Week 6 5 May - 11 May

Sunday 5

Repacked the van ready for the trip home. Went to church. It was good to catchup with everyone. It was communion too. After church we went home and changed and got on the road. Robyn and Anna finished the car packing. I was about 15mins ahead of Robyn to start. Fueled at Camilla and had a .snack I pulled out again n. It started drizzling a bit south of Marlbrough and kept it up most of the way to Bundaberg. Stop and fueled aMarmor. Robyn stopped there too. Bit cold from there. Stopped for Robyn to catchup in Miriamvale and followed her into Bundaberg. Arrived at Jenny Lee and Bruce's just after 7pm very wet. Warm shower and fish and chips was great. Good catchup with Greens and Dad after the week. Ride was good Ironbutt prep. Did the trip 636km in 7.5hrs average 84k/hr including stops. 

Monday 6

Got up to a slow morning chat and breakfast and left Jenny-Lee and Bruce's about 10am. We went to Maddie and Ro's for a cuppa and chat and pickup Nala. I was on the bike. From there we headed to Biggenden to fuel up and have lunch. We brought some sandwiches at the servo and ate them in the park. The servo has been refitted and now only has 2 tables. From here we went home. I stopped at IGA in Kingaroy to buy milk. Got home about 4pm. We unpacked the van and found the blower and bike stand we had been looking in Mackay for here. Now the same is true of the reflection books. We went for a walk around. The tractor is gone. Turns out Dave has it. Greg who came out to look after the water did a great job and the tanks are full. Cattle still seem to be in the right place. Will have a look tomorrow. Back to Kingaroy tomorrow. Dad has a physio appoint at 11.30. 

Tuesday 7

While we have been away Dad has started waking up later. 8.30 this morning. Thinking we may need to change our routine to do some work before coming back in for breakfast. I started on the books this is important as I am trying to work out how much money we need to make to match our living expense in our new circumstances. To Kingaroy today. Dad to the physio. I went to Centrelink to rebook my next Wednesday appointment that had been canceled while Robyn when to Big W. I visited the Hyundai dealership to ask if we could fit a grab handle from the passenger side of the iLoad to our iMax. They are looking into it. Next to the bank for some cash to cover a visit to the Burandown Races on Saturday and Cooranga North CWA biggest morning tea on Thursday. There was still time for a bakery treat before Dad finished at Physio.

Next the Chemist. Robyn had taken in the data from the CAPA and Barry the chemist discussed the results with us. Need to work on the fit still. Not sure we have it right as I meet Dad in the hall late last night and he was complaining it was blowing cold air and he was freezing. 

After lunch on our way to shopping I got some brake fluid from supercheap and a filter for the bike shop. After shopping we went to Anderson for Nala's pet mince. Then home. That was pretty much the day. In the morning we have a look in the boxes we had in the container and found the reflection book the 2023 seniors did for me and at the bike shop I spotted and brought a new set of soft grips for the Explorer. And the man came and fixed the tank. Mow, dump and pump day tomorrow.

Wednesday 8

Mowing today. Started by put the replacement Whipper snipper head on the whipper snipper. It is one that takes short cut the length cords. I brought cords a few weeks back. I cut down the long grass to the fence near the top house.  About 3/4 of it. It took 3 hrs. After lunch I mowed the yard then Dad and I went for a buggy ride over the hills and saw the five head Robyn had seen before we went away. Three cows and two big calves. We collected the mail which had the rego of the motorbike and the scooter in it. I was pretty done after my big whipper snipper day had a shower and made pancakes and was in bed by 8pm. Started reading a book on Kindle call "Pushing Miles" written by an Ironbutt couple about doing a motorcycling world record. We heard the Aussie part of the duo speak at the Echua muster. I am enjoying it so far. 

