A few of my favourite things....

It has been a super busy and exhausting week with work for me, most days have involved me getting up, doing the morning routine, dressing for work, walking to work, working the whole day, walking home, making dinner, catching up on the latest with B, chilling on the couch then heading to bed. Repeat, repeat, repeat, with one day off thrown into the mix! Yes, I can here you through the Internet cables Mum and Dad, telling me to toughen up!!! Actually, this post is not about that, it's about finding the little things in every day that make me smile and remember that there is so much more in life than work. So here a a few picks of my current favourite things... 

I am LOVING my new Birkenstock's that I got on special off Style tread  They are so comfortable, and I like that they are a bit different to their older styles. I only wish I could wear them every day all day, but they are not work appropriate. Hoping they will last me many years. I am also LOVING the colours in our rug, it adds such brightness to the lounge room.

Strawberries are a staple in our diet lately, they are a stunning rich RED colour, and super SWEET! Yum!!

This is my favourite corner of the kitchen, in particular I am loving the jars (they are large jam jars) , this corner always makes me smile when I see it, breaking up the white/greyish colour of Dinky Donga. 

Yum to stewed apple!! Delish for breakfast with yoghurt, muesli and LSA . Oh and a couple of strawberries thrown in!!

There is so much to see and ooggle over in the shop, however these cards are some of my favs. The artist Al Mason is well known artist and lover of the Boab tree in the Kimberely region and recently passed away. I am planning to mount these cards in the future to look at for years to come. 

Vinegar/water mix in a spray bottle! I know, sad but true, one of the best cleaners of all time! I use it on everything, so easy to use and such s good cleaner and deodoriser.

Yay! New G Mag, with a new name...Can not wait to get reading!!

What I am not loving so much at the moment:

• Blood noses - I have always suffered from several blood noses over the summer months, although the last few years I have had very few, maybe 1 or 2 a year. Apparently here the weather between (well basically) the Tanami desert and the Great Sandy Desert is too much for my body as I seem to be suffering them much more regularly. I think it has something to do with how dry it is at the moment. 
• Telstra's Internet costs!! I use my phone as my modem, and I am getting tired of constantly going over my quota!! Telstra is the only provider out here, and we haven't got a land-line, damn you Telstra for having the monopoly on coverage!!!

That is all, I am off the make my birthday CAKES (yes plural!)

What are your favourite things? 

xx

Bungle Bungle/Wolf Creek Crater scenic

I was most fortunate to have had the opportunity to take a scenic flight with the wonderful boys of Northwest Regional Airlines (shameless plug) on Wednesday. Because of my work, and the nature of what I am selling it is important (hard life) that I get myself on as many famils as possible, so that I am confident in what I am recommending/selling at the Halls Creek Visitors Centre. 

This was a particularly special flight for two reasons; 1: It was pilot James' last flight before he heads for the big smoke of Broome. 2: It was a combo flight, which means we got to see the Bungle Bungle range of Purnululu National Park, whilst we also got to see the Wolf Creek Crater, and some wonderful sights in between. 

Here is a little photo gallery to make you jealous... PS I am hoping to do this flight again in the wet or just after to see the change in the landscape and also to see the rivers full. 

Old nickel mine

The bungle bungle range

 Forgive me for not remembering the names of the various mountain ranges and rivers to follow, however they are picturesque. 

Two pilots - pretty lucky!

The black Elvire river

Wolf Creek crater

Man made dam, complete with it's own eco system.

Halls Creek runway/airport

Town of Halls Creek, we live in the red circle.

Our pilot and fellow passengers. I strongly dislike this photo (of myself) but, it's the memory that counts. 

Overall, it was a fantastic flight, I feel so fortunate to be able to have these experiences at my fingertips. I hope to be able to have many more just as exciting experiences, maybe even flights, after all Northwest Regional Airline was a finalist in the East Kimberley Small Business Awards, great job guys! More on that in another post. 

For now, it's onto another busy week in the HCVC, and the airport, oh! and Halls Creek in general, where the social life never really sleeps...

