THURSDAY 28 APRIL     PUNGALINA

Up early to set out the breakfast basics on the outside table.

This morning the men wanted bacon and eggs, so I cooked that as well.

In amongst the breakfast organizing, I put the makings for a loaf into the bread maker. It was clear that, when we had larger numbers, bread would be an issue. I was thinking I would have to get some in from outside and freeze it – although space in the freezers at the house would be too limited for much. Suspect I might also have to resort to hand making my own bread, in amongst all else!

The men were going out with O for the day, fishing on the Bluff water hole. So packed lunch was in order – cold zucchini slice, salads (leftovers), cold slices of apple pie. There were Anzac biscuits for smoko. I sent out chillers of cold water, cans of beer and soft drinks in the eskies.

Once they were gone, it was to work. I made French bread sticks, using my basic bread recipe.

O had supplied steak to defrost for a BBQ tonight – to be cooked on a hotplate over the open fire. I asked him for good quality steak – but was worried about that!

Serviced the tents, cleaned the amenities. Did the water jugs. Showered.

I cut up the vegetables that would stew on top of the stove to make a version of ratatouille for tonight. Sliced onions for the BBQ. Prepared potato and kumara diced to be baked in the oven to be “chippies” for the meal. Made up a fruit platter – watermelon, paw paw, rock melon. It was so good to have some fresh produce to work with! Prepped my French sticks – which had turned out well – to be garlic bread.

The fishing party came back with another barra. Also a Long Tom. It was so pleasing that they would now have a frozen barra to take away with them as a trophy.

After the men had cleaned up – and O likewise, back at his house – O came back and collected the men to take them to the Escarpment, on the other side of the river. to watch the sunset. I had prepared nibbles to go – salted peanuts, Chilly Philly with crackers and celery sticks, and a small tray of semi dried tomatoes, fried eggplant, salami cucumber slice rollups. Also packed were stubby coolers, plenty of drink in the esky, paper napkins.

The evening meal was somewhat later, waiting upon the return from the Escarpment. John had the fire going, ready to do the BBQ. The meal of garlic bread, BBQ steak with onions, ratatouille, chippies, then the fruit platter, went down very well, except that the steak was very chewy. So much for O’s “fillet steak”!

Now that the men were staying another day, I had to plan meals for that. The information also came in today, to O, that there would also be a couple flying in tomorrow, probably for two nights. They had heard about us whilst at Adels Grove, where they would be coming from. Eeek! Into some heavy food planning……

O said he had some mince frozen, so I asked him to put that out to defrost. Hoped he remembered, this time! I would turn it into the old standby of spag bol – sufficiently different from the preceding meals. I thought it was a meal that would be appreciated by A and K, though it was probably not the greatest of welcoming meals for new guests! So be it.

WEDNESDAY 27 APRIL     PUNGALINA

Up very early to make sure breakfast was ready when wanted.

I put the breakfast makings onto the outside table. Fruit juice, tinned fruit, cereals, spreads for toast. I asked if the men wanted bacon and eggs but they did not. I was not surprised, in the prevailing heat and humidity.

The camp toaster was useless – not enough power. I had a couple of wire mesh toasters in the van that I could use on the stove burners – much better. Something else to add to the ever-growing list of needed purchases.

It was a very good thing, I decided, that our first guests only numbered two. Much easier to make up the discovered deficiencies when it was only for a small number.

The two men must have thought that yesterday was alright, because this morning they extended their booking from three days to four! Maybe the beef wasn’t as tough as I thought? Might also have had something to do with the weather having put on days that were slightly less humid, with mostly blue skies.

Camp Creek

O had to fly the Jabiru to Hells Gate, in the middle of the day, to pick up the green grocery order. I think he also stocked up on the alcohol supplies, from the Roadhouse’s limited stock.

The freight on my greenery, from Isa to Hells Gate, cost $80 – more than the produce did!

While O was gone, John took the guests sight seeing in the Troopy – to the limited places that had open tracks. They took Anzac biscuits and buttered date loaf for smoko.

While they were away, I cleaned the showers and toilet and checked the tent floors were clean. Guests made their own beds. Before they got back, I did the chilled water run.

I made potato salad to go with the lunch, and (later) a coleslaw and green salad platter that would be for tea. Fried eggplant slices in oil.

I set out the makings for lunch, which was to be assemble-your-own open sandwiches. I put out buttered bread, cold roast beef, some rocket (from O’s garden), fried eggplant slices, chutney, mustard, semi-dried tomatoes from a jar, cheese and tinned cucumber slices (both from my van stock). There was the potato salad on the side and paw paw slices with lime, to follow.

It was a surprisingly successful meal. At their invitation, I sat with the men and John, and managed to eat a small plate of some of the offerings.

