Gosh, I can't beleive how long it has been since I have posted a journal.

In saying that, there isn't really a great deal of exciting events that has happened since my last entry. Being back at work on the cattle station has been good, and starting at the start of the year rather then the end proved musch more comfortable. The new crew are all generally good to get along with, except for one but who really wants to here petty details. But the new head stockman...now theres another story. I don't wan't to winge about it, but for anyone who has gone for a new job with an impatient boss will relate. There is nothing worse then going into a new job, unexperienced but enthusiastic to learn, and having your boss be to impatient to give you a chance and put you down, shattering your confidence.

And, in particular, it's even worse when you're 3000miles away from home, 5 hours to the nearest city, dealing with a completally different climate and trying to become more comfortable with the new people you have to work with.

This was the most difficult snag I crossed with coming back to QLD!
On working on such a remote place, it is always stressed that we must work as a team, and patience for learning new skills is almost essential. What do you do when your boss (The head stockman isn't my real boss, the manager is, but the head stockamn delivers the managers orders and who we work under), only gets the experienced people to do the jobs we are meant to be learning and then when we actually get a chance to try, thy snap because we didn't do it right or took to long.
Am I the only one who can see this as being unfair?

Anyway I've gone on about it too much when I said I wouldn't. But onto more exciting news about my first half of the year I have tries a Goanna (a large Australian Lizard for those who don't know)and it was actually quite tasty, really it was. I was given 3 work horses at the start of the year, a young barely broken one, a goer and an old plodder and I have managed to come off all 3, no serious injuries though, just a hell of a lot of cursing and frustraited tears. Lost 2 pais of shoes, one in 3 foot of mud (after my young horse threw me into it) and another came off the back of the qaud, both lost forever! lol. I have managed to sustain one injury, not that serious but it was a douzy. Whilst working in the cattle yards I had my foot smashed into the rail by an old crazy cow. Luckily nothing was broken but alot of my soft tissue or muscle or whatever is in my foot was damaged and sported a very iimpressive bruise.

But now, my North QLD working year is coming to an end. I am flying home tomorrow, back to those cold Blue Mountains of New south whales. My grandfather (who I think I may have mentioned before had throat cancer) is not doing so well, so I have decided to come home and spend what time I may have left with him. So some new extensive job searching will be in order.

On the positive, my new camera worked wonders up here so when I get home there should be an immense influx of new photoes coming from me.

Cheers
TLV