Self Imposed Exile

Well it's been even longer now since I last got down to some blogging, don't get me wrong I've spent some time at my laptop in the weeks (more like months) but there have been a few things going on that have resulted in my self imposed exile from the UK to be suspended and I spent the lovely month of August back in Salford.

All things that needed to be done have now been done (not dusted but I couldn't stay there much longer, the weather n all that) and here I am back in Australia after a few days travelling last week slept in a few airports, on a few planes you know how it is for the jet set (anyone remember Jimbo) and a drive that has taken us almost across a timezone I'm stuck on Central West Australian time which is half way between Perth and Adelaide a relative no man's land when it comes to time. We are again working in a Roadhouse and this place is a little more formal than the last place but not too bad when other things are considered.

So again I will attempt to blog more regularly this time. There is no mobile coverage out here we've had to resort to buying a dongle for a meagre internet connection but it's better than nothing. As things are going I'm getting to grips with the tablet I treated myself to back in the UK I did have to buy it from an Apple shop (shudder, I looked like an apple fanboy walking around town that day) one of my first "paintings" will be attached to the end of this post, I'll tell you know its no oil painting and it's a landscape of Kuching the capital of Sarawak (I think either that or Sabah) so don't be too scathing with your criticism although I'm not asking for a critique of the crap I produce (I'm still getting used to all the tools and shit anyways)

So it's back to the roadhouse work, I did not think that after all my years in further education I'd end up at a service station over 300 miles from the nearest town, that's right town not a city that would be asking far too fucking much wouldn't it (that by the way might be Adelaide or Perth makes no odds to me at the moment both are over 12 hour drive away) but the car is dying so we need pennies to get her fixed up and epic road trip ready. We broke down here a few times, once in the scorching heat (on as it happens the longest piece of straight road in Australia, that's 90 miles) the LPG pump had snow on it in the heat it was a shocker to open the bonnet to see that anyway after a few (unplanned) stops we switched back to petrol and whilst the ride was bumpy it wasn't as bad as on the gas so let's just keep our fingers crossed that it's a cheap fix and not a total write off.

Any way I should get going as I am once again on the early shift (for this week anyway)

Take it easy 

Oh so very long.... Again, I apologise.

I will be the first to admit that I am not the best at sticking to something once I've started it, I keep plodding on and on and on. By doing this I get better at whatever it is I'm attempting to do.

So we got booted from the Big Liberty Roadhouse (#BLRH on twitter to read up on that farce) and I am not surprised in anyway to announce that Mark (the guy who's non appearance at work due to getting pissed led to the sackings evictions) has been invited back to the BLRH those Glasfurd's like to screw around with youngsters. I got what I wanted and needed from that gaff and that was the cash to buy this

Yes an automobile and it's all ours it's 15 years young, runs on both gas and petrol, the only downside is that it's an automatic (a 4 litre injection vehicle, why did they do this?) I know you don't have to tell me I'm the one who let chickens decide which car to buy but they were both automatic and the other didn't run on gas. If any of you have chickens and are in need of an absolute random decision as to which way to go, what to choose or where to eat then chicken racing is so the way forward 'cause I "cheat" at rock, paper, scissors apparently (I have no idea how I do but there you go, do not ask for tips)

I did mention my hope for employment with the Man from Monton but that hasn't been as fruitful as I naively expected and while job hunting has been easier with a car I also relied on him arranging my forklift ticket, which surprise surprise he hasn't come through on so I have gotten off my arse and done it myself I will be a fully licenced forklift operator as of Thursday and I'll be back in the earning seat quick snap. In preparation for being involved in this area of work I am now the proud owner of a florescent polo shirt and steel toe capped boots. Wearing "proper" shoes/boots is something that I have not been dreading since having to find work I'm so used to minimalist footwear (since Dec and most of last year I've only worn my fivefingers and flip-flops until they broke whilst escaping a research only area in Bako) I've not had them both on at the same time and only put my foot in to see if they fit with "normal" socks on another thing I've got to get used to but thems the breaks ain't they.

