Well my fine friends, I tried so hard to blog while we were in town. It seemed to be going well at the beginning of the week, then things got busy and of course we ended up in a big mess by the end of the week. We are home now and in an even bigger mess. It seems all my practice at the beginning of the year, trying to get my life in order so this wouldn’t happen, hasn’t paid off. Although I must say, I am probably not in the mess I usually am, but lets just say: there is one big pile of crap that needs putting away, not to mention the washing that I am already behind with. We arrived home on Sunday night and I was straight back into cooking yesterday, so not much has been achieved yet.
So lets rewind to last week and pick up where I left off….
On Wednesday we had the Home Tutor Seminar. It was great to catch up with everyone. Here are a few photos.
This is my clever friend, Karen. Look at her beautiful handcrafted jewellery. You can check her out over on Facebook at Priceless Pearls. Have a look and like her page, she will love you for it, and you won’t be disappointed.
Wednesday night is always BBQ night at the school. Not something the adults really look forward too. It ends up being a pretty late night for the already tired children and then they have to go to school the next day. But…..the kids love it. They have a disco and Tom is on Student Council so he was involved with the organisation, right up his alley. Unfortunately Clancy fell asleep on my shoulder so I made an early exit – what a shame!!! NOT. I got the hell out of there and left my friend, Di, to bring the boys home. Mother of the Year – AGAIN! Here are some photos from the night…
On Thursday I wagged the seminar (actually I only signed up for the Wednesday) and basically I just did breakfast and lunch all day long with friends. God it was fun.
Friday was Sports Day – another day I am not all that fond of. Have never been a fan of sports carnivals. I am more the Jazz Ballet/Gymnastics type. It wasn’t too bad, got to chat with my friends again.
Here is a photo of some of my friends who travel A LONG WAY to get to town.
Left to right: Sally – aka Mrs Gumnut Designz– travels 800km to get to Mt Isa. With 4 kids and a caravan behind it took her 11 hours. Next is Babs. Bab’s would have to take the cake when it comes to travelling in for school functions. Because she lives right over near the WA boarder, up near Kununurra. In fact she has to go into WA to get out of her station. So, Bab’s travels for 2 days to get to Mt Isa and it is about 1800km. This woman is amazing. She is down to 2 children on School of the Air now, but she used to do it with 4 children and a Govie, and manage to fit a heap of gear in the car all while looking like she stepped out of a Vogue magazine. I am pretty sure she travels with her own personal stylist. Now, the next lady in the photo is Carla. Carla lives on the station next door to Babs, but she is actually in WA. She tells me it took her about the same amount of time to get to Mt Isa, 1800km and 2 days!!!
Here are a few more photos from Sports Day…
Once sports day was done and dusted it was time to kick back and relax. The week was done and let me tell you, it was a bloody busy week. We were so busted by the end. We kicked back, cracked open some wine and ordered home delivery Chinese. Oh, dear lord, I had been looking forward to that Chinese for, well, 110 days! And it didn’t disappoint. God it was good. Of course there were prawn chips involved!
We had to stay in town until Sunday as Tom was heading off on School Camp, so we had to hang around and put him on the bus. So Saturday morning was spent downtown, with 3 kids and every other man and his dog. We got there in the end.
Then came Sunday – after waving Tom off it was back to the cabin to pack up and head home. I may have been organised at the beginning of the week, but come Sunday that cabin was not looking so pretty. 4 people crammed into one room and a heap of crap is not good. I wanted to just light a match and burn it, but alas …. this couldn’t be done. Damn. 2.5 hours later and it was all crammed packed into the car. Lucky I only had 2 children because Tom would not have fit in anyway. Here is a visual – yes it really is just all thrown in – not one bit of order to the packing of this car.
