Sunday 26th February. BlazeAid camp, LOCKINGTON. 12°-27°C.
The oppressive weather has eased this week. I’m sure I’m not just adjusting. Catering has been relatively straightforward with an average of a dozen of us each night. The aim has been to start reducing stocks of frozen meat and the masses of potatoes still in the pantry prior to moving. There are only two more farms to finish.
Foodshare’s delivery this week includes the most delicious yellow nectarines - nothing like the floury specimens in the supermarkets. I make a nectarine upside down cake, stew some and leave many to be eaten, juicy, sweet and fresh.
A grateful farmer has donated a side of lamb. One night is the sweetest loin chops and the next we BBQ the rest. With potatoes…
Another buys us two big cartons of mixed fruit and vegetables. Their gratitude is immeasurable, the produce is fabulous and the need to bake banana cake to clear supplies is inevitable! It’s a bit like Masterchef mystery box challenges these days!
After a month of inactivity, there is movement at the adjoining basketball courts that are being resurfaced and re-fenced.
The concrete trucks arrive on two successive mornings at 4.30am! About 10m from my van… Engines rumble and pump and numerous workers yell as the cockatoos begin to rouse as well. I’ve seen many beautiful sunsets here but now I’ve seen the sunrises as well.
The only other variation from the norm is a visit one afternoon from two paramedics to demonstrate CPR and the use of an AED (defibrillator). It’s a good update. I learn that mouth-to-mouth is out now - only chest compressions are required. Sixty per minute. The voice instructions from the AED are excellent too as is the overall presentation from our speakers.
In particular, they alert us to the What3Words phone app. Every three square metres of the world has been mapped and allocated a random three word sequence. It allows you to pinpoint your location exactly when calling 000 if you are in an unfamiliar or unsigned place. Genius. Download it now and see what the rooms at your home are labelled.
For those who missed it, Monday’s ABC 7.30 show featured Lockington as the final report, with stories of how the community had fared with the floods. It centred around the pub, which the community bought when it was threatened with closure. It’s now almost impossible to book a seat for a counter tea there any night of the week.
And don’t even think about a Saturday night meal. It’s not pokies but the weekly jackpot that is now up to $12,000 and every man from miles around is there!
Excellent banana cake recipe…
https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/best-banana-cake/
2025-02-11