Tuesday we spent the day at the farm enjoying being in the lovely country and doing some work around the farm. I went with Margaret to the feed store to pick up hay and goat pellets. Its always interesting to me to look in shops to compare with what we see in the States. This place was very much like an Agway.
Christine stayed at the farm and met two of Clare’s friends who had come by. In the big shed there is quite an entertainment center with pool table, table tennis, Foosball and other fun things. The girls had a pool tournament and Christine enjoyed watching some of the competition.
After lunch I went up to the old cottage to see if I could help Lou and Ray. The main job was to dig out a rotten 4×4 base rim. Ray worked for an hour to try and get it out and finally succeeded. Like most farms, there are lots of spare part and timber stored in and around outbuildings. While we didn’t find proper 4x4s, we found 4x3s that worked. Then Lou and Ray started butting up weatherboard (we call it clapboard) on the bare side. Again, salvaged parts were used. Renovating this cottage will be quite a project, but it will make of lovely home if it can be completed.
One of the challenges in working within a goat paddock, which is where the old cottage is, was Brown Sugar, the large billy goat. He was very attracted to Ray and wiggled his tongue and snorted. He actually butted me and practically threw me off my feet. He finally went up on the veranda in the shade.
Brownie and Blondie 
Clare bottle feeding Brownie and Blondie 
Neo 
Ace and her newborns
We had a nice dinner, Lou did a roast pork. Margaret had a cleaning job in the morning, so we ate earlier than we had been so she didn’t have such a late night. We watched a bit of the Australian Open and everyone turned in. We’ve been on the go so much and working around the farm that everyone was exhausted and didn’t mind an early turn-in. I loved standing out on the veranda in the evening watching the sunset and listening to all the marvelous night sounds of the farm and around the countryside.
Wednesday was our last morning on the farm. I helped Lou gather all the tools and equipment that were used up at the cottage. On a farm, it’s always important that tools and equipment have a place of their own, a place for everything and everything in its place as they say. So we spent quit a bit of time bringing things back to the shed. There must still be fire in the area because we saw a couple of helicopters coming to collect water from the swimming hole.
I noticed a unicycle under the carport and learned that Clare is its rider. I asked her to show me how she rides it. She’s an expert and rode around the carport and out into the drive. She had to be careful because her little goat Neo wanted to get into the act. Clare has been mothering Neo because her mother would not and so Clare is essentially hand-raising the little cutey. Clare also brought out some juggling balls and she and I had a go. I’m rusty, but Clare did well. I then said she should try riding her unicycle and juggling, and by golly, she did it.
Clare on the unicycle 
Neo, born New Year’s Day
After Clare’s demonstration, I decided to give it a go. It’s very difficult. I couldn’t even get up on it. Christine came over to help steady me. She had her hands wrapped around my right arm. I managed to go forward a rotation of the wheel or two but then lost my balance and pitched forward. Christine had my arm gripped so tightly, and didn’t let go, so that when I hit the ground she came with me flat out. I thought she was injured at first, but she was actually laughing her head off at the ridiculousness of the calamity. Fortunately, neither of us was injured.
Then we got involved in games of table tennis when Margaret returned from her job. She’s a good player and she beat me in our first game. Then Christine got in the act, but her challenge to Margaret was simply to see how many times the ball could be hit back and forth, no scoring. Then I challenged Margaret to a rematch and I managed to win. Clare played with her mother, and although I thought Clare was the better player, Margaret managed to win. It was a lot of fun.
Margaret and Linda 
The pro 
Christine and Margaret
We had lunch and then it was time to bid farewell to the Chadwicks. We hated to leave. Margaret gave us going away gifts. For Christine the mathematician, a small calculator, and for me, the handywoman, a little tape measure. But the really nice gift was a book titled “The Lady Bushranger, the Life of Elizabeth Jessie Hickman.” This is the story of a local woman who was somewhat of a legend in the area. She had a rough life and is rumored to have killed a husband. She was raised in a circus, and was reportedly the leader of an outlaw gang. Christine had learned a little about her at the Kandos Museum. Afterward, Margaret had searched in several bookshops for her biogaphy to no avail. After her cleaning job this morning, she drove back to the Kando Museum and purchased the book. We’re very touched by this and I’m sure we’ll enjoy reading about Mrs. Hickman especially since she lived in the area of Rylstone and Kandos in the early 20th century and we’ll be able to visualize the countryside and places described in the book.
Our drive back to the central coast was remarkable. On the drive to Rylstone last Friday we hadn’t been able to see much of the scenery due to the heavy fog. Driving up and over the Blue Mountains was both beautiful and tragic. Some of the vistas are quite spectacular across the Capertee Valley, the deepest canyon and 2nd largest valley in New South Wales.
Huge sandstone rock formations 
Across the Capertee Valley
But while the rock formations and long-distance views should have been beautiful, what we saw all through the Blue Mountain National Park was scorched earth and charred trees. For miles and miles this is all we saw.
View of the national forest 
Miles and miles of charred trees 
Charred trees
Coming through the town of Lithgow, we observed burned out areas right in people’s backyards. The fire came right down to the edge of the town. It must have been quite frightening for the people.
Fire came right to neighborhood backyards 
Burned right down to a backyard 
This family wasn’t so lucky
We dropped Ray off at his home in Kellyville, and made our way back up the central coast to Lou’s in Bensville. Just coming over the mountain into the Brisbane Water area Lou pulled in to a scenic lookout. We were treated to a wonderful view, which was so much different than what we had been seeing throughout the Blue Mountains.
It actually was lovely to be “home” (at Lou’s) again. We unpacked and had dinner and watched Serena and Roger Federer play in the Aussie Open. It was good to hit the bed that night.