Life on Woothakata farm

HELLOOOO!!!! I know it has literally been forever since I last blogged but I managed to temporary steal a computer & figured I should let you all know Im alive & give a brief update as to what I'm up to. First of all since the last blog I've taken a job working on a farm near a tiny town called Mareeba which is about an hour away from Cairnes. The farm is actually really beautiful & very secluded which explains my lack of communication & how many wild aussie animals I've already seen. My main job is to help the kids with their schooling-officially I'm the "home tutor" (basically a nanny although just to irk me the kids call me their governess). The family hs been great so far-the parents Marg & Greg & they have three kids. Kate & James are 12yr old twins ( I say they're 12-teen because they both act like their going on 16). Kate is always dramatically changing from day to day one baking up a storm, another painting or drawing everything in sight, yet another claiming to turn "goth". It keeps the house very interesting. James is a hard worker who seems to walk a thin line of trying to prove his manhood & still have time for fun & games. By hour two I had learned not to argue with James & just let him win because he is always getting into heated debates. I keep telling him he should be a lawyer when he grows up. Troy is 10 just about to turn 11 who had a very relaxed attitude about everything. He also seems inheritly allergic to shoes or pants as no matter what he's doing he runs around in shorts & barefoot. It absolutley carcks me up how he races around the property on his quad barefoot or goes hunting in the woods barefoot. I have come to realize that growing up on a farm in the middle of nowhere makes them pretty responsible from a young age & most days its hard to tell whether I'm taking care of them or they're taking car of me.

I was thrown into farm life from day 2 when I had to help brand the poddies ( which are like adolescent cows) & muster up the other herd of cows. A typical day for me begins with feeding the critters at 7am ( I know-I MISS the days of sleeping in!)...and by critters I mean shove my way through the herd of poddies to give them their pellets which they shove me back, nibble my shirt, knock my hat off before I even make it to their trough. I gained a little more respect from them recently but some days I just dont feel bad about eating meat. I also have to feed the herd of horses their molasses when they wander up to the fence. Some mornings when I'm lucky I'll see a passing pack of kagaroos or the emus will come up to the kitchen window looking for handouts. The kids start school 8:30 sharp & then its hitting the books till they've finished. In the evenings I'll help with a few jobs around the farm & then I usually go hunting for pigs woth Troy...and by hunting I mean he has the gun & I have my camera & he tells me to hide behind a tree until he says its safe for me to come out. The whole family myselft included has gotten hooked on Australian Idol & religiously watch it every Sunday night & I'll occasionally use my cell phone to text votes in for our favorites.

So the pictures posted are: Troy pretend punching me in the arm ( even though we usually end of wrestling & if you look closely enough there is a huge bruise from him); The daddly Emu & his little baby chicks; James & Troy burning a Stussy symbol into the ground ( yes I taught them the ever classic Stussy symbol); Troy hunting with his 22 rifle; week old baby calves so Cute!! they are Brahman cows by the way; Troy rolling past the house on an oil bin-oh farm life!; Troy, James & Kate on their motor bikes; pretty little stream on property with Troy in what I think is a classic Huck Fin look in the corner; James hanging on the OUTSIDE of the truck as he usually does; Kate on one of her creative days; James on his quad; cute farm dogs-& yes they are the herding working dogs; horses coming up for feed in early morning sunshine; some of the herd; wild Emus chilling on lawn behind house