Retraced the steps Reg and I took together in a bush walk 39 years ago when I had a baby in a sling on my front and Reg carries a toddler in a carrier on his back.

It is wonderful to retrace steps from 40 years ago ans do it with the person you were with and loved back then.

I even tested him out and yes, lol, he kisses just as beautifully on the top of a mountain as he did 40 years back.

We hiked around Buchan and the Nowa Nowa gorge in Gippsland, Victoria, today.  Easy walking tracks I did not burn a lot of calories -  about 500.  I usually do over 1000 on a bush walk.
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Enjoy a family dinner

Reg and I ate a delicious roast beef dinner with a glass of rose wine. I roasted sweet potato, garlic and mushrooms for an interesting variation with the meat and microwave cooked assorted green vegetables to go with it. It was so satisfying.  
The experts say that eating at the table can benefit your diet and your relationships at home. Set aside a specific mealtime, cook a couple of dishes to share, roll out the good placemats and invite your family to pull up a chair.

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I'm having a few issues that interfere with Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation training.

I have not said a lot about it, but two months ago I discovered a painful lump over a muscle on my flank.  I weighted up then if I would do the 12WBT or try to have surgery to remove it immediately as it was painful and swollen.  It turned out that I would need to commute 200 kilometers to see a surgeon, one wasn’t even available here in north Queensland until September and I have no one to mind Reg while I have surgery. Even if it is minor surgery, I need someone to look after him so I decided to put it to the back of my mind, as I was told by the local GP ere and I also believe, it will be a benign fatty lipoma.  I have had one removed from my groin, years ago. 'Bull' to any doctor who says that these are not painful, it does depend where they are, mine seems to wrap around a nerve and cause a lot of hot swelling and inflammation that is aggravated by exercise.  This week I am afraid that aside from some walks, I have been in bed rest, just managing the inflammation trying to keep it to a minimum without going on to antinflamitory, medication.

So that’s the bad news, my excuse as to why I am not exercising very much at the moment.

I am striving to be positive, to pat myself on the back for what I do achieve, and accept what I cannot and fix what can be fixed when I get closer to family, so they can keep an eye on Reg while I get this sorted out. 
I am aiming to be back in Victoria, on September 1st and trying to get in to see a surgeon ASAP to get this removed and get back to normal.

So I am making the very best I can, of my current, need to rest my back muscles, (so as not to stir up a hornet’s nest in there), situation and I have thrown myself into preparation to write a novel.  Takes my mind off the muscles in my back being painful at the slightest movement now.  I believe in making life as positive as possible. J. I am also telling myself that a tortoise will achieve goal too, by staying on course.

I am searching for books to read in this resting time. I love Agatha Christie. Her sleuths’, the person who solves the crime, were always a little quirky, Miss Marples or Hercule Poirot, maybe my sleuth could have a quirk for always wearing pink ties.
Lol J. I am actually looking into developing a few extra sensory, perception, abilities in my hero, as the ‘eccentric factor’, in their character. I am using this rest time as positively as I can.

I am even suggesting to Reg, that we return to Victoria, while it is still winter down there, and get this issue fixed up, sooner, I hate having to be inactive to this extent and I would hate interrupting Reg's holiday. Yes I have a lot to think about. 
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Carol Willis, a friend of mine, who I me by accident, over the internet, when searching for a merchant account reseller, is a very clever, writer, of the Modern Woman’s Guide, blog, just popped this in her facebook status.

 “The War on Weight continues, with massive casualties in the camp of fat cells...the official loss stands at 20 000grams with Carol vowing to take more in the near future. So far the victims have largely hailed from the hip and waist region but the residents of the chest region are starting to fear for their own as the war continues without cessation...”

I loved the wit of it J.

Mind you, I got some response when I said, " I was going to the sales tomorrow to buy a set of bathroom scales that would weigh 10 kilo lighter."  You have to laughJ, lighten the dayJ, we know it comes down to work in the end, not trick scales.  I did my Body Pump class this afternoon and was thrilled because I achieved a walking hover for the first time ever. J.  practice makes perfect, by the time I am too old to do a perfect walking hover, lol, I will master it. :-)

I just loved Carol’s description in her blog, about the spinning class she attended:-

Quote “You realise that the torturous saddle has cut off all feeling in your butt, groin and even the very tops of your thighs. This is getting uncomfortable, so at the next command you rise out of the saddle along with the other victims. Holy cow! Who would have thought that this simple action was so damned hard??? You hover uncertainly for a few seconds, trying to look suave and well practiced. You look down and notice the clip that the instructor used to adjust the height of your handlebars is vibrating slightly and suddenly you realise…..” Read more ->, How To Tame a Spinning Class’.
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Happy 42nd wedding anniversary darling :-). Reg went fishing, early today but only fed the fish bait, he got a few nibbles.  The fishing rod I bought him a week ago today, for his wedding aniversary present from me, has been a fantastic success.

