Our last day in Alice Springs 2016

We’ve had our last full day in Alice Springs for 2016!  And what a warm one it was!  Will spent his morning clearing the new old truck (Hmm, we’ll have to come up with a better name than old truck as we already have the ‘old, old truck’, ‘the old truck’, ‘the wreck’ not to mention the Transtar. Way too confusing!)  With some help from Graham the job was finished by lunch which surprised us all.  Even more surprising was that it only cost $12.50 for each of the two ute loads to be deposited at the tip! A short rest over lunch and he was back into it! Will took the old rotted wood off the loading ramp so it will be more aerodynamic for David (or whoever eventually gets the job) when carting it south.  A well-deserved rest was in order until Garry could help manoeuvre the truck into its holding bay!  I had strongly declined the offer of driving the Patrol whilst pushing the truck, braced with a tyre so no damage could happen, around the yard and into a gated area!  Hmm, I may have become a ‘Truckie Girl’ in some ways, but I know my limits!!

My shift wasn’t until 12noon so after a load of washing, organising vegies for dinner and the usual caravan-work I headed into town to complete my final tourist wish.  I headed back to the art gallery which was closed due to the setting up for the evening’s opening night for Mob Gathering.  Oh well!!  Off to the lovely coffee shop next door for a calming cup of tea and a piece of wild lime cake – yum!!

Final destination was the small gallery and craft shop next door!  Gorgeous! They too had changed their exhibition; it was now a felt and knitting exhibition and it was delightful! As the assistant said, ‘It’s a joyful exhibition’ and it truly was.  Each little bird or animal had such great expression on their faces you just had to smile.  I wished I could have shared it with my dear felting friend (and wonderful mail collector who I keep forgetting to ring!!).

A few quiet hours on the front desk, which allowed for some photo sorting (much more organised for my next photo book!), was broken up by an unfamiliar sound.  It was Will, he’d ridden in to tell me he was all finished.  We’d be good to go tomorrow!  A smile broke across my face because although the  last week or so has been more relaxing I’ve got itchy feet to see and photograph some new areas of our wonderful land and I’m looking forward to a shared meal with my son, so it’s time to start heading south.  

A lovely quiet happy hour was spent with just the two of us, the last two Birdsville residents for 2016! Garry popped over with a message so joined us and stayed on and shared a meal with us, but not before helping Will pull down the annex.  It was lovely to realise we no longer have a timetable and instantly I felt ready to once again accept the mindset, ‘We’ll get there when we get there!’  So we’ll see just how long it takes to get wherever it is we are going tomorrow and the day after and the day after.