Captain the Mearas and pigging out at Freemason's

So where was I?

Ah yes, did I tell you that Gary owns horses? He's like a horse expert. On the road to Gary's parents' place, we stopped to see one of the horses he used to own - can't remember the name, but it was a flea-bitten gray (dunno why they call it that, it looked more like chocolate-flecked-white). There were also two brown horses in a paddock beside his parents' place named Mouse and Susie. But the one that took my breath away was Captain!

If you watched the Lord of the Rings, you'd know about Shadowfax, the Chief of the Mearas, a beautiful horse that Gandalf calls into service. Seeing Captain as he stood on a hill quite a distance away was like a scene out of a movie. An elegant vision in white (he's considered gray though) against a backdrop of green, observing us calmly as we approached the fence like a prince spotting a subject approaching. Gary and his parents call him and their voices ring out in the open air. He's uncertain at first, probably cuz he sees Asian people standing with his white owners (haha). Gary's stepmom goes to get him, and when she's attracted enough interest for him to follow her, she runs towards us, and Captain follows.

Captain's a real poser man. Maybe he wants to make it big in the film industry someday. He makes a great show of tossing his mane in the wind as he gallops down from the hill, and within seconds, he's in front of us. He gets fed a special treat - food pellets and thick, gooey molasses. Gary says that's why he's fat. He doesn't look that out of shape to me. Here's a couple of pics.


See the background in the first pic? Awesome huh? And here's a group pic with us walking to the stables. See the little doggies?


After we're done, we head out to this buffet place called Freemason's (or something like that but nothing to do with the not-so-secret society) and for AUD$16.90, it's eat all you can! The place is a real gem, having a real country feel to it. It's got a whole separate section for slot machines and other big, flashy, you-may-lose-that-quarter-and-then-some kinda games. They even have a little low ceilinged alcove for kids (if you can stand up inside without hitting ur head on the ceiling, ur a kid) who wanna have a go at the PS2 games that are there. There are TVs overhead showing some rugged 1970s country singer going at it, and there's even a small TV above the urinal in the men's room!

And the food! Oh my... Roast beef and roast pork with crackle if you'd like, a salad bar with great variety, baked/mashed potatoes, roasted pumpkins, spaghetti, chicken pot pie, mushroom soup (the real good kind where they chop in fresh mushrooms), apple crumble, chocolate mousse, bread pudding and custard, all the vanilla ice cream you want. Mm MM!

I'll stop here so I can at least say I've posted something. Nyahaha. Will continue with next post about how I met my three Australian-Filipino step-nephews!