Clarke Creek ICPA Ladies Luncheon #CHARDSONTOUR

What a fun weekend. I was so honoured to be invited as a guest speaker to the Clarke Creek ICPA (Isolated Children’s Parents Association) Ladies Luncheon Garden Party. My good friend Sal messaged me to see if I would be interested in coming over and it took all of about, oh I don’t know, minus 3 seconds to say HELL YES. Who was I to say no to a free trip to visit a long lost friend and meet a whole bunch of top chicks and make new friends. Um, hello – #chardsontour = my idea of a fun time.

So yes, off I went. Before leaving home I was madly trying to stock up the kitchen with baked goods. I headed into Mt Isa on Wednesday afternoon and flew to Mackay via Townsville on Thursday. My transfer limousine/welcoming committee was there to greet me at Mackay Airport and off we went to lunch.

Oh, why yes I would like a cheeky glass of Chardy, thanks for asking, I am on annual leave after all so fill that glass, STAT!

My long lost friend Sal collected me and also had a few jobs to do in town before collecting her adorable boy – Archie – from day care. It was then off on the 2.something hour drive to her place – a cattle station out near Clarke Creek.   Hurry up please driver it is nearly wine time.

Sal and her husband Chris are such a bad influence on me, I swear to god I turn hyperactive when I am around them. Oh talk about laugh, I haven’t laughed so much in such a long time. You know that thigh slapping, foot stomping, bending over laughter? No just me…. Well it was that kind of silly nonsense that was going on. Their 2 boys – Max (10) and Archie (4) must have wondered what the hell had walked into their house – who was this crazy lady who called herself Miss Chardy and why was everyone laughing so much?

We figured out it has been about 4.5 years since we have seen each other, but Sal and Chris are those sort of friends you have where you can go years and years without calling or seeing each other yet when you do catch up it is like you just saw each other yesterday. You know those sort of friends? Aren’t they just the best!

Of couse way too much Chardy was consumed during my 3 night stay but, like I said, I was on annual leave after all. It would have been wrong not to make the most of every single little minute.

The ladies luncheon was being held about 40km’s down the road from Sal at her friend Anneli’s house.

I was gobsmacked when we drove in… oh hello gorgeous, classic homestead/farm situation.   I have often pictured in my head what a garden party would look like and this was it in real life. Absolutely stunning.

The Clarke Creek ICPA Branch were holding a fundraiser. There was a multi draw raffle and all sorts of fabulous prizes. The table scaping was second to none and the luncheon was fully catered.

There were trade stalls scattered throughout the sprawling garden and the day started with a mouth watering selection of home made goods for morning tea (which the local ladies had whipped up, of course).

Everyone travelled a long way for the day and stepped out of their four wheel drives looking a million bucks with their frocks and pearls on – hello ladies!

I met a group of girls, who had travelled out from Mackay, while they were getting their morning tea and coffee. When we stepped off the verandah and Lauren asked “so, where is the wine”… at that very minute I knew I had found my people, my tribe. After that it was on like donkey kong, they found their wine and settled in.

I decided to stay tidy until after my speech so just had one cheeky little glass of wine with lunch (DD would be so proud, her baby is finally maturing, maybe…).

130 women attended the luncheon, can you even believe it. What a fabulous effort and they were such a great bunch too. I don’t think I bored them too much with my talk, well I hope I didn’t anyway. It was so much fun and I just loved every second of the day. I found a new twin sister who shares my dry sense of humour – hello Sherrie (you know you had me at gold, pearls and bows) and would love it if any of these new fun friends would come and visit me one day out at Bum Truck Nowhere. God I sound desperate don’t I?!

And guess what else… I met this gorgeous lady, her name is Lexie….

Turns out she is a big fan of Miss Chardy – um did someone say fan?! Oh yes they did (get your hand off it Darryl). Lexie came all the way from Blackwater with her Mum. What a legend.

The next day it was time to fly back to Townsville where I had my last night and a quick catch up with some more long lost friends.  Meag’s & DJ were at the Airport anyway doing a drop off so we had a cheeky little Chardy and they drove me to my hotel – what great timing!

Next morning it was up at sparrows to fly back to Mt Isa where I did a quick run around collecting a veg order and a quick Woolies shop then it was off home and straight back into the kitchen – oh how the mighty have fallen.  Those purple rubber gloves were back on my little mitts faster than you can say #chardsontour.  Back to reality.  And back to some cooler weather which is lovely.

Thanks for having me Clarke Creek ICPA, it was such fun!

So tell me, were you at the ICPA Luncheon?  Did we meet?
What have you all been up to since we last chatted?