Diverting to Darwin
Wednesday 1st May
He made it! Paul was waiting at the airport when we
arrived. He took one look, shook his head and muttered ‘I can’t believe my
parents are Hippies!’ He took us home
anyway – what a good boy - and has installed us in his room.
He has the house looking really nice and has hung some of
the things I sent up when we sold our house.
He has the day off from work today and he and Ron have
been out and bought supplies.
Just as well they had the groceries because as they went out
to go to Harvey Normans, Paul was called into work. What a pain.
Thursday 2nd May
Paul finally arrived back home in the wee small hours,
had his five minutes sleep and headed back to work.
Ron and I went and bought a few more necessities like a
second pillow for Ron which he is testing right now. I’m watching the Midday Movie and about to do
some more knitting.
I finished reading my e-book on the plane up here so I
will peruse the catalogue and see what else I can find.
Paul came home, got changed and went back to work for
‘compulsory fun’. (They had a bar-b-que
for the Task Force).
Friday 3rd May
We had a quiet day at home; Paul had a busy day at work.
Friday night we were all back to normal with Ron and Paul
yelling at the footy on TV and me amusing myself with other stuff.
Saturday 4th May
The big day, the reason we are here, the parade for ATF-2
/ 2 Cav Task Group. Oh dear! I do hope they have better organisation when they
go away. Paul had told us we would just have to get our names marked off the
list and go straight to the Parade Ground. I found a soldier with a list and of
course our names weren’t on it so we were directed to join the other twenty or
thirty milling civilians who obviously weren’t on the list either and to fill
out appropriate forms and show relevant ID and we would be granted Day Passes
and admission. Upon realising that the parade would be over before the passes
were issued, they dispensed with much of the formality and we were just added
to ‘the list’!
I would have circled Paul but once again, I couldn’t find
him.
But as per usual, we found ourselves with the naughty
group (the one’s who make the comments on the commentary etc) I hasten to point
out that some comments were warranted especially when it was announced that the
oldest soldier going was 57 and the youngest 22. One mother in our group
exclaimed with due outrage ‘but my son is only 20’. This was quickly followed
by another who said ‘so is mine’. Ron attempted to diffuse the situation by
stating ‘but the Army does age you’.
While we were there, we were accosted by the Channel 2
News Team and asked for comments. Everyone else fled and I was left to say the
appropriate things. It is really difficult to speak and bite your tongue at the
same time. I figured it didn’t matter because I always end up on the cutting
room floor anyway.
Afterwards we went home and during the afternoon, Paul’s
old boss rang to say he had seen me on the telly.
Paul cooked up a fabulous bar-be-que dinner for we
invited guests and of course Tom (who also lives in the house) and his
girlfriend. We tuned into the ABC news at seven but alas, I had been relegated
to the cutting room floor by then so I never got to see myself as a TV mega
star. In spite of this, we all had a lovely evening and I consumed copious
quantities of wine.
Sunday 5th May
It has come to pass that Ron and I will probably not have
to return to Darwin now after all. Paul is able to put everything in storage and
we will have no house to mind. In light of this, we decided to play tourist and
head out to Mindil Beach Markets.
It was the first Sunday they were opened since they closed down for the
wet season so it was incredibly crowded. It does have a lovely party atmosphere
to it and people bring their tables and chairs
Ron bought himself some more
fisherman’s pants and I bought two long frocks so all in all a successful
expedition.
Monday 6th May
Paul and Tom had all good
intentions to organise the house (go to the Real Estate agent) and organise
uplifts with Toll etc. only to find out it was a Public Holiday for Labour Day.
So Paul, Ron and I went to
the Casino instead. We had a really good day. It’s lovely to see Paul so happy.
We didn’t win big but we had fun trying!
Tuesday 7th May
Tom moved out today, so Paul
has turfed us out of his room so he can move back and we are moving to Tom’s
room.
I e-mailed the ABC to see if
they could send me a copy of the Parade News item with my interview. Murray McLaughlin
(news editor) promptly replied and left a DVD with everything on it (including
all the out-takes) at reception for us to pick up. It was good to see what I
looked like and hear what I said. (It makes it much clearer to see why I end up
on cutting room floors!) I even managed to see Paul in a part of the footage. Great
to see the tax payer’s money being put to good use – made me feel like I was
getting a refund!!!!!
Wednesday 8th May
We went out for breakfast
this morning. The restaurant is called Pulp Kitchen and the food was to die
for. They also had the most amazing milkshakes. Just as well our Paul is macho
enough for pink.
Just as well we went for
breakfast too because Paul got called back into work again at 11.00am. So much
for being on leave.
We spent some time this
afternoon packing for the flight back to Sydney at 1.40am tomorrow.
Paul came home later in the
afternoon and presented me with a lovely silver pendant for Mother’s Day.
Then we went to Outback Jack’s
for dinner. What is it with my children taking me to Steak Houses? But, yet
again I was able to find a thoroughly delicious meal. Ron ordered ‘All You Can
Eat Ribs and Chicken Wings’. They arrived on a huge platter and as we puzzled
over how they would establish ‘All You Can Eat’ I decided that if that is all
they give you then it follows that that IS all you can eat!!!!!!! (he he he).
We have had a fabulous time
with Paul. He is really happy and it has been so good to see him before he
heads off to Afghanistan.
He is looking good. :D
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