Getting back to school

Are the school holidays over for you? Have you had fighting kids who have turned particularly feral in the past couple of weeks? We sure have. Tensions were running high here – as they always do – in the days leading up to the boarding school return. The boys are on edge, Clancy is upset that his brothers are leaving and I am a total psycho.

It is usually a really tricky time of the year up here – getting to and from the station. The past few wet seasons have been miserable so it hasn’t been to hard to get out but there has been some rain around of late. Most of it not falling on us unfortunately but that doesn’t matter because there is 200km of dirt road to travel across which means although we haven’t had a whole lot of rain, they have along the road. So driving out was not an option. When it rains up here the only way out is by air.

I had booked the boys flights out of Mt Isa for Tuesday but I had to cancel them because I was really unsure as to how or when we were going to actually get them into Mt Isa. In the end our fabulous neighbours came to the rescue with their plane.

The only trouble was that they were not able to land in Mt Isa due to low cloud. So Another bloke from next door flew into Camooweal with the boys (he had his car in Camooweal) and drove them into Mt Isa. What a bloody legend! I was about to rebook the boys on the evening flight on Tuesday so they did manage to get back to school in time to start on Wednesday. They finally arrived back at the dorm around 10pm – getting themselves there, I can’t even imagine doing that when I was 13 or 15. Thanks so much to Graham for flying them safely to Mt Isa, Phil for driving them to Mt Isa and looking after them for the afternoon and Steve for organising everything and loaning us your plane! Legends!!!

I know there are quite a few other remote kids stuck on stations who haven’t been able to make it back to boarding school yet. It is always tricky. This time last year we were probably stuck at The Walkabout Hotel at McKinlay – with the road cut. Well it is exactly the same again this year – roads are cut again. Sending a big shout out to anyone stuck in McKinlay – great hospitality! You can read all about our experience last year HERE.

As we waved the plane off there were tears from Clancy and I. It was a sad old time. And then there were 3 on the station. We have never ever had just our family on the station, it is really strange. Cooking for 5 was a real treat and now cooking for 3 seems pointless.

Clancy is supposed to be back on School of the Air but I have been in a little bit of detail about that as our Governess isn’t due to arrive until this weekend – and with all of the road closures around Longreach, Winton and Cloncurry who knows when she will get here. So I decided to get my head out of the sand and get to it with his school work. Well actually that’s a lie – I vacuumed the school room and unpacked his school work – I still haven’t actually looked at what I need to teach him. But I have a plan of action, I have set myself a little plan so he isn’t behind when Miss Cass arrives. Step 1 – get him logged in for his On Air lesson today without loosing my temper and swearing. If we can get through that then I will be able to check out his papers while he is doing his on air lesson with his teacher in Mt Isa.

Oh another thing – I was really really really looking forward to taking the boys into Mt Isa. Night in town, hotel to myself, Thai food, glass of wine and binge Netflix… whoops did I say that out loud. Haven’t been to town since the end of our holidays – 30th December – that is now a whole month – no wonder I am going a little batty. I was absolutely desperate to go to the hairdressers – my regrowth was out of control. When I realised I couldn’t get in for that appointment I had to take matters into my own hands. I even tinted my own eyebrows.

Oh the things you can do when you are desperate. My hair situation is much better and I no longer look like a 10 dollar hooker – not that there is anyone here to see my hair – but it is just so depressing looking in the mirror and seeing those roots. Sometime you just need to dust yourself off, do your hair, put something nice on and pop a bit of make up on – it sure did cheer me up.

Um just quietly we had a lovely little shower or rain last night, more of a downpour but I am reluctant to talk about it in case I scare the rain away. So lets just leave it there.

What’s been happening in your part of the world? Problems getting to the hairdresser, muddy road to navigate, fighting kids? Here’s to a great 2020 and fabulous first term of school. Wish me luck in the school room, I am off to log in.