Well I have made it to Barcelona airport. On time and without having to rush. I arrived in Barcelona in the dark and got to the airport just as the sun was rising. I will have to come back another time I guess to see a bit of the city. When I arrived at my departure gate there was no one here. Literally. I was all by myself. That should have been a sign.

We were due to board the plane at 9:30 for a 10 o'clock departure. Now it is 10:30 and we are scheduled to leave at 11:18. There is a good chance I will not make my flight to Perth. The air traffic controllers in France are on strike. If it is not snow delays than it is work stoppages. Go figure. I guess we fly over France to get to Milan, Italy but why not just divert a bit south and miss France altogether.

So that is exactly what they did. Which resulted in an addition 2 hours on the tarmac so now I am really not making the flight to Perth. Oh well not much I can do at 37,000 feet for 15 hours. We stopped in Milan for an hour to pick up more passengers and then onto Singapore.

Anyone that had a connecting flight from Singapore didn't make it. Singapore Airlines is so organized that as we got off the plane we were directed to the appropriate table to get our new boarding passes and vouchers. Because the next flight to Perth was not until 7 in the evening and it was 10 in the morning when we landed I received a voucher to go to a hotel for a nap, lunch and a shower.

So the 21 hour trip turned into 37 hours with a three hour nap. After landing in Perth at 1 AM I took a cab to the hotel where John was meeting me. So by the time we had a chat to catch up on the past 15 years it was nearly 3 AM and we were both exhausted. We are heading to the station (farm) tomorrow another 4 hours journey to my final destination.

This afternoon we went to see John's girls. Ellie is now 17 just about 18 and Sophie is 16. The last time I saw them they were 3 and 18 months respectively. I could see a resemblance to Ellie at 3 but the change in Sophie was to big and I would not have recognized her if I had passed her on the street. I'm sure it will be the same when I see Jack. Sophie and Jack are twins.

How strange to be going back to where I worked and lived 15 years ago. When we arrived it was great to see that not much had changed. John had remodelled the kitchen and the wood burning stove that I use to cook on was no longer there. A gas range top and fan assisted oven had replace it. All the mod cons. Even the twin tub washing machine has gone away. Thank goodness for that.

The first weekend we went to the coast because it was going to be 40 C plus. We would not be able to do much at the farm because there would be a "vehicle movement ban" during the day. You are allowed to drive on the main roads but not in the paddocks in case you start a fire. Jack stopped by to see his Dad while we were in Hopetoun and again I would not have recognized him.

The last time I was here it was fall and winter so we didn't get to the beach. The beach's are incredible. White sand and turquoise water. Some of the best I have seen and there was no one on them. Anywhere else in the world and the beach's would be packed. I'm in love with the area.

On the way home we stopped at the local camel farm to see a great concert. James Morrison, internationally renowned trumpeter, and his quintet perform. Amazing to see that level of talent in a camel paddock with 200 other people.

So what have I been doing to earn my keep. Cooking for John, Bob (farm helper) and myself for lunches and then John and I for breakie and tea (dinner). I've washed most of the windows in the house which I don't think have been done in 5 years. Still a few to do. Laundry and house work keeps me busy most of the time. I was out pulling melon's today (a weed that grows in the paddocks). John has been brave enough to let me drive and now I do the errands to town (35 km away) and some of the driving when we are touring around. I have 4 chickens that I am looking after. I had to buy 3 new ones when I arrived as Mamma Chicken was lonely.

I have moved sheep between paddocks. A mob of sheep is around 250 sheep. The first day I was moving sheep Brocky (the dog) and I went out to work and by the time we got home we were not speaking to each other. Brocky did not listen to me! We are getting on better now but when we go out to move the sheep he gets tied to the back of the ute (truck) and just gets to bark at the sheep.

John and Bob are out cleaning a dam today. Involves two tractors with a bucket between them being dragged back and forth through the dam. After seeing the mud that came out I will not be swimming in a dam again.

Yes on one of those crazy hot days (40+) we actually went swimming in a dam. Imagine muddy coloured water and about 8 inches of muck around the edge which you have to step in. I did it but John was talking me though it the whole way. Once in I didn't even try to put my feet down because I didn't want to touch anything yucky. A couple of days after the swim we went back to the dam to catch some yabbie's. A drag net produced 2 buckets of bait and a large bucket to eat. Yabbie's = crayfish. We cooked them all up and just had a dinner of fresh yabbies and garlic butter with a few left for the freezer. So muck and yabbies means Tove is not going into a dam any time soon. I will have a cool shower instead.

So you can see that I am keeping busy and loving every minute of it. I am so thankful that John invited me back. I am in my very happy place right now. I will have trouble leaving.

Miss you all.

Love Tove