Into the "eski" (coolbox to non antipedeans) in went all the usual plus chairs and after 15 mins we got to johns brothers 100 acre farm. Winding our way from the house to the river took 5 mins by car opening and shutting gates.
We unloaded looking for shade. For the first half hour 3 groups stayed in their own shade flapping flies away.
Then I realised jumping in was the way forward. Walking across 6 wooden 10ft bank reinforcing piles to get a good drop in. It was surprisingly pleasant. Esme was egging me on. She then wanted to drop in with me. But we passed as the pile walk is too risky with a 4 yr old.
Then larger than life paul turned up with his family. And with some rings.
"g, day mate. Y'arright?"
then he strolled over looking at a plastic box that could have been an eski but wasnt and said
"you got any tucker in that?" (i reflected on 'tucker' and all over again realised we were in a different but lovely country)
he explained that the river went round in a loop . Rowan loved it went three. Esme only once.
it changed from shallow to too deep very quickly. So sometimes my chest would rub on a stone and others my feet would not touch the bottom. I remembered ox bow lake from o level geography as this is what it will become.
a crowd gathered in one place as the trees cast more shade and a gazebo helped
rowan clambered over dead trees on the far side as we chatted to paul about chainsaws childhood and churches. Then It was hot slab ttime using firewood. As bush fire is a risk we did it right on the bank
the whole time the conversation felt so easy In and out of the group. We met a man whose first name was "my" and second name was "roger" (at least according to his wifes introduction that is!)
rob had just come back from 2 week cruise round fiji. I knew he was a buittcher but didnt ask him about it until he said he had a passion for sausages and had just won a state wide competition with his lamb and mint . And next weekebd he was off to the nationals. i decided then to discuss coarseness of mince or not was a good point
is it a giant spring onion?
a lovely scene with beautiful hills around. Sarah and i have said this is a place we could live. Aussies are connected to the out doors.
can we take the rubbish?
then finally upon leaving we saw a bush fire In the distance 25km away.
we then checked on a website that lists known fires. It was known but got bigger as we wstched.
the way people spoke and stopped showed how serious it could be. Black saturday is still in peoples minds
fantastic day. Thanks everyone
xxx
No comments:
Post a Comment