14 July 2012
It was really special to revisit sunset strip and surrounds, there was a lady at the post box who just happened to be Noelene, our neighbour from 27 years ago. She is still living in the same house and took us home to visit Keith her husband and we heard hours of fun stories over tea and cakes. Most of them revolved around how I followed Keith around “helping” him build their house and our cattle dog Fred! Apparently Fred even starred in a xxxx beer commercial filmed there in the mid 80’s. They also had a key to our old house so i got to revisit my old bedroom. The lake was just as beautiful as I remember but the airstrip dad used to land on had long since closed so that was a little sad to see. I learnt some more about the indigenous significance of the area. About 500m from our house in the bush are sacred burial grounds, I get the feeling those ancestors kept me safe all those years of adventuring.
Broken hill is spectacular in its own way. It shocks me how the mines are literally in the middle of town, you can’t get away from them and someone told us there were 600 people under our feet working. Bizarre! I walked past a hairdressers called “curl up and dye”, that was interesting. We did see some amazing art galleries and collected a few treasures. We camped out at Silverton for a few nights which was a blast. We stayed at penrose park. It was set up as a weekend getaway for all the miners and their families in the early 1900’s. They had a special open air tram they travelled the 25km out in and the old photos were very charming. They had a football oval, old stone dance floors, 7 tennis courts and a great big old tin shed for parties. It is quite unique to see. I loved all the old stone buildings in Silverton, the dirt streets and especially the pub! We took the girls into the bar and had a ball meeting and getting to know some of the resident larakins and artists. I am loving these country people.
Pearl charmed everyone with her socialising and wise ways and she even managed to charm the jelly bean machine by turning the knob backwards and scoring unlimited jelly beans. She told anyone that asked they were for the indigenous kids. I hope she delivers!
Freya is very fast and mobile now, she is pulling herself up on things and taking tentative steps if I hold both her hands. She has also taken to sleeping on her tummy which is causing frequent waking as she is in all kinds of twisted up positions. She gets her head wedged in the corner of the cot and gets her legs caught up under so she can’t move. I am grateful on the whole she has been a great sleeper and am looking forward to an uninterrupted nights sleep.
I sent off 4 more postcards without completing the addresses, so it will be a real miracle if they arrive. (deb the one pearl wrote for everyone at school was in there so we are working on another). My mind is very relaxed!
At the campground at Silverton I over heard the two women camped next door commenting on how another camper was ” much happier with her 2nd husband” to which pearl piped up. “well my mum is happier with her 3rd than she was with the other two”! It was priceless!!!
There are still frosts every night, we are staying in some powered sites for a little more creature comfort, minus anything is cold for me.
Sending love to all xxx