Being back in Balga is a bit strange as we have the same landlord but we are now in the house not out back in the "granny" flat hopefully the tardy payment of the guy out the back will result in him getting pushed and we can have that space back, didn't think I'd say that any time soon or later or ever really.

There might be a surge of short incoherent posts as I am going to attempt blogging from my mobile and as I can't strikethrough when I do that they will be edited at a later date (not too late I will not promise but promise to try).

So that's that for now, apart from a possible lead on getting in to mining work a friends cousin is out here in that game so going to meet up with him before he heads out again next week.

Peace 

All things come to an end

It's not just the good things, everything comes to an end good bad and indifferent, just remember that when your having the shittest of tomes. At least I'll have more time to blog now, now I've not been sacked but sadly my employment has been terminated.

What a fucking joke, I've been sacked that's not even sugar coating it I'm not a young, impressionable fool (like some of the staff well ex staff). I was here to earn cash while lining their pockets, immigrants do get paid less over here so exploited might be the right way to describe it. 50 hour weeks without any sort of benefit other than the knowledge that I am good at my job (mind numbing and dreary as it is* was) and I have been told by the owner to stay in hospitality as I'm good at it. So good in fact that I got the sack, bellend.

That's about enough of that for now on to bigger, better and far more challenging ventures. I met a man from Monton the other day, on the other side of the planet and here of all the God awful places, I meet a man from Salford who says he might have work for me, it might be the only time coming from Salford has been a good thing. I'm not sure how my chest will cope with tarmacing but if there is yard work away from the fumes I'll be sorted if not some sort of mask might be in order.

I do have another post about the management or lack thereof round here but I think I needs amending after events of the last few days. So back to the big bad city tomorrow and the new #JobHunt #HomeSearch and #VanHunt has already commenced. Updated cv at the ready and interviews here I come, hopefully not as many as last time and employment finds me again soon as the savings will not last forever (as if they ever do)

This post will be edited as soon as I get to a laptop so check back for the revised and unabridged post in a day or so along with the amended management post yet to be published.

Getting on with getting on

Feels like quite a few weeks seem to have past since I last sat down to write this. It's not that I don't love you all........... honest I do................. really it's just that what with early starts, planning road trips, searching for a van, starting my latest and largest tattoo project (this is what I am excited the most about) I've started drawing again and I don't know why I stop doing something I get so much enjoyment from.

Well I (and most other staff) were right about dumb & dumber the bar staff they are awful one is just new to bar work but the other one (the one who ran a bar (on Facebook) is arrogant, annoying, manipulative and something else but she doesn't really speak to me as there is nothing she can use me for, she has on the other hand got Mark running round doing little jobs for her, it's a bit pathetic and none of my business but I told him I'll throw that dammed coffee cup in the fire if he goes back to the house to get her a drink whilst she's working. She's not done any of us a favour so I have no idea why he's doing her some. Don't get me started on what happened on a skimpy night the other week and another night we had just started playing pool and after putting money is the jukebox she went n turned the fucker off she is also not against potting peoples balls whilst they are playing and taking their drinks off them. I think that she might just get her lips kicked off before her time here is over.

My health is doing well, I've started doing some regular exercise, do nebs, and take most of the medication I'm supposed to. I must admit I go through phases of looking after myself well and then drop off after a few weeks/months never years not yet managed to look after myself well for that long consistently but I do hope that this is the start of a good year. I did start taking most of my meds more after we set off in Dec but since being in Australia and having some kind of routine even when I had no job there was a routine and having my meds was part of that and then since having a job doing my nebs and starting some exercise has been part of that routine and I do feel better for it even though the rough weather we've been having here has made my chest a bit more productive but I noticed when travelling that after heavy rain this happens. I never noticed that back home as it rains quite a lot, that coupled with not actually being the most compliant of patients means that getting away form home has given me the chance to notice this and when I get back home I don't know how I'm going to manage that. Maybe being more compliant will be enough and the environmental factors won't be that much of an issue. Guess we'll only find that out when I do return for good.

