18 Newcomers

Eighteen new ptic girls arrived yesterday. It's a big truck for our skinny driveway!

Boris was very curious…and a little bit snorty!

Out There

This time in two weeks time I expect I'll be lying in bed, unable to move and gasping for someone to come massage my legs and feed me sips of some sort of electrolyte laced drink. In a moment of insanity earlier in the year we signed up again to do the Ride to Conquer Cancer. It's a 200km ride over two days - except last year it turned out to be 230km! There's a new route this year; if you believe what you hear, it's a little easier - there were some hellish hills last year….and it poured rain all day on the first day and half the night as we huddled in our little tent - admittedly dry and cosy but wondering how much longer the tent could withstand the downpour!

My offsider won't be riding. Last weekend he went walking up to the top paddock, across the back of the farm and then down again, looking for the fox/es that had attacked 3 nights in a row (on my watch, while he was away). He wore his gumboots and complained of a sore ankle/foot later in the afternoon. In hindsight it appears he may have stumbled/fallen into a hole because, after two doctor's visits and an ultrasound, it turns out he's torn the muscle from his left achilles tendon - the same one that he snapped when playing football 12 years ago. We have an MRI booked for tomorrow; that will determine whether we need to visit a specialist who may recommend surgery.

So. I will ride alone - well not really alone. The company we work for has entered a team again - last year, 31 riders raised around $175,000. This year there's over 40 of us and the target is $200,000+. We have riders from stations near and far and they've been featured in print media and on radio across the country. The guys from the NT stations have a great story to tell.

So. I started training yesterday, 30km; another 30km today. I'll try to fit another couple of rides in before the 15th but we won't be here this coming weekend so that's out. I'm not too worried about not making the distance. There's a rest/revive stop every 25km or so with food, drink and toilets - I'll just break the distance up in my head to be 4 x 25km rides each day, certainly doable - that will help me get through it! I'll be looking for my tent though!

I've missed riding. I love riding. It's always the thing that get pushed aside because there's something else that needs doing. It's such a freeing thing to do and it's great for clearing the mind. I need to add it to the list of weekend jobs; that way it might get done (although I've had 'mop the floor' on the list for a while now and that job hasn't happened).

Bridal Baking

Meg was busy during the week, baking for a weekend hen's night. I think these are the most decadent cupcakes she's every produced - and the prettiest biscuits.

The Splash Family

Gibbo bought me some new silkies - meet The Splash Family! Love them.

They've been in show cages in the shed for a few weeks for 2 reasons - 1: for quarantine purposes and 2: week before last we had fox attacks 3 nights in a row and lost 9 chooks, Mr Turkey and a guinea fowl.

We put them out today in one of the big pens. More pics to come. Aren't they beautiful?

All Together

A couple of weekends ago we all went to the footy together - Australia played South Africa in an absolute nail biter! We scored after the 80 minute hooter went and then had to wait 5 minutes for the referees to announce whether it was a try or not. When it was confirmed, the stadium erupted!! I can take or leave my footy but this was a great experience!

We had front row seats. Meg organised the tickets for Gibbo's birthday and we thought sitting in the front row would be a real treat - and it was.

Love Our Pigs

The weaners spend a lot of time in this corner, talking to Boris.

The Pig Hilton is now finished.

Boris and The Berkshire Broads

Introducing Boris and his girls, The Berkshire Broads - Bessie, Bonnie and Billie. They came to us quite unexpectedly; we had always planned on getting Berkshires down the track but these 4 became available so we said Yes. We really weren't/aren't set up for them but managed to fit them in. Boris is living in a pen at the cattle yards; we moved the two grower pigs into a new chook enclosure and put the 3 girls in with another spotted sow that was re-homed to us a few weeks ago. Supposedly, the 3 berkshires are pregnant, as is the spotted one. I don't know whether that's a good thing or a bad thing. Guess we'll soon find out. There could be an awful lot of pork running around here soon. I've always thought there's nothing cuter than a newborn piglet but I might change my mind pretty quickly if all 4 decide to deliver at once.

Boris and I have become friends. He talks to me each morning and night when I go to feed him. Actually, he talks to anyone that goes near him, asking for more food please. He made a beautiful bed from left over cattle hay. Isn't he a handsome fellow.

The weaners were very curious.

Well Hello

It's been a while. I've had the page sitting open all this time but just haven't had the urge to put anything on it. I don't know why. I've stored up photos and written numerous blog posts in my head but haven't committed any of them to keyboard. The longer I let it go the harder it got because I felt I couldn't start again without first catching up on the big gap in between! But now I've decided to just let it go (something I don't normally do!) and that sliprail will have a gap of a few months. I can live with that. I'll start again with the new pigs that arrived two weekends ago and move forward and maybe drop in a photo or two from the 'missing months'! At least I'll get moving again.

I've been satisfying my creative needs with a daily photo on Instagram at woodlawnwanderer with hashtag #morningmissm - feel free to have a look and follow me there. I started there on April 19 with a daily photo from around the farm with the animals given a voice and telling the story. I haven't missed a day since I started and have really enjoyed it. It's given me something else to think about other than my (paid) work and each day when I go outside to do the farm jobs I actually look at what's going on out there rather than just going through the motions. It's been funny and sometimes sad and good for the soul.

So, I'm back.

sliprail rides again.

One Final Goodbye and a Welcome Home

Sunday March 29, 2015

We left Capetown Sunday morning and flew to Johannesburg where we heard the news that Australia had beaten New Zealand in the World Cup. Look who was sitting across from us and had the result on his phone – KENNY FROM JAPAN wearing a South Africa shirt!!!

We flew 10 hours to Singapore, had a 3 hour layover then flew 8 hours to Brisbane where my two containers of exotic seasonings were confiscated by Customs but the dangerous looking Biltong cutter with a machete like implement attached to a lump of untreated wood didn’t even rate a second glance (something to do with the pink peppercorns being able to sprout).

In an unusual turn of events Drew was waiting at the Arrivals gate for us (it’s usually us waiting for one of our children to emerge through the doors, safely home once more from their global wanderings; Meg is currently riding camels in the Indian desert); hugs all ’round. Then out of the crowd came Jude and Neil; they greeted us before heading off to Departures to catch a flight home to their families.

We arrived home at the farm after 11pm to this very appropriate welcome.

WAGs on Tour

We're a faithful bunch of followers, the QCC wives (and Tracey's mum). We're patient and supportive; we sometimes roll our eyes; we clap and cheer; we massage sore muscles; we commiserate and sympathise; we listen attentively to yet another funny cricket story; we love our husbands. It's been great spending time with this bunch of women and I'm sad to be leaving them. WAGs on Tour.