Wednesday, 20 February 2008

Here I am again!

Or the sodding vagaries of telecommunication once again! Email has been down since Friday and only back on mid-afternoon today, so hence my missing in action. And so, to catch up.
Last Friday was lolling in bed with my latest good book (because I could on my morning off LOL) when I got a phone call to say my workmate was heading into Mullewa to get her Police clearance etc done and did I want to get mine in at the same time. At the speed of light I was up, dressed (including makeup for photo),a brisk walk up to school armed with paperwork for Africa, then had to get said papers signed off by the Principal and my photo for a working with children card, that you have to have over here. Managed to nab the school photographer who duly took the mugshot type photo and printed it on the spot so I could affix it to the application form. Just as I was about to hop in the car, I was told it had to be done in black ink, not blue, so painstakingly had to go over a good amount of what had been written already in blue, with a black pen.
Got to the Mullewa Post Office (counter in a general type store) and waited for ages while some bloke got his passport done to be told (several purchases later while I was waiting LOL) I should have made an appointment to have this paperwork done! My sharp intake of breath and sucking in of teeth and 'you are joking - we have come from Tardun (read ends of the earth) aaarrrhhh. The woman behind the counter supposed she could do it then but there were more hurdles yet. Over here you have to have a variety of ID and I am thinking of getting a portable DNA unit to carry with me, LOL. My passport was OK but she initially said my NZ licence was no good. Showed her my bankcard and Aussibank eftpos card which she duly noted and then wrote down my licence no.!!!! Then, did I have proof of where I lived? Did my glazed look not count, and the fact I had just given them info signed by the Principal, and I was accompanied by someone else from the same place doing the same thing! Did I have any mail addressed to me - a power bill or some such thing! I realised, I had a letter from the aussi bank at home and so she graciously allowed me to fax a copy of that when I got back here and $90 plus dollars thank you very much.
In the you've gotta love small towns vein, while we were at the PO, I got a phone call from school to ask if we could pick up something from Mullewa Farm Supplies. The FBI could take lessons from here on how to track people in different places so they can pick up supplies, kids etc to bring back to school. As the shop was across the road, it was no problem.
We were there to pick up a range of boots for some of the kids to try on and to buy a carton of soap powder (for us). While waiting to be served, had a Eureka moment when I spied Robocans (bugspray) on the shelves (covered in cobwebs LOL). Swooped on two with glee only to be told they were out of the bits that go on top that do the business of spraying at regular intervals. AARRRH again - so have put an order in for when they arrive. Will take no chances and do a bulk buy. Did buy two square platter type dishes so I can put things on them LOL $5.95ea which I thought was cheap. Had to knock the dust off them too. I then decided while we were getting boots for the kids, I may as well continue with my aussi kit and get a pair myself. Had a very Cinderella (ugly sister) moment when I went to try them on. They had no sox to use so it was best guess to size and lo and behold I ended up with a pair 8 1/2s, so love the sizing here (several sizes smaller than I would normally get!!). My workmate nearly wet herself watching me trying said boots on, standing on one leg, heaving the boot onto the other foot while I was bent semi-double ( a Nana Gert moment LOL). Before I fell over and took out a shelf of goods, she showed me the knack (there is a knack to getting them on!!!)- twist sideways (the boot, not me) and they slide on. The ladies in the shop also enjoyed the humour of my purchase so felt I had spread some joy and light into everyone's day as I left with my new Ocker boots - I am reliably told they are able to withstand standing on some prickle that abounds out here that can do serious damage so that was a bonus LOL. Needed a lie down once I got home to recover and get my strenth up for the weekend.
Will sign off for now so everyone can get a coffe and get ready for the next installment.
Lynn

1 comment:

Spanish Viv said...

You do realise that you've had 2 Nana Gert moments in the space of two days!! Must be the pioneering spirit of the place.
A good thing about Europe, no flies or bugs while we were there.