High on a hill was a lonely goatherd,Yodel-ay-ee, Yodel-ay-ee, Yodel--oo

Merry Tuesday to all!

It is cool, and overcast here today. Absolutely lovely. I am actually wearing trackpants and a jumper, which is a complete contrast to the hot and steamy conditions we endured on Friday and Saturday. Hooray!!

Get comfortable, and come for a ride with me............

The regional show was, as expected, a disappointment, and waste of money. It was $20 to walk through the gate, look at all the rides in sideshow alley, and a small number of entries in the art and craft show. There was a guy who drove around the arena a couple of times in his very loud 1965 Ford Mustang racer, creating a lot of dust and disturbing the horses penned in the centre. There was no campdrafting or events in the arena, no rodeo. The promised circus act must have finished before we arrived, and the Battle of the Bands was on it's last legs. At least the crowds were thin. The rides were expensive; one was $15 a turn, but hey, if you could have a second go for another $10! We payed $3 each for a bottle of water that you could buy at the supermarket for about $2. There were some rather impressive fireworks; very ooh and ahh. And kids were supplied with 3-D glasses to watch for FREE!..... Ahem......

The weekend away almost didn't happen. Beloved had given me a trailer tyre that had gone down to take into the repairer on Friday. Well, I forgot, didn't I. At least until I opened the boot at 4pm.... Zoom...Off to the tyre shop with an extremely apologetic demeanour.... "I need it today, sorry"........ "No worries. What name?". I picked up Beloved, then we picked up the tyre at 5pm, shopped, then zoomed home to pack before The Show. Beloved installed(?) the repaired tyre. 5am Saturday, Beloved and I arose to finish packing, then head off. Except the 'repaired' tyre was flat. As a tack. Completely. Deep breaths...The boys had another hours sleep......breakfast at home. Saved us about $30 I suppose..... The tyre shop opened at 7.30, and we were there as they opened the doors. Half an hour later we were off!!!!

There has been rain in our part of the world. Everything is surprisingly green. It's been dusty and brown/yellow for so long. The New England Tablelands actually looks like.............. New England!

Two and a half hours after leaving Muswellbrook..........................

Here's a view..............

I just wanted to break into a chorus of "Edelweiss" when drove out of the bushy drive and into this open valley.........

Here are some locals.....As well as these there were some geese, 2 turkeys, a peacock and two peahens(lucky fella), mother hen and her 11 chickens, 2 roosters, boer goats and demarra sheep, who decided that there was gold in them thar hills, and probably some peace and quiet too.... 5 dogs in total; Old black pigging dog, Banjo; stumpy-tail red cattle dog, Bundy; Wolfhounds, Cloudy and Lucy, and last but not least, Great Dane, Rosy......Phew.....and.....

Rodney, the only resident in the former piggery... slept for just about the entire weekend........what a big, smelly boy he is!!!!!!!..............

Here's Pap, the trotting professional who was too good, and ended up with a trotting rig in the belly from a fierce "competitor". He must be in trotter-nirvana now...........

A horse's eye view of the old piggery...... there used be 400 residents.......

Banjo; this girl is a retired champion barrel horse (retired..can you see a pattern here?). She has loads of attutide, and was quite happy to be in my face......... In the background are Susie, the black mare, who is 30years young, and Bianca, aka the white mare, who is overdue to foal, but refused to let us in on the act.........

Beloved and the wolfhounds, Cloudy and Lucy; the most gentle and sensitive dogs imaginable..... Our Clover loved the farm, but was very protective of us..and the piggery...and the barbeque..I think it's because she's still a bit insecure... everwhere she goes is her home, as long as she's with us. She thought nothing of taking on these enormous dogs, especially Rosy, the great dane, and even had a stoush with a visiting labrador... She had them bluffed; they all walked around her. It's an unusual trait in a boxer. We'll really have to be careful with her now that we know this.

Surprise!..... Civilisation at a Mototrials event! Believe me, people; this is a rare sighting indeed! Catering for this weekend was fabulous. Nyrie and Pete and amazing hosts.........

Quite a few riders turned up for the weekend, but it's a male-dominated past-time. It's so good to see so many fathers and sons, and a few daughters as well, have a great time together. Even though I whinge about it, it's a good, healthy sport for a family to be involved in, and most of the people you meet are good souls...... some can be more......interesting........ than others........but you get that everywhere.

Wives and mothers fall into two categories;

the always onlookers, who are passionately supportive and encouraging (add as obsessive as their husbands/sons here), running around with drinks and nourishment in the bush all day, cheering every section,

or like me, grudgingly attentive when necessary. This means that you do your own thing, read, bush walk when wanting to, chatting when and with whom one desires, and occassionally finding where the riders are, and watching a few sections. That's not to say I'm not appreciative of the skill involved in the sport; I get quite impressed at times, but I've just been involved too long, since my own childhood, actually, and as I've said before, I'm the queen of apathy.

One dad bought along a guitar, and spent a few hours with the boys on Saturday night, playing tunes and giving advice.

Thankfully, it rained on Saturday night, so Sunday was a lot cooler, and it started to blow a gale on Sunday evening; the wind just whistled up the valley! Everyone had a good time, and it was with regret that the packing up had to be done on Sunday afternoon. Such regret in fact, that Beloved called work and requested a flexiday for Monday...the boys happily missed a day of school.... I wasn't rostered on anyway.....

A lot of folk camped or slept in the newly-civilised and re-furbished piggery, but Beloved and I slept in the house in a lovely bedroom with a lovely bed, and the boys slept in the original cottage. We were more comfy than most, I'd say. Hot showers, a real toilet, running water, good tea and coffee... it's almost enough to make me keen again....almost.... I know that this weekend was a dream event, really..........

And the highlight of the weekend? Pete assembling his massage table after we'd cleaned up on Monday....... He and Nyrie are regulars on the rodeo circuit, with their table and coffee van, easing away the aches and pain of the cowboys...... First, He worked on Nyrie, and then had Rhys on the table. That was funny; he's rather loud, my vegeboy......Nyrie is a Reiki master, and then Pete favoured me with some Shiatsu...... or somethjing along those lines. He started wityh my calves, and worked his way up. Aha, no pain there..... feeling good... into the sacral area and buttocks...sore, but not too bad... then.....HELP...my neck and shoulders... You know thaty song by the Divynils "THERE'S A FINE LINE BETWEEN PLEASURE AND PAIN"............ Oh, Yeah...... Holy cow...... but it feels soooooo much better now....... I can move so much more freely..... even in my hips and groin, and I needed to arrange some Bowen Therapy for this. But not just yet, now. Crunch, crunch, crunch, goes my back..........and then.."that's enough", says Pete.... Aww Geee....says me........

Homeward bound, we were after that.......

Unpacked the car, started the washing machine, cooked some tea. Read some blogs in between hanging out loads of washing. Then I showered (it was cold!!!! Brrrrr!) and headed off to bed. Today, the clothesline is full, I've run out of pegs, and there's still a load or two to go... Gee; I'm so pleased that I washed on Thursday......Plurgh......

Today, I have been working off and on on this post; the photos have been difficult and tiresome to load; blogger just doesn't seem to love me today, never going where I want them too, and have houseworked in between. I really have to go. Reluctantly. Centrelink calls, as do groceries, parent teacher interviews for Vegeboy, and football training. So, I guess I'd better finish. I'll post more piccies later...including some motorbike shots so you know that I really was there.......

Just one more thing........

How can I get Pete and Nyrie to run EVERY TRIAL?????????

Hooroo for Now!

xoxoxoxoxoxox