Monday, December 31, 2012

Christmas in the outback

Well I have to say it was a very weird christmas in 100 degree heat and not snow but it was a good one. The hotel has been very busy leading up to christmas but now it's been pretty slow at night at the pub. I spent my Christmas Day with bob and Deli's family and Carlotta. We had lunch in the dining room downstairs and opened presents. I gave the boys Kobe and Ashton (bobs grand kids) a soccer shirt, some American coins, a medal and a koosh each. They were excited. It was a really good meal and after we ate it started storming and raining. I went outside and played in the rain with the boys. It was lots of fun. Later that afternoon bob came around the hotel and picked Carlotta and I up to go to his house and have a few beers with him!

On Boxing Day (day after christmas) it was Kathleen's birthday. She's a German backpacker that got stuck here in cunnamulla because she got pregnant... Haha. She's awesome and loves it here so it was a good thing. Anyways, she came and picked Carlotta and I up to go over to her house and hang out with her on her bday. We sat around, drank some beers, went "swimming" in her baby pool, watched a movie while she made us dinner... Etc. She seemed to enjoy the day, I don't know if I would like having my friends over drinking all my beer then having to make dinner for them but it was good. She works with us at the hotel but is slowing down a bit because she's due in 7 weeks!

Today is Carlotta's birthday and we plan on just hanging out, being big bums and watching movies. We both have today off so it'll be nice to sit back and relax.











Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Bonjour Julie

These past couple of weeks have been very busy for me. I've been working a lot and I'm also house sitting right now for a friend. I'm watching my friend geoffs house and having to let his dogs out, make sure the cats alive and water the lawn when I can. My friend Carlotta, the German backpacker who works with me has been staying over at his house with me. We've been having fun there!

There was a group of French bikers who came through two weeks ago and fully booked the place. They were only here for one night but some of them didn't speak English well at all so they spoke some French to me and to my surprise I was able to communicate with them pretty well. In the morning they were all saying "bonjour Julie", haha it was funny. I guess all those French classes were useful after all.

I feel like I've been living here forever now, I'm getting to know the locals pretty well. It's a nice little town but very different from a small town at home. Over half the population here are aboriginal and they can get stir up a lot of trouble. Whenever anyone starts to seem crazy at the bar I always go get Bob and tell him to keep an eye on them or kick them out. Nothing too bad has happened though, just a few small fights.

There are now a group of grape pickers staying at our hotel and they're so annoying. I was so happy to go stay at Geoff's house so that I could get away from them. Lets just say they give Carlotta and I a lot to clean in the morning and are very noisy. They'll be here for another 2 weeks or so. Depends on the grapes! Anyways, that's all the updates I have for now!













Thursday, December 6, 2012

Stubby of mid

Things are getting real hot here in cunnamulla. This week the temperature has been in the 100s. I have nothing too spectacular to report. We got a new cook here at the hotel and I have obviously befriended him. Gary keeps me full! Haha. I'm also getting to know the regulars pretty well. Our pub opens at 10am and we have people that come in then too. Mal and Bruce are two of which that are exception smartasses. The other day Gary asked me to change the chalkboard we set outside that show our dinner specials. So as I proceeded to clean and write on the chalkboard. I was just about done when the phone rang, I answered and it was Mal. He said "hey Julie, it's Mal. I could use a beer at the bar." Then of course I tried to give him the wrong beer, I handed him a stubby (bottle) of heavy instead of mid... Woops! I must have been off that day. Heavy is what Bruce drinks. These are just two of the many locals I have to deal with! They're super nice though and I enjoy it, most days.

I've been working a lot in the bar, normally at night and in the morning I've been helping Bob and Dellie with projects since we're in the quite season. In march, the tourist season starts up again and it'll get a lot busier. We just recently fixed up a flat that needed a ton of work. I painted nearly all of it and after Dellie patched up all the walls. Their little grandson Kobe is following me around all the time still. He recently found out how to take pictures on my phone so I have heaps of random pictures that I go through everyday. Haha.