Well it's been some time since my last update but for awhile nothing was really happening, just normal routines. Then all of a sudden it feels like a lot has happened in the last few weeks so let's get into it...
It all started when we were having some sheep sheared and I had my first go as a roustabout. Since it was just a small operation I was responsible for pretty much everything to keep the shearer moving along smoothly, so getting the fleece and other wool out of the way to keep the stage clean, cleaning and sorting the various pieces of wool, compacting it, and refilling pens. It's a busy job and you're always trying to keep up but once I got into a rhythm and figured out the timing it was mildly enjoyable. They do the exact same motions in the same order every time and it's incredibly mesmerizing to watch. We were shearing for two days and on the second there were two shearers for most of the day. I was only alone for about 10 minutes before Crabby showed up but thank goodness he did because it was rather chaotic and I definitely would have fallen behind the moment I needed to change a wool bin or refill their pens.
Luckily both of the shearers I worked with were very friendly as in general shearers have the reputation of being a bit rough around the edges. I was in town for dinner one evening and hung around to chat and there was definitely some serious tension building between the locals and the shearers. Thankfully nothing serious occurred but there were many anxious moments and at least one close call. That night I also gained another surprising insight into Australian outback culture. There is evidently a particular song that whenever it comes on all the lads just drop their pants and start dancing (just to be clear, it's only the pants). Needless to say I was caught a bit off guard. It's a wild place out here.
Despite the strange antics of the Aussie wheatbelt I’ve decided to stick around in Kulin for about two more months during the seeding season. I will be switching to work for some of our neighbors, the Lucchesi family, and it will be all farm work. I’m quite excited to get out of the house and into the paddocks… I’ve even heard I may get to drive a tractor! The Boweys have been kind enough to let me continue living in their old farm house so I don’t have to move to a donga which also means I’ll have a roommate when their replacement for me arrives next week. (Gauging from past experience with my family some of you may be wondering what a donga is or if it’s even a real word…after a thorough mocking of me and a quick google search they can assure you it is. It’s just an individual housing unit, very basic. They're commonly used on the mines here.)
We recently wrapped up corporate bowls for the year which I’m pretty bummed about. I only went 2/5 on the season but it was a whole lot of fun. I have since moved on to my next sporting adventure, which is joining both the field hockey and netball teams and both are frustrating for different reasons. Netball is vaguely akin to basketball, but there is no dribbling, no backboard, and significantly less contact is allowed. That last bit is where I get most annoyed, as well as the fact that you must remain in specific zones on the court depending on your position. At times I am a firm believer that it is a silly game, but I’m not half bad and it feels good to run around and compete again so I’ll keep with it. Field hockey is not going quite as well. It’s basically just soccer with a stick, but unfortunately thus far I am absolutely horrid with a stick. At this point I can only hope they stick me on defense and I just get to shove people and try to whack the ball up the other end.
Recently I have taken several trips to Narrogin for work, the nearest town with a reasonable amount of shops and a proper supermarket. On one occasion as I was heading home the police were doing mandatory alcohol checks on the main road on everyone passing through so I had the privilege of getting breathalyzed for the first time and blowing into the little tube. It was kind of fun since I knew I was going to pass.
Other happenings have included hosting med students from Perth, biking, tennis, flooded bathrooms, an intense war with the mice in my house (I am definitely winning), and the annual over 35s footy carnival hosted by Kulin. That was my first experience watching Aussie rules football and it was certainly interesting. I was pretty confused until I started chatting with one of the players and he explained the rules. Amazingly there was only one major injury on the day given that some of the men did not look like they should be running around anymore, let alone tackling each other.
I finished at Boweys last week and decided to take this week off to take a short trip before I move jobs and lose the car so right now I’m down in Albany. Backing up to Friday, I was packing my bag for the weekend and took a break while waiting on some laundry to finish up. I left the bag on my bed and upon returning I found this little fella hanging out on a pair of jeans I had packed. Supposedly their sting is no worse than that of a bee but I wasn’t particularly keen to find out. I was kind enough to let the intruder live but it was promptly relocated as far from the house as I cared to venture in the dark.
On the way down I stopped in the Stirling Ranges again and did the next highest peak, Toolbrunup. It’s been cool and rainy as we enter autumn and winter here which made this hike rather eerie. I couldn’t see the top when I started and by the time I summited I was the only person on the trail, but luckily it cleared off for a decent view.
Yesterday started out pretty chill with a beach day and a few stops at sights in Torndirrup NP I didn’t see last time. I did fall asleep and get burnt though so that was a bit of a bummer. In the evening things really got interesting when I attended what I thought (as per the description) would be an all female circus and comedy performance with the intention of being an engaging commentary on female empowerment. I had discovered it the day before and spontaneously bought a ticket to the show. I am unsure how to put into words what I witnessed. While the description is technically accurate it simply does not do it justice. There were certainly moments of impressive circus acts and comedy but there was also an unanticipated amount of rump shaking and a bare butt even made a brief appearance on stage. It was ultimately an entertaining night that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon, just not quite what I was expecting.
Later this week I’ll be in Perth and then after Easter it’s back to Kulin to start the next farming adventure!
