FRIDAY 8 AUGUST     ADELS GROVE

John was on canoes. I was on reception.

It was the long weekend for the Mt Isa Rodeo. This time, last year, we had just gotten to Doomadgee. That was not a pleasant recollection!

We did a fair trade in tourists who did not like the idea of the festivities – or who could not get into the booked-out accommodation in the town. Rodeo refugees! There was also a steady stream of locals from Doomadgee, stopping in for drinks, ice creams, snacks, on their way to Isa for the event, which is huge on the local calendar.

B and M went off to Isa for a two day break. They managed to get out a lot – much more than the rest of us. Some of that was medical related, which we did not envy them for, but status as relative of an owner seemed to allow them latitude.

The crawling baby fell down the steps in front of Reception, when the boss got distracted, and developed a sizeable bump on his head. Apart from that, seemed fine – tough little tacker.