Week 7 12 - 18 May

Sunday 12

Check for cattle up the back first thing. Then Church Adam preached. Lunch at Pips &Cherries. Home packed amd got Kate's car out. Left of Ben and Nays about 2pm got there around 5pm. Kate is on her way back to Australia.

Monday 13

Up early to pickup Kate then we headed back to the farm. Had some breakfast at Charlton truck stop. Home about 11.30. Went for a drive with Dad. Got close to the cows and calf. Dad has no idea where they are getting water either. Kate was tried but trying to stay awake til normal bedtime. I spent the afternoon spraying the weeds around the gardens, fences, containers and the mill tank. Did about 4 loads in the backpack sprayer. Good piece of equipment. 

Tuesday 14

Paid some bills and started April books. Arranged for a bike tyre in Toowoomba to pick up Friday. Quick ride up the back and did not see cattle. Town today. Robyn and Kate stayed home. Brought large band carsturators and saw Robbie Masters. Dad paid the physio. Chemist, Heritage, dog bones and mince. Lunch then hair cut for dad at new barber in Harley Street. IGA to shop then home by about 4pm. Robyn took a ride up the hill in the buggy and found the five on up to top over near container fence. Tried to hunt them down a bit but it got dark. Watched Moto GP before bed. 

Wednesday 15

Robyn and Kate went to Toowoomba for a Mother's day outing. A movie lunch and some shopping. They took the rear wheel off the Explorer for a new tyre. While I had the bike on the centre I changed the oil and fitted the Spot holder and replaced the left hand grip. I tore one of the soft grips on the throttle side will have to wait. The replacement for the lighter came a USB C and A charger. I noticed with the back wheel off that the rear shock is blown again. Rang Phil at Northside Motorcycles in Mackay. He researched an aftermarket solution for our application and I ordered one.  I just have to sort the wiring. Dad and I went to Lambley's to get the welder Peter is loaning to me. Had a cuppa and a yarn with them. Whole we were there Alan Wenham showed up. He and Cherie have moved back to the Bell. They brought Wayne and Cathy McClennan place opposite the Bunya Mountains turnoff. It was good to see him. Wayne owns a concrete pimping business in Toowoomba. I when up the hill while I waited for Centrelink to call and cleared a tree that had fallen across the track. Centrelink did not call. It was 3pm when I got back for lunch. With the welder I repaired the broken panel from the yards and refitted it. Ian is coming up to muster the other half of the farm on the weekend. I did not see remaining cattle today. 

Thursday 16

Finished putting the bike back together. Just need to get a USB A or C to Mini USB cable about 150mm and I will have a real Ironbutt looking vehicle. Next I when on the TTR to see if I could find the missing cattle. First checked the fence to the other place and found the beast that had crawled out and with little effort got it back into with the mob. When up the back and spotted the cattle on top of the hill again. Being on the bike I decide to follow them into the scrub. By the time I got out I had lost a mirror off the bike and damaged my back fighting to lift the bike over logs and rocks. Got home but I am in significant pain. Submitted about 9pm to take anti inflammatory medication and cancel my blood bank appointment for tomorrow. Did manage to get the bike washed and set the 500 up for an oil change Dad and I had a long ride to check out feed and made some plans about feeding strategies for the remainder of the year. 

Friday 17

Back is sore. Canceled blood bank. Managed to get mobile enough to change the oil and wash the 500. We went to lunch at Pips and Cherries to honour Kate before she heads to Peg's place to clear the beds for the crowd coming up to muster tomorrow. Dad and I took a drive up the back and over the hill late this afternoon.  We checked the fence around the grass paddock he has had locked up. It needs some work where it crosses to creek. But it is OK. Cattle still on top of the hill need Drew's boundary. Bewildered about what they drink.

Saturday 18

Ian and Jayne and Nick, Adele and Vann can last night. James, Sam, Bowie and Belle and friends of Ian and Jayne's Ashley and Linda arrived this morning. Day started with a trip to Bell. I thought Ian would bring fuel and he thought I had it sorted so by 9, I did. Got in the ute to go and it smelt like mice. Very annoying and distressing. I put a bait under the seat. Cattle came in really easily. We had morning tea and then started work. There was some bigger stuff that had not been in the yard before who did not like being in the yard much. They gave them a fair belt around and I will have some more repairs between now and next time. We got them all done by a late lunch and after a run around the farm and over the hill Ashley and Linda and James and Sam and family went home. Ian and Jayne and Nick and Adele went to Kingaroy to have tea with Jayne's mum. Ian kept back 6 head three off which will be butchered on farm on the 8th June. Robyn and I went for a ride to inspect the fences on the old bull paddock and the small paddock below the old dairy. There is plenty of feed there and with a few repairs on Monday they will be fine for the next month. Went to bed early and watched the end of Perth Supercars and parts of the Magic Round Cowboys South's game and read some more of Pushing Miles. Good Day.