The Last Post (at Tardun)

This is a very hurried touch base and maybe the last chance I get to write before leaving the school for good, and Oz (hopefully at the moment ) for the holidays. I want to finish off talking about Adelaide but have no time for pictures so will have to recap when back in NZ. Needless to say, it has been a crazy time since arriving back in WA. First challenge was racing from the plane when it landed at Perth to Sky West (luckily in same building) as I had 10 mins between flights in the end. Ran to the counter and the VERY helpful woman there sent someone to look for my bag while I shot through xray etc to get back to Geraldton. Zoomed along to departure lounge and straight to desk only to be told the plane to Gton had been delayed. Whew, someone up there was looking after me. Caught my breath, asked whether I should go back and look for bag but was assured all would be fine, so got out book to read, and waited. And waited. And waited. An hour and a half later, we finally boarded - apparently there was a medical emergency and the plane from Geraldton was needed to transport someone as flying drs were busy - hence the delay. Dozed all the way back but by then panicking somewhat on who would pick me up at the other end. All the staff had been in town for a farewell lunch with the Principal so arriving at the proper time was no problem. I sent txts as I could but of course, once on plane - for the hour flight - I was incommunicado. Got off the plane and saw no one, very sick feeling in pit of stomach and then as I was thinking what next, the office lady turned up - yay - as she had been doing extra jobs in town and was the last one heading back. The DP, WM & WMH and all gone on ahead, which were two respective rides that I missed. So as I was metaphorically kissing the pavement for being picked up, grabbed my bag and was off.

We had a pit stop at Janette's Mum's on the way back. She lives directly on the main road and we had a trailer of mulch to pick up from there. Coffee and bikkies, mmmmm, just the ticket, lol. Even though we were both talking flat tack catching up on all the news, I became aware that we were not leaving the airport by the usual road as we took a detour to get onto the main road. There is huge road works as a new bypass goes through from the main road at the old airport entrance, straight to the port, for mining and wheat trucks etc. It is a massive undertaking and will make a considerable difference once completed, but very confusing in the midst of it all. We were not long on the road again back to school, when the sky began to darken and there were some amazing cloud formations. We were thinking of taking some photos (which I did but a bit too late I think) when hello, forked lightening, and hello again, more. Well, for about 60ks we witnessed the most spectacular lightening show, it was like New Years off Sydney Harbour Bridge (not quite, lol, - slight exaggeration, but you get my drift). Sheet lightening went off behind a large cloud formation so it was like turning a light on and off behind a scarf type of thing, and them whammo, every now and then a ripper forked lightening would zap out towards the ground. If I tell you one of the ones looked as thick as my wrist and and we were miles away, it will give you some idea of how bright and awesome these lightening bolts were. There had also been torrential downpour, ouch, just what you need as you begin to harvest. Finally got back to school, noticing water running along side the road in some areas, and some decent puddles lying about. We went straight up to the dining room as there was a shared meal on for the DP's birthday and farewell as he was off to Sydney the following morning. How nice, I thought, they are having a candle lit dinner (it was around 7pm by now), only to get into the dining room to be told, the power was off. Fantastic. Ate a quick bite in the dark and another catch up, in between fending off a slew of insects that had arrived with the weather. There was a heap of beetles on the table, on the floor, everywhere, - ick. Got dropped back at my place, taking a largish candle borrowed from the Chapel as only had tea lights and not sure where to put my hand on them immediately. So much for catching up on laptop etc that evening, but thank god for gas (the only time I like gas stoves, lol). The DP put a pot on at his place so went and had coffee and catch up and then returned home with nothing for it but an early -ish night. Did try to read by torch light for awhile but tiredness did catch up with me, so all good.

Got up the next day - to no power which out here means no phone, no nothing. Went up to the WM's place to hear it would not be on till later in the day, so there was nothing for it, but to play cards, lol for the rest of the afternoon. The power finally came on, about 4pm, 25 hours after it had gone off the day before!!!!!!. Apparently something like 18 poles had been affected by lightening strike (in the middle of nowhere) and it had taken ages to find and fix them all. Since then have had another 7 hour power cut Monday a week ago, and another 4 hour one on Saturday - all great fun indeed. Because the power was off for 24 hours, we are all entitled to claim $80 inconvenience money from power suppliers and also to claim for any food etc that was affected by it. Janette got us all forms to fill out for the claims so will have to wait and see how that all works.

As our time has been drawing to an end out here and there has been nothing but leave takings since I got back. First the Principal and DP a day apart, then my neighbours 10 days ago, the WM and family last Friday and now it is down to me and Br M who are leaving tomorrow for Perth after morning tea. There will be one couple, two other Brs and our cook left and only one Br and the Cook after Christmas until March next year when the place may be leased to a mining group.

