the fifo wife

You can buy the book here but that above explains it all right there..

xx Deb

 

We are road tripping west to see the cousins. It was such a good idea at the time but in between saying yes there have been sickness and well the glam of travelling across the country side has slowly depleted and as I think of the four hours with nothing to see but sticks and more sticks the idea is becoming stupid or silly. Harsh words I know but I hate to drive..I drove enough as a kid to see my father who was FIFO in the sticks of the Northern Territory and whilst that provided me many an experience it was the hours and hours between those experiences that I hated. Yet having said that I was an only child, had no one to talk to and with only Slim dusty and Engelbert Humperdinck to listen to you can understand why I soon developed a devotion to flying, every where.

However the cousins are important and its important to make the effort to see them as they do us. They are no longer swallowing the excuse from me when you live closer to an airport I will be their in a shot because they have since purchased a home in a town close to the station they manage so that’s it I have no other option. They will never be close to an airport and if anything looks like they will move further inland where even the postie has to fly so whilst they are still reasonably close to me so we will soon depart.

I have also decided but have always known the important for the boys see and experience their environment and like my mother did for me their is nothing but getting out and about in it to learn and understand life. To gain an education and to develop a love of travel, people and life. Where we live I cant give the boys museums galleries or the theatre but what I can give them is a sense of wonder at the land around them, an understanding of the importance of where the stuff comes from, understand acceptance of others and understand what is important to others and to understand the how and why different people live. Which I think is equally if not more important to them as their education.

So whilst I know its still Australia and we aren’t ducking off to Patagonia yet that will come later when I win lotto but still its different from here. Lush mountains with plentiful water and dairy cows as far as the eye can see to there where water is scarce, grass is a sign of rain having just been and cattle are for eating not procuring milkshakes from.

They can still learn stuff by just getting out and being there; talking to strangers; with my supervision, walking down beaten tracks, playing in water holes, catching yabbies, rounding cattle, making fire, accepting difference not always liking it but letting it be if need be. Its all still learning and gaining a sense of adventure and importantly education. There is no bigger school than life.

However should I not be blogging come Friday afternoon feel free to send out search and rescue..seriously..I may be a couple of children short and have had to make a run for it but have got lost for the confusion of sticks.

When was the last time you road tripped with kid’s. Where did you road trip too?

Have a great day lovelies and just so you know I am just a little looking forward to it. Even if its four hours of looking a stic’ks. They will be I’m sure beautiful sticks.

xX Deb

Every one needs a hand to get where they need to go in life and there is no shame in having some support, some guidance its …how we learn grow and get places.

So each will be posted to the blog under Resources also.

So if you know of any groups that will make a positive difference to someone’s life message me and I will post the details.

This Support Sunday is for a little group just started by Tasha. Tasha is a FIFO wife to a Barrow Island worker and has just started her face book support group. Barrow Island is a little island 56 kilometres of the Western Australian Coast. It lies in a cyclone belt, holds the highest wind record, has a mild climate, is sparsely vegetated, is a class A nature reserve but is also home to the Gorgon field currently one of Australia’s biggest gas projects.

Tasha writes:

I created this group for families, workers, husbands/partners, wives/girlfriends (left behind) who work FIFO On Barrow Island, to connect and met people in same situation!! A positive support network to share stories, idea’s and advice and of course make friends 🙂

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FIFOBarrowisland/

If your partner works on Barrow Island why not pop on over to the face book page. The page is administered as accepted applications only to protect memebers and the families security something you can never be to careful with.

Have a great Sunday lovelies,

xx Deb

The kids are on school holidays. Husband is home from work. The routine is out the window. This is the first time our routine as been this far strayed from and its starting to do my head in.

The kids aren’t going to bed until revolting hours and I mean revolting like 9pm and yet are still getting up at 630am how do they do that? There is no order to the day some days we have lunch others we don’t.

Dinner is another story. Last night was spaghetti on toast again. My meal plan’s I don’t think I have written one all month.

Housework..its the bare minimum.

My beloved blog..I miss her..

This no routine. Nothing. Its just constant activity and fun. I know this is how holidays are meant to be but I feel like I’m living one big summer holiday camp nightmare/ dream.

