Cotton and Cadillacs

We had visited Toowoomba twice before on our travels, but still hadn't been to all the oppies there. The first newie to try was the big Lifeline at Drayton.  And big it is, in a huge shed.

When I travel, I always buy honey. I don't have the honey palate - it all tastes the same to me - but Michael and Heather do, and he has honey on his porridge and she puts it in her tea.  I also like to support the local economy in this way.  What was the first thing I saw on the counter?  You guessed it. It was fresh (dated) and cheap. Cash only.

The next thing I spotted was a watering can, just what Michael wanted.  I thought I had found some wool for my friend Suzette, who knits for children in refugee camps, but another woman beat me to it. Intriguingly, the label was in German. "Baumwolle" must surely mean wool? Nope. I looked it up and it actually translates as cotton.  So Suzette wouldn't have wanted it anyway. Still, I picked up a quiche tray to replace my rusting one, a packet of 100 business-card-size laminating pouches for $2 and a pair of leggings, so the shop was definitely a success.

We needed some supplies for dinner, so went to Woolies instead of the Lifeline in Herries Street, which closed at 4.30, and headed for our digs for the night.  Cotton Tree Cottage at North Toowoomba is a delight.  The unit at Bilinga was in a brilliant location, but was showing its age. The power point taped to the wall in the ensuite shower was of particular concern. In contrast, everything was tickety-boo here, and in a beautiful, treed street.

Jan headed upstairs to the loft where the two of us would be sleeping and called me up, somewhat excited.  Out the window she could see the next door back yard, in which were parked two beautiful old Cadillacs.  

There was a little table with chairs out the front, so we made ourselves comfortable there for Happy Hour, when a car pulled up in next door's driveway.  Jan, being the country girl she is, had made friends with the driver in seconds, and soon we were invited in to checkout the Caddys, which belonged to his father.  Neither are currently registered, but one is close, apparently.

Max was a most intriguing character and I wish I had been able to sneak a photo of him. Just think Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean, complete with beard, headband and earring.

Once again, we were too tired to bother with a proper dinner, so we cracked open the stone-baked seed bread from Kings Op Shop, some hommus, and lots of cheese from Woolies, and that was enough.  We fell into bed early, dreaming of outfits starting with D.