Swim camp

Swim camp was great, lots of work in the kitchen and kid juggling, but Asha loved it. She even got to play the fairy godmother in the finale! Working and mixing with the other station women and teachers was a privilege, especially in talking to them about raising kids out here. I asked one lovely woman if she preferred being here or in the Kimberleys where she was stationed previously. 'Oh The Kimberleys she said without hesitation. It's way too suburban here!'  Granted, she lives on a property only half an hour from town, but the town consists of about 100 people, and she backs on to an expanse of millions of uninterrupted dunefields!
We probably seemed like we came in from the sticks. A 2.5 hour drive got us there, we didn't get bogged, and Al shot an enormous pig on the way. The last night in Bedourie was a good night but messy. We all needed a wind down after the camp and especially the fires. Despite my claim of not wanting to shame myself and starting the night drinking only xxxxgold! (Don't tell anyone from Adelaide), it soon deteriorated.  The night continued with copious amounts of vodka, country music, big hats and great yarns. Unfortunately the next morning was very shameful, and we all limped the hours home, only to see great plumes of smoke yet again. Al pulled an all nighter that night, and none of us got much sleep the next 2 nights. Fire has ripped through cravens peak now on the eastern side. coming too close to the house. The sky was aglow with red that night. the kids were asking me what the red was outside their window as they were going to sleep. 'Umm, its fire kids" I had to say. I finally got onto Al on the satellite phone, he was somewhere out there and the fire looked very close. He was stuck the other side of the fires and couldn't get through, the car was overheating and he'd done a shock absorber. I had a tantrum and packed woollen clothes in a bag, just in case... alls good now though, and Al is having a day off at long last. School goes on regardless though, so back to it!