There were personalized baseball bats in the store where I bought Reg his fishing rod one week ago and this got me thinking about all those personalized engraved trophies that have been through our home and how successfully we managed to downsize even these personal, mementos, so we could lead a freer lifestyle of travel with fewer posessions. 

My downsizing journey was not only of my excess body weight, it also involved the sale of a gallery, a home, and the sale, giveaway and donation to charity a lifetime of hording of mementos. It was one huge elephant size job; I took on ` 'one bite at a time'.

We had many personalized engraved sporting trophies and gradually we parted firstly with Reg’s football trophies as our daughters as children wanted them and got them to play with.  Then the bowling trophies went as we moved to another home and last of all the golf trophies we gave to other golfers and I ‘awarded’, my own art trophies to my art students when I left my last home.

So no sporting or creative trophies, to show for our life, but wonderful opportunities, for living today.

Oh Reg is getting his fishing trophies, lol, he has caught 10 whiting in one week and we have had four, fresh caught fish mealsJ. Now that is the gray nomad’s idea of a trophy.



 
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This was my wedding anniversary present from Reg. A Russian, wedding band, Pandora bead for my Pandora Bracelet. , Thanks Reg xxx
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76m/250ft tall (ob deck-35m accessed by 160 steps). It was built 1967-68. its a beauty!
When Reg and I got home from the Grampians I missed those mountains and the exercise of climbing them with Reg and he slipped backward both physically and in cognitive function so I tried to jolly him up and tell him we were going out to climb the highest mountain in Shepparton together.  So I took him into Shepparton and we had lunch of a healthy salad sandwich and a low fat coffee, at a nice little cafe with the view of the tallest mountain in Shepparton.  lol.  The Telstra Tower :-).

Reg was not well enough to climb it with me, he said he would sit and drink coffee while I climbed it.  It is great exercise.
Then we walked all around the streets with me walking in and out of the stores, browsing while Reg walked slowly.  So I was able to combine my carer duties with exercises.  It worked well.

Tomorrow we leave for our tour.  I have had a busy day packing organizing, and a few problems caused by not being able to watch Reg 100% of the time.  We survive these.

I know that tomorrow night we will be camped beside a river and I will be able to exercise while Reg wanders along the bank with Indigo the poodle, who also takes good care of him, and I can run around and keep both of them in my sight.  Or if it is raining, I have packed my weights, my Michelle bridges DVD's and I have lots of novels and Sudaku to keep Reg entertained.  It will be easier to exercise, once we are 'back on the road'.

Eco therapy is a great healer for all conditions and I expect to see Reg greatly improve on health within a few days of our leaving for our tour of eastern Australia. 
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My husband, Reg, walking the dogs, :-). from a watercolour I painted of him, back when we owned, Buuninyong Gallery, before I retired to become his carer.
OK, today I have been thinking about it, and tonight I will do it. Tell myself what I used to tell other people.

At the end of the day, pat yourself on the back for what you did manage to achieve, do not beat yourself up for what you could not manage to get done, just plan your to do list for the following day and if it is still a priority, then put it back on the next day’s  to do list.

There has been no, 'train like a champion’, for me so far this week.

So there was no jogs, cardio or weights, and the scales might swear in the morning, but I have been being a good carer and not too many dementia carers attempt to become fitness champions. No that is not an excuse, I still want my goal an d know what I have to do to achieve my goal and accept this sets my goal back.  I also accept I have done the best I can do, given the 24 hours I am given each day  to work with, not every woman gets the exercise of having to follow her husband with frontal lobe, degeneration, around, lest he accidentally light a candle under a wooden shelf or put holes in her brand new slack suit L.

These little things when they are happening actually do make doing anything more than running on the spot, near impossible. I am usually too busy trying to open windows to disperse the smell of the burning paint and trying, to invisibly, mend, my ruined favorite outfit, I run out of time. The clock strikes midnight and your torn between, ‘do I get 7 to 8 hours sleep which after today I do need, or do I do that full body work out now'?

The last four days the sleep has won out, I needed it, I took it.

If we did not travel in a caravan, most of the time I would have invested in a treadmill from daily deals so I could run beside him.  He is at least content when I sit and write beside him, so that I am able to blog, for some of the evening.

