Jack and I headed off after the traffic on Thursday and headed for Taree. Hmmm we forgot about daylight savings so our extended breakfast at home before leaving put us there an hour later than we thought we would be.
It rained the whole way down so we were taking it steady anyways.
Good catch up with Dad and Mum and checking they are both well. Albeit brief, we hit the road again Friday morning to head for the Nation’s capital.
Surprise!, out of Sydney and new tunnel and we get more light rain. Hoping this is not a sign to come for the weekend.
We decided to make a stop for lunch in Berrima. To a pub we have been to a few times previous seemed like a good spot for a bit of grub and reminisce.
The Surveyor General Inn – Australia’s oldest continuously licensed establishment was first established in 1834.
Surveyor General Inn
It was built for a James Harper, using convict labour. The hand-hewn sandstone blocks make this a fabulous old building. You can only imagine that far back with all the bush surroundings, Cobb & Co stagecoaches with travelers and I wouldn’t mind betting the odd bushranger or two.
Anyway, we know a few cowboys and cowgirls who have trod the boards, spent nights in its rooms and the occasional beverage at this little gem.
The Surveyor General Inn continues to be a favourite watering hole of many, showing off her original features and decades of history.
Stairs to the rooms above, fireplace in the bar and beautiful turned work on the bar.
Back on the track we made it to a sunny and warm Canberra. A visit to the range, we watched them finish side matches and caught up.
From top left: the nations capital, Parliament House, the needle as its affectionately called, Telstra Tower, needle and art gallery and the wind farm you’re having when you’re not having a wind farm at Lake George. Yes no lake either 😉
Off to Troopers we unloaded our gear for the days ahead and headed back out to catch up with my Rori boy.
We checked out his and Nikki’s new place to be and he made us dinner.
Saturday morning it’s bright and sunny and quite hot. An interesting start to the match as we try to relearn the .45 and find front sights! Okay now we’re on track!
It was supposed to be 5 stages Saturday and 4 on Sunday but given the weather was set to do its usual trick in Canberra (rain, cold etc) we did an extra stage just in case.
It was drinks, lies and pizzas for Saturday night before retiring early.
ACT Wild Bunch State Titles 2021
Yep, 7 degrees Celsius, raining and blasts of cool air. Thank goodness we took slickers and gloves. By 9.15am they are calling the match at 6 stages no we hit the road for home.
We stopped in for lunch with Pete, Tighan and the girlies and continued the wet trip home.
Seemed to take forever the last hour and a half of dry driving. 😳
What a great match, thanks Majura Rangers and the crew that helped set up, stage and pack away. Great stages, great company!
Thanks for having us and to our gracious host Trooper for putting us up for the couple of nights. Jack and I very much appreciated it.
19:30pm have dropped that load off at home, headed north to IKEA and arrived back home
This time I decided to shiplap the bedroom wall that we had been discussing but it wasn’t quite clicking with Jack. It’s all good, he’ll love it. Just do it!! 😂
The before – bed head and wall, wardrobe on one side (part of the wardrobe revamp soon, the boot corner, the ugly drapes and verticals
Thursday night – 02:00am finish
Room has been demolished, side tables out, boot shelf out, tv off wall, bed moved to middle of room, the wardrobe on that side has been emptied of its contents, shelf knocked out – that took a bit of work, ugly curtains down, pics off walls and start filling holes
Friday – 05:00 hours up and coffee injection, sand walls, more fill to holes, do washing
07:00 electrician rocks up on time – thank you EJ Electrical! Power point fixed, another installed for tv etc, into roof he installs another power point in wardrobe for future wardrobe remodel (hence why my ripping the shelf out the previous night) and for this trip he also fixes light to main bathroom vanity. Ahhh finally.
09:00 electrician gone no receiving messages from Jack to say guy is coming to pick up steel 😳 I was wanting to use that for straight edge to do my plank cuts 😩
After a few tries with first method I gave up on that and organised the table saw and drop saw for my work.
12:00 noon my room is prepped, studs marked, levels checked to cornice/crown molding, paint supplies brought in, nail gun ready, guy rocks up for steel and I encounter toad so I ain’t helpin’!!!
Finally! Now I can crack on with room!
I started on checking my levels as I added each row and yes, staggering them just as you would floor boards.
