out and about in beenleigh

hi all...
had a great day on sunday at the beenleigh markets...
by the time i got there about 9am there was hardly
a park to be had...on the way in i stopped to have a chat
with cec clark (who has been collecting signatures to stop
the ring road going right through the middle)....
12,000 people have now signed...amazing....

for the past few weeks my elbow has been very
painful...doc says it's 'tennis elbow'...but i haven't played
much since i was a kid...although i did try out the new
nintendo wii which has bowling, tennis, golf, boxing etc.

this is not a couch potato game...you have to use
the control, attached to your wrist, and go through
the physical motions of playing the game...two people
can play against each other or you can play on your
own against the animated computerised challenger....
it is so much fun...love the bowling...it has all the
sounds happening just like in a bowling alley...

anyway...back to the markets...my sore elbow led
me to the man selling a herbal potion that helped
his wife recover from very painful rheumatoid
arthritis in her hands...he massaged some of this
magic stuff into my elbow and as we spoke
i could feel the pain ease...i am not kidding...

he claims the tincture is absorbed and draws
out the acids trapped in the spot that is painful...
well i have been applying it regularly ever since
and let me say ... it works for me...

so on i trecked, with the pain in my elbow
diminishing... to find that treasure...buy my fruit
and veg....snag a bargain ....

have you seen the 'birdman'?...he has hand-raised
parrots....sitting out untethered.... without their
wings having been clipped.... picking away at their
fruit and seed...absolutely beautiful and amazing
birds...as free as they could be but choosing to stay
with their benefactor....that alone is worth a look !!!

ever had home-made ginger beer?...i love it...so i
always find the lady that sells it for $2 a large
bottle...delightfully refreshing when i get home
weary from my shopping...

trecking on ... i have a good look at all the stalls
full of nick nacks and junk...snag a pair of diana
ferrari sandals (brand new...and beautiful)
for the amazing price of $3....bargain!!

onions frying on the grill get my taste buds
salivating....so of course i have to stop at the
food stand for a sausage and onion roll...these
sausages are the best ...from beenleigh
butchery...they specialise in ham and pork
and smoke all their ham on the premises..

did you know that brett ....has recently bought
the butchery after serving his apprenticeship
and working there for twenty years (since he
was fifteen)....brett is a legend...apparently
he has only had two sick days in his life....

on ward in pursuit of bargains....i stumble
upon a man selling really good second-hand
cd's....i find a couple that i like....elvis (30 #1
hits) and kasey chambers double cd (the
captain)...cynically i open them up only to find
they are in immaculate condition...no scratches!!
i get busted by the guy and he tells me he cleans
all his cds....so i snap them up at 2 for $10...
i'm happy...

my favourite stall is the 'little alpaca shed'...
before you buy any winter woollies go and have
a look at some of the stunning garments made
from alpaca...did you know that this is
the warmest fibre of all??...try it and you will
agree...and all so cheap here at marilyn's shed...

so on i go....only to find a great framed gauguin
print, $10....some home-made jam drops, $2...
a rather unusual brommiliad in flower, $6....
a wooden shutter-style blind...just the size for my
office, $10....millet sprays for my love-birds, $1..
a jar of local grey gum honey, $6...

i am now getting weary and realise it is time to get
the fruit and veg and head on home...such choice
and all so fresh and cheap...a bag of apples, $1...
3 cobs of corn, $1....kg of beautiful tasty tomatoes,
$2...a whole butternut pumkin, $2...

so, have i got you interested?...do yourself a favour..
go check out our beenleigh markets...it's a great
place to spend a sunday morning !!