No I am not complaining, just adjusting from disappointment in my lack of performance to acceptance of the situation and knowing self criticism is only going to be destructive, far better to offer myself some praise for what I have done well, move on and get back to my actions plan to goal as fast as I can..

I love my husband and I appreciate how well he became while we were on holidays and I understand the transition to home again, the change in routine has set him back slightly and I know that right now, this week, I have to be content with, incidental exercise and be flexible.  Just because the 12-week body transformation program is over 12 weeks does not mean I cannot take 13 weeks to do it in.

Lol, I hereby, grant myself carer privileges of a baker’s dozen, of 13 weeks to do my 12-week program in.

I pat myself on the back for what I have achieved in the past few days and what I will achieve in the next few and I will get back to train like a champion as soon as I can. 
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Hi I am Kathy, gray-nomad, ` Highways of Australia'. 

I thought I would introduce myself, I travel, with my best friend and husband Reg, spending summer in Victoria, Mid Year, Northern Australia, mid season, in transit.
- I am a carer, writer and artist. my Creative Life Blog, is at http://www.kathy-shell.net
As this is my fitness blog, I wanted to share here that, - I am dong the Michelle Bridges, 12 Week, Body transformation, (2WBT), because I trust Michelle Bridges not to do crank diets.  I am for whole foods and good nutrition, so I believe in her healthy, food, portion controlled, and attitude and as I am in the lower half of my downsizing journey, I know I will benefit by having a trainer, to account to. I know I shaved 200 calories off, my eating today, after reading the Michelle Bridges books last night. I also got up and exercised in the morning instead of sitting around drinking coffee to wake up. I did not want to do this but I want what doing it will give me. This is what I believe joining this program, will do for me, it will, make me go that extra distance.

- I was very ill up until three years ago, in need of a heart lung transplant as the result of a lifetime, of respiratory illness a stroke and a PE.  I never had that operation, refusing it based on my age, I felt the young should be cared for first and I had had a great life. I now do not need such an operation.  I also needed a lot of joint pain relief , my feet had been broken and my right leg crushed, it was hard to walk and very painful. I frequently fell injuring my knees. I was 'a mess.  I wanted to be the one to care for my husband. I made a commitment to become well. I have succeeded. :-) and also kept my man a lot fitter than any predictions. I believe in Positive Mental Attitude, good nutrition and move it or lose it, even in illness, where it is possible and I have seen some amazing recoveries as a result.

I set out to live. I needed to be carer for my husband and I was not going to make the distance if I did not do something about it, so I began a self set, fitness program of exercise. (When I began I had pain just standing on my feet, let alone moving and was out of breath walking 100 yards), when I began my joyful journey back to health, on 28th January, 2017.          

-          As a writer, I have shared aspects of this journey in my blogs. This helped motivate me too, writing about my journey.
Now I need a professional to help take me to the finish line :-) to my goal weigh, and that is why I have joined the 12WBT, to go the extra distance.

-           I have made huge strides in fitness and weight reduction; I still need to go further in weight reduction and must not take my regained health and fitness for granted.

I am dyslectic. Please excuse my typos.

I have osteoporosis so I will not have the waist of a young woman, nor will BMI be right for me, as my spine has shrunk so make allowances, though not excuses.

 
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I am having a lovely weekend, it is free of any commitments to others and appointments, just Reg, Indigo the dog, and me, doing exactly what we like, in our own time, keeping each other company and enjoying life.

With no commitments, just choosing what I wanted to do, I have chosen a quiet day with the TV on, watching parts of the Winter Olympic Games, blogging, creative writing, a few home chores, the laundry and healthy delicious meals for two, also my  full body workout, which I now feel lazy if I do not do.

It is three weeks since I began my new exercise routine, so I should be through the hard part, it should now be ‘habit’.

I have experimented to try to work out the ideal time plan that is going to allow me to fit in all my busy life activities, when we are traveling between locations. Today I feel I have found the time management formula, I will be able to make work and one that is compatible with the contradictions of my love of sedentary creative arts and my need to be an active, person so I have the fitness level and health I desire

I can see that my current exercise and eating plan is working for me and I know that for me exercise is an incredibly important part of my initial weight loss and latter on, weight management journey. Three years ago, I was unhealthy, morbidly obese and almost very sedentary. I will never be one to exercise for the love of exercise, I LOVE what exercise does for ME and I exercise because I have learned to respect and love myself.

