Texas, There we go

 

Highlights	Less of a highlight
Bird watching - Kate	Not returning to Texas – Kate
Motor museum, Inverell - both	Staying at a horse farm – the smell - Will
Getting back to writing my book - Kate
Not returning to Texas - Will
Leyburn Historic Sprints - both
Working for Merle - Kate
Stand Up Paddle Boarding – both (do you still call it that if one of you is sitting down??)
Watching cane fields burn - Kate
Sunsets over Richmond River NSW -Kate
Chatting with the family - both
Being booked in to see Lola’s concert - Kate
Heading South – both
Staying at a horse farm – hilarious - Kate

 

OK – today’s blog is going to be a bit of a ramble, lots has happened. Nothing bad – just stuff that changed our plans. So, if you’ve read our last Blog you’ll have the general gist - we put up an ad saying Will wanted a job driving a tractor or machinery – we didn’t mention he tinkered in sheds, could weld, or fix stuff because he gave up mechanicing 40 years ago because he doesn’t enjoy it. Low and behold, we were contacted by a very nice farmer who asked lots of questions including - Do you tinker? Do you weld? Are you any good at fixing things? We answered, “Yer, he’s OK at that stuff” and I asked, “How much interaction with other workers is there?” The answer was “Not much,” That’s when we should have said, ‘Thanks but this is not the job we are looking for.’ But hindsight is a wonderful thing – being relative newbies at this ‘find work while you are away game’ we nodded our head, said ‘Sure, he’ll start in two weeks for a four week trial.’

Along came the rain and the mud and 2 weeks of tinkering, welding and mechanicing! Along came more rain so there was at least another week until Will would have been getting into a machine – an excavator whose front window was lying on the workshop floor because somebody borrowed the machine and returned it with a slight problem! On the Thursday I had a call from Merle – please come back and work for me!!  So, I put it to Will that we have a ‘circuit breaker’ from all the time in the workshop. Surprisingly he agreed that this could be just what he needed! Merle and her husband were delighted, Will put it to farmer A who said I’ll discuss it with Farmer B (his brother.) Farmer B wished us a farewell via text so off we headed on the Saturday morning. 

Our last weekend at Texas was spent in Inverell at the National Motor Museum, not National Road Transport Hall of Fame Alice Springs

The first Australian Grandprix after the second world war was held in Leyburn a town we passed on our way back to Toowoomba.

Lined up ready for the start line

One of the guests of honour was Dick Johnson, he was my Bathurst hero as a kid.

We spent the weekend in Toowoomba after popping in to the Leyburn historic Sprints - I love that we were passing through a town and found an event so up our alley. We headed to Merle’s mid-morning Monday. My job for the week was to help her source items for her new home, plus a bit of housework. I washed, I scrubbed, I shopped!!!! Well, I only did the preliminary stuff – Merle would say ‘Hmm, maybe,’ or ‘No’ or ‘Try again’. We’d laugh and eventually, toward the end of the week I had a handle on what she wanted and what she didn’t! Hopefully she did too as we went from an antique autumn toned dinner set to a brand-spanking new grey and gold gorgeous Wedgwood set.  

Will and I were kept busy doing reconnaissance missions – I’d pop into shops explaining I was a carer for a lady with limited mobility and I’d snap dinner sets and chairs and who knows what else. Off home we’d go and I’d present them to Merle. Some were more positively received than others. Then we had a few days where I took her out to view the items, to sit in the chairs and to pick for herself what it was that she wanted. 

Will, meanwhile, was making brackets for toolboxes he hopes to purchase when we get home. And during that time, he decided returning to Texas just wasn’t for him. I was disappointed as it was a wonderful spot for me to write. I’d get to it at 7.30am and work until about 4pm, only taking breaks when Will popped home for lunch or for morning tea. But it just wasn’t working for him – no banter, no camaraderie – the men were all kind but all quiet!!! We always suspected it but the pumpkin patch made it clear – Will thrives when there is banter and mateship, he didn’t love the physical work but he came home happy every day because those pumpkin pickers were in it together! The thought of returning to a potentially poorly looked after machine and at least 3 weeks in such an isolating job was too much, we pulled the pin and notified the bosses.