Surprisingly level at cornice before I started, continued checking all the way down wall
After a couple technical glitches, a phone call to hire place, a visit to hire place to replace finishing gun, grab more glue from Bunnings; I am back and into finishing this wall if it kills me!
Making a fine mess, but happy only 1mm out by the time I got to the bottom on right hand side!! Winning!!
Have I worn you out yet? 😂
18:00 I’m finished and in pool drinking beer. Jack’s talking about their day and asking about my sewing……. 😬
Off and painting! Dinner in between, pack up finishing gun to be returned next morning and I’ve run out of paint so that will mean a trip to paint store before work also.
Painting and run out
07:30am Saturday – was first one in the door at paint shop, dropped off finishing gun, and arrived at work with coffee.
12:30pmish – busted!
Jack wonders how paint is required for costumes lol!
A full busy day and I’m off again! One coat of paint, go cut out the “Wild Bunch” costumes I’m supposed to be making, dinner, another coat of paint, teach myself basic macrame for craft demo at work the next day.
When I told Jack I was doing macrame he just said ‘yeah right’ 😂 silly man he should know I’m going to fit something else in. Even if not practical.
Made the grey one the Saturday night, the others during craft demo in store.
So by 00:40am Sunday I have also wrestled with pulling apart old bed and put together new one for my weary head to get some rest before work.
05:00am a bit of sewing, hang two picture frames that were a birthday present that have been waiting for this wall makeover. Move bed back into place and make up fresh.
07:10am arrive at markets to pick up newly framed pic, head to Bunnings for brackets to put mirrored cabinet up and arrive at work dead on 08:00am
It was all a blur from there, the paint smell is going and room looks fabulous. All rubbish and old bed to trailer, there’s a job for the man come Monday. Saws are back in their place and floors are clean. Reinstalled tv and new bracket. Worked out my angle brackets and mounted mirrored cabinets in wardrobe. Happy days!
Sewing and believe it or not was in bed by 11pm that night.
Up at 06:00 to finish cleaning house before going to pick up Jack from airport.
Now I must make mention here not once yet since the paint acquisition has he asked what the hell am I doing this time! Lol!
Still in the car it has taken him until 10mins from home to ask what have I actually been doing and I just smile at him “you’ll see”
Now just take a moment here, we usually enter the house through the internal door from garage. Our bedroom door is virtually dead opposite…….
Someone goes in, head down getting his suitcase in and proceeds to walk through lounge to kitchen, and to spare room. Makes comment on bed and the just looks at me.
I take him back to the bedroom where he is pleasantly surprised and asks how and critiques my work but is super happy with it and proud of my handy work.
The finished product albeit, no trim work has been painted as yet, window treatments are yet to be done and also the flooring.
Off I go to work and when I get home that night Jack is very impressed with what and how it looks so all good people! Wait for the next project!
We sit and so use the rest of his weekend and just want to congratulate Dwayne and ZipThud Racing on an outstanding performance for your first crack at bike racing in a championship!!! Well done!
Take your pit crew anytime, it’s a nice turn around for you both since your days of going with your Dad to his motor racing events.
We can’t wait to get your pic printed up and off to the framer’s for in the study. He is super proud of you. Superb effort! You did spectacularly!!
Zip Thud Racing – Darrin, Dwayne, Charles and Jack (aka Dad, Brian, pit crew)
Anyway, back to the week of work, and sewing….didn’t quite get the costumes finished. That’s a whole other laugh or cry story.
Now we are off to Canberra for Wild Bunch championship.
Jack and I did a quick trip up to Brisbane today for date day.
He’s been wanting to take me to The Build and Design Centre for quite some time and there is a Motorcycle exhibition currently showing at the Gallery of Modern Art, coupled with lunch it makes for a great escape for the day.
We spent a good couple hours in the Build and Design Centre and think we’ve finally agreed on bench tops and cabinets for kitchen refit along with a sensational new look to the kitchen window and sliding door to the bar area.
Success!! Future plans sorted for that space. Quick and easy design choice!
So many great ideas in there and you go through, circling numbers on a card of items you are interested in – anything from door handles to screens, bricks, windows, kitchens, fans, heaters and much much more!!
From there we found a park and headed for beer and burgers at Grill’d just between the build centre and a short walk to the Gallery.
Mary’s Kebab burger (yes it’s lamb!)