I know for some people, the area in their life they are working on improving is the eating part, and they do not have a problem with being active, and here am I, with no desire whatever to eat chocolate or chips. How different are we?

Certainly, no one fitness plan suits us all. The basics of energy balance remain the same but just as some people clean the skin successfully with little more than water and others have a beauty parlor of brand loyal or assorted creams and lotions, there is no ‘one size fits all’, anything. That is why I always suggest, ‘ask for personal guidance from experts’, in anything your wanting to master.

I took a look, at forum topic about blackhead treatment, about two weeks ago. I left my own advice in there, knowing at the time, mine would not be the usual suggestions. That is just an example of how, what feels right for my face, and what feels right for me to do for my body, may not be a program that is manageable nor desirable, for another.

Each person does, what works, for them.  The only time we need question this, is if what we are doing is not working and then it becomes a case of not continuing to do the same thing we always did and expecting a different result. Sometimes we have to change from what is comfortable, to attain a goal we seek. Sometimes it is even fun to push outside of our comfort zone, try something new, increase activities, and discover, we are getting results after only three weeks as I have just doneJ.  It is fun, when we get to see some results.
 
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    _Happy New year :-)
    I am going to combine several seemingly contradicting eating and exercise programs and put together my own Artslim Naturally slimming and Gray-Nomad fitness program.  I plan to bring these out as a low cost EBook and small paperback. They will suit anyone interested in managing weight with son=me difficult health conditions such as metabolic syndrome and past injuries.

     I'll be showing you some of the books I am reading that have some excellent qualities, although they will not be exactly what I am putting together to suit me and my style of doing things.
    I will be focusing on eating and exercising for wellness, weight loss if obese, weight management and balanced fulfilling lifestyle..

    Art and Art Print Gifts, available to purchase from The Art of
    Kathy Shell

       142 mm x 110mm
    large fridge magnets.
    View below.
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    "Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I give myself reasons why I can." Spring garden with pansies. Large Fridge magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell
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    "Everyday is a renewal of life." Mare and Foal. Large Fridge magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Be weird whenever you have the chance. Large Fridge magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Friends Forever. Gollies and bears family. Large Fridge magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    "Fall in love with someone." Old English Sheepdogs. Large Fridge magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    "If friends were flowers I'd pick you." Just Joey Rose. Large Fridge magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Live, Love, Laugh.Learn. Hannah with Flower. Large Fridge magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Indulge in the things you truly love. Blythewood Grange. Large Fridge magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    "The winds of heaven are that which blows between a horses ears." Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Love your friends, no matter who they are. Bear grouping. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    "I always knew you'd make a splash." Jenny and Max. Large Fridge magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    If friends were flowers, I'd pick you. Magnolia. Large Fridge magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves. Three heavy horses at the gate. Large Fridge magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    "Don't approach a goat from the front, a horse from the back or a fool from any side. Three heavy horses, side on. Large Fridge magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    "Get to know your neighbour!" Rusty and Rosco the Clydesdales. "Don't approach a goat from the front, a horse from the back or a fool from any side. Three heavy horses, side on. Large Fridge magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    "Believe in yourself." Churchill Island farmyard. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    "Share with Friends. " Reg walking the dog. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    "Friends are welcome anytime, relatives by appointment only." Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    "Best Mates" Two Possums climbing together. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Grampians Farmyard. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Kangaroo Ground, Victoria. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Horses at the Dam. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Wattle Ridge. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Bushfire Haze, Enfield Forrest Blaze. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Campfire, Robe River, Pilbara, Western Australia. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Golden Holstein Rose on Blue. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Heavy Horse, Mare and Foal. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    28 Parrot, in McDonnell Ranges, Central Australian. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Old bush dunny.and shed. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Welsh Pony Mare and Foal. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Pilbara, Western Australia. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Brumbies of the Snowy River, Gold. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Clydesdale Foal. Vertical. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Carlton and United Clydesdale team and dray at Buninyong. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Oil painting Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Emu Twist. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Robe River. Pilbara, Western Australia. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Mt Sonda, the Sleeping Lubra, McDonnell ranges, Central Australia. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Kookaburra, Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Murray River, Right. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Homeward bound. Clydesdales and dray in Australian landscape, Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Formosa Gardens )Beautiful Gardens) Ballarat,Victoria, Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Cream Frangipani on Blue. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Heavy Horses at gate and in stable. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Sturt Desert Pea. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Tennant Creek, Northern Territory. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Composite of Heavy Horse art images. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.
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    Buninyong Bush early evening. Large Fridge Magnet featuring the Art of Kathy Shell.

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