Gladstone and Glamour

I first visited Gladstone in Grade 7.  We went there on a school tour in a Sandringham flying boat that we boarded at Redland Bay.  That was a mightily memorable day, so my thoughts were very positive as we entered the western outskirts, with op shop closing time rapidly approaching.

Googling 'Gladstone Op Shops' showed there were plenty to choose from, but we only had time for two close together, with Vinnies first up.  This was a good shop, bustling with customers, and with a fabulous collection of cookware and bric-a-brac in a separate room.  The day before I had found a one-handed whisk of unusual design in Gayndah.  The first of these I ever saw was one Jan used to own when she lived in Rockhampton.  I was so impressed that I tracked one down and it has been part of the McBurney camping gear ever since.  This one was better - metal rather than plastic where it matters - so I bought it.  Blow me down if there wasn't an identical one in this op shop! Maybe there was a good door-to-door one-handed whisk salesman in the area some years ago.  Anyway, Jan bought the second one.

I had been becoming increasingly desperate in my search for some sort of necklace to wear with my dress-up outfit, and tonight was to be the night.  Anyway, Vinnies Gladstone came good in the nick of time. I won't ever wear it again, but it was perfect under the circumstances.  I also picked up a top and a pair of trousers for $7.  Then it was off to the Sallies.  This was a BIG shop, and High-viz Central.  I didn't find anything to buy there, and we were the last customers out the door.

It was time for a breather.  Jan suggested we go visit the Gladstone Yacht Club, destination of the Brisbane-to-Gladstone Yacht Race.  She and John had visited there many years before to see the yachts arrive. She didn't have to ask twice.  When we arrived, she said it hadn't changed one bit in all those years!  It was lovely to sit there looking out over the estuary in the afternoon light.

Our next task was to find provisions for Miriam Vale.  We were going to a barbecue at the home of a local schoolteacher, who had herself been a pupil of Jo's many years before.  We found the necessities at Woolies Gladstone Valley, but the BWS next door failed to produce the goods.  All I wanted was a cold two-litre cask of Chardonnay.  Undaunted, we piled back into the car and turned southwards, the first small step towards home.  First stop in Miriam Vale was the pub, where you can purchase a one-litre bottle of French Chardonnay for $17!  Boo Hiss, Gladstone BWS!

Off to the Miriam Vale Motel, and a frenzy of ironing to get us ready for our Formal Night at Jess's place.  I think we scrubbed up rather well.  Jan and I had found our dresses at the Sallies in Kingaroy, but I can't remember where Jo found hers. All jewellery was op-shop sourced (Jo's freshwater pearls at Vinnies Monto and Jan's necklace (from I-forget-where) but I think mine were the only shoes (Vinnies Kingaroy). 

Unfortunately, by the time we arrived, Jess's husband, who is a volunteer firefighter, had been called out to a road accident near Many Peaks, so was not able to join us for the backyard barbie.  When he did return, just as we were leaving, he told us it was a rollover. The occupants of the car were a grandmother and her three-year-old grandson who walked three kilometres home. The grandson just complained about the length of the walk, and the grandma ended up in Gladstone Hospital. They breed them tough in Many Peaks!