A Big Catch Up – Happy New Year 2020

Wow… here we are in a whole new decade. The older you get the faster time goes by, don’t you think?

Well gosh I was slack with blog posts last year and every year I promise to be better but never am, so I am going to make no such promised this year – I am going to try my best to put one blog post out every week, maybe two (a cooking with Chards post at the beginning of the week and a catch up post through the week) – there I haven’t locked myself in. So let’s see how we go. Given it is now the 17th day in January I am not off to a great start but hey, better than nothing.

So where do I start? Well at the end of November we headed over to Magnetic Island for a week with our neighbours and good friends – Shell and Clint and their two boys. We worked it in so that our big 4 boys would all fly directly from Brisbane to Townsville at the end of term from their boarding schools and we would meet them there. And I tell you what – it is much cheaper to fly them to Townsville than to Mt Isa – hello $149 airfare compared to a $510 airfare most of the time to Mt Isa. Tick – we basically made money, ha ha ha.

I have actually written a whole blog post about our stay at Maggie Island but because my messed up brain thinks I have to do everything in a certain order I have never posted it – don’t even ask me why. Oh no actually I do know why – the photos I took on my new iPhone 11 while we were there are all in this weird format – HEIC – and it won’t let me edit them on my computer or use them on the blog – I have had so much trouble with them, anyway, Shell ended up sending me some that I have used, so after I post this I will be able to post about Maggie.

After Maggie we drove home to the station for about 2 weeks and because I totally overcommitted on holidays at the beginning of last year (seemed like such a great idea at the time) we got back in the car (you can image how impressed the kids were) and drove down to Noosa (only 3 days) to have Christmas with my family.

You see we have had about the past 7 or 8 Christmases here on the station without family. So we decided to get a big house with my sister and her husband + 2 boys and our Mum and Dad. So our kids could see their long lost cousins (who they never see) and have Christmas with some kids. Now look, i’m not going to lie, Noosa doesn’t do anything for me – so crowed and claustrophobic, but we had a lovely house on a canal and had a great week with the family. I will do a blog post about our week there too. I also got to have my birthday with my family which was great.

Anyway, we were back home before New Years. It has actually been really good to do our holidays in December (even though it costs a fortune). We normally have a bit of a holiday at the end of January when we take the boys back to Brisbane to boarding school. Because we had our holidays early this year they will fly down at the end of January. But it has been so great to be here and know that we aren’t going anywhere – usually the year doesn’t really get going until after Feb. We have also had a couple of neighbours over for sleepovers with Harry, so great having them together as they now all go to different boarding schools.

You should see all that I have achieved. I have managed to get so many jobs done that just get left because I am always over in the kitchen cooking. Oh and guess what else – we are the only people on the station. Our family! Just me (yes i’m the only girl within 80km’s), my husband and our 3 boys. So Mr Chardy and Tom are the chief Bore Runners. Yes – because it hasn’t rained they are flat out keeping water up to the cattle and putting out lick. I was sure by overcommitting on holidays it would rain. But NO – NO RAIN. Oh it is so sad out here – looks like a moonscape. The poor cattle.

I’ve also been having a real declutter. I think you really have to be in the right headspace when you de-clutter and I am so there Jackie O – stuff is getting tossed out by the garbage bag full. Out of my wardrobe alone about 12 bags worth went to the dump!!!! I have Marie Kondo-ed it and it feels so bloody good! I feel so happy every time I go in there. Got rid of all the clothes that don’t fit anymore.

Speaking of clothes that don’t fit…. we arrived home from Christmas fatter than ever. I am not kidding – both Mr Chardy and I were at our biggest. It wasn’t pretty my friends. So we have taken matters into our own hands – we are losing the weight! I know – just like every other human in January, ha ha ha ha. It is like groundhog day – this happens every January. But here we are once again and the weight has to go. So we are doing it the old fashioned way – cigarettes and laxatives. Starvation, when we feel like we are going to pass out we have a cube of cheese.

No just kidding – we know what we have to do it is just a matter of discipline. So we have reduced our intake and we have given in and are on the shakes. Mr Chardy is on The Man Shakes and I have just ordered The Lady Shake.

I am just going to replace one meal a day with it to get things going. We have already lost some just from cutting our intake and I have also cut the wine. I have lost 3.9kg so far and hoping for 10kg all up. Let’s see how we go – now that I have put it out there. It is all well and good while we are in our little bubble on the station with no one here and not going anywhere. I am going to have to be very disciplined once we are back in the swing of things and I am cooking for everyone once again. That will be the tester.

Ed and I are also in the thick of getting everything organised for our 2nd Annual Wild Spark Mount Isa Conference. If you have no idea what I am talking about you can read all about our very first event HERE. We can’t believe it is nearly time to do it all over again. We have locked in the date: 13th March 2019 at the Civic Centre in Mt Isa. We hope you can make it.

I was also wondering if there are any blog readers out there who have been affected by the dreadful fires. Gosh, I have no words for the devastation. It is just so sad. We would love to know how we can help. We would like to support the Bushfires through our Wild Spark event in Mt Isa but want to know exactly where the funds should go. We would love to hear from you if you have any suggestions. We want to make sure the money is sent to the right place. Sending our thoughts to all of those people who have been affected.

Now until next time – sorry for blabbing on for so long but it has been so great to have a good old catch up.

Here’s to a great 2020 – surely this drought has to break some time soon and it rains on all of the fires. Come on rain – we need you!!!