Barmy Army
Host: Koordarrie Station
Written by Kristie de Pledge – Owner, Koordarrie Station.
The alarm goes off. It is a nice quiet sort of alarm, I detest the nerve jangling, brain rattling alarms that give you a heart attack! So at the early hour of 3:30am, we rise out of bed, to get the kids ready to head to Karratha. Darcie has a doctor appointment at 9:30 for her all over body rash that is itchy and not very nice. It is 4 hours drive away.
Rory and I had made sandwiches, cut up fruit, packed those fantastic SPC fruit jelly squeezies for the kids and filled water bottles the day before, it was all ready and waiting for us to grab or forget as has sometimes happened!
We get the kids out of bed and usually I have their ‘town clothes’ chosen and ready to put on. The kids are such troopers, having done this so many times before, they get out bed and the dressing starts. Once done, all grab a water bottle each and some other small thing to carry to the car, yes we remembered the chiller bag with the food in it!
Loaded up, yes it’s daylight here, but you get the idea!
Being so early they go back to sleep fairly quickly, I grab a few zzzz’s as well and leave Rors to battle on alone! Poor fella! Halfway to Karratha, I remember something important . . . my hairy legs. Possibly hairy armpits as well, not so much of a worry, being hidden under my shirt but perhaps I smell?? No, quick check and the deodorant did get a burst this morning.
I try to scrub the red dirt out of my heels the night before a town trip usually. Especially as walking around in thongs, shifting sprinklers, means your feet get dry and your heels crack. The red dirt is incredible how staining it is and you don’t realise how dirty you look, despite showering everyday, till you go to town!
Thanks kids! Scrubbing brush for you when your done!
There used to be a ‘disciplinary hairbrush’ in the car, I have lost it unfortunately. A tap on the legs of screaming, squealing, fighting kids does wonders. Recently we bought them a DVD player, oh my, how the silence amazed us! Having resorted to wearing ear plugs and/or turning the music up to drown them out at times, the peace and quiet the DVD player created was quite incredible. Our trips generally last about four hours and quite often up to eight or ten (WA is a big place!) this was pure heaven.
So now I am in full knowledge that I have cactus legs. Great. Seriously I know no one cares, but I like to get really clean sometimes, just sometimes! Sometimes it’s nice to wear make up too. Only started wearing it a few years ago, finally felt old enough to wear it!
Sometimes a lady.
Anyway, back to the purpose of the trip. We get there with some time to spare, so we grab a bit of smoko for the hungry ratbags in the back. After that, its appointment time and when I speak to the receptionist, she tells me that Darcie is NOT IN THE SYSTEM. WHAT!!!?
We just drove four hours to be told that either I stuffed the times up (happened once before) or the receptionist who took the booking stuffed it up. Please please let it not be me, I was praying! Luck is in, we are handed the paperwork and now we wait. I hide up the other end of the room, the kids are down the kids end with the toys. They are being very normal, talking and playing at the top of their lungs. Not everyone is amused. Rory reports on some downturned lips of other mothers sitting nearby. That is amusing.
Well we finally get her sorted, get our prescription and head back to the shops. It’s starting to get tiring now! The kids are getting sick of hopping in and out of the car and the day is warming up. The bitumen and buildings make everything hotter I think!
Time to wind up this trip and get home, first though, quick shop . . .
Few supplies before heading off.
And that about completes all I have energy to remember about this trip, pretty much we piled in the car again and headed home. Yep, town trips are exhausting.