The Woodstock Six

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DAY 406



We were sitting in the Kitchen at Woodstock, all having tea and toast, Robert had already left for his long day and we were just discussing our possible plans, hoping for a productive day, there was all sorts to be done around the house in preparation for the onslaught of Christmas.

Helens mobile phone sprang in to life, it was Robert, Southern Cross Irrigation had informed Robert that his parts were in and they needed collecting, Helen asked if we wanted a trip in to Wagga to do this.

“No problem” we said, if we phone Jason we can see if he wants us to take his computer in and drop it back at the computer doctors where we only picked it up from yesterday.

Caroline was feeling less than energetic this morning, but wanted to come along anyway, perhaps she didn’t trust that I would be able to find my way around Wagga without my personal “sat nav”. All I had to do was brush my teeth and I was ready, Caroline had a few things to do but we were soon sliding in to our thongs and we were ready for the off.

Its 60 K’s into Wagga, which is a big town in the grand scheme of things currently with approximately 60,000 people, its an interesting town, pronounced “Wogga Wogga” meaning “Many Crows” the locals call it Wagga. Wagga straddles the Murrumbidgee River and it’s the largest inland city in New South Wales and the fifth larges inland city in Australia, the area is important for agriculture, military and a transportation hub of Australia.

We hit the road, it’s a beautiful sunny morning and it takes us about 40 minutes to get in to town, of course on the way going over the hill that gives us the wow factor each time.

Caroline had begun to feel a little under the weather, and fell asleep in the car on the way into Wagga, but we soon arrive Southern Cross irrigation who are sited on the Sturt highway, Caroline is back with me and we go in and ask for Jim, explaining that we have come to collect the parts for Robert and Helen Sheridan at Woodstock farm in Nangus.



Jim hands us a box of bits saying that this should be all Robert wants, and if he puts marks in the shafts that have been specially turned, he will personally come to Nangus and do despicable things to Robert, as the sample shaft we took in had stilson marks on it where the boys, or Robert had brutally tightened it up.

Jim also explained to me, so I could pass it on to Robert that the shafts had a very slight taper so they should not be over tightened, I fully understood what was been explained to me and I promised I would recite it word for word to the boys back on the farm.

We pulled out of Southern Cross and headed across town to the computer store and took Jason’s machine out of the boot and dumped it on to the desk of the computer technician who had carried out the repair. Jason had already phoned ahead and roasted them, so we were just the messengers.

Our last stop was to drop in the Agri Co-Operative and pick some paint up as I have asked Helen if she wanted me to paint her plough that she has in the garden and she would like it painted black, as I did with her beetle boot puller.

We were back just before lunch time, our journey back was smooth and fast, but Caroline nodded off to sleep, something she never does, so I knew she was feeling unwell.

We had a spot of lunch with Helen and then Caroline went to have a lie down, as she felt quite tired, she said she felt as if she had a cold coming, and slept for a good couple of hours and by the time she joined us, Caroline mentioned she had a sore throat!

It seems crazy that after all the camping we have done, the weather conditions that have varied from extremely hot in the day to below freezing at night, to jumping into cold rock pools to cool down in the heat of the day, its been over a year since either of us had a cold, now with the onset of a cold, that just seems ridiculous, a cold, its been in the mid to high 30’s for ages, how the hell do you get a cold when it is always so warm?

In a way this is so typical for the time of year to most of us, you can understand getting a cold just before Christmas in England, the cold weather, the rushing around trying to get everything finished before Christmas and the partying all takes its toll so its easy to pick up a cold in that environment. Here, ok we have been busy still, but the Christmas thing is so laid back, there is no pressure on the other hand perhaps that’s the problem, we have really come to a grinding halt and dared to relax.

After dinner we sat down and started to watch the film Heist with Gene Hackman, Helen had asked us to keep her awake until at least 10.00pm as she is going to bed too early and not getting a full nights sleep and is feeling tired throughout the day.

Whilst the adverts are on, I grab the torch and go and say night to all the dogs, I walk over the paddock, it is pitch black and when I shine the torch over in the direction of Wally, Toby, Jack and Trixie, there is 4 sets of green eyes looking back at me, for which ~I was thankful, if there had been 5 sets, then either Tiny or Kimba had escaped or something else had snuck in.

My first stop is Tiny and Kimba, (mother and daughter) Kimba dives in to her dog house whilst Tiny goes nuts, you just could not find enough attention for this bright little Kelpie, she is so full of life and spirit!

I try and stress to Tiny not to bark all night, I say night, night to Kimba, who is still hiding out in her dog house, then walk over to the others, Wally is sleeping in his hole that he had dug, Wally is just so “professional” he likes his fuss but does not jump around, he has a lovely nature about him, but he still has custard on his ears from when we gave them all custard possibly 6 days ago.

Next stop is Toby, the doggie hooligan, he is just out of control, In a nice way, so they have to be careful what Robert gives him to do. Paddock work with sheep is a non starter as he just runs through the middle of the sheep and sends them running in all directions, but he is quite good in the yard.

Toby is big and powerful and a great dog, I love him, he has a good personality and we have started to have our dance. This is how I have found the best way to control him as he likes to jump up, so I hold his paws, which obviously looks like we are dancing, but Toby likes to lick you, big style, so I let him go and walk over to see Jack.

Jack is lying on the floor, all legs in the air awaiting me to scratch his belly, he is a Kelpie and has only just forgiven me and Caroline for taking him to the vets to get castrated, I can understand why he was miffed, but we were only doing what Helen had asked us to do.

Finally I walk along to see Trixie, such a pretty dog and an excellent sheep dog, she is as pleased to see me and we have few minutes together having a fuss, I have asked them all not to bark through the night, it doesn’t really effect me as I sleep so soundly but Helen is not that good a sleeper.

I pad back to the home stead, I turn my torch off now my eyes are accustomed to the darkness and gaze at the night sky, its again majestic, no moon, just the magicians cloak of blackness with pin pricks of twinkling sliver dots breaking through, I can see the milky way, the large and small Magellan clouds, Jupiter is to my right and is the third brightest object in the night sky, next to the moon and Venus, but as we have no moon, I would suspect it to be the 2nd brightest in the night sky and I have not got a clue where Venus is, I will need to boot up our Astro software to have a look, but not tonight, I’m tired.

I get back to the house and Helen is still awake, Caroline is still watching the film too, its 10.20pm, I sit down to see the rest of the film, the girls ask if I threatened the dogs but I said I tried to coach them.

We finish the film it was well worth a watch. So we bid you a goodnight and pleasant dreams.

KJ.

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Photos

This is Toby
One of the Woodstock 6 gang

Trixie & Tiny
two more members of the gang