Now, I know you will find this hard to believe but there are actually quite a few ways that you can bring on the rain**. Today I am just going to talk you through a few. You see today is the day Georgie – our Headstockman – arrives back from holidays. This is just one way to make it rain. So lets get on with things…
Organise for Friends/Staff/Family to come to the station
This one will work every time, I am telling you now. Just organise an event, invite a heap of people over and you are guaranteed rain. Well, actually this only really works if you have hundreds of kilometres of shitty dirt road that said friends/staff/family have to cross to get to your house. Here are some photos from last year when we went on holidays…
Remember when my family came for Christmas just a few weeks ago? I knew this would work – I just knew the rain would come. Mr Chardy was panicking about how we were going to get them all in/out. I told him to calm the f#@k down, does he want it to rain or what? Because this is guaranteed to make it rain… and rain it did my friends.
Georgie is due back today from holidays. We just knew it would rain and bam – storm yesterday and rain, apparently, down the stock route. So my friends…. Mr Chardy and Danno (our Bore Runner) are off on a lovely little drive this morning. They will head down the stock route (160km) in 2 utes to check the road. Georgie will head off from Mt Isa. Mr Chardy will take the sat phone with him and call Georgie who will be waiting patiently in Camooweal for his call. Depending on what the road is like Georgie might have to leave her car down at another station that is on the bitumen and come back in with the boys or she may be able to drive up. We’ll just have to see. Not a simple procedure though, is it. This happens every time you want to get back in from holidays. You enjoy a lovely relaxing holiday which is all erased by the stress of trying to get back in. You can read all about how we had to get in from holidays last year HERE.
Order a Fuel Truck
Another way to make it rain is organise for a road train to come into the station. Especially one full of diesel, avgas and unleaded! Works every time my friends! Yep, we just ordered a fuel truck, this is another reason that Mr Chardy has to check the road. I can’t tell you how many times fuel trucks have been bogged on that stock route. But, that is just how we roll. If you would like to know more about how we get our fuel and what powers the station you can read all about it HERE.
Put Washing on the Line
Either this or put a heap of sprinklers on. Yesterday after I finished mowing our lawn a big storm was rolling in. I quickly put the mower away and jogged home to grab the clothes off the line. The sky was so dark. Looked like it was just going to bucket down. Of course I should have left the clothes on the line. If I had have left them on there the rain would have really set in. But because I took them off it lasted all of 5 minutes.
I am looking forward to Georgie coming home – a girl to have a glass of wine with. I told her not to bother coming back without Slipper ingredients… so perhaps a “welcome home slipper” may be on the cards too. If you haven’t tried a Japanese Slipper then here is the recipe…
What are your tips on making it rain?
Have you been on holidays?
Did it take you 17* days just to get home?
**Disclaimer: these may or may not actually work, and may only work during the wet season… I am not making solid promises.
*Slight exaggeration.. maybe!
Rain ! Yes please, we’d love some. So I couldn’t wait to read all your tips for making it rain. I live in Townsville, dry Townsville – sometimes known as Brownsville. It was very Brownsville, Crispville in fact, until we had some rain a couple of weeks ago and greened up most (some) of the brown – lifting our spirits. But of course, we want more !! We’ve been so lacking for so long (dam approx. 20% and going down). I’ve tried washing the car; leaving the washing on the line; inviting friends over – all have failed. Facebook didn’t help when a flashback photo appeared “2 years ago and the pic was a rain saturated back yard”. I must have been happy to see the rain to publish on facebook 🙂 This week I published a photo of heavy clouds – see here https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153797234695138&set=a.10150648855460138.410905.785585137&type=3&theater but still we didn’t get rain. Sheesh !!! I put my fingers in my ears when the weather prediction is for rain – it never happens !! Guess what – 20% chance of rain tomorrow .. HaH !! I dare you. Thank you for the counselling session. I hope your lady drinking friend is safely returned ~ cheers, Karen
Gee I hope you get some rain Karen to turn Brownsville back into tropical Townsville!!! You have definitely tried it all…not sure what else to suggest, ha ha ha. My lady drinking friend has arrived 🙂 and yes – we have had a Japanese Slipper and a Chardy!!! SO GOOD!!!!
You had me at Japanese Slipper!
Ha ha ha – I had myself at Jap Slip, ha ha ha. 🙂
Every time we host a cricket day, it rains.
But if you’re looking to hold back a downpour, I suggest spreading fertiliser that needs watering in on dry paddocks. Works every time! 🙂
Of course!!! Never rains when you want it too, but we can’t complain can we…otherwise they will call us “whinging farmers” and ain’t nobody want to be called that!! 🙂
Dan I have it sorted, my bag is packed with essentials, wine, slippers ingredients, a grinder that I may need, saddle, and it there is any room clothes so now I should be able to drive in after all my rearranging. Haha see you soon for a slipper
Ha – you definitely have your priorities sorted – grinder/Japanese Slippers/wine!! Good girl!!!
This reminds me of when my husband and I taught at Rossville- 40km both of Cooktown. The Christmas holidays would be coming and it was a race to beat the rain so we could get down south for the holidays. Once the holidays were over it was the worry of getting back in time to start the school year. (Sigh of relief.) Now I’m live in the city it only rains when I wash my car, hang out washing or go to the coast.
Ha ha ha – so true. The holidays are great but the stress of getting in and out sometimes cancels it out.
Unfortunately Miss Chardy, not even all those tricks are working for us this year either…. maybe i should give up beer in favour of a Slipper… maybe that is what it will take 😊
DO IT…PRONTO!!! Let me know how you go, ha ha ha ha. No seriously…. 🙂
I don’t think any of your ideas are going to work for us. The rain tree is in flower today so apparently that is a sure fire sign of rain and it is normally spot on. Send it on down I say!
Sooo… did it rain???