The Festival Is Over for 2022

Wow – what a huge 8 days since I’ve last written. As always when a big event is about to get underway the pressures start to build, the anxiety increases and the sleep seems to slip away and then the event starts and memories are made.

The memory making started when shared an evening meal with friends from back home, Jen and Wes. I started teaching with Jen something like 22 years ago so it was lovely to catch up with them. We went to the Gillen Club for a quiet dinner on the Tuesday night and caught up again on the Thursday night at the Alice Springs Brewery, famous for its pizzas. This year I shared my birthday with Fish Creek, Birdsville and Alice friends, which was special.

Monday through to Thursday is a bit of a blur – along with all the other volunteers we moved trucks (just Bill, not me), lots of cleaning, wiping of 350 chairs, pressure washing, finalising stories, checking and triple checking the order of certificates, medallions and frames. 

Friday I started at 6.30am helping with the Transport Women's Breakfast. Although it was darn cold getting ready at only 1 degrees the three minute walk to the café made it worthwhile as it was a glorious sunrise and I haven't been up early enough to see one for a while.

In the evening I worked at the bar at Stuarts kitchen. During bar service I met Nick who had driven a 1982 International from Geelong for Shell. It is called ‘The Grey Ghost’, its purpose was to slip in quietly, unseen, like a ghost, should a spill happen. We had some similar experiences during our trips – we both wore Bluetooth headphones because the truck was so noisy, (although his were high vis yellow) both were unsure about what we’d bitten off by the time we got to the border and so on. When I asked if I could get a photo in the truck as I collect ‘selfies in trucks’ when I am here he said “Sure, no worries. That tall bloke over there has the keys.” I figure I’m not going to have any trouble getting that shot, Bill will open it up for me one day, I’m sure.

Until lunch time Saturday I was finalising one more photo wall and helping others set up for the evening meal before having a little bit of quiet time before going back to get ready for the induction ceremony. A highlight of this year was having Em, Malcolm’s daughter, work with me. I met Em in 2016 I believe, she’s now 15 and as she was missing school for a week had to gain some ‘work experience’. Em helped me washing dishes, put on chair covers and hand the medals and certificate to the presenter during the induction service while I read out the stories about the drivers being inducted.

After the ceremony and directing people to where they wanted to go Bill and I went and sat in Stuarts kitchen. As always, I chose a spot with the sun on my back and it was lovely to sit and just be together after such a hectic time. And for the first time I really saw a tree I had never really paid attention too before. The sun was beating off its magnificent white bark – I hadn’t paid much attention to the bark of trees until Aunty Ursula pointed out how different they all are during our sharing of photos during Covid lock down in 2020. So, not only did I see a tree but I thought of loved ones, especially you, Aunty Urs. What a great way to slow down! (someone cast a shadow just as I took the shot, I’ll go back and try and get another one, Urs!)

 

Saturday night we, the volunteers, were able to sit and enjoy the meal with the dignitaries and guests. Some of which were from Leongatha and Bill has known since his apprenticeships, so that was lovely. There was music and although I couldn’t get Bill up, Vonda, Em and I had a few dances.

We, well ok, just me, danced to the last set of music as we cleared the tables, stripped the chairs and began the pack up. By next morning when I made it back to the hall at 8.10am the pack up was almost complete. The tables were loaded onto the back of Bill’s truck and whisked away, other items were returned to where they had come from or discretely popped out of sight to be put away Monday.

The volunteers came up with a plan to enjoy a morning tea of pancakes from the food van – I just had one more lot of flowers to take to the café before returning to join the crew. When I arrived at the café Narelle was on her own and customers were already piling through the door. I stayed and worked until 3.30pm!!

I stumbled home hoping to sit quietly around the fire pit. And that’s what I did, all the tired volunteers made it over and sat around Wally and Leanne’s fire, relaxed and shared jokes – the perfect way to end a very tiring weekend.

Monday saw a little more packing up and tidying before a quiet night of pizzas shared by all down at Stuarts kitchen. 

Today I was given my next round of volunteer work – I’ll be typing up stories about various exhibits in the museum but not until at least tomorrow. Today was rest day – I’ve chatted with my sister Joan, listened to music, rested my eyes and typed my blog. It feels very nice to sit still.

 

Bill's truck parked where the big trucks on display are usually parked.