain a little more of the story behind this project.

 And the post also contained a bit about our stop at Fabricland  Fantazia in Tweed Heads South...and it's not there in the published post!

The reason for the stop at Fantazia was to buy some seersucker tablecloth fabric by the metre ( a request from DD1), stock up on more of the pretty ribbons that I tie around knitted throws if they are gifts, and to buy some more Christmas buttons in the shape of a camel. Kitty, who runs Fantazia, assured me that she still had the camel buttons, but do you think we/she could find them? Nope! But if you saw just how many buttons are there, you would understand how some could be hard to find.

DD1's new tablecloth for her new table

Recently I've had to be a bit inventive with writing blog posts and this 'state of affairs' all started when I decided that maybe I would install IOS 10.2 on my iPad as the blurb said there were lots of new emoji...I had rather liked the Santas I'd seen friends using and reasoned that they were in the new 10.2. So I installed it didn't I?...on what was basically a frivolous whim.

As it finished installing a message flashed up on the iPad screen suggesting that the developer of Blogger should update the application as it would become unstable on IOS 10.2. The message was just for a split second...and then it was gone!

You know where this is going don't you???? When I tried to use the Blogger app to write a post, it kept crashing...eventually I wrote that post about Nikki's graduation, over a number of hours. I found by trial and error that if I typed 5 words, then tapped 'done' and then quickly tapped  'save', I wouldn't lose text. I also found by trial and error that it would let me insert a number of photos without crashing???
So with some experimenting, I started working between the PC and the IPad; sometimes the work done on a post does transfer to the other device but often it does not. I could use the web version of blogger on the iPad but by previous experience, you have to write the whole post in one go. If you stop and then save, the next time you go back to edit/ add more to the post, the web version being used on an iPad will only allow you to scroll down a short way, so you cant complete the post. And that is why, a few years ago, I installed the Blogger app.

So after all these troubles I googled my problems with the Blogger app and I discovered I'm not alone. I found out that last year both Googleplay and Apple withdrew the app without warning, so that explained why, when I changed to a iPhone in July, I couldn't find Blogger in the app store.

Always loath to admit defeat easily in any situation, I thought I might purchase one of the Blogger type apps in the App store. So I sent an enquiry about a possible 'seamless transition' of the old form of my blog with a new one. Never got an answer, so I'm still persevering with my 'ad hoc' experimental methods! lol  I'm trying to avoid having to use a new blogging platform such as WordPress.

Tweed Heads and Murwillumbah...

 The next morning we headed south from Coolangatta...Just south of Coolangatta we made a stop at Point Danger...

The Centaur Memorial and Remembrance Walk honours those who lost their lives in WW2 when the hospital ship Centaur, was sunk by torpedoes fired from an enemy submarine.

The lighthouse at Point Danger.

 

And what's a trip to the Coast without a stop at Fantazia at Tweed South?...

I really was looking for some circular knitting needles Size 5mm and at least 80-100cm long...but there weren't any #5 that long just teeny 40cm ones!

After that we headed for Murwillumbah. Pretty soon the road is going past sugarcane farms. This area reminds me so much of North Queensland.

And we even went through a town with a sugar mill...the town of Condong.

Fruit and Vegie stalls by the side of the road...

And it wasn't long before we reached Murwillumbah...crossing the bridge over the Tweed River...

As DH drove us through the town I took a few photos...

And some photos of the beautiful parklands beside the river...

Our destination was the beautiful Tweed Valley Regional Gallery. A gallery in a really lovely setting. ( The warning about snakes was only for outside...we were safe inside!) lol

The paintings of the winner and finalists of the quite prestigious Archibald Prize for 2015 are on display at the Gallery until the end of February. And that's what we had come to see!

After lunch in the cafe with some friends (one of whom was fellow blogger, the lovely Nanette from Stitch and Sow), we strolled around looking at the Archibald Exhibition. It was wonderful! I rarely buy books/catalogues of exhibitions ( trying not to collect clutter!) but I wanted to enjoy some of those paintings long after we'd been there...so I bought the book!

Hopefully there won't be problems with copyright, but here are a couple of my favourites...

  Eva Orner painted by Sally Ross.

Tim Bonyhady painted by Andrew Sayers and Judith Neilson painted by Jiawei Shen

And I bought 3 postcards...portraits of Jenny Kee (it was amazing), Michael Caton and the lovely Betty Churcher whose son painted this portrait in her last weeks.

There were other Exhibitions in the gallery so there was plenty to look at in the several hours we were there! And of course there is the permanent Margaret Olley Room Exhibition at this gallery and of course we went through there again.

Saturday...

Yesterday started off with a visit to this place...Newmarket Hardware...

I wasn't buying hardware though...at the back of this shop is a cute little shop known as Gallery B. This shop has clothes, shoes, handbags, jewellery and lots of beautiful knick knacks...and a coffee shop! I was meeting 3 friends for a coffee...

My friend Valerie took this photo of her iced coffee and lemon cake...

After coffee and some catch up chatting, my friends and I headed off on our separate ways, which for me meant heading off to Brunswick Heads with DH. 

Just one stop on the way...Fantazia at Tweed Heads South for some more tablecloth by the metre for my big 3 metre long table. (And 40cm of some Christmas fabric that got my interest)

This year we are not staying in a cabin in the Ferry Reserve Park on the beautiful Brunswick River...the park was booked out months ago for next week. This time we are renting a house closer in to the town...

Our room...

Next Thursday and Friday nights, DH's friend will stay in this room...

And there is a smaller room where I have 'parked' my boxes of craft...

The kitchen...

The lounge and dining area...

All very nice as you can see!

We are staying a bit longer than we normally do when we come to Brunswick Heads so DH can play in the golf comp...a week was only a bit more expensive than the 4 nights we normally do, so DH booked for the week! It will be hard to leave as this area is so lovely and laid back! 

Later in the afternoon we went down to the beach...

And also sat on the rock groyne and enjoyed the view and the breeze...

(We still take terrible selfies!)

Just before bed, I settled down with my knitting to do a few rows...

A pretty good day I reckon :-)