Sunday May 21st 1933:
Had a very nice number at S.S this morning, the best attendance for some time. Need another teacher or two for the kindergarten kiddies. Took a car load down to Mudgee selection after dinner and spent the afternoon with the Beaumont family. Came home and got ready for Church but in numbers not a very good service.
Monday May 22nd 1933:
Spent practically all day on the car doing odd jobs and generally oiling and greasing up. Mr Foster is out of hospital now and staying with me.
Tuesday May 23rd 1933:
After breakfast loaded up the car and got everything ready to transport a sick man to Mt Isa. Picked him up at the hospital and left at 10.30 am. Called in at Yelvertoft and had lunch there. The sick man very hungry for eggs. Reached Mt Isa a few minutes after five. Looked up the boys and then went and had tea. Called and delivered a parcel to Isabell and then took my patient to the hospital. Came back to the ranch and shaved and changed after which visited the dentist and had a top plate installed. The boys a pulled me off with them to a party given by the Young Mens League to one of their members who has just returned from Adelaide with a bride. Would sooner have been in bed.
Wednesday May 24th 1933:
Had the usual busy time prior to leaving Mt Isa. Shopping for everybody and calling on different folk. Left at 12.30 pm taking a bagman along with me. Called in again at Yelvertoft and also pulled up for a while at Jim’s hut. Four miles out had a puncture. Arrived here at 8 pm. Got cleaned up and felt a bit better. Had a late tea down with Ivy.
Thursday May 25th 1933:
Delivered all parcels etc this morning and got my mail. A parcel of pastry arrived from Maud for my birthday. Had smoko at Cronins. Started on na good clean up of the ranch then, which kept me going until tea time. Did some decorting at the hall at night.
Friday May 26th 1933:
Kept very busy all today getting ready for the Buffalo night in aid of the hospital. A fair crowd in town, including three car loads from Mt Isa. Financially the night was a great success.
Saturday May 27th :
A morning of cleaning up at the hall. Rain started at lunch time and continued all the afternoon and night. Too muddy to venture out at all. So stayed home and did some writing, so566rting out and tidying up.
Sunday May 28th 1933:
Weather continued showery all day. Roads terrible muddy. Only 9 at S.S. Spent a quiet afternoon at home. Had 2 callers. Three children at hall for service at night so after a talk we all went home.
Monday 29th, Tuesday 30th, Wednesday 31st………Rain, mud, staying home, visit to Rocklands.
Thursday June 1st 1933:
After smoko came home ( from Rocklands). Mud and water made driving very awkward. Rain came on again this afternoon. Dull days not good for happy spirits.
Friday Junew 2nd 1933:
And still it rains. Getting tired of it. Going down to hotel for meals. Too lonely shut up here all the time.
Saturday June 3rd 1933:
Seem,s as if the rain may have stopped. Awful roads yet with mud. Went to a coin evening in the CWA hall.
Sunday June 4th 1933:
Good roll up of kiddies at S.S this morning, roads drying up, spent a quiet afternoon at home. Ivy here for afternoon tea. A fair number at night service. Communion at the close.
Monday June 5th 1933:
George McGregor stayed the night here last night. Came in for rations. Drove him to within a mile of camp before lunch. Road heavy and boggy. Spent the afternoon in CWA grounds with the kiddies. A holiday for them.
Tuesday June 6th 1933:
Most of today at Wilsons on the car.School for R.I. Visited the hospital.
Wednesday June 7th 1933:
All today making a wardrobe. Finished it by tea time.
Thursday June 8th 1933:
Intended leaving town today but was unable to get everything fixed up so have decided now to wait over the weekend.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday……quiet days, normal Sunday.
Monday June 12th 1933:
Left town for Bourketown today.
Tuesday night June 13th 1933:
Well, here I am at Gallipoli, and have just got cleaned up and changed. Have been all day working on the car as the result of yesterdays experiences. The roads were terribly cut up on account of the mail lorry and cars traveling in the wet. My troubles started last night 25 miles from here with a heavy knocking in the back wheel and I discovered that only one nut was holding the wheel on, the threads on all other studs being stripped and so letting the nuts go. It looked hopeless at first, especially as when after several attempts I could not get the hub off. Got other nuts from the spares however and packed them with fine wire, which to my joy held. It was nearly dark by now and this fact led to further trouble as in dodging one lot of bog, in the long grass I got into soft ground and nearly went out of sight. Could not get out even after numerous attempts and hard work with the shovel until I unloaded everything. It was quite dark by now but loaded up and dodged along slowly without further mishap and got here at 8.30 pm. I had passed Jack and Fred McCaw going into town. Jack with hiccoughs going in to see Dr and Fred leaving because he would not take a union ticket. The rest of the chaps were in bed but Owen got up and got me some supper which was very acceptable. Put my swag in Jack’s bed then and was soon asleep. Today I got the car over to the shed and with Bruce helping me at times, got the wheel and hub off and took out the studs and ran a smaller thread on each. Had to shape nuts to fit the wheel but made a better joib than Henry Ford could. While on the job, I took the switch out and cleaned it, also the carburettor, plugs and adjusted the timing and the car seems to be ‘goodo’ now. It would not pull yesterday but should now. Am waiting now for supper which should soon be on and wll be nice as they killed here this afternoon. Bruce Stanton is cook here now and knows his job. Wonderful weather and wonderful country out here, and it feels good to be alive and am very glad to be out of town for awhile.
Riversleigh June 18th 1933:
Much has happened since I last jotted down the happenings of the way. Much of my good work on the car at Gallipoli was not so good after all, as the threads did not hold out until I reached here on Wednesday night and I arrived with a very loose wheel knocking loudly. I left Gallipoli after smoko and the road to No 7 was very heavy, the car boiling in a few miles. She was missing badly on one cylinder too. Herbertvale folk were very nice and I stayed until late afternoon there. He kindly gave me a tin of petrol when I left. “The Springs” does not now seem the same as Billy Walker after 15 years has moved on. It was dark when I got here to Riversleigh but I got a good supper never the less. There is quite a crowd here too. Charlie Freckleton doing the books and Mr and Mrs Hall and family and Pat O’Connor. This lot were camped on the river and came in to cartetake while Fosters were away and now Mr Hall is doing up Mr Fosters car. I have met Pat before in Mt Isa. Halls come from Alice Springs and have met with our organization over there. The council road party are also here camped down by the yard.
Thursday I got to work on the car again and think I have done a better job this time. The council lorry was in dock today too with a broken king pin. Before tea Sonny Darcy, the boys and self went to the falls fishing but were not too successful. Did some more work on the car Friday morning and found the wheel still holding. Pat, the boys and self went fishing again, this time below the falls and got a fair haul, had fish for Saturdays breakfast. Saturday morning we all took part in getting a killer. I took the car out and brought the beef home at 30 miles an hour.
Mrs Hall nearly came to grief when mounting her horse, who was a bit fresh and she was very awkward getting on, but fortunately she got off before she got on.
Sonny and the boys and self had a big afternoon fishing yesterday and found a good place and brought home 63 fish. Bob caught a 9 lb saratoga and Pat landed a 4 lb bream. Have had toothache since leaving town and was tempted to let Mr Foster have a go at pulling it out. Seemed to get a chill in my back too as for two days it has been very weak and painful. A rubbing with Solomon Solution helped it. Got the kiddies together this morning and talked and read to them and gave them tickets, papers, pictures etc. Have had a read also and now waiting for lunch. It is trying hard to rain today but hope it will not succeed. Was disappointed yesterday when the boy came back from the Lily without my mail as the mailman had passed before he got there. Will have to wait now until I get to Bourketown.
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