Now let’s walk off the lunch!
Walking through the entrance from the art gallery and beyond there is a spectacular whale display overhead and dinosaur bones inside.
Mama and babyT-Rex with an Aussie kangaroo in front 🤣
From here it’s across to the Gallery of Modern Art to the Motorcycle exhibition. Wow!
So many different makes and models. Jack reminisces about one he had. They remind me of Uncle Bill and Aunty Shirley and their bikes. Some we have just seen on restoration shows this past couple of weeks. Very uncanny.
From Triumphs, Norton’s and Harleys, to Moto Guzzi, BSA and Velocette.
1908 Indian Single C’Dora1940 Triumph Speed Twin1929 Norton CSI1948 Moto Guzzi Super Alce1969 BSA Rocket 31969 Velocette Sportsman
From steam, all the way through to concept electric. Road bikes to dirt bikes, tourers and racers, the exhibition was really well put together, beautifully displayed and well worth the visit.
1871 Perreaux Steam Velocipede2019 CAKE Kalk OR1994 Ducati M900 Monster1926 Indian Hillclimber1991 BMW R100GS Paris M-Dakar RallyToby Price – 2016 KTM Rally 450 Dakar – he won his first Dakar Rally on this and has one multiple Finke desert races.
Had a great day, before retiring back to the Buckle Saloon.
Yep, so it’s been awfully quite in Jack n Kat’s world what with COVID and all.
This past couple of weeks (and another to come) we should have been in the United States for Comin’ Atcha, Talledaga Speedway, Alabama and more, then that got cancelled with not being able to leave the country.
So we were to go to Chisholm Trail here, then that got cancelled.
I was going to cancel my leave but tired me having still worked during all the so called lockdown’s etc I was ready for a break. And hey! After the past six years of not having to work and then a year of part time – full time work has been an eye opener again!! 🤣🤣
So….I decide to keep two of my weeks leave and have a break with Jack. Let’s get some outdoor stuff done we say! Sure! Then thankfully we got quotes for some work to be done instead of assuming our very active and young brains could make our older and in Jack’s case much older body could keep up with our intentions.
Suffice to say it was still a very busy two weeks as I take every moment this evening of my last break for a very long time and head back to work tomorrow.
So what did we achieve?
Well it started with nights of painting the mural ready for the pool backdrop. 18ft long and 4ft high. Meh, did I bite off more than I could chew? Procrastination was taking hold about small difficult sections. Hence the horse and rider being the very last 6” x 6” done. He is my most favorite piece now!!
My interpretation of Monument Valley
So the rest was organizing gardens and getting them set for ‘Pandora’ the garden fairy to arrive and work her magic revamping, planting and guiding me to be a good green thumb!
We worked our butts off moving plants, shoveling dirt configuring plantings, getting it just so for future garden happiness in a minimalistic care style for me.
The tidying up process prior to gardening and paving guys coming in. Ie: that was NOT Jack and I!
The after effects from Pandora’s magic! Oh and Scottie and Ian the paving guys. 🤣
The after effects, including painting of fences I might add and new bamboo screening.
So now it’s time to tidy, reinstall pool fence (‘cause you know I’m gonna change that up to glass later!) for safety and regulation, seal pavers, install mural and a bit more mood lighting before return to work.
What else got done during the staycation? Well a bit of shooting, hanging with friends, visit to IKEA to start the next renovation, hung a couple new blinds in newly painted window frames, checking and waiting on bar install, oh did I tell you I finished the reupholster of the bar stools? Did that, bit of sewing bit of crafting and just downright enjoying being home with the man. 😉
Seems only appropriate at this time of year to have an epic reminder.
The SASS World Championships, End of Trail, would have finished end of June/early July and perhaps some would have carried on to other shoots from there.
Here is my reflection of Jack’s and my travels to the last 5 years of EoT.
2015 with Echo Meadows 2016 at the back of the Belle Union Saloon 2017 with Shamrock Sadie 2018 2019 with fellow Aussie, Pearl Starr
Jack and I really missed not being at EoT this year, as I’m sure a lot of others did too during COVID but we will be back next year!
Now getting back to the epic reminder….I did a little thing….
My tattoo!! – finally worked out what I wanted about 12 months or so ago. Curstin did the prelim drawing before Michael @ phreshink.com produced the finished product. I thank you for your OCD Michael!!
