Monday, 25 February 2019

Sat, 23rd Feb, 2019 10 Mile Outcamp, Tarmoola Station, 60km north of Leonora, WA



7am 27 degrees, clear sky and no breeze. Woke to the chorus of birds playing and drinking from the water feeder and bird bath.

The flies are back by the hundreds even though my fly catchers are still catching heaps. They don’t like the heat and are hanging off the screen door in the shade or the cool pipe of the water filter.

Matthew who has the mustering team arrived with offsider/cook Casey to collect some things they left in the old shearing sheds after they left last year. They are doing another muster of rogue cattle on a mining lease near Laverton then they will start on Tarmoola. Should be interesting as there will be two helicopters as well.

Unfortunately the smaller BBQ that Steve has spent a lot of time and energy cleaning and servicing belonged to them. They were very grateful to get it back in such good condition. Steve helped them load it on the ute then we pulled the other one back into position. We were going to send it back to the homestead but it can stay here now till we leave.

Steve checked the well solar pump as it didn’t seem to be pumping much yesterday. He pulled it up and found the impeller was worn out. After a cuppa we drove to the homestead to see if there is a spare there. Steve found a spare impeller and a spare pump so we should be back in action soon. Clouds are building in the north and west though so he mightn’t have any sun to try it by the time we get back home. Luckily we don’t have a heap of cattle to keep watered at the moment.

Steve went to get fuel and smelt burning rubber. The pumps cabling had shorted out. There was no spare pump here but we have a pump on the fuel pod back home. The other musterers were coming up to collect more things from the shed so we will send the pump back with them so Glen can fix the fuel pump. Steve can use the jerry cans to fill up the generators. Always something to repair and maintain around here.

Headed back home, 2pm 42 degrees in the van but a bit cooler in the cottage. At least the surfaces inside don’t feel red hot like in the caravan. The clouds are building up but there is no wind so I don’t think it will turn into a storm.

Steve replaced the impeller now we need sunshine to make the solar pump work but the clouds are blocking out the sun this afternoon.

Very hot and still but we resisted putting on the air conditioner. Got into the pool instead, first time since we refilled it with bore water. The nice slippery surface of the trough is now rough from the calcium but it is nice and cool and clean.

Worked on my new jigsaw nice bright one with three dolphins and underwater scene. Finished reading ‘In the Middle of Nowhere’ by Terry Underwood. Have marked the station on my map so we might see if we can go in and visit as I found the book fascinating.

Drinks in the cottage away from the flies then another dip in the pool. 6pm 40 degrees in van.

A few cattle are wandering into the yard for a drink. The birds are always at the water feeder at the moment with this heat.

We walked down to the yards and closed the big gates so now the cattle have only the open red gate to come in and out of again.

At last the flies have gone to bed so we had dinner on the lawn watching the storm clouds slowly move across the sky as there is no wind.

7.15pm the wind picked up and then we saw some fabulous flashes of lightning for about 15 minutes then the show was over.

Back into the van to watch TV – enjoying Peaky Blinders series at the moment.

Steve noticed a red glow to the north so maybe the lightning caused a fire.

Half hour later I checked the red glow and it was gone.

Using our fans tonight!! 8pm still 39 degrees.

NO PHOTOS TODAY.

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