Well hello there… it’s me… Miss Chardy… does anyone still remember me? Although I must admit I have moved on from Chardy and now enjoy a Pinot Grigio or Rose – shhh don’t tell anyone. Gosh it has been a while hasn’t it. Every year I make a vow that I will be consistent with my posts and that never happens, life gets busy and there just doesn’t seem to be any time left on the side. So I just thought I would say a quick hello.
I feel like I have been chasing my tail since Easter… We had such a brilliant Easter weekend camping with our neighbours and I still haven’t written the blog post about that. So bear with me as I do a massive catch up over the next couple of weeks… or even days because things have finally settled down.
It seems I love to overcommit – we all knew that – but this year has been next level. May, June, July and August are all a bit of a blur… so much has happened. A bit of a contrast to last year where we couldn’t go anywhere. I sure have made up for it.
Ed and I managed to pull off the Wild Spark Marquee at Camooweal Races. We did plan on doing this last year however – COVID… but we managed to host it this year… but that was a massive overcommitment. Ed was over at Trek West Tailored Hiking Tours (next door) helping Shelly for the hiking season this year so she was out of range for those 4 months really.
I organised it in between school commitments for Clancy, visitors, Marty broke his femur (oh yes that happened and it is a very very slow recovery)and spent 2 weeks in Townsville hospital, cooking, helping Shell with 2 big loop hikes (oh hello overcommitment) and then a small little thing – buying a caravan (and then realising we needed a new car to tow it). So we have had a bit on. I have a lot to catch you up on and I can’t wait to tell you all about our new caravan – we are basically snails now. Do you think there is some sort of first home owners grant we can apply for? ha ha ha ha. But seriously, I am in love – no regrets. So happy and can’t wait to tell you all about it.
This week is a massive catch up and breath for me… after all that has been going on the whole crew have headed into Mt Isa for the yearly company station Colt Challenge. This means it is just Clancy, myself and Andrew (our Bore Runner) here on the station. Thank the lord… I can finally grab that tail I have been chasing. Mow the lawn, catch up on some office work, get ahead on some baking and have a chat with you guys.
With all that has been happening I haven’t even had a chance to get down to Brisbane to see my boys, not once. Talk about Mother guilt, I feel like I have just left them for dead. Thankfully they are coming home early for holidays… we have thrown caution to the wind and just booked them. They fly home on Wednesday. This will be my third go at using this airfare for them as I have had to cancel it twice before. It seems every time holidays get close Brisbane goes into lock down… so we are hedging our bets (is that even the right saying) and getting them home before that happens this time. It does mean that Harry is going to miss his Maths exam but I reckon he will be ok – I am pretty sure no-one has ever asked to see my year 9 maths results or even my year 9 school report. It is more important that we get them home. Especially seeing as though Harry stayed at school during the 2 week lock down that happened in early August.
I was mid air flying to Longreach to collect our new car (the one that can actually tow our van) when Tom called to tell me Brisbane was going into lockdown.
Thankfully his mate Jimmy’s Mum acted quick and offered to have both Tom and Harry – they live at Dalby. Harry decided not to go but Tom was out of there. Rossie (Jimmy’s Mum) sorted everything out as I was mid air with limited reception… I was useless. I can’t thank Ros and Justin enough for all that they did – they had Tom for 2 weeks. We met Ros and Justin the night we left Tom at boarding school in year 7. They were doing the same with Jimmy and we all walked out together. I will never forget looking up at the dorm windows from the carpark and seeing Jimmy and Tom waving at us. Although I have only ever seen Ros and Justin in person about 2 or 3 times since (maybe less) they still feel like friends.
Gosh this post is all over the shop isn’t it – and that is how my head has felt lately. So stay tuned for a catch up on everything – even that Easter post that I have been meaning to write. It is all coming your way.
Now if you don’t mind I am off to brave the Barkly Breeze – it is blowing an absolute gale out there – and mow the lawns. How are things in your world? What have you been up to? Overcommitting?
Good to hear from you again
So lovely to hear from you again!
Welcome back. I too have moved away from Chardy to a Pinot during a social tipple. Looking fwd to when our Sydney lockdown begins to ease after 3 mths. Come mid Sept hopefully we can have picnics with 5 fully vaxxed local friends/family, with masks & distancing of course. Can’t do my paid job so have been doing a long needed overhaul on garden, house repairs & painting. So much to do but took a while to get into the swing of things. On a roll now. Have to get back into IF/5:2. Too many cakes & chocky at all times with many cuppas. The 4kg gained needs to come off on top of the 10kg I still needed to lose. So I revisited your IF blogs to get inspired. I love your pink dress by the way. Thankyou.
So lovely to hear all of your news Dan! You are very wise to get your boys out of Brisbane prior to the school holidays. I’m sure we’ve all noticed the pattern. Just prior to hols health authorities manage to ‘find’ another case and shut the place down. Call me suspicious (which I am) but I can’t help but wonder if it’s a ploy to convert the vaccine-hesitant. We had a trip planned to Queensland’s central west this week, and decided to leave 3 days early and extend our trip, just in case. But I’m acutely aware that we are very privileged to be able to do so. Your baking, caravan, and Wild Spark event all look wonderful! So glad you are enjoying life, though clearly at a cracking pace.