Day 10 Tuesday 24/12/2024 Buronga, Perfect 11 – 29

A very still morning and rowers are out on the river.

We drive out to the Coomealla Club to meet Woody’s 2^nd cousins for lunch. They’re the boys who grew up with Woody’s brother. It’s a complex story and frankly would make a good blog because Woody’s maternal ancestors originally hailed from Somerset and over the course of two centuries it seems that there was somewhat of a close relationship with another family (of whom one is well-known for his comedic act with a rubber chicken). Anyway, in both England and here in Australia these families have intertwined liked plaits. They must have been hot stuff in their day.*

Getting back to Xmas eve, the Coomealla Club is surprisingly large and a place we’ve heard quite a lot about. It’s great catching up with ‘A & G’ after many, many years and having a good chinwag. ‘A’ is as hooked on genealogy as I am so we’re doing the old “and so and so married such and such, and they lived out the back of whoop whoop”, which no doubt is driving Woody and ‘G’ nuts.

Back in Mildura and the town is in the last gasp before everything shuts for Xmas. Come on guys the shops will only be closed for one day.

Back at camp we cook the pork roast in the air fryer, we’ll have it cold tomorrow because Xmas day is going to be another scorcher. And that reminds me of the song that goes to the tune of Jingle Bells, “…Christmas in Australia on a scorching summer’s day, oh, Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut…” Even though we’ve had a big lunch, we still snitch a couple of slices for dinner. We have to check if it’s ok, don’t we? It goes down a treat with a sparkling Shiraz from Andrew Garrett. And of course, that has to be as luscious as Christmas pudding in a bottle.

The caravan park is about 25% full, Xmas lights are fluttering from awnings and tents and it’s a warm evening for a stroll.

Accom: $32.00, Fuel: $36.25

*Woody’s and A&G’s 3 x Great Grandparents were half siblings. Their great grandfather married into the other family again in a double wedding where his guardian married the mother and he married the daughter. A&G’s grandfather married into the family again but we’re hoping that she was adopted.