Mon, 23rd Sept, 2024 Bush camp on Killara Station, north of Meekatharra to Bush camp at Peace Gorge, Meekatharra, WA (Brian’s birthday)

18 degrees, cloudy and no wind. No more rain during the night.

Sent Brian a happy birthday text - out reading meters, working man. He and Ian are going to Bathurst for the race soon and he will get to meet his new grandson, Arthur, then too.

Packed up and headed back out. The track was well maintained and obviously we didn’t get enough rain to worry it.

Stopped at the homestead to thank Penny again. Her father was mowing the green grass around the homestead and came over for a chat too. He comes up for the 3 months of the mustering season to help out around the place.

We continued out to the highway and headed south to Meekatharra.

All quiet in town as it is a public holiday for their show which was on the weekend.

We pulled into the water point where another couple were filling up their van. Chatted with them for a while then realised they were Anthony’s parents, Tony and Sharnie. We met Anthony (from Darwin) at Kurundi, NT last time. Ray and Carol became friends with them and they had been here earlier on with Tony and Sharnie - what a small world. Tony had just left them and was headed back to Darwin.

Topped up with diesel at the Coles Express. When we first started travelling they were the best to get fuel from price-wise as they offered 10c off if you spend $20 in store, we used to get a gas bottle each time back then with the old van so it was very good. Then they seemed to get dearer and were sometimes 10 to 15 cents dearer then the others hence we looked for all the 24hr fuel places. Now it is the same price as the card place and they still have the 10c offer so I got a new soda stream bottle for $20 and got the 10 cent off the $2.019 price. We needed a gas bottle but they don’t have the little ones so will try Mitre 10 tomorrow when the shops open again. Very helpful lady in the store too which was nice.

Annalise sent a video of Beau eating his lunch - such a big boy now holding his strawberry and munching away with his two bottom teeth!

Drove out to Peace Gorge with all the boulders. Been here plenty of times before and found a good spot near two trees to hang our washing line from.

Got the washing machine out and did half the washing before lunch. Even though it is cloudy there is enough heat about and a nice breeze.

After lunch finished the washing. Keeping an eye on some rumbling clouds to the west but they seem to be going southward.

2.30pm - heard thunder rumble again but it was from a storm in the east. It arrived very quickly that we had to rush about getting the clothes off and truck closed up etc before the wind and rain came down. Got most of the washing dry, just the last load that we nearly dry got wet with the rain drops so will hang them out again tomorrow.

Heavy rain so the red dirt quickly looked like a shiny surface with the layer of water on it.

The storm moved on and the water soaked into the ground quickly. The sun came back out so I rehung the clothes that weren’t quite dry.

Got them dry just before the next storm cell hit an hour later.

Jodie replied to my text - they are all doing well and she send some photos and a video of Arthur playing with his mobile which he has just become aware of now he is one month old. Another of him waking up with big smiles - so cute.

The sky is all clear to the east again but very dark and rumbling to the west as the storm heads away.

No more rain tonight but the air has stayed cool from the rain.