Thursday May 16^th:

Another lazy day. Breakfast in bed and reading and lying down all day. Did some writing in the afternoon. The people with whom I am staying are very nice. A young couple with 2 kiddies, both boys. Mr Moores runs a garage with his brother. He was once in our ministry but resigned. They have a black girl, full blood, working here. It is rather a cheap way of getting help in the house as the girl is only paid 2/6 a week and 2/6 is paid into some fund on her behalf. First morning I was there was awakened at 7 am to receive a cup of tea and looked up to see a black face bending over me. For a moment wondered where I was. Quite a lot up this way have black help in the house, cannot say as yet that I prefer it to white. They are no trouble though there is a danger of them giving notice.

NB: Interesting comment on the times in reference to members of the indigenous community.

Friday May 17^th:

Am getting frightfully lazy and spoilt. Still have a cup of tea at about 7 am and breakfast at 8.30 am, all in bed and today did not arise until 11 am. Am feeling ‘goodo’ and practically noting now to remind me that I have had an operation. This afternoon hopped in the bus and went to the hospital to renew acquaintances and collect some mail that was lying there for me. Rev Menear has ben using bus and on the way back from hospital bus ran out of petrol and stopped on centre of railway track. Pushed it off and fortunately there was a tin of petrol in the back. Houses here all have detached kitchens and everything seems to point to the summers being rather hot. No house here is weather boarded, only lined on the inside and the studs are left exposed on the outside. Wide verandahs right around counteract any disadvantage this might be. Last night before tea G. Moore came home in a new Ford truck and wanted me to see and feel its good points so we went for a run in it. It certainly is well sprung and rides very well over bumps. We went as far as the aerodrome and had a look at the three planes garaged there. One plane does the trip to Camooweal, one to Normanton and one to Brisbane. They are the same type of plane as used by the chap who found Anderson and Hitchcock. Cloncurry is rather a desolate looking place. Red, stony ground is its main feature and it has a great many vacant blocks. Quite a number rendered vacant through fires. A few decent shops but again more pubs than anything else. All sport here is held on Sundays. Nothing seems to be doing on Saturday afternoons except a bit of tennis.

Saturday May 18^th:

Still lazing about all day but not a bad sort of a life especially on these warm days Have a great time in the mornings lying in bed, sleeping and reading and watching the goats wandering about the streets eating anything they can pick up. This is the land of goats (not speaking figuratively). All mutton here is goat and the milk one buys is either condensed milk mixed with water or goats’ milk. Noone keeps cows as there is no feed and it costs too much to buy fodder for them. This afternoon Mr & Mrs Moores an family and self went out for a run in a Willeys Knight, 24 miles out through a couple of stations. A good spin as the roads that way are rather decent. All flat country and not much feed except near the Cloncurry River. Passed a couple of herds of bullocks browsing in the shade of a few trees. 24 miles out came across 4 dhaps whose Ford had broken down and they were starting to walk in so we picked them up and brought them back with us. Had one thrill going out, taking a curve at 40 in some lose gravel and the bus went as near as turning over as I ever want one to go, while I am in it at any rate. However alls well that ends well and we arrived home safely. After tea had a read and went to bed.