the fifo wife

Im here. Darwin. My home town. Where was born and raise until I left when I was 23. Its not changed. My parents still live in the same house, they have the same neighbours. Its the same still.  The humidity is still as suffocating. It still has the same smell. Its a mix of heat, humidity and the sea. I like it.

There’s not to much I can say about Darwin these days. I affectionately call it the twilight zone you come here and it really is like you cut off from the rest of the world. FIFO husband and I say we always get a real holiday when we come here.I like it but I don’t. I get frustrated my Darwin’s inability to change and whilst I appreciate that’s what most people that stay and live here like about it, its stuck. Its stuck between trying to become a thriving metroplis and hanging on to what its had and all the issues that goes along with that. From an outsiders view, its having trouble growing up.

Darwin is essentially a government run town filled mainly by defence personnel, government employees to help run those defence personal, and then there is those that have come here because its the last frontier. Really when you come here there isn’t to much further to go. Someone said to me that Darwin is a place you come to when your running from something and I have to agree that’s somewhat true. Its how it was when I was growing up and its still that way only bigger, more people and more suburbs. Darwin’s transit nature is what keeps it from really thriving I think. Its still has that Rouge feel to it which I hope it never loses but on arrival somethings just never change. Somethings that with time and growth should.

Darwin when I was growing up was amazing. It was little 6o thousand people if that. Everyone knew everyone somehow. My family and I would fish, crab, camp every weekend. Seriously every weekend. I woudl get home from school at three and we would be setting up camp by seven. Then every school holidays we would camp at Kakadu and we would help muster the buffalo and it was amazing fun.

Going to school was like a united nations affair and I loved that. I wish that was the case for home. Integration was normal. There was no Greek, Italian, Asian, white, or black it was just John, George, Lee or Ashley. It was second nature and if there is anything I miss its that. Going to George’s for Nasi Goreng , Ashleys for baklava was normal. It was great. Like a typical kid I never appreciated it. Darwin was safe back then but then most towns where in the 70’s and 80’s. Now they have security cars following certain buses. It breaks my heart and I long for the old Darwin that I remember that I would love my kids to experience.

I shouldn’t be to harsh this is Darwin after all. Darwin’s laid back nature is why most people stay for those that decided that the heat and build up wont get the better of them knowing that the reprieve of the dry is just around the corner. I long for the old Darwin so perhaps its my inability to move on and realise that with certain population growth comes certain problems and all city’s (because that’s what Darwin is now- a city- not the town I loved as child) has them.

What I am sure of is that I will be sure to jam the boys time here with everything I had as a kid, well Im going to at least try. I cant wait.

Have a lovely week my friends,
xxD

Now I don’t ordinarily endorse products especially make up products simply because I dont really use make up any more and I dont usually buy one beauty product more than once. I just don’t. I dont know much about make up just the basics. You could say I know squat. At 34 Im still learning what’s for what. Im pre u-tube makeup tutorials.

I blame my mother she gave up using make up after 40, sent me to ettiquite school at 13 and just assumed that they would teach me. They did to a degree but at 13 I wasnt intrested in makeup. Back then teenage girls where different I think. They taught me the over the top bold and beautiful style of the 80/90’s; three shades and blend I can still apply it but to me its hideaous drag queenish. So I guess I missed the boat and have since then been avoiding make up counters every where afraid that if I dare I may look like an over done soapie.

So Im learning and I have discovered and I guess most may already know about it but BECCA’S BEACH LIP AND CHEEK tint. I love it, I use it everyday. I just had to share it just in case you didn’t know about it either. I got mine back in March as a free offer with a magazine., normally I wouldn’t have looked twice, fear factor. Mine is watermelon.

So I brought the magazine and I’m hooked on it. I will buy it again.

One draw back…and yes there is one its EXSPENSIVE ridiculously so. $48.00 there abouts will get you just 7ml’s..I kid you not 7mls.

Yet its magic I may have had only slept two hours but this tint makes me look presentable. Feel presentable. Its make up without being makeup and that’s my kind of make up. I feel a little pretty with this on.

Its a creme. Its blend able they (Becca) claim its suits all skin types, is kiss and water proof, dries to a perfect streak free, non greasy and non drying finish. To me its FANTASTIC.

