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.

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.

Have a sensational, day/weekend, remember all your greatest memories, stay safe and well friends!!

Kat xo

Jack decided we should go to Gunalda this weekend for the Sheriff of Tinstone’s shoot.

Thankful for last minute decisions, perfect sunshine, no breeze, holster bruise and that my hands still know what to do!!

Social distancing practiced, disinfectant before sign on, small numbers on range all managed perfectly.

Also won most original bandana (well bandana fabric made to mask)! It was a no bandana, no shoot kinda deal.

Thank you Sheriff, Minnie Haha and rest of your posse for a great morning.

We had a great time!

Kat xo

It’s finally done, early birthday presents have arrived and now Jack’s Den is complete.

Super stoked with how his racing photos have come up. Couldn’t be happier with the work from Carrara Art and Framing.

Now to move on to finishing the Sewing and Crafts Department!

Kat xo

Yep, that about surmises the past few months!

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!

Kat xo

ANZAC – The Australian and New Zealand Army Corp.

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.’

Take care all, stay safe.

Kat xo

So where were we!?

Oh my gosh it has been crazy since being back from the US as we helped with the Heartland Territorial – Another Roll Of The Dice match.

Everything was registrations, spreadsheets and preparation in amongst work and some sort of attempt at sewing. The machines were serviced and back for more projects.

Got distracted with some new gun covers including a pair for donation to the shoot. Hmmm the 2,133,830 stitch counter reset on the embroidery machine has now a new 100,000 odd on it. Haa haa haa!

Hmmm seems I deleted that photo! I told you its been weird.

Anyway, what else? Got corsets underway for Pearl Starr and I – a gambling theme but then we didn’t get to wear them for the match but you will see us matching soon, we promise.

Anyway, as for the Heartland, it went off great, we had a great weekend and both faired well, winning our categories and Territorial champions. Congrats to all competitors who attended.

Jack had a good weekend too, winning speed Pat Garret Lever, his category – Elder Statesman, had a clean match AND he was the Heartland Territorial overall winner!

The rest of the week has been fighting a head cold, keeping an eye on Mum and Dad, practicing for Lady Gunfighter and work.

Oh! And I did complete the Push Up Challenge for Headspace – all 3,128 of them!

Loving life!

Hope you are too, Kat xo