As I alluded in my last posting I'm off to Australia (again). Once more not planned at all. John and I were talking on Thursday (Mar 18) and by 7 PM I bought my ticket. The next day I was on a jet plane back to the land down under. Since I made the decision so quickly it was a very fast repack and then back to Barcelona.

Some of the "coffee" ladies were able to meet me for a quick drink and Tessa, Pam and I had a vino and a couple of tapas before I went back to the apartment for the last time. I met Tessa the second day I was in Benicassim and a few days later I met Pam. Tessa and Pam have been a great help to me during my time in Benicassim. Pam helped me with my banking and other translation issues on more than one occasion and Tessa has made me feel very at home while I have been here. Laurie and Marie it was great to talk to you from the airport in Barcelona and I will keep you posted as to where I am in the future. Kaye and Anita sorry I missed you before I left.

Months ago I remember being at the library planning to deal with "Ester" about signing up for Spanish classes and I was very blessed to meet a young lady that offered to help me. Alison (Tessa daughter) introduced herself that day. She has been there when I needed a translator and a friend to talk too. I hope I have been there for her when she needed someone to talk too. Alison is planning to finish her leaving certificates (high school graduation) this year and then the future is hers. Alison I know you will excel at what every you chose. Its funny how people come into your life at the perfect time. Alison and I spent quite a bit of time together over the next four months and I really enjoyed her company.

So how do I get to Barcelona????? Very lucky for me, Paloma and Jose Luis were going to Barcelona to visit Jose Luis' mother and they were very kind and dropped me off at the airport. I am glad that they were able to help me out and I also had a chance to say a property good bye to them. When they make a trip to Canada I will be arranging to show them around.

So while I was in a panic to leave Spain for the final time poor John had to adjust to me coming back to Australia. I was arriving very late/early on Saturday night/Sunday morning and John was able to meet me at the airport at 2:00AM. Thank you sweetie.

We stayed in Perth for two nights and had a chance to see John's kids on Sunday and then get to some appointments in the city on Monday. When it is a 4 hour trip to Perth you try to take care of more than one errand.

If anyone remembers (and watches the weather channel) you might be aware of the storm that went through Perth on March 22nd. The total damage is expected to be in excess of $650 million. The storm is being called the worst in more than 50 years. The hail was so large that it broke windows in cars, houses, and offices.

John and I had been to Kings Park (see the photo's) about 2 hours before the storm hit and it was a beautiful sunny day. We left the city at about 3:30PM and we could see the big black clouds coming in. Luckily I sent us over the wrong bridge and as a result we didn't have to deal with much hail. The northern suburbs of Perth was very badly hit. One of John's niece's cars was written off from the damage. Some car dealerships have no new cars to sell as all of them were so badly damaged they have been written off. John might go back to Perth once the auctions start and get a new vehicle for less than 40% of the original price. It might look like a golf ball with all the dimples but the sheep will not care.

As we were leaving Perth that Monday afternoon we had to pick up the Harley that had been in for a service and when we got there at 5PM the storm hit that area. We sat in the shop for over an hour with the doors closed while the storm raged outside. The shop next door had the ceiling collapse and the water was up to the doors. It was amazing but not in a good way.

Once we were able to load the bike on the back of the ute (truck) we headed out with the plan to drive home that night. The drive is about five hours but with both of us driving it could be manageable. Well by the time we got to Wagin (where John's mom lives) we had given up driving home that night. The storm had followed us minus the hail. We stayed the night in Wagin and then headed out the next morning.

It was great to get back to the station (farm). The animals were very happy to see us as John had been gone for 3 nights and they were getting worried and hungry. As soon as we got home it was a trip out to check the sheep as they are just starting to lamb. They seemed to be OK for the most part. Some lambs had got separated from their moms but all we can do is move them back to the mob and hope that their mom finds them. There can be up to 750 sheep in each mob so trying to match the lamb to the ewe is impossible.

The rest of the week was checking the sheep each day (about 2 hours of time) and also feeding them hay and grain. Right now is the most intense time as some of the ewe's and lambs don't make it. We try as best we can to protect them but with 1,800 ewes expected to have babies we can't babysit all of them.

We did have a bit of diversion on April 1st. We went to town to have tea (dinner) at the pub and see if we might have a chance to win "Chase the Ace". Not the Chase the Ace that the Pedersen/Andersen family plays. Chase the Ace in Oz is played in pubs. You need to draw the Ace of Spades to win. So the first day of the competition the pub puts $100 into the pot and then a person draws a card from a standard deck of cards. If they draw the Ace of Spades they win. If they don't then the pub puts in another $100. The pot keeps growing until someone draws the Ace.

Only one person can draw a card each week and that person is determined by someone having the correct "number". Every time you buy a drink between 6 - 9 PM on the night of the game you are given a number. So at 9PM the barman draws a number. If you are there you and you have the number you get to pull a card from the deck. Once a card is drawn it is not put back into the deck.

So anyway after that long explanation John and I had nice dinner and a few drinks and at 9PM they drew ticket number Green 38. John had the ticket and insisted that I draw the card......you can guess where this is going right! When I got to the bar there were very few cards left as there had been 44 cards drawn before my turn. With only a few cards left it was tough to cut the deck so I chose the top card. YES IS WAS THE ACE OF SPADES. I WON. $3,000! I have never won so much at one time.

The winnings paid for this trip to Australia (and one more). John swears he would never have chosen the top card so it is a good thing we combined our efforts. I think some of the locals might be a bit ticked as this pot has been building for 44 weeks. (Due to licensing restrictions the max prize is $3000 in Newdegate.) I did leave money on the bar so that everyone could have a round of drinks on the winnings. This is no April Fools joke. Take a look at the photo's for proof.

The plan was to be early to bed on Friday night but a thunder storm blew through the area with lots of lightening and a small fire was started in the scrub between John's property and the road. Luckily it was only in the scrub that is about 10 metres wide not the area that is 600 metres wide. The neighbours came to help put it out. By 11PM it was out enough to be able to go to bed but the alarm clock still went off at 5AM.

The early start was so that we could go to a party on Saturday morning for Dulce's (Johns Mom) 80th and Gordon's (John's step-dad) 90th. John went to Hopetoun to pick up the kids, 3 hour return trip, then we took two cars to the party, 4 hour return trip and then John dropped the kids back in Hopetoun, another 3 hour return trip.

We made it to the party only about an hour behind schedule but better late than never. I met all of John's family including brother, sisters, nieces and nephews. John's sister Kim and her husband are living in Toronto right now so they don't get back to Perth very often.

Sunday was a day for John and I to spend together and for me to get packed to go to Perth and fly back to Europe on Monday (today). We were up at 5AM again to start the day. My flight left at noon so I had to be to the airport for 10. Four and a half hours of driving and we made it. John drove back home today so I'm sure that he has had enough driving to last a few months. Thanks for sending me off safely yet again John. I look forward to being with you at the end of the month.

Now I am at Singapore airport killing 7 hours before my flight leaves for Amsterdam. The next few weeks are very busy for me and you might not get many updates but I will try. Here is my schedule just so you can keep track of me on a globe.

• Perth to Amsterdam Apr 5/6
• Amsterdam to London Apr 7
• London to Bahrain Apr 9 to Apr 13
• Bahrain to Bombay Apr 14 to Apr 19
• Bombay to Singapore Apr 20 to Apr 26
• Singapore to Perth Apr 26 to May 2
• Perth to Sydney May 2 to May 5
• Sydney to Brisbane May 5 - May 7
• Brisbane to Sydney to Honolulu May 7 - May 11
• Honolulu to Vancouver May 11!

See you soon.

Tove