I think just one day off a week might be a bit too much but it's not forever, if it was then I would get run down eventually but not having to commute is a bonus so its not like having a real job yet even though it is a shit load of hours.

This weeks photos are a few of the drawings I've done the past week or so, enjoy. I hope to have a few more of out and about next time as I have a trip to the Pinnacles in mind and as soon as my licence arrives I'll be taking a trip down there with Rahrah. A nice afternoon with a picnic and some good weather would be nice as almost every time we plan to do something the clouds descend and we have a good time but the photo opportunities are limited.

Jellyfish

Coral and Seahorse

Cabin Fever (or how I got a job in the sticks and had to live with it)

My first pay cheque made the 99 almost 100 hours worth it. As I sit here with a nebuliser mask on (old school compressor) writing this and thinking how I am going to escape this place for 48 solid hours tomorrow. Tthe only reason for that is that I have a hospital appointment back in Perth and can't be fobbed off with a local "doctor".

My iNeb has decided not to charge any more I can't get the fucking thing working for love nor money so that's when I got the idea to go back to Perth on my almost day off and well wouldn't you know it people seemed to be conspiring against me getting away for a few measly hours to sort this thing out and I am now using a compressor that is easily older than Justin Bieber and takes forever and a day to finish my TOBI but it's better than nowt.

Well this is the view from the social hub of Cataby pub well it's one of them there are 360 degrees of view but I doubt you want to see the toilets, wash room or a dusty carpark.

And now a view of the pub, it'd be a shame to not show you this and it's not a great snap I was quite far away but I'll get a new one and update ASAP soon.........ish.

Work is pretty much all there is to do around here so glad of the pub at the end of the site, I don't dirnk any more but they have pool and darts and I like socialising even if it with bladdered miners when they stop making sense I just come home which is no longer an open plan tin box but a real bricks and mortar building with a living room, bedroom and bathroom it feels almost civilised apart from the fact that it's attached to work so I'm, as one cook called it, "on call" unless I'm out for a walk or down the pub. People seem to do a 3month stint here to get their regional work done. That means you qualify for a second year working holiday visa which is nice to get it out of the way early and not be scrabbling around for anything and everything with our last three months to go. This means that my new 'family' consist of Cookie (she's the cook), Mark (he's a labourer on the farm most days), Dawn (front counter/ part time drama queen) so you'll probably read a bit about them over the next few months it's a pity the current bar maids are leaving as they are a great laugh. There has been a lot of chitter chatter surrounding the new bar staff, they arrived yesterday and I'm not sure how good their English is but they may struggle in a loud, busy bar environment. Apparently one has managed a bar and I'm not being funny but I don't think a bar on Facebook counts as "managing" a bar they were watching everything in awe even asking how to measure a shot of spirits from an optics bottle what the fuck. I mean there's working in a bar and not knowing how to change a barrel but to not know how that works after watching someone do it is dim in the Tim Nice But Dimmest of ways. We shall see how they fare over the next few days of supervision by the two that are already here, real bar maids I might add but they don't seem to think they'll last.

What else?....................... Oh yeah "skimpy" night I forget if I mentioned it's not a glamorous or highly entertaining night down the pub. It is basically a barmaid wearing very little who collects glasses and fucks up the takings cos she doesn't know how much anything costs. But it keeps the miners happy which is all the boss wants to do isn't it. Apparently the one on last week does do a "show" but I was far too knackered after a half five start to go watch any of that crap.

I'm quite sure there was more to report but.... Wait yep yep there was a few big spiders near the pub the other day (the first I've seen out here) I got a few photos then took a few of the surroundings I'll try n get an object near them next time don't think the photos show a good sense of scale.

It's one of two that seem pretty established until Mark (who insists on calling me 'Son' all the time) jumped or fell on to the webs. I wasn't there I just heard about it.

Anyway gonna try n enjoy what I hope is the rest of the day off.

See you after the break