Of course heading up the dirt road, 100km from home, I got a flat. I just knew it was going to happen, I could feel it in my waters. I have watched so many people change tyres this year….so it was definitely my turn. I have lived up here for about 14 years now and I have never had to change a tyre. Can you believe it. I know – crazy. I managed to do it. It did take a while to find a suitable spot where I could jam the jack under the car, but after moving the car to higher ground I managed to get it under. The rattle gun was flat (of course it was) so I had to use my muscles and undo the wheel nuts by hand. Anyway, long story short….. I DID IT!!!! I really did it. Just as I was doing up the wheel nuts a car came along. I was so glad it didn’t come along before hand and do it for me, because I really needed to do this. Thankfully they did come along though, because she helped me get the flat tyre back up onto my car. 1.5 hours later (I know – took a while, but just remember it was my first time) we were off. Managed to get home safely. I only have this one photo. While I was on my tummy under the car trying to get the jack in I said to Harry “get my phone and take some photos” – a blogger can never miss an opportunity. Turns out the phone had overheated in the car, so this is the only photo I got sorry. ha ha ha.
Back to reality now. Straight back into the kitchen and cooking. I guess I will just have to unpack a little bit at a time and try not to let it bother me.
Meanwhile, I have been offline for so long now that Baby Mac has popped out her baby. A little girl – Maggie. I am so excited, it has been a long wait. Well done Bev!
Oh, and here is a picture of my hair, a lot of you were asking to see it in my last post, so here you go.
What else have I missed. How how you been? I have missed you all.
Have a great week.
Can so relate to this blog! But do you know what jumped out at me – the blue and yellow sports tents at the sports carnival – I used to be in Flynn 40 something years ago, and I think the anxiety/anticipation of annual sports day must have indelibly imprinted those colours on my brain! Re dealing with the chaos in your house this week – one pile of mess at a time 🙂
Hello there Katrina, so great to hear from you and know that you were in Flynn – my boys are Flynn boys. Oh and FYI – they won the carnival. Thanks for the tip with unpacking – I need to take your advice!!!
Love the hair! Wow…what a jam packed week you had. I am glad you enjoyed yourself and thank you for sharing it with us. I think your life and the lives of the other women who live on stations in your country is just fascinating. You women rock! Are those bars on the side of your truck really called roo-bars? That’s what my son said…I know I must really sound dumb, but you guys can chuckle at me:)
Ha ha ha, you crack me up Heidi, don’t worry we don’t think you sound dumb. Yes – my “truck” – aka: wagon 🙂 – has a “Bull Bar” – that is the technical term but yes, your son is right – it is a roo bar. Don’t you have them over there? To help protect the vehicle if a Kangaroo (or something else) jumps out in front of the car. Glad you enjoyed my story about town! 🙂
The ones we have here don’t extend to the sides like yours. I honestly don’t know what they call them!
Yours just looks super high tech:) Have a fantastic day!!!
Oh right, they don’t all have the “side rails”, that is just extra protection. You have a great day too.
Oh wow, this post sounds as busy as much as the last one sounded relaxed and excited. Go you with the tyre changing! That tyre is pretty stuffed looking. One time I had to change a tyre on the trip to town and one on the way back, what a weekend that was. How come someone only comes along when the job is nearly done. Love the packing style, I might be a bit guilty of that on occasion. Have fun with the clean up.
Oh Anne, I was so over it in the end that I just threw all of the crap from the cabin into the car, just kept taking it out and putting it in…otherwise I would have been there all day. Yes – the tyre is definitely buggered. Our road is so terrible and rocky at the moment.
Hey I was in Flynn! And bizarrely my daughter is in Flynn house at her high school (but being Catholic middle class suburbia it is probably named after a saint and not the great Reverend, I must ask if she knows). School Sports day was the best, do you still have class photos at the beginning?
Well done on the tyre changing, you’ve done it now and the next one will be easier.
And thank you for the photo of the brick wall, there are names I know on that.
Have a good week 🙂
I took that photo of the wall just for you Judy, I have another one that I will email to you. I was thinking of you when I took it. My boys are in Flynn too. They won! This year they finally started taking the school photos at the School Activity Day which was much better than before sports day.
Awwww thank you for thinking of me Miss Chardy! I don’t know if our family has a brick there, possibly something I should look into. I’ll just add it to the list.
