Update from Tin Can Bay

Dear Friends

I came to Tin Can Bay, a small fishing town about three hours drive north of Brisbane so that I could finish writing my book in a peaceful environment and without distraction. I anticipated being here one month, but six months later, I am still here. Although during that period, I looked after a friend's dog for three weeks on Bribie Island.  As I have several friends there and I was still undecided about where I wanted to live on a more permanent basis, I even considered moving back there.

      My first month at Tin Can Bay and the month after my stint on Bribie, I stayed at the one and only hotel, a block from the water.  The guy who ran the place was a sweetie and let me have a room to myself for $140 a week. It was a little noisy on Friday nights, but other than that, I had the place almost to myself. However when new management took over and wanted to charge me twice as much, which was ridiculous when February is a very quiet time of month here, and many of the holiday rentals are vacant,  I approached a real estate agent to see what was available. I stipulated that I didn't want to pay more than $220. It so happened that she owned two luxury units above her office, a stone's throw from the water and rather than have them both sit empty for the next month, she rented one to me.  It even had a roof top, completely set up for entertaining and boasting a magical view of the bay. By then, I had made friends with a few people, and on two occasions had a lovely dinner party beneath the stars. Would have entertained more, but I was here on a mission.   Most mornings I was on the roof top before the sun came up, going over my work - all to the sounds of a multitude of birds. It was a refreshing change after being confined to four walls at the hotel.

       As my book still wasn't finished when the month was up and the unit was booked, I contacted a guy, whose resume mysteriously appeared when I was on the library computer. At the time I was still at the hotel.  I had just opened an email from a friend who works in Human Resources on Groote Eylandt and when I opened up her attachments, I thought she had sent a resume by mistake. Amazingly, the guy was from Tin Can Bay. His resume stated that he had been a sail maker, but had also worked in the mining industry. To cut a long story short, he had forgotten to delete his resume off the computer library, although I didn't figure that out until the next day.  I didn't think he would want everyone checking out his resume, so I walked to the address on his resume. I could have phoned him, but as he  was close to my age he looked okay, plus the fact that his resume had somehow found it's way to me, I had to check him out.   His house, which is right in front of the Bay at the quiet end of Tin Can Bay was all shut up, so I phoned him on his mobile. At the time, he was in NSW and as he would be away several weeks, I said I would try and find the resume again and delete it. But I wasn't able to locate it. Stranger things have happened!

      About two weeks after I moved into the unit, I walked to Crab Creek where the house is situated, to see if the owner had returned and in case he was going away again, if he would he like to rent it to me after my month at the unit was up.  The owner had been and gone, but his house guest made me most welcome. He was from Jersey UK and travelling around Australia on a 1200 cc motorbike.  He was very interesting and for the week he was here, I saw a fair bit of him. He had founded an orphanage in India and was looking at eventually moving to Australia.  I have promised to let everyone know about it, so I must remember to send his website.

       After he left, I phoned guy who owns the house, to see if he would like to rent it to me in his absence.  I also had become friendly with an American yachtie and as Russell also has a yacht, they mixed in the same circles.  And as the American and the English guy had both asked me out to dinner on Valentine's day, I suspect my references were pretty good.  The owner of the house was happy for me to stay and all he asked for rent was $100 a week. He would be away for another three week and then back for a week, but I was welcome to stay on.  As always, my needs were being met.

      Both the American and the English guy were interesting, and both very different - the English guy a very committed Christian.  I wasn't fussed about going out for dinner, not on Valentine's Day anyway, but as the American guy had been in a very happy marriage and lost his wife to cancer six years ago, I accepted his invitation as I knew he was probably finding it hard being on his own on such an occasion.  Mind you, I almost talked myself out of going - something I've become very good at.   The American and his departed wife never had children and they had spent the past thirty years of their lives sailing all over the world, all of which I found very interesting, more so than his background in traditional medicine.  Hadn't been dined and wined for a while and overall, it was a very pleasant evening.

      The owner of the house has been back several times. I already knew he would be easy to get along and as he was often away in NSW on his lady friend's sheep farm, I didn't see it as a problem staying under the same roof with him when he was here. He's into a healthy life style, eats healthy organic food, so most of the time we ate together. It was challenging to stay with someone, especially a male who I had never met, but it worked out well. I was going to leave last week, but as Russell left last Wednesday, and there was still finishing touches I needed to do - an Introduction to my book, the ‘Afterword',  testimonials from people I have contacted who recovered from their addictions using the holistic approach, an Index, and the list goes on. Sending of chapters and pages to people who I wrote about in my book has also been time consuming -getting permission from authors as well as publishers to use excerpts from certain books.  It's also been very time consuming doing more research on what is available in South East Queensland with regards to rehabs, so that I can make a list of them in my book.  I had hoped to have my book in print before I leave for Norfolk Island on the 13^th May, but I'm still waiting on permissions. 

      It's wonderful to have the place to myself for my last ten days here not have to worry about disturbing anyone at 3am when I often get up to start the day. It was still dark when I went for my walk this morning - the light was just shining through the trees as I walked along the path that runs parallel with the bay. Russell had a spare ladies bike here, so I usually ride that later in the morning when I go for my swim. And as the house is about 2kms from the library where I usually spend 1-2 hours a day, it has come in very handy.

I also went on a coconut oil Detox for three days whilst here, and to those of you who
I promised to send the info on it, I haven't forgotten. I have just been very busy editing, editing and editing and researching.  Even though the book won't be in print before I leave, I will have just everything done, so for the first time since I began writing my first manuscript eight years ago, I will be able to go somewhere and totally switch off - well as least most of the time anyway as I may have to be in touch with the printers.

       I'm looking forward to going to Norfolk and catching up with friends and am only able to do because a Norfolk Islander has bought me a return ticket. Depending on what happens with my book, I might even check out the work situation whilst I am there.

Love and Hugs

Thea