July 2020, Wooli, NSW

The sun shines, the surf pounds, the birds sing, this is a palm filled paradise.

Washing day has come round again. It is a crisp morning with reflections on the river and morning sun for the boys to read the paper.

VeeWee pops in with a bag of ice which the park housekeeper has found in an empty cabin. That’ll top up the ice fridge for Woody.

We drive over to the hamlet of Minnie Water for a lunch overlooking the beach. It’s another perfect day and the shop is flat out. This is an unusual business being so far from anywhere yet so popular, perhaps that’s the secret, it has no competition.

El Prado pops in to Wooli bowls club to buy some beer and surprise, surprise they’re giving away a bag of ice with every slab of beer. Is this our lucky ice day? Arriving back at camp Woody drops the bag of ice on the ground in the usual manner to break the ice up and the bag bursts scattering ice everywhere. “Any wonder they’re giving them away” he says “the bags are weak”.

We sit outside and the only sounds are surf and the birds. I cook up our favourite Lup Yook for an anniversary dinner to the soundtrack of our neighbours playing Elvis and Roy Orbison. Flying foxes dart overhead but don’t tell Elle.

Victorian Covid cases drop below 300 then soar the next day to 723. QLD has announced that its border will shortly close to the folk of Greater Sydney as case numbers are slowly climbing. All Woolworths owned businesses have stated that they prefer customers to wear masks. That’s a lot of stores and a positive move. Thank goodness we are here.