Ali and Tommy good mates.The Road
The road leading to our property is called a “dirt road”. It winds its way from the
Highway through the bush. Its surface is rutted at certain stretches corrugated. The car bumps and clatters noisily like every nut and bolt were loose threatening to fall out. After a few trips the driver is ready to take on any stock car race. The drivers who use this road are not considerate drivers. In the dry season they drive at the height of their speed. In their wake clouds of dust settling on both sides of the road on shrubs and trees, leaving these breathless, poor ghosts waiting for the next rain to be washed clean.
When we were working near the road we usually laid a small tree over the road. This action brought a lot of swearing from the driver, as he had to slow down, stop and remove the tree. This was the intention of our action so the fine red dust would not suffocate us. Before we took this drastic action we were the ones coughing and sneezing, emerging from a red cloud, fighting for a breath of clean air.
We also had another option, that was by the first sound of a motor to leave our tools and run away from the dust, sit down and wait until the dust had settled, but that was very impractical, because once we laid down our tools, sat down and got used to the rest, it was very hard to get motivated to go back to this sort of work. Regarding our work ethics Peter opted for the first.
In the wet season this road runs with water, has deep ditches on the sides, holes in the middle treacherously filled with water.
I landed ones in a ditch while I was righting the milk bucket which had fallen on its side, While doing this I went a little to the left and slithered into the deep ditch, the car was lying on its side. I had to go and get Peter with his tractor to pull the car out.
When the road is slippery wet, the drivers slow down. This was a respite for all,
especially for the animals, who have the habit to live on both sides of the road.
On my trips to the bus stop to bring the girls to their school bus I saw sometimes a wallaby hit by a car. The mate would linger around for a few days, sit nearby and then disappear into the bush. I made the habit of it to always check if it was a female and perhaps a Joe in her pouch. Mainly male wallabies, mostly curious youngsters were hit. The females were much more cautious.
In the wet season this road runs with water, has deep ditches on the sides, holes in the middle treacherously filled with water.
I landed ones in a ditch while I was righting the milk bucket which had fallen on its side, While doing this I went a little to the left and slithered into the deep ditch, the car was lying on its side. I had to go and get Peter with his tractor to pull the car out.
When the road is slippery wet, the drivers slow down. This was a respite for all,
especially for the animals, who have the habit to live on both sides of the road.
On my trips to the bus stop to bring the girls to their school bus I saw sometimes a wallaby hit by a car. The mate would linger around for a few days, sit nearby and then disappear into the bush. I made the habit of it to always check if it was a female and perhaps a Joe in her pouch. Mainly male wallabies, mostly curious youngsters were hit. The females were much more cautious.
