Well it's been a month in between blogs and things have been going very smooth here in Alice Springs. It's also starting to get very bloody cold!! The jumper is on from four in the arvo and the heater and electric blankets are on all night. This desert winter is the only thing l'm really not liking in Alice and Marty is so over hearing me whinge about it!!
Anyway, what's happened in the month? Well Marty has started working a few days at the caravan park which he is loving. He was going a bit stir crazy sitting around the park with the girls, very bored he reckons. My work at the hospital is going great. So much work for nurses here, could work everyday if l wanted, but full time will just do at the moment l think.... I have managed to be liked by the managers on both paeds and emergency department, so have the best of both worlds with getting a roster and being paid casual rates. I'm learning so much and falling back in love with nursing again. Also starting to feel confident with communicating with the huge aboriginal cliental here, so all in all, it's going great!
We've met some more wonderful families in the last four weeks too and the girls have had a blast playing with the kids. First we had the fortune to have a lovely family pull in next door. Haven't seen Boo so excited over a new playmate since Charlotte Woods in Townsville!! Her name was Ella, and her and Boo hit it off immediately. Poor Meg felt a bit left out after having her sister to herself for such a long time, but they all played really well together. Marty and l got a little excited too and l think we chatted Matt and Michelle's ear off the first day we met them. It had been a while inbetween adult contact for us both at the park. They were here for a few nights so it was great to have some awesome company and laughs. When they left Boo was a bit sad but we swapped email addresses so her and Ella could chat again. Only a few nights later we had another awesome family pull in on the other side of us. Again, we all hit it off quickly and had great chats. The kids, Nathan and Katelyn, were really good kids. Nathan and Boo were inseparable for the four or so days they were here. They collected boxes and bottles and for two days made boats out of them. Katelyn, who was 12 yrs old, was so good with Meg. They too were inseparable and decided to make boats to compete against the other two, but unlike boo and Nathan, it only took them one day to do. After the boats were all made, it was time to test them and have a boat race in the bath. They all floated, and the kids had a blast. Glenda and Michael, the parents, were a really great couple. We sat around having a few laughs over a few drinks. They were an awesome country family! Poor Glenda had a slight accident when they were out at Ormiston Gorge when she got mis footed and fell 2-3m off the edge of a cliff. Poor thing couldn't walk straight and looked in so much pain. Very lucky l thought. Since then have heard of a few people getting injured from falls out West MacDonald Ranges, so will take it easy when we get there l think. On one of the last nights we were all together, the kids got treated to a ride on a Goldwing motorbike! They were all lit up with lights like a Christmas tree and there were a stack of them here on their way thru on a charity ride for kids with cancer. So all the four kids gave them a gold coin donation for a ride around the park on the bikes. They were all so excited and couldn't wipe the grin off their faces!! We just got an email the other day from the club saying the kids were going to be in their magazine!! Bloody celebrities now!!! Lol....
After saying yet another goodbye to some new friends, and swapping contact numbers, it was time for all the grey nomads to start rocking in. Nice, but would love some young families around, oh well, can't have everything hey.
The next big day was Mothers Day and luckily l was able to get a swap at work, somehow rostered myself on! Luckily for Marty and the girls it was pancake Sunday so they didn't have to worry about cooking me a special breaky. The girls made me some beautiful cards and l got some well needed flannel PJs. After breaky we headed off to the Desert Park just out the road. We had heard good things about this tourist attraction so we were all looking forward to it. After experiencing it, l would gladly give my recommendation to go and check it out. We were there for the best part of the day and we walked thru different parts of manmade desert land, the sand, the bush and the wet. We saw a cool bird show and learnt a great deal about aboriginal culture from a top bloke called Doug. He was an educated aboriginal man who gave good insight into traditional culture with living off the land and hunting/gathering weapons/tools. After a great day at the desert park we headed home and enjoyed our fabulous homemade hamburgers for tea. Was a brilliant mothers day!!
The next big event was Meg's 4th birthday on May 20th. She was very excited in the build up days before the actual day. It's great when they get to an age were they know what their birthday is all about. As usual, she woke up at the crack of dawn! But seeing it was her day we couldn't get gruff at her. Boo was so sweet and gave her a huge big kiss and hug whilst wishing her a happy b'day! We then gave her her gifts, and she was so excited l reckon she nearly wet her pants. She was very spoilt and got a Bratz bus, Hello Kitty caravan, some Pet Zoo animals, some PJs and Toy Story Barbie and Ken. We were also lucky to have another pancake Sunday, so l didn't have to cook a special breaky! After breaky we headed to the drag races out the road. I know, drag races!! But Meg wanted to go, she lives watching the burnouts and fast cars she reckons. We stayed there for until about 2pm after the girls had fun rolling down the grass hill for hours making themselves almost sick from being that dizzy!! Lol. We headed home and finished the day Maccas for tea (Meg's choice if course!) and a chocolate mud cake (had to buy from Coles, the first b'day cake l haven't made for years) with a number four done out of smarties (again, Meg's request)! The girls had a fabulous day playing with all the new toys. We were treated with heaps of voice messages and phone calls wishing her a great day, which in turn, has made me miss all our mates and my brother and sister in law heaps. Just got to get thru the next few months when hopefully we will get to catch up with Boof and Nikki in Darwin and hopefully see some mates too.
Don't know where the month has gone. Funny how work takes over and the days roll into one another again. Marty and l are trying to work out our next move when we finish off in Alice Springs. At this stage we're going to stay until mid July and catch the famous Alice Camel Cup. I've had no luck in getting a community gig, working out bush, so l think we will head for Darwin taking a few months to get there. But its still early days l spose.....
Bell Xxx