The fun and noise it is never ending.

My kids just aren’t staying quiet for a moment. Not one moment they are quiet. Talking or bellowing their fun until their eyelashes meet each other at some ungodly hour of 9pm.

The point is really I’m having some loss of control issues and the longer the holidays gone on the less I’m liking it. I have no control. None. My world has slowly tipped its self upside down. Its starting to freak me out this control thing. Will I ever get it back.

Routine, structure is what keeps me swimming, keeps us swimming. How do families without structure or some basic routine survive?

Currently we are one big rowdy mess. I feel like I’m in a frat house.

And before you start  with the phrase I have said over many times myself of ‘your the parent’ yes I know that but the kids… they are having ball and I am enjoying the time spent with them. Soaking up every single moment because this year they are all at school or kindy three days a week and I almost feel like its kind one of those last hooray moments to be enjoyed before school completely takes over my little men.

Then there is husband being home for the holiday an unusual event in itself and we have lapped him up. Soaked up his ability to make the mundane fun. He has done this. He does this most months. Throwing routine to the wind to some degree but this month with the boys on holidays routine has gone out the window. Husband is the biggest kid with the most energy. Never stopping. Never sitting down always talking, thinking or doing something. We haven’t stopped moving or talking since he arrived home on the 16th of December 2012 and I’m starting to get weary all this fun, laughter and chatter is starting to make me tired but a good tired.

I know it sounds like I’m whinging but I’m afraid after my near break down in the freezer aisle in Woolworth’s in which husband saw my distress as the kids ran unruly up and down the aisle and me too tired to scream my usual ‘stop this is not a play ground’ he grabbed my hand and said its okay it will all be over soon.

And there lies the catch 22 yes it will soon all be over this Sunday in fact I don’t want to be but do all at the same time.

I’m craving routine as much as pregnant women craves a mac and cheese. I’m craving control over my life including theirs like a gambler at a TAB store.

I cant wait for 7pm bedtimes, 930 morning teas, my 915 gym class, my 730 TV shows I want them so badly. I dream about I think about them like Edward does Bella. I want them now but then this now will have to stop and even though its still fun with 7pm bedtimes or 730 TV shows its less time. Less boy time. Less them time. Less husband time.

Yet come Sunday it will slow down or stop and here I will be in this quiet routine structured slightly less fun house and the craving for routine and control will stop and in its place a craving for husband and all that he brings will begin.

xx Deb

 

Do you remember when you were a teenager? Or with your now partner or husband on your first date or with someone you had just met and you really liked. Do you remember how you were when you just hung out. Getting to know each other, this person who made your heart stop just a little. Talking. Sitting away from each other but still together. Still touching each other with your toes or your finger tips. Wanting to know about them? What made them tick. Do you remember how beautiful and exciting that was? How wonderful it made you feel?

Now husband and I have been going to the lake a lot this past month and its something I have noticed that happens with teenagers. The chemistry between them is electric you can feel it, you can see it. Now I’m not sitting like David Attenborough in a bird hide watching them that would be awkward and a little odd but it doesn’t matter whether they are on a lilo, swimming, sitting or walking you can tell the ones that like each other. You can feel it.

Now sure at one point they are going to be all over each other but this slowness this thoughtfulness is a like the start of a slow burn or flash in the pan which ever it may be but the start is exciting and beautiful non the less. Every movement between them is deliberate and its slow. Without getting all sappy its a dance a slow dance. Their conversation is slow, they linger on each others words. They ask each other questions. They are truly enjoying each others company. The outside noise it isn’t there. Its just them. They are listening to each other, really listening. They are sitting apart but together fingers touching slightly, hand on a knee or their feet slowly tapping together. He will brush her hair she will do the same to him still apart and still its slow. They will periodically look each other in the eye when they talk and when they aren’t looking each other in the eye they are smiling, you can see it and you can tell without looking. Their breathing is slow too and I’m sure when they eventually lean in slowly for that kiss that will be slow too until that slowness gains pace and well we all know what happens then.

So husband and I have date tonight and well we are going to take it slow.

Real slow.

xx Deb