Birthday Boy

---

DAY 418


I enjoyed the tranquillity of the bedroom before joining the hive of activity in the kitchen, however I only find Robert, it seems that everyone else is outside, looking out of the window Helen is almost up to her knees in water waving a little fish net around standing in the emptying fish pond.

So today is the day that the fishpond gets a clean, it is all hands including 5 year old Alex who appears to be supervising the catching of the fish. The water is draining away slowly but catching the fish is also a slow exercise the water is quite soupy with algae so they are hard to spot.

Andy is busy mowing the lawn with Helens sit on mower I glance over and wave, he waves back, I can see his grin from here! Still he is having fun.

It’s Roberts birthday today so as everyone gradually reappears back in the kitchen the birthday cards and presents start to come out along with the “Happy Birthday” wishes. The house is back on bore water so we are having drinking water out of the water barrel, which is now empty so Andy and I head off to Merriville to get some water.

I cannot resist popping around to see Spook while Andy fills the Water barrel, he seems pleased to see me, DJ sits and waits patiently until I wander over to him and then he goes completely mad, trying to jump up, DJ is growing fast and his ears are starting to fit him a little better now.

I wander over to the house where I find Andy talking to Jason and Kristy, we sit on the veranda in the shade and chat about Christmas. Candy joins us briefly, I think she is trying to escape the attention of her puppies for a while, who, all 9 of them, seem to think it is great fun and follow her wherever she goes, I think secretly that she will be pleased when she can let them go.

A while later we head back up to Woodstock, Susan is making some pizza scones for lunch, I have to say they were very tasty and went down exceptionally well.

After lunch Susan and I headed over to Junee to wander around the liquorice factory, it is quite busy this afternoon, we sit down and have a coffee before wandering around the gift shop upstairs, they have a lot of great gear in the gift shop, almost too much to be able to look at, but if you need anything to do with cooking then I think they will be sure to have it.

Back at Woodstock, we find a few people have disappeared for a Nanna Nap, Susan heads off so I decide to have an hour of Wii Fit, it tells me that it is 13 days exactly since my last session, I do have an excuse though, I was unwell before Christmas and just have not had the chance since.

After an hour I disappear for a shower, we are off out tonight for dinner at Roberts Uncle Athol and Auntie Mary, well not just us but the whole house, which currently stands at 8 people.

We arrive at 6.30, the house is beautiful built out of what looks like sandstone, it has a lovely grain to it, the garden that surrounds it has all sorts of plants and flowers, it looks very tranquil, a lovely place to be. Flora the black and white border collie is waiting on the veranda, she is quite an old dog, but still stands up to come over for a fuss, she looks up at you with those lovely big glassy eyes vying for attention.

Inside we find a very traditional Australian house, the ceilings must be 12 feet high which makes the room cool and very airy. Mary explains that the house is 100 years old, but not old in terms of English history. It does make us chuckle that on more than one occasion when talking about Australian history people have felt that they need to add onto the end that nothing is as old as England. We don’t expect anything to be, but not everyone lives in a house that old, our own house in England is actually only 30 years old and by all accounts still very modern.

Mary has prepared a fabulous meal for us all, it is served up buffet style in the dining room, the Royal Albert china is out along with the silver and the lead crystal, it all looks fabulous and very welcoming. Incidentally I note that the Royal Albert china is exactly the same design as my Mother in Laws best china.

While we chat, Graham, another guest of Mary’s chats to us about the Junee New Years day fire in 2006. He shows us a book of photographs and explains how Mary and Athol nearly lost everything, thankfully it seems that a line of trees at the front of the property kept the fire away from the house, but that did not prevent the destruction of thousands of acres of farmland, sheds, farming equipment, historical items from farming years gone by and of course not to mention the thousands of lambs that were either burnt in the fire or destroyed shortly afterwards due to their injuries.

What is clear to me is how the community rallied around to help, including Robert and Helen. There was no electricity for 52 hours after the fire and no telephone for about 11 days after, although the house was still standing it was smoke damaged and everything was covered in soot, Mary explains that everytime she cleaned it up, she would virtually have to start again as it would all be covered in soot again.

But with community spirit and determination they all got back on their feet “because that is what you have to do” livelihoods were resumed and life somehow carried on. This is the second time that Mary and Athol have been severely affected by bush fire, Mary however says that next time she will not stay to fight, she would be happy to walk away and let it burn. This is the advice that people are being given, in the light of Black Saturday earlier this year, the authorities are urging people to leave property. It sounds easy, but I am sure it is not, I don’t know how I would feel, but at what cost is human life?

By 10.30 we were back at Woodstock, Robert stopped to let us all out of the car before putting it in the garage, Trixie suddenly appeared by my feet when I got out of the car, the cheeky minx has slipped her lead again.

Just as Robert took her back, I realised that one of the city dogs, Rocky had tried to walk across the cattle grid from the driveway, he is now dangling precariously with his two front paws holding on as he struggles to find a way out. Helen has to help him out, he is well and truly stuck. Rocky is fortunately not hurt, however I think a little shocked by his mishap and immediately went to sit on his mat.

Exhausted we fell into bed, I don’t think it was long before either of us were asleep.

New years eve tomorrow, I can hardly believe that a whole year has gone, we have done so much and seen so much, but it has gone in the blink of an eye. I go to sleep wondering what 2010 will hold for us.

---

Photos

Pond Cleaning
At Woodstock

Comments

[Katie & Glyn (no.9)]

New Year
We can see your having a your both having a fantastic time out there and hope you have a wonderful New Year! Katie,Glyn,Meghan and Olivea x

[Gary]

2010
The very best to you both for 2010. May your travels be safe and adventurous. And the best to your friends at Woodstock.