21^st May

Well I sit here writing this with my feet soaking in Radox – I didn’t realise how sedentary my last 10 years of work were.  Paul you should have given me a standing desk as preparation!   

The last heard there were 2 remaining Quoll of the test still alive – both females (go girls).  They will do an occasional check on them but otherwise its apparently back to Canberra and come up with another better idea. 

After 2 weeks in Darwin are boss’s are back, although it will be another month before Christy can resume normal duties.  My cooking skills – well no reports of food poisoning as yet!  We actually had a good 2 weeks, with no drama’s and enjoyed the pace.  Rob is getting heaps better with the cash register and we both are finding the local indigenous much easier to understand now.  Anyone who thinks they don’t have a drinking problem though is kidding themselves.  By no means am I saying all of them but boy do we sell some alcohol.  We had a group of 7 turn up in a Holden Commodore (go figure but they have lots of Holden Commodores here) – now I’m talking 7 adults in the one car.  They must have come into the bar at least 5 different times buying cartons of VB, casks of Chardonnay and bottles of Rum.  They would take what they purchased out to the car and pack it in and then when they found an empty space they would come back in and buy more to fill it.  Now I don’t know how long it was to last them or how many was really in their group but I’m just saying….       When we sell takeaway alcohol, NT licencing laws say that we must get their name, where they are from, and where they are going to consume it.  We don’t have to sight ID so they can really tell us anything and usually when we ask where they are going to consume it – they say “Fishing”. 

Our ‘local’ Buffalo is starting to get closer to the campground and I suspect that it will have to be dealt with soon.  You can see it’s tracks in the driveway around the camping area and last week it even crossed the camping area.  I for one wouldn’t like to get up during the night and be confronted by it.  However an interesting fact from Ranger Joe – you can tell the sex of the Buffalo from it’s hoof prints.  A solid outer circle indicates a male and a softer line on the inside of the hoof mark indicates a female.  On a bright note the tracks I’ve been seeing are from a female. 

Rob and I haven’t had much time off in the past few weeks (like nothing together) but we do have Tuesday off and we are really looking forward to it.  We were going to go to Gunlom and see the waterfalls but to be honest for all you down south – its just to hot unless you go really early or late.  Thinking we will go to Katherine instead and then sunset at a local viewing point.

Hah a funny story – I popped into Pine Creek on Friday morning to make a few calls. Had to leave early as I was due back to work by lunch time.  Heading off and Rob says to me “watch out for Kangaroos!”   Like talk about set me up.  I usually sit on 120 but thought no I’ll go a bit slower although it was already 8am.  Come around a bend at Moline Golf Club (not what you think) and here’s 3 Kangaroos sitting on the left hand side of the road.  Good responsible driver that I am I slowed right down and then WHAM a Kangaroo charges me from the right side and I’m not sure if it head-butted or kicked the car above the wheel arch but hit me it did and then they all just hopped away.  No damage but you could see the mark where it hit. 

27^th May

Woke up this morning to the usual beautiful chorus of bird sounds, but you know when there is one that just always tries to be better & LOUDER?  Well he was here this morning – felt like going out and throwing something at it!! 

We had a new staff member start on Wednesday and have another 2 due to start on the 17^th June.  Bringing more staff on board as the season is starting to hot up and we are seeing more traffic every day.  Also Rob & I will be finish late July/Early August, unless they find themselves overstaffed in which case we will leave earlier.  Looking forward to being a tourist again ourselves!  The big plus in the meantime should be that Rob & I will get to have a bit more time together. 

No photo’s with this post I’m sorry – using satellite coverage and it just doesn’t cut it with uploading photo’s..