3 River Rats Abroad: 2010

THE YEAR HAS FLOWN

This is Mia and her friend Mia with Santa in Katherine, hard to believe it's Christmas already.

Riley just spent 5 days doing work experience at a local diesel place, he loved it and this is what he looked like everyday....cute

We had a visitor for a few days, no name but gorgeous, Diva was not sure about it and Micro could care less.

Two cute boys !

I have finally pressed the pay button at Virgin Blue which means that on the 31st December i will be jetting to the land of the hobbits....New Zealand. I chose New Zealand because it was 1. all i can afford and 2. I've never been there and i think i will have a good time. I will only be going to the south island, nearly 3 weeks so that should be enough time to have a good look around. The kids are off to Bali with Bruce so why stay home ? now that i have paid I'm getting excited about it. Time to dust off the luggage again, i mean that literally. We are finally getting some rain and its really nice here now, everything is green and the river is flowing.

BROTHER AND SISTER REUNITED

These were taken on the old road beside the cemetery and the river, we often take the dogs along here for a walk.

It's nice to have my babies together again. I can never thank Aunty Judy and Lin enough for the care they have given Riley this year....You 2 are the best of the Aunty bunch.

The 2 little hunters.

Mia is trying to teach Diva how to jump through the hoop, good luck with that Mia. Micro looks on with amusement.

It's hard work jumping through hoops and her feet get hot. It is so sufficatingly hot up here at the moment, the wet hasn't kicked in properly.

"THE BOY IS BACK IN TOWN, BOY IS BACK IN TOWN"

Riley is back from boarding school. We drove up to Darwin last Friday, he flew in at about 6pm, he looked good, hair a bit long but otherwise happy and healthy. We met some friends at the wharf whose son had also just flown in from school and we had a nice meal and caught up with all the news while looking out at the lovely harbour. It was hot and muggy but there was a breeze now and then which dried the sweat ! the heat was a bit of a shock to Riley and Thynne, who goes to school in Queensland, they need to acclimatise again.

Saturday afternoon we watched Riley play his first game with the Big River Hawks, Katherine under 18's. he played against his old team St Marys, he liked catching up with them all. he played really well, i don't know how they did it because it was as hot as hades and no breeze.

We caught up with friends Gemina and Ando which is always a laugh.

My darling girl is so patient and sweet, takes after me !

The Hawks lost against St Marys but Riley travelled up to Darwin yesterday to play and this time they won and he kicked a goal, he's pretty happy. We're happy to have him home, as Mia said 'we're all together again, like a family'..... albeit slightly dysfunctional...

PORT ROPER

Recently Mia spent a weekend at Port Roper with Bruce and Reedy, who lives there. They went to fish but only caught one Barra, she said they still had fun and she saw lots of Sting Rays a Croc and some big fish whose name she cant remember.

The lone Barra that Bruce caught.

The new boat. I want him to name it Bello Mia....beautiful Mia, you name boats after girls don't you ?

A Mud Skipper Mia spotted.

These are the fish she cant name, she did well getting the picture i thought.

Tthe fisher woman herself with her new rod and reel.

This is what happens when you slip on the wet boat ramp and you are bare foot !

Sunset on a great weekend. Port Roper is the mouth of the Roper river on the Gulf of Carpentaria, it flows all the way to Mataranka. It is about 500klms long from start to finish.

On this day last year we were in Milano, times flies fast.

NETBALL

A few weeks ago i travelled to Mataranka with the Katherine contingent of the Mataranka Magic netball team for our presentation night. Mia was happy because she had mum and dad there and all her friends and she won the most improved trophy and a participation medal, both were a first for her. She was pretty happy, the only thing missing was big brother Riley. In the picture above she is with her friend and team mate, also named Mia and they are presenting the team manager with flowers and chocolates.

This is Mia with her heavily pregnant coach. It was a good night, not to hot and afterwards we went down in the dark to the hot springs for a swim.

DINNER ON THE BRIDGE

Last Saturday i had a lovely dinner on the the old railway bridge across the Katherine river. It was organised by the Beef and Burgundy club and attended by 23 ladies. The club holds dinners like this in different spots around town and this was the first one that i had been to. As you can see by the photo, they go to a lot of trouble and it was lovely.

This is my wine glass covered by a handmade doily to keep the bat shit and insects out, perfect.

The evening started with what looked like beef satays but turned out to be Camel meat, that was a first for me so i can tick that off now. The river was lovely in the fading light.

The bats took off on their regular night run up the river in search of food and it's always an amazing sight when standing on the bridge.

We had a full moon which also added to the atmosphere. For main meal we had more Camel and Barramundi with vegi's or salad and desert was a mixture of chocolate and mousse. We had a type of jam made from native Hibiscus and Rosella's, very bush tucker and delicious, cooked by Dragonfly Catering. The weather was very hot and humid until around 9pm when we got a lovely breeze, but despite the weather everyone dressed up and the combination of good food , great wine excellent company and perfect location, made for a memorable evening.

October in Katherine

Monday afternoon we went for a walk with the dogs along the Katherine river on the North bank, always a lovely walk. The river is up a little from recent rain in the catchment so it was slightly muddy. The temp was perfect, dry season weather when we should be in the build up but it hasnt arrived yet.

Mia washing the dog leads because they were trailing behind the dogs and Micro poo'd on his and Diva wee'd on hers....yuk

Mia rode the scooter all the way home from the bridge, nearly 2kms, with Diva watching.

September in Katherine

I took this at 4.30pm, beautiful isnt it ? almost looks like a bowling ball.

the old and young, Micro and Diva running in the gardens at the museum

she's a funny looking thing and we love her.

Diva cast adrift at the river one afternoon, Mia made the raft.

Mia dressed as Pippy Longstocking for book character day at school.

she stole this off Ross, we may have to buy her one !

TIMBER CREEK part 3

Mia looking at a Turkey bush at the lookout

the view from the escarpement lookout at sunset, looking to the Victoria River

the beautiful Victoria river at sunset

a Boab tree in the caravan park.

TIMBER CREEK part 2

Little freshwater about to get his dinner, nice sharp teeth. Mia is holding the stick that the meat is hanging from.

A small freshwater crocodile floating near the footbridge in a small creek that branches off from the Victoria River, this part of the creek is part of the caravan park.

Our campsite just up from the creek. The caravan park was lovely, well shaded, well kept garden, nice lawn in the tent area and the cost for the 3 of us was only $12 for the tent site, i give it an 8/10