Yay for Flynn for the win! Another piece of trivia, we used to have t-shirts with our names printed on them (hobbytexted on by our mothers) so that all and sundry knew who was who in the zoo. I guess in the digital age of the internet that is no longer needed as you get the opportunity to see your teachers/classmates via the screen. Although I will never forget laying eyes on two of my classmates (who co-incidently are still two of my dearest friends some 40 years later) for the first time and they were NOTHING like I’d imagined so I thought the t-shirts must be wrong!
Well Done on changing the flat tyre, I would defintely be claiming that one! Just wondering why your friends on the WA border don’t do Derby or Katherine SOTA? Sounded like a massive week.
Hi Emma, Bab’s used to live much closer to Mt Isa, when they moved up near Kununurra she did switch to Katherine SOTA for a year, but preferred MISOTA, so switched back. It was a massive week, but we do look forward to it every year. So great to catch up with everyone.
I loved your ‘Week in Town’ Blog…You crack me up..you Ladies from out bush do lead an amazing life. Its great for you all to catch up and do ‘town things’, but Im sure you are always glad to leave town behind and head back to the beautiful peaceful bush…I have a good ..neverfail Scone receipe to share with you, if you don’t already have it..Im not a cook and it works for me, Ill send it to you soon. 🙂
Funny you should mention a scone recipe, I made some yesterday and the recipe is so easy, it is just flour/cream/milk/baking powder. No butter rubbing involved. My kind of cooking. Yes, we do love to get to town, but it is always nice to leave and get home to the peaceful life.
What a great recap of the week, looks like you’ve a fabulous trio of friends there and all so glam after all that travelling. Whoop to changing that tyre it’s been AGES since I have to and hope I don’t need to for awhile. You know all my goss, hurry up and clean up that house woman and get some online shopping done for your next trip away!! xx
Ha ha ha, such great friends, it is always great to see them. I can’t afford to do any online shopping, after the money spent in town last week and the airfare I am about to pay for….. 🙂 But I should clean this house instead of typing on here.
I was in Flynn at Kargaru Primary in Tennant Creek – we were green. I love the little boys disco outfits, used to love seeing the station kids come to town in their mini cowboy finery.
Ha ha ha, thanks Sally – They looked handsome didn’t they.
Hello there, you survived the week!!! Hectic, but awesome fun from sound of things! We missed you Chards, but worth the wait to hear all about your great week away! Go you – changing that tyre, esp the bit where u had to use yer muscles – lucky u could undo it !! Good exercise. Wow u mustve loved having takeaway & somebody else cook that night… You mustve been salivating all arvo in anticipation haha, looks yum. X
Oh I seriously was Miss Twinings…. I had been talking about that Chinese feed ALL WEEK!! I kid you not. Loved every single mouthful of it. Loely to hear from you.
Hi Chardys, I’ll have top pop over and Teach car packing 101, especially when travelling to real civilisation like when the boys go to boarding school. Very impressed with all your organisation and cooking – real champion.
Oh hello there Narelle – you bloody legend!!! So excited to see a message from you!! Please do feel free to come anytime for my lessons!!! I look forward to it, seriously, bring Mrs Rumbo with you!!! Loved your shopping trip to Darwin! I was most impressed. 🙂
The photos near the top of the two boys. Oh my word! Too cute! They look like they can’t wait to grow up. And changing the tyre! So impressed. I’ve never had to do it, but it would be good to know that I could if I needed to. Instead I lazily rely on being able to call the NRMA. So fab to hear about all you’ve been up to.
You could change one if you had to Kirralee, I am sure of it. When you are in the middle of nowhere (literally – there wasn’t even a tree in sight) there is no other choice, no one was going to come and change it for me. Well actually I did have a SAT phone…. but still, I was 100km from home. That picture of the boys (the one on the right is my oldest boy) is cute isn’t it. 10 going on 21. ha ha ha.
Sounds like a wonderful, but also busy and exhausting trip! And kudos to you on changing the tyre! Not the best time here, applied for a job which involved an extensive interview process and just found out I didn’t get it . Luckily I have some wine handy. I also made some vegan meringues which go rather well with the wine (the recipe is on my blog is anyone would like it) .