Be well and kind xo

Donga life

Wow, things happen fast when you are living our life! Last week the signing of my work contract, the signing of our new lease and the big move/unpack/stress/clean etc. my first day of work and a mad week for B at his work. 

It does feel like we are now settling into a life here, and hopefully in another couple of weeks once work becomes more familiar to me, it might even feel like we have been here forever! 

My employers

Here is a bit of a rather self explanatory house tour for you...The donga is long and simple, it has steel sheeting throughout (much like one would use chipboard, Carla that's what I meant in my txt) Hoping that it wont effect our health, and that it can be looked at as a positive, because it's great to clean and keep clean! That's the sort of surface I like!!

Before the unpacking began...

Our donga...Looks can be deceiving.

 At the far end there is a gate which leads to a back "garden", once the grass is cut and it's cleared, it will be a lovely place for veggie growing and afternoons spent in the shade of our singular tree. 

B has his own home office

New/first rug purchase

Lounge room (finished for the moment) - can't believe how much this looks like Mum's house (note the floral chair!!)...hmmm...

The two things that always must be in my kitchen! Thanks Mum

Bathroom

Bedroom.

So, that is where we are at. "donga" is starting to feel like home, it's a great space size wise for us, easy to maintain and we have everything we need. Can't complain, we feel very grateful and blessed that we now have our own home, a place that is ours and ours only (sharing doesn't sit so well any more).

Thus we continue our life in the top end. I will be fortunate enough to experience many of the sights and sounds of the Kimberley through work, while B has the opportunity to fly over many of these sights every day, so stay tuned for some interesting stories and experiences. For the moment however, we solider on with our busy lives, B, flew off to Darwin for the day at 30mins notice this morning, and I have a long day/week ahead of me with work. 

Be well, safe and happy. xox

Welcome to Halls Creek

We took a day to drive from Broome to Halls Creek. Heading east towards the WA/NT border. Here is a little map to show you where we are now, in relation to Broome and the rest of Australia. It is a little speck in the desert. 

Here are a few photos of our trip from Broome to Halls Creek for your viewing pleasure.

An old boab, they are so beautiful and majestic and EVERYWHERE out here!

Random bush at a roadside fuel stop. 

More never ending road!

Welcome to Halls Creek!

 I was very shocked when we entered the house donga where the pilots are supposed to live, it was much worse than I could have imagined. We new we had to get out as soon as possible...

Pilots accommodation, pretty filthy!!! 

The bedroom didn't even have a door, and the internal walls heat up so much during the day, they are almost untouchable. I shudder to think what this place will be like in the wet when it's 45degrees everyday...

I wasn't letting anything touch the floor in our little hot box until it was clean cleaner!

 The Norwest Regional Airlines have a great, cool office, where the boys spend their time when they are not in the air. 

I spent a bit of time in the office with the boys as it was much cooler than the house. 

Horses in the paddock (Dehe Street - pilots quarters) These guys were super friendly, but I couldn't pat them much as I didn't want to encounter a snake!!

Welcome to the pilots quarters...SO much red

Giant ant hills spotted around the paddock...

Strange cacti spotted around the paddock....

Oh, look its a house!! Looks can be mightily deceiving...

Kitchen...

"backyard"

Living...(see that tiny aircon? That was it...and we had temps see below EVERYDAY!

Standard temps for this time of year...

Photo Credit

 An aerial view of Halls Creek, the airport is to the left of the picture, and our little 'donga' is in the top mid half of the picture. It's a small town with big energy. 

Photo credit

Thankfully, we only had to stay at Dehe street for a week before I secured us our own Donga, yet to be named, in town through my latest gig, as the new full time CSO at the Halls Creek Visitors Centre, which is part of the Shire, once again, local government comes through with the goods!! Thank you local government, you have been a great constant!

As I write this I sit amongst boxes, clothes and general mess, however it is great to have somewhere for us to call home for the duration of our stay in Halls Creek, and as an added bonus, the air-conditioner works and the donga is cool!!!! It is great to finally feel like we can get ourselves into a routine and make a life for ourselves here in Halls Creek, more on that, and our social life to come. 

Miss you all xoxo