Tuesday, August 26, 2014

JILL THE "TRUCKIE"
 
(HA HA)
 
 
 
Well, on Saturday I was able to spend the day
with Dave, carting hay.
The only difference this time,
was that I got to drive the road train!!
 
Yes, I did say DRIVE!!!!
YEE-HAHHHHHHHHHH
 
Me with my rig!
 
 
 
Dave needed someone to go with him
to drive the truck while he loaded the hay
with the Manitou (forklift), as the haystacks
were very far apart and in different paddocks
and he couldn't do both things.
 
So he suggested to his boss that I go along
and she said "Yeah, let her drive the truck!"
 
Well, as some of you already know,
I love to drive anything with wheels (or tracks
or whatever) and will
give anything a go!
 
So, how about a triple road train?
Yeah, that means 3 trailers!
Always wanted to drive a truck!
 
It was a lot of fun.
I had to take it through a narrow gate
and also around a right angle corner that
looked like you'd never get 3 trailers around it.
(Dave actually had to clear some of the
scrub with the Manitou before
I could attempt it)
 
But with Dave's expert guidance walking ahead
of me, I made it without mishap.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Got to see this crazy whirly-whirly!
 
 
 
And at the end of our 12 hours carting hay,
I was nice and dusty and dirty!
 
 
I have uploaded a video for you, to prove my story.
This is me, driving through the paddock:)
 
 
 
 
 Here is another video of me driving the Manitou!
(Yes, I had to try that too. I loaded one bale of hay
just to give it a go)
 
 
 
Okay, no more truck stories for today.
Guess I'd better get back to wedding preparations.
 
 
PS. It's Maddy's 13th Birthday today,
so we now have 4 teenage girls in our house!
Yes, you can all feel sorry for Dave now!  
 
 


Monday, August 25, 2014

ABBI CREATES!!
 
 
Abbi just recently finished an 8 week
cake decorating course that taught
her the basics of cake decorating.
 
For the last class, they had to bring a plain
iced cake and decorate it!
 
Wa-Lah! Here was her effort!
 
 

 
Needless to say, we were all very impressed! 

Friday, August 8, 2014

We're sick with the flu!
 
 
 
 


 
And my tombstone when I die........
ha ha


Wednesday, August 6, 2014

A VERY LONG DAY AT THE OFFICE
I MEAN, IN THE TRUCK WITH DAVE!
 
 
Last Wednesday, I was able to go with Dave on his
regular overnight run. (Actually, 2 nights)
 
Dave did his usual Mataranka run first on Wednesday,
beginning at 7 am and got home
around 7:30pm, had a quick shower,
we stocked up on our meals etc and after fuelling up,
left Katherine at 9:30pm.
 
Heading down the Roper Highway,
we did the midnight mail run:)
Yeah, I know, weird, dropping off mailbags
in the middle of the night.
 
First stop-Moroak station 11:30pm
Second stop-Lonesome Dove station 12:30pm
Third stop-Big River station 12:40pm
Fourth stop-Mt McMillan station 1:05am
 
At 1:25am, we arrived at Roper Bar to 'camp' for the
rest of the 'morning' until 6am
(I guess 4 1/2 hours is better than nothing)
 
Then it's off to Urapunga, a very small aboriginal community
where the dogs were all out to greet us.
 
 
 
After unloading freight, including grocery items,
new push bikes, tricycles, clothing, TV's, stereos
and all sorts of interesting things, we headed to Ngukurr.
(There is a small store at Urapunga that sells just about anything
and does really good business in the area)
 
The drive to Ngukurr is 32km, but took us 1 hour!
Quite a lot of it doing 10km an hour because of
the road being badly corrugated!
 
 
It was really misty and foggy, which I had never seen out there before.
Quite eerie but pretty.
 
Check out this sign.
See the VB can?

 
 
Anyway, after unloading quite a bit of freight at Ngukurr, we headed
for Numbulwar, 156km away, on the coast.
 
 
 
Here's a couple of shots of the road and the trip.
Sorry, I always get carried away with my camera
on these trips as the country is so beautiful and so diverse.
 
Here's a mud puddle in the road, left over from the wet season.
Okay, so it's half a meter deep, but that's a puddle in a truck:)
 
 
The view looking back out my window.
I just love the colour of the water!
Bet I could stain some clothes in that!

 
I just love this sign!
 
"FLOODIN"
 
 
Once again, view from my window seat!

 
Anyway, back to our day ish.
After a 3 and a 1/2 hour drive to go 156 km,
we arrived in Numbulwar.
 
In a lot of places, the road was MIA,
missing in action! due to the wet season
and local disputes between the main roads and
local council as to whose responsibility it is to fix it,
the upshot being, it remains unfixed!
How like the government!
 
But, fortunately, so many people have driven around the
missing parts that there is now a detour of sorts.
Not always easy for a truck and trailer,
but of course, Dave can handle it!
 
 
One of the picturesque crossings along the way.
 
 
The first time Dave came out here, he had 2 trailers,
no one had informed him that you couldn't bring 2 trailers
because of this tight crossing, but there was no backing up
so he crossed safely, unlike others before him.
The Lord definitely watches over him!
 
Arriving in Numbulwar, we were greeted by views of the ocean.
Wow. It was really weird to see it, it just didn't feel like we were headed
for it and then, wa lah! there it was.
 
 
I stared out to sea for ages hoping to catch a glimpse of a big
salty, as the locals often see them, but alas, I didn't see one!
Note: this looks pretty, but don't get in, something is
bound to get you and it won't be pleasant!

 
Unless you're local that is,
they don't seem to have any qualms about dipping a toe in the water!
 
 
Well, after unloading, it's homeward bound.
Back through Ngukkur to pick up our 2nd trailer.
 
I finally got a glimpse of some buffalo.
Dave sees them all the time as well as donkeys
and all sorts of other wildlife.
 
 
This was some roadside graves for the aboriginal people

 
Well, because it was getting late and it had been a long 2 days
especially for Dave, we stopped the night again and headed for
Katherine (another 5 hours) in the morning after some sleep.
 
I still marvel at God's wonderful creation
and all that we so often take for granted!
 
WHAT A GREAT GOD WE SERVE!
 

 
 Hope you've enjoyed the pictures and haven't
been bored to tears. You wouldn't believe all
I leave out!  Thanks for taking the time
to enjoy the Territory with us!