Saturday 13 April 2013 - Limbuna
It’s been quite an interesting week! Things have settled down a bit because the contractors have been camping a few k’s up the road, so there’s not as many people around as there were over the weekend. It got a little crowded – the girls were getting in the way a bit in the kitchen and it’s been an ongoing challenge having to keep them from touching things or being in areas that are unsafe or unsuitable. It’s also been draining for me, spending all day, every day with them, from (pre-) dawn until dinner time. Glenn occasionally finishes work a little bit earlier, but most days have been big ones.
Glenn’s still been enjoying the work, but it takes its toll on him too, especially as there is very little time for him to relax and he doesn’t get to see much of the girls (or me) either. Some parts of some days he’s been working in the sheds helping the boilermakers so he’s been able to catch up with us a bit more, but other days like today, he’s out fencing or mustering cattle, taking a packed lunch with him.
Earlier this week things went a little haywire too, as Dan (the manager’s) youngest child, Lucy, fell off a horse when they were out mustering. She had to go to hospital with a broken arm. Fortunately Dan could simply pop her in the chopper and fly to Kununurra, but she ended up in Darwin as they weren’t confident on anaesthetising her there (she’s only 3). The whole family was away for a few days, plus the assistant manager happened to leave at the same time because he had to go to a funeral in Brisbane. The contractors were still around so we weren’t completely on our own, but it put a little dint in the schedule of choppers and slowed things down a bit. These things happen though and obviously mustering takes the whole dry season so it’s only done when it’s done, so to speak.
Yasmin was very sweet when she learnt about Lucy hurting her arm – after I suggested she make a card for her, she packed up a bag of toys and books and coloured in a picture to give to Lucy. Even though she has hardly any toys herself, she was happy to part with a few of them. We decided it might be better to bake Lucy a cake instead. We took it to her yesterday and the girls had a cupcake together. Both bones in Lucy’s arm were broken – one was a clean snap... I don’t envy Lucy’s mum Kerryl in trying to keep a 3-year-old with her arm in a cast at bay while it heals!
Tonight is the weekly barbecue and apparently everyone will be knocking off a little earlier in the afternoon for a spot of clay pigeon shooting. Should be quite interesting! Then it’s ribs and steak on the barbie and beers for those who partake, but not too many cause tomorrow is work as usual.
I’m starting to get a little bit over beef now. I have eaten it nearly every day, sometimes at every meal. These are some of the ways we’ve been cooked beef:
- sausages
- ribs
- eye fillet
- pepper steak
- steak and gravy
- savoury mince
- spaghetti bolognaise
- roast beef
- corned beef
- curried beef
- chilli beef
- beef stew
- rissoles
On Good Friday Vic made a tuna risotto, but Glenn and I aren’t big on canned fish. I’d love a stir fry with lots of veggies but that mustn’t be Vic’s style. There is always lettuce and tomato available for lunch along with lots of canned veggies like corn, asparagus and beetroot, but I really miss my dark green leafy stuff. Vic makes awesome veggies at dinner – sometimes roasted but often just pot-cooked (and not boiled into oblivion mush either!) – and he gives us quite a good variety (pumpkin, potato, peas, beans, capsicum, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, onion). So it’s not hard to eat well, it’s just a bit of a red meat overload.
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