Thursday 9

The morning started running out of gas.  That will be a job for later.  Today we had the Biggest Morning Tea run by the CWA at Cooranga North hall. There were about 20 people attended and Robyn Dad and I all sat in different groups to efficiently gather stories and information.  Nannan and Aunty Joan were there. I sat wit a group that included Noel and Cheryl, Russel Glode and Craig Knight, Russell, nephew. Russell is Noel's cousin and I am Noel's cousin so it is nice to live in the family zone again where we are all related.  I inadvertently mentioned "Outback Truckers" and it was like hitting gold. they were all fans and had all the gos.  Craig was happy to tell me the bloke on it that Robyn and I comment we would never hire as our truck driver is in jail. Borrowing stuff and not paying for stuff. I was very interesting and amusing.  I watch it because they are often on the Outback Way and I want to see the road conditions. Mick Cosgrove came over and had a yarn to me. I always feel like Mick think I am important. Mick did a stint as Mayor a few years back and was on council for years. His wife Sheryl is the CWA president and the make it happen person in the district. Karen their daughter live in the district too she was in Meridy's class at school. Craig will be a good contact if I do the Bell Trail ride. He is into it rides a Kawa KDX 450. When we got home we changed and Robyn and I when to Bell to get gas.  An uneventful trip although Bell was surprisingly busy. Back home I fitted the gas bottles and Robyn sorted some lunch. The next task was the rubbish. I when out to load the bins and the group of three young bulls from up the back paddock were at the mill. I suck around to the laneway and got the gate up before they got head back up the back; opened the other gates so they could join the other cattle down the front. Not keen to chase them because they might go through the fence i left them to sort themselves out and when back to the rubbish. By the time we came back from the rubbish all the cattle from the front had come to the mill trough behind the house. Went to bed praying the fence would hold and they will go back to the paddock and take our new arrivals with them. There was a cow and a heifer in the dam paddock too. Not sure if they came from the back paddock too. If so that is 3 left to get in if not it is 5. Getting closer. 

Friday 10

Started my day with my first ruse on the TTR 250. Rode up the back to tge top of the hill and back looking for cattle. Did not see any but it was very windy and they would be out of the wind and therefore out of sight. Think the ride was a good start un my attempt to get fit. Today we are off to Dalby for Dad's doctors appointment. We had a long chat with Kate before we left. She is packing up and preparing to come home. Leaves Sierra Leone 2pm tomorrow our time.  Robyn went to shop at Coles to buy food to make stuff to take to the races tomorrow. I went to Dalby to see if they had a bike tyre. No luck. After dad had finished at the doctor we went to Chris Westerway's work and picked up a freezer he had for the farm. We had lunch at Urban Paddock for a change and then head home. Got there about 3. We put the freezer in the kitchen shed. Robyn did some more sorting and I when for a ride to look for cattle again. Found the group of five over near Weir's boundary. As soon as they saw me they headed into a patch of scrub that is up there. I shut gate to try and control the water again. Did some computer work. Cleared Gmail printed bill I need to pay and booked Dad's July doctors appointment for the 5th. Tried from my two rides and trip to town so I went to bed pretty early.

Saturday 11

Up and making sandwiches to take to the races. I took a quick ride up the back and saw the 5 head we still need to get. Headed off to the Burandown races. Downes/Mittelstadt/Northcott crew had the spot at the track just outside the fenced off licenced area. It was a great day of catching up and reconnecting. It is easier to say who was not there. Bill and Julie and there clan were not there except Matt who was flat in the bar and Rosey was there too but I missed see her Robyn did. Rohan is flying, Lachy and Camille were represented by Landan. I had a good catchup with Lester and we plan to watch an Orgin together one of the Women's  and one of the Men's. Chated with Nathan we may do a bike ride next weekend. Had a good catchup with Jamie who is between jobs and he and Chloe live in Chinchilla. Chatted to Greg Northcott and Carolyn Jorgensen for a while too. Robyn and I were a bit nervous about going and what it would be like cause Robyn's family make it sound like Christmas. And in some ways it is. Ate lots of food and had lots of family. Jan want it to be a big family reunion next year. Wonder if we can make that happen. Kate will be out. See what happens. The highlight for me was watch Grace in her flowing linen dress and tiara. Cook steaks on the open fire pit she looked like some kind of Dinsey warrior princess. A cross between Milan and Cinderella. A few very light showers that caused no disruption  More between there and home judge by wet road. Kate has started journey home. She was in Ghana when we went to bed.