That's It, No One Leaves The House Until March

Oh my god Cameron has been telling me the most horrifying stories. Last year 5 miners set out in a non-4WD car to their mine camp off the Kalgoorlie track. "Hey, I know a shortcut" says Miner #1. The car broke down. It was nearly 50 degrees. They had 2 small water bottles between the five of them. Two days later, rescue services find one guy dead in the car, two dead next to the car where they were trying to find shade, and two dead a couple of kilometres up the track where they tried to walk out. They were only a few kilometres from Meekatharra!

Another guy died doing sports training in similar heat. "Och, the front of his brain melted, like cheese!"

Cameron used to be in the Foreign Legion (!!!) and is full of these unbelievable stories, it's hysterical; the Scottish accent makes them wildly dramatic. His partner is a field officer for the mines and if she's anything like him she'll be a hoot too. They seem like a really good bunch of people - all around my age, outback types but not feral and with an educated & well-travelled view of the world. Apparently Gary was asking what kind of Kawasaki motorbike I had, so we are having a bike tech chat with Cam as the go-between! Cam says I've picked a pretty tough time of year to move here and is being really kind and helpful.

Kev and Ray are coming at six am (!) tomorrow to put the fence posts in for the front security fence. If they started any later they would melt, like cheese. They're both oldtimers and just lovely. "Owyergoinloveorrightthen?"  They've gone and found an old gate frame "round the back of Kev's place" and then went round to Cameron's to get some left over bags of cement because my freight load can't come up until next week. It's really great how people just kind of work out how to help you, and Cameron's been an absolute godsend - he even popped round to the BP station today to borrow a hand trolley so we could move the air con systems into the lockup shed. I've loaded up with cold drinks and food for everyone, and I'll be throwing a big barbie for all of them next month when we get the rest of the big jobs done - I have lots of favours to return!

Patreen and I are working on a catalogue of internet products for Meekatharra (she's bloody smart) - she's doing the research, I'm doing the desktop publishing / marketing stuff. We're also teaming up to take over the cleaning at Paddy's Flat motel complex. Saw Raelene at the shops and it sounds like I'll be able to start at the aged care hostel after New Year's. Several people are interested in my heritage tomatoes so I'm going to start a little plant nursery too, if I don't die of heat stroke walking to the shed.

It's six pm and I swear it's getting hotter. Back in the pool before my brain goes cheesy. Although judging by how much silly fun I'm having with "Cockroach II", I have a feeling that it's already too late...