Before the WM and family left, we went over to the office lady's farm the weekend before to take photos of them harvesting wheat. I got to ride in the header (think combine harvester type thingie) as her husband did a round of the wheat field. Firstly, I nearly needed crampons and a pick axe to get into the cab of this behemoth vehicle - (the first vehicle I have clambered into that you need not ask 'does this vehicle make my bum look big, lol). I sort of launched myself at the ladder on the side of the header and dragged myself into the vehicle that has enough bells and whistles to resemble a small flight deck (no coffee machine though, lol). Have taken photos which will upload next post. I did say paddock - it was bigger than our farm in Waiuku (60 acres), and the next door neighbours farm (80 acres) being around 100acres for the ONE paddock. The cutting end of the beast has a blade running horizontally about maybe 8 - 9 inches off the ground (so that the paddocks look as though they have had a no 2 haircut, lol) and then prongs that rotate, - (think croquet hoops or prongs on old fashioned tedders of yesteryear for haymaking in nz -) to scoop up cut wheat. Somehow the wheat is separated from the chaff (almost biblical sentence that, lol) and the wheat flows into the back of the header into a bin. Once that is filled, you then have a truck drive slowly to the side and just back of you, with a trailer and wheat is then transferred by a cylander type nozzle thingie into that bin, while you are both driving round the paddock side by side. The 12 yr old son was driving the truck and I was amazed at how he managed the massive vehicle (gotta love WA that you can stil do this, lol). Wheat is not as densley planted as hay with rows looking to be 3 or 4 inches apart if not more. Just to give you an idea, the school farm harvested 6,000 acres of wheat this year. The machinery is able to measure moisture content in the wheat as you cannot harvest below a certain point. Because the bins on the back are so high, there is actually an alarm that goes, when it needs to be feed off into the truck - I kid you not. The cab is airconditioned, and the view is magnificent as you look down onto the prongs rotating where the blade cuts. Chaff does not appear to be collected and is blown back on the paddock from what I could tell.

You can tell it is harvest time, because the roads are chocka block with wheat trucks and the silos are filling up at Mullewa again and the wheat train is running. Most of the trucks are two trailers big and so after having a brief respite from the terrorists (tourists, lol) and their caravans and winnebagos, you now have to contend with wheat trucks and mining trucks at the same time. It is a challenge on these narrow country dirt roads as these trucks do not give much quarter. You spend a good amount of time trying not to hit the markers on the side of the road as you have to move off (often at reasonable speed) to let them have the right of way. Also, at Mass (I went on Sunday in at Mullewa) there was a specific harvest prayer amongst all the others. For the heathens out there, it was the first Sunday in Advent so the Advent wreath was displayed and the first candle lit during the service. Father Morrissey mentioned he was out visiting local farms to wish them well for their harvests and called out here on Monday evening. Also mentioned it was 27 days to Christmas!!

In the midst of all the above, I have been applying for jobs with no luck as yet. Tried for one in Darwin after being alerted by the lecturer from one of my uni papers as there was a job came up at his school. He rang the WM and I to apply given what he had read in our papers which was a bit of a buzz. I also tried for one in Geraldton but think I have missed out on that as well. They wanted someone with a bus licence which I do not have so not to worry - I have the consultant who employed me for here beating the bushes to see what he can find as many schools are only just advertising now.

So, the house is a tip, I have mice running rampant through the place as there is a mini plague of them happening around here. I have had "one feed kills mice and rats stone dead" bait out for a week - four boxes of it (trying for overkill, lol) and to date, one dead mouse, three playing tag in the lounge the other night and cavorting through the rest of the house as well (the whole other two rooms, lol) with no sign of impending demise. Had a very slow day yesterday and did not sight one at all and was just talking to a friend on line mentioning the same when "MOUSE", one shot out from behind the pantry and then a mate a little later, so am not well impressed. I am only loosely packing and cleaning as I go as the packers are coming in on the 6th of Jan to do it properly. The challenge will be to have a destination for them by that date - no pressure, lol. I leave Perth on Thursday night for Sydney and have several hours stop over there before arriving back in Auckland around 8pm. I am 17 hours in transit from memory.

So I need to get cracking and empty the fridge - I have had some very curious and unusual things to eat over the past week as I try to get through things without wasting food etc. Those of us who are left except the Brs are going to the local pub tonight for dinner so once I do dishes and clean up, that will be it for here. Will have bfast/morning tea up at school tomorrow before we leave.

It all feels a bit surreal (I know, thorougly overused word, lol) as on one level, it is like leaving on any other holiday, and it has not really hit home, this may be the last time I see this place. Too busy to process that bit at the moment however. The WM and family left to go back East for a family wedding and for Christmas and they are back on the 4th to move to their new house in Geraldton. Most of the others are moving there or are already there. So, this just might be me, signing off my aussi adventure until back in NZ as I have just 24 hours left here. It is fitting that it is a full moon, and will try to get some last moon photos tonight, weather permitting. It is overcaste and blowing outside today. The temps have been pretty good - mainly in the 30's with a couple of 40's. Have only had the air con on a couple of times this week mainly towards the middle of the day, and am sitting here with a jumper on this morning,as it is only 22o outside.

Will put some photos of harvest on next post plus some more of Adelaide. Until then catch ya later. :)