The last couple of weeks has thrown all sorts of weather at us but now as I write on nearly the shortest day in the middle of what’s supposed to be Australian winter I’m feeling rather warm. The mornings start off freezing so we’ve set the heater in the caravan to come on at 5.30am making it nice and warm for the Kiwi getting ready for work. Gradually during the morning when the sun comes up things start to get warmer to a max of around 20c but as soon as the sun goes down the temperature plummets. Nevertheless the night time cold didn’t stop us sharing a beer around a bonfire with Mr and Mrs Farmer “2” and the United Nations which makes up the rest of the team working on the farm.

The dogs and I are keeping to our 10,000 steps a day and take ourselves off into the bush where we saw a whole rainbow. Daphne and Margot have had their first try and chasing a mob of kangaroo’s, they stood absolutely no chance and thankfully gave up the pursuit before they vanished over the horizon. Their disappointment was made up with a developing taste for “Roo-Poo” and no amount of chastisement will deter them.

They have also discovered the local dam (reservoir in Brit-speak) where they had an absolute ball, got filthy and had to be showered in the ablution block with some Sunsilk shampoo before they were allowed in the van again.

We had one very rainy day and the Kiwi was given the day off. Running low on groceries, we made a foray to Moora 80kms where we were told there was a supermarket. In fact there were two and a plethora of farm merchant shops which we always find fascinating and at last we managed to find the Kiwi a new pair of work boots as the old ones now resembled a dirty pair of flip-flops and joy of joy’s I’ve got a new nightie!! We don’t know ourselves.

Our caravan is currently sited in a farm yard with a copse of trees at one end which are full of squawking parrots. Galah’s, Sulphur Crested Cockatoos, Twenty-Eights and Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo’s take up residence in the trees watching the going’s on in the yard and when all is quiet they all swoop down to peck at a pile of spilt grain. No one has offered to clear up the pile of grain as I think we all quite like them hanging around despite the din!

Meanwhile throughout Western Australia the crops are growing phenomenally well. Infact one farmer who I met yesterday whilst walking down Mamboobie Road told me it’s the best crop he’s ever seen, I admitted the countryside is looking very Britishly green. The Kiwi thinks the farm machinery dealers will be rubbing their hands with glee as everyone will be able to afford a new tractor this year!

We are now at the end of the seeding season and to celebrate Mr and Mrs Farmer 2 took us all to Coorow for supper. The bar at the Coorow Hotel is wonderfully Aussie with the walls lined in wriggly tin and the bar stretches the whole length of the room. It’s owned and run by the community and despite the lack of local population it was quite busy for a Wednesday night. A roaring fire and upturned barrels for tables, the atmosphere was just great, the United Nations were almost unrecognisable, they were clean and in some cases had removed their baseball caps. I sometimes wonder if their caps are a permanent part of their anatomy?

I fill my days with caravan-wifely duties, walking the dogs and taking care of admin left over from England. Internet is hugely expensive so surfing the net is out – Mr Murdoch has complete control of Australia’s internet consumption and for 24mb a month we have to pay $170 (£90). I exceed our limit by miles every month but I can’t complain because petrol is only 60p a litre!  As a final gesture to this blog here’s a typical sunset…