On the Road again.

Have had an interesting few days. Had just had a nana nap on Tuesday when there was a knock at the door and the Telstra man was there as promised. He tested the line and said that it was connected so it must be the phone at fault and therefore it would cost me a $100 for their time!!!!! I was fit to be tied - he said the fault was the phone had locked up and seeing it was not a rental they had no responsibility to fix it. To be fair, in the face of smoke and flame pouring out of my nostrils and ears, he did look in the van to see if he had an old phone spare that would work. Unfortunately for me, he didn't so back to square one. I stalked up to school after making dinner to get some mail and decided to call into the workmate's home for a coffee. Happened to arrive during something on TV, I think called "Australia, we have Talent", an "Idol" type program with three panelists (the guy who rode the horse in the Man from Snowy River, Danny Minogue and a guy from the band Sky Hooks) who watch people perform and decide whether they came back to perform again - the prize being $250,000. In a traffic smash sort of way, I totally got caught up in it and amongst a few awful performances there was some amazing talent (who'd of thought LOL). Very good family type entertainment. "All Saints" was on after that then "Law and Order" then "New CI" with two coffees in between, I finally decided it was time to go home. It was great to see some TV again. I also saw a little bit of news - the tragedy in Burma and about the boat tragedy in Sydney to which I had been totally oblivious till then. Have not had time to trawl the internet to read the NZ Herald and had seen no papers here.

Yesterday did the vege run to Geraldton. I want a double cab ute LOL. I drove a work one this time and did all the driving while Bro navigated. Left here at 9.15am and got back about 7.30pm to school, then had to unpack the ute and drop off a boy to Wandalgu before I got home. A very long day. Have decided the ute is the right size for me, it is relatively easy to park, has enough herbs on the open road - only have to watch it on the gravel where I do not go over 80k (it fishtails after that speed I'm told LOL). We took one boy in with us as he had a bus to catch up to Broom that afternoon and picked another one up in town to bring back who had been home unwell. I now think I could probably get into Gton on my own and find my way to most places, but have bought a town map to be sure. The next time I will take the time before I leave to locate all the places we need to pick up or drop stuff off and do it logically as yesterday we went backwards and forwards across town at least six times as Bro worked out more things off the list of jobs to do. This will enable me to get more time for shopping myself heh heh. Had drama at the bus stop when we found the boy going home had no ticket 5 mins before the bus was due to go. It took nearly 3/4 hour to sort out with multiple calls to family and back (the ticket had been mistakenly booked for the following day) but what gems the drivers and the information centre people were. The bus waited and left 40 mins late with the boy and everything in order - fantastic service all round.

As per usual, called into the library on our way to town and lo and behold our librarian (Erica) was not there. Gotta love these small places though, at a food wholesalers in Gton, who should we bump into but Erica and her husband. Their daughter is currently living in the south island and engaged to a kiwi - nearly family, I tell you LOL.

The netball season has started and our girls went into Gton for their games on Tuesday and both teams won. The B team which the workmate coaches had girls who have never played netball before so all were extremely happy with that. Lots of girls with aches and pains last night however.

On the way down to Wandalgu last night, I noticed that there were lights in several paddocks that looked like aliens were landing or had landed. Apparently it was farmers out seeding their paddocks with their tractors lit up like Christmas trees (Question - why do they not do it in the day?). I asked Bro yesterday how many acres the school farm would have planted for wheat and he replied about 4000 - 5000acres (what's a 1000acres among friends). Am trying to imagine how much land that would encompass at home to understand what that would look like (Maybe that is why it is a day and night job). There is a noticable lift in spirits when you talk to people with all the rain we have had and a smidgeon of optimism that this might be a good year. Noticed more damage that the flood last week caused on the way into town yesterday. There are segments in the railway line that are hanging in midair having had all the dirt and stones washed away from underneath the rails. Not sure how often the trains run or if it is just in season - no doubt the powers that be are aware of the damage done. On duty tonight and tomorrow and both of us are working over the weekend.

Forgot to mention the upshot of the Telstra saga. The following day as I was tidying the place I noticed that screen was going on the phone and when I picked it up it had dial tone - I did nothing from the time the guy left and it was still as dead as a door nail then so goodness only knows what occurred to get it going again but am not arguing. Cannot connect the lap top though, will not recognise my password so need try and sort that tomorrow - one step at a time!!!

Am in the library again doing supervision after school and it is just about to wind up so will sign off for now.
Cheers
Lynn