Accomplishments and nostalgia

Harry was stumped by how to climb this “ladder” on the first day we visited this park.

Day 2 saw him work it out and get to the top.

He was very pleased with himself.

Besides cooking and generally running about during the muster, we had as our mission painting and furnishing the sleepout.  It was one of those places, a closed in side verandah, where “stuff” got dumped.  Anything that didnt have a home seemed to end up there.

I had a loooonnng shopping list before leaving home – things that were not able to be bought locally.  My car was so loaded that I did wonder if I would fit in any clothes at all.  Fortunately there was a little space on the front passenger seat.

We moved the “dumped” stuff, cleaned walls, painted, swept a dozen times,  altered and hung curtains, brought in beds and made them up.  It now looks so different from when I went there.

These photos above show the finished sleepout from each end, with the fresh looking curtains, and the old but beautiful quilts.  It is now such a different area, inviting visitors to come and stay.

I like the use of the old horseshoe to hold the curtain tieback.  This curtain was hanging over the doorway into the living room.

On the trip each way I stayed a night with my Aunt in the town where I grew up.  I had a good look around the old town. 

One place I stopped at was the park where the War Memorial has been erected.  Back when that was first established (probably about 25 - 30 years ago)my Dad had planted native trees throughout the park.  He had to go and water them frequently until they were established, and when visiting him we would go and help.  It had to be done by bucket and watering can.  It was so good to see these trees have thrived and are now a mature height.

In the same park is the remains of a tree used as a survey marker of the border between New South Wales and Queensland.

I checked out what had been my Grandparents’ house.  We lived in the house next door, which is hidden by the tree. 

I was a couple of weeks too early to see the wattle covering these hills.  It was just starting to flower.  Probably now that hill would be more yellow than green.