Here is what it means to me – arrow, straight, true, determination, on target – pistols, lady wrangler, single action, 2 handed shooter – peacock feather, pride and strength – worlds, 5 of, interconnected for 5 consecutive championships.
I am proud of my achievements, I love the man who decided it would be a good idea to go play for 5 years and for all his encouragement.
Jack n Kat 4th of July Downunder
Have a sensational, day/weekend, remember all your greatest memories, stay safe and well friends!!
Faltering February – we still managed some sunshine amongst the signing of contracts for our home and getting out of the unit we were in.
We visited pubs and sand sculpture championship displays.
March Madness – the true onslaught of COVID-19 begins in Aus with frantic buying of toilet paper……toilet paper of all things and soon other countries followed.
Early March we took a quick trip to Rockhampton, attending the Women of Shooting Annual event where I was a guest speaker with Suzi Balogh (Olympic Clay Target shooter and gold medalist) and Kadeeja
We were set to move and had no space for extra food or sanitization supplies until the move!
Thankfully I had work still and we had not gone into shutdown or lockdown. Borders began closing but thankfully we had paperwork signed and despite a final hiccup by the last week of March we found ourselves in a bigger space with room for Jack to do stuff in his shed.
This was to prove a good distraction through some health issues and kept him busy whilst I’m working.
These are some before pic’s.
April Apprehension – what was to become of the world! Cut off from our beloved sport, cut off from friends and family and people are shopping up a storm on arts, crafts and pretty much anything!
Jack and I started our first projects in the ranch and of course the ‘Den’ and ‘Sewing/Crafts Department’ were our top priority.
I’ve been planning some of this stuff for years knowing one day we would be back here and settled. I wanted a study for Jack that was masculine, practical and his.
I had decided that it needed some wainscot finishing to the bottom part and a deep navy blue for the top half. The colour of choice – Diplomatic. haa haa
Moving into May Mayhem, we stripped carpet, chose flooring, prepared surfaces, painted walls, actually did the flooring ourselves and finally the ‘Den’ is almost complete. Almost, in the fact that I still have 2 of Jack’s motor racing pic’s left to be framed and then the room shall be complete.
Here it is, before, during and after – with a later pic to be posted once all the car photos are up on the end wall.
Thankfully, he goes along with most suggestions and he loves it! The mostly finished Den!
But what of the ‘Sewing/Crafts Department’? Well similar, painting, flooring, decorating, putting furniture together, making a cutting table and finally, well almost, we can be up and running again.
The door has been split into two and the glass should be in it tomorrow, with final painting and decoration to be done. Yes, we took the original door, cut it into two, cut out the middle panels, patched holes and changed handles. Everything is almost in its place.
The first two rooms are complete. The spare room actually looks like a spare room again with all the boxes gone and soon the measure and quote for the bar area will take place.
Looking forward to the next installments at the Jack n Kat Ranch. Bar area and mural behind the pool.
Stay safe folks, keep your chin up, hope you get to shoot somewhere on a range real soon! Lets see what happens next week as we Jump into June! lol!
Where men, or boys who had lied about their age, fought and died for our freedom on the beaches and cliffs of Gallipoli, Turkey on 25th April, 1915.
Tomorrow is the 105th Anniversary of the Gallipoli landing. In this current climate of events that I don’t wish to name, have caused ANZAC services to be cancelled.
How heartbreaking it is that we can not congregate to commemorate the fallen but thankfully through other causes the people shall take it to the streets! Or at the very least to the end of their driveways in a 6am vigilance as we remember them.
When I was just 12 or 13 I wrote this 12 verse poem as for the first time we were not going to or participating in an ANZAC March with Pa.
A few years later it was published in the local newspaper or my home town. See attached 12 verse poem below.
This week I noticed at work some customers wanting to make paper poppies and staff had the Australian War Memorial site tutorial available.
Of course I knew I needed to make something in readiness and so today I made my door wreath.
Cricut Maker came in handy of course for cutting all the bits for the poppies and with a eucalyptus wreath from work I was ready to roll.
Turned out pretty good I think and with candles ready for a 6 am vigil, for the Ode, the last post, minutes silence and then reveille, Jack and I will be up for that.
‘They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning. We will remember them.’
The Adventures of Jack n Kat 