10 Things That Have Happened Since I Last Posted Here

Well, sometimes this thing just sort of gets away from me. Its been a busy few weeks since I last posted, and with all the running around we've been doing there has rarely been a moment where I have the free time and the internet connection to post something. Lots to catch you all up on, so let's get to it.

1. On our way from Lake Tinaroo to Townsville we stopped at Milla Milla Falls. No one should be surprised by this point that I convinced the girls to swim out underneath them.
   

   
2. We stayed at Baygal Beach just outside of Townsville at the girls' grandmother's house. It was absolutely lovely, and we ended up staying an extra week so we had to start school on the road! Also, saved some sea turtles!
   

   

   Can't you see we're struggling?  It really isn't the best work environment.

   
3. With three adults riding abreast in the front of the car, you better believe we got up to some hilarious antics (be proud of me that I didn't draw on any sleeping people until the last day). This is how I was taught to navigate T-intersections:

Chris: Anything your way mate?
Kaitlyn: *flawless Aussie accent* Naw mate, she's alright, get up 'er!

Every.  Single.  Intersection. 

Unrelated road stop: "Bit high don't ya think?" We definitely didn't lack for entertainment on the road.

4. After the two day journey back to Carnarvon, we were welcomed home by a few A-list guests. Bob Brown (former senator, leader of the Australian Green Party, and founder of Bush Heritage) and his partner Paul were visiting and we had a few great nights round the campfire. Lovely blokes!
   

   
5. I started a bush fire! Planned burning, so its controlled, but still very exciting. I've never really been a pyromaniac but...there is something very alluring and thrilling about lighting a fire that big, I've never seen anything like it to be honest. To me, controlling fire is one of those basic fundamental adaptations that made us human, so the whole idea of controlling those flames just stirs something primal in me I suppose.
   

   

   Casually light everything on fire on the way home.

   

   Honestly, how could you not be amazed?

6. We went to mini-school again! A few more foreign govies like myself this time. Favorite moment of the whole trip of course came when an Aussie, Canadian, Brit, Irish, and an American (with Scottish influences) all had go at each other about vocabulary and accents, truly an international panel!
   

   

   The Outstation, swag and a bag is all you need!

7. We came back from mini-school, had a weekend off and then a mob of Bush Heritage folks came out to Carnarvon for a week of 4WD courses, barbeques, and beer as far as I can tell. They were great fun and I loved having some folks around the cottage (especially bacon and egg breakfasts everyday) and some great nights around the fire having a chat, howling at the dingoes, drinking too much, singing songs, playing guitar, making fun of each other – ahhh, bliss.
   

   
8. Learned lots of things and made lots of friends that week, but some of my favorites were learning to drive the quad, shooting the pig hunting gun, and learning how to properly chop wood and start a fire for the soon to come chilly Carnarvon nights.
   

   

   That's a big bullet.  But more than anything, I've discovered its a loud bullet.

9. Chris is now realizing that I'm “like having a four year old boy around”. While probably meant as an exasperated shot at me somewhere between “can we play with the welder” and “can we go push over burning trees”, I'm choosing to take it as a compliment. Safety first of course, but if you're not exploring and having fun, what's the point? And I mean, I only wanted to push over the ones that were going to fall over anyway.
   

   

   
   

10. It only took until about noon time the day everyone left for Katie and I to proclaim our boredom, whereupon we decided we had nothing better to do so we might as well hike to the top of Mt. Lambert. As far as I can tell, my adventurous kindred spirit Katie is the only kid that's ever done it properly, and we had a jolly good time. Tough hour and a half climb, but some beautiful views and we slid on our bottoms most of the way down so we made it back in a third of the time.

That just about brings us up to the present, a crazy few weeks for sure!

(Wow, I've just reread what I've written and seen the number of times I talk about fire and I think maybe I do have pyromania problem.  Send help.  Or fire extinguishers.)