I apply after I have swathed myself in sunscreen and my anti wrinkle cream of the month. A little bit goes along way. Less is more and you can always add more. On the cheeks it gives just a hint of colour on the lips it can be a subtle tint or a full on lip colour. Its a dry matt perfectly blending on the cheeks but on the lips can be a little dry so I recommend some lip balm.

I have regular skin; I think. Its not dry nor is it oily. I don’t get a T zone (I remember reading that somewhere…see I know squat about beauty) and for me its wonderful but I have read a reviews that it didnt last long on oily skin. Like many of the reviews I noted also that it separates with the heat so before taking the lid off give the tube a little squeeze to help it remix.

I recommend reading the reviews before spending a crazy amount of money on any make up product. Try and get a sample somewhere if you can . Even I still have trouble justifying that amount of money for 7mls of product.

I just had to share.

Do you have a favourite product that you can share? Something that makes you go from feeling drab to fab so to speak?

Have a great Sunday everyone.

xxD

Its my last day of no children. Tomorrow I hope aboard the Red Kangaroo and I’m away. I have enjoyed the week. Most of what was on my list is done, Im happy and I have learnt somethings about myself and life.

What I have learnt the most is exactly how much I miss out on and I guess that goes for my husband to because of this FIFO life and the FIFO kids. Simple fact is we don’t have family support here. They are here but not you know what I mean? So Im going to try to find myself an extra sitter we deserve that we work hard. I do have my wonderful neighbour but I never want to take her love and generosity for granted. I’m going to build a better FIFO support system for myself and if I could can everyone thats in this FIFO life.

Now the things I’m talking about being able to do are (I’m not talking about going out and parting all night) being able to go to the public pool and doing laps (one of my favourite exercise), or taking my beloved dogs for a walk in the daylight (currently I literally run them around the block a dozen times at 430am whilst the kids are snoozing) both of which I have done everyday and have loved and missed. Catching up with a non kid girlfriend. I know I can do these things with the kids to some degree but thats the not the point really. Dont judge me. I dont get alot of time on my own. I dont ask for alot of time on my own. I dont want a lot of time on my own. Just a little.

I have so enjoyed this time. I have struggled with the quiet. I have felt lost. I have had to remember what I like to do to fill the free hours I have had. I have remembered alot. If I was a stranger Id want to be my friend I think?..lol. Im thankful for everything I have. Really thankful and Im looking forward to the what the future brings. I feel rested well and  I have learnt things about myself that Im not proud of, really not proud of and Im determined to change them.

Have I missed the boys? No I have thought of them alot. I have thought how blessed Iam and how the hard work has paid off. I am ready for them to come home. Im looking forward to seeing them. I cant stop thinking of their little quirks and it makes me giggle. I appreciate them.

Last time the boys went away for a period of time I remember on my last day thinking no can I have just one more day? This time Im happy, Im looking forward to seeing them infact I cant wait. Im smiling on the inside.

Thank you my friends your visits, have a great Saturday,

xxD

One of the things on my list with the kids being up at Nanna’s and Poppas is to update my black book. Its not what you think trust me..although I wish someday’s..the black book is a list of EVERYTHING that happens in our house. I mean everything.  It includes when all the direct debits happens, passwords, account numbers, share holdings, super funds, savings, what bills are paid and when. I mean everything.

I know that in terms of security its wrong to have all this in one place and urge you to be so careful with where you put something like this but we have the black book carefully hidden in a safe and that safe is in a even safer place. For us its necessarily. It occurred to me one day that should something happen to me that FIFO husband would be left scratching his head. I guess that’s part of the FIFO lifestyle. One partner runs the house intimately. I literally run the household on my own. I know when everything is paid when its due. So with this revelation in my head I wrote it all done including when the boys check ups are due. As I said everything is in that book.

The black book is just an ordinary notebook. It doesn’t look any special and I don’t know why its black it just is. I got it from kikki, I have a bit of obsession with with stationary..lol..in fact I have just discovered TYPO oh my how I love.

My list and my time is almost complete. Im happy.

xxD

PS Thank you for all the lovely emails regarding my encounter with the bully yesterday. Isn’t it amazing the effect that someone like that can have on you? I didn’t let her win for too long. I thought. I though a lot. I rationalised her behaviour. I remind myself what I have where I have been what I have done.  My sadness turned to anger and then for her pity. I pity her. I pity her because all she has missed out on and what she is missing out on as its that kind of behaviour that keeps my husband and children such a distance from her.