During our stay in Highfields, just out of Toowoomba, I was introduced to Merle's niece who quietly asked 'Is this the one from the pumpkin patch?' I loved that idea - We've all heard about the pumpkin patch kids - here I was, the pumpkin patch adult. It inspired a poem that I read as we shared pizza at our farewell dinner.

The Pumkin Patch Lady

A quiet spot for afternoon tea before
 leaving Highfields

Oh dear, oh dear, what should I do?
Merle needs some help, and I guess I do to.
There’s some dishes to wash, others to pop away,
But most importantly we need someone to chat, to say G’day.
Oh where, oh where shall I find such a gal?
Someone to become Merle’s new pal.
I’ve checked newspapers, such a bit batch,
I give up, I’m off to the pumpkin patch.
Would you believe it, before my eyes,
There she was, there I did spy,
Young Kate with a mop and a cheeky grin,
“Come with me.” I said, “we’re in such a spin,
“Come and meet Merle, my gorgeous wife,
Come and help with our new house life.”
So off Kate came, quick as a flash,
Before long she was just dash, dash, dash!
Before we could say settle down, just stop
She’d ordered dinnerware, a desk and stuff to go on top.
Now it’s time to farewell her
She’ll miss us, I’m sure.
When she sees red dirt,
A gorgeous blue skirt,
 A mountain view
Or a piece of Wedgwood with stew,
She’ll be reminded of her time at Highfields with us,
She’ll smile and be grateful that our paths did cross.

And while I wrote the poem from her husband's point of view, I certainly will remember my brief but busy time with fondness.

On our bike ride finding a spot to go paddle boarding in Evans Head.

Up at Razorback Lookout - nothing to do with a truck blockade

Feeling the sand between my toes!

Why watch the waves when you can watch a 4WD?

Bin chickens hassling a carpet snake near our riding path

So, here we are, at a farm stay below Broadwater Northern NSW, not the Broadwater of Southern NSW. Will is ready for home but he knows I haven’t quite had my fill of warm beach time – (although being only one state away makes home call loudly). Having left Toowoomba we headed to Broadwater just above Evans Head. We spent three nights there! We arrived on Saturday and went for a drive to the beach. I think it is almost our perfect beach – I paddled in warmish water and Wil watched the 4WDs coming and going to see who had the most difficulty navigating the entrance and exit. Sunday, we went in and did a reconnaissance mission – where to launch the paddleboards! After a lengthy bike ride (wish I’d put on my recording app) we found a great spot to launch the next day. We enjoyed lunch on the waters edge before heading home for a quiet afternoon of reading and stuff normal people do on holidays! Out for dinner we went to a very small country pub with a very limited and cheaply priced menu. I didn’t have to cook or do dishes so I was grateful! I also found a great spot for snapping sunsets in between, so it was a lovely day. Monday, we headed off and paddled to our hearts content! We saw fish and stingrays and best of all Will (who now, thanks to Phil has a seat for his board) said how relaxing and enjoyable it was!! Woo Hoo! Another thing we truly enjoy together. We had lunch at the local bakery before stocking up at the IGA ready for a few days focused on driving to get us below Sydney.

So, today was the first of our focused driving days although I have to say nowhere near as long as days we’ve done coming home from Alice Springs. However, when Will said he’d had enough of driving (which is quite unusual) I quickly picked a spot just off the highway with good reviews. I didn’t bother finding a coastal spot – little did I realise until we turned in that the spot I picked is a horse adjustment farm – Will is NOT a horse fan!!!!! I’ve loved sitting outside under the gum trees, listening to the trucks on the highway and watching the young girls complete their pony lessons – Will has happily sat inside watching YouTube!!

Tomorrow the plan is to drive through Sydney and park up at a caravan park so we can drive along the Sea Cliff Bridge above Wollongong. Ken, my brother-in-law on the Gilbert side is hopefully ringing to give me some hints on getting us through the city. With my past record we will probably be in Canberra in no time and we won’t see the coast again until we get to Walkerville!! Stay tuned and please cross your fingers for us!!

Sunset over Richmond River, Broadwater, NSW

Burning cane fields in Broadwater NSW