O arrived back, with my stocks. I was very relieved, having been wondering what I’d do if something else went wrong! He took the men out fishing again. They took fruit cake for smoko.

I made an apple pie (tinned pie apple and my own made pastry), and a savoury zucchini slice.

I fitted in a quick shower, while the camp was empty.

Then it was prep for tea, which was the caught barramundi from yesterday, baked in foil with ginger, garlic, spring onions to flavour. I made French fried potatoes, using frying pans. The coleslaw and green salad went with the fish and fries. Apple pie and long life cream finished off the meal. It was very well received. The fish was excellent, with the subtle flavourings. I took it to the table on the cooking tray, with the foil opened out, and it was passed around for people to serve themselves. Much easier than me trying to serve and present it attractively, when it was ready to fall off the bones!

I was finding that the day was full, but planning things I could do ahead was preventing any panic.

John enjoyed his little spell of guiding today. In amongst that, and generally helping out around camp, he still had to do the daily watering up at the house.

TUESDAY 26 APRIL     PUNGALINA

First thing in the morning I made another loaf of bread, in order to have fresh for today’s lunch. The one I made yesterday would do for breakfast toast.

Sliced the date loaf and buttered it, and put biscuits out on a plate – for morning tea for the guests to have upon their arrival.

Then got started on lunch prep. Hard boiled eggs, peeled, mashed and lightly curried them. Chopped lettuce, red onion and celery, grated carrot. All these had come with us from Adels, so were somewhat past their prime by now! Mashed a small tin of tuna. Cut fruit cake (a bought one that came with us).

I took the water jugs that were chilling to each tent.

Heard the plane come in to the air strip and a while later O, with the Troopy, brought A and K to camp. All sat down around the morning tea table, outside in the shade.  We welcomed them – John had a little speech that included do’s and don’ts. Whilst the latter must be kept to a minimum, some are necessary – like don’t walk around the camp at night without a light. Then I took them to their tents and left them to settle in. This would be the arrival routine with all future guests.

These two were content to relax, explore camp and the like, until lunchtime. It was a hot and humid day so not one for being super energetic.

Lunch was for the two guests, O and John – and I would have some too, but on the go whilst working in the kitchen tent. Sandwiches – four rounds of curried egg and lettuce, four of tuna, mayo and lettuce, two of cream cheese, celery, carrot and red onion. Fruit cake.

This was not quite the lunch I would have served, ideally, but came up alright, given the lack of supplies. I was so thankful that I’d stocked up somewhat on fresh salad makings at Adels, rather than trust that decent supplies would be here!

After lunch, O took the men off fishing at Croc Hole, where there was a boat moored.

Croc Hole – Karns Creek

Once lunch was over and wash up done, I got started on tea prep.

I had asked O yesterday, to take roasting beef, sufficient for four, from his freezer to defrost. He had forgotten! He did remember to bring the meat with him, this morning, but it was still part frozen. It didn’t look like any roasting cut I had ever encountered, either. I made up a marinade of grain mustard, red wine and garlic and hoped soaking in this would speed the thawing. I put the meat on to slowly roast, quite early in the afternoon, and hoped!

Prepared vegies – potatoes and some pumpkin that O had at the house. Made up a Yorkshire Pudding batter to sit in the fridge. Set the table in the dining tent. Because I only had to set for four, there was sufficient numbers of plates, glasses and cutlery. But I had to use a  glass to put a small arrangement of some varied leaves on the table for decoration – vases were something else needed!

The fisher people returned with a 76.5cm barramundi. So they were happy – and I am sure O was relieved.

O had his own special, complicated, knots for rigging fishing lines that reduces the risk of losing the big fish. Because they regard this as a type of wild life sanctuary, only barbless fishing hooks were used, so mouth damage to fish was reduced. Fish caught could be kept if required for my kitchen, and guests could take one fish they had caught, away with them – frozen for them by O. Otherwise, the catch was returned to the water. I liked that policy.

I served pre-dinner nibbles of crisps and nuts, then roast beef and vegies, boiled peas (from a tin), Yorkshire Pudding muffins (had muffin pans in my caravan stocks!), gravy, mustard. Dessert was slices of paw paw with lime juice squeezed over – both from O’s garden.

The dining tent looked good for the evening meal, with the table set, and a decent tablecloth that had come from the camp stores. The subdued lighting from the outside spotlights along the creek was quite atmospheric. But I needed to get some candles and candle holders to finish it off – and a couple of small vases for table arrangements.

I served up the food in the kitchen, then John and I took the plates to the dining tent, being very careful not to trip over anything – that would have been a disaster! The way was not all that well lit, but we would get to know it well. John had been asked to eat with the guests. I found an excuse not to do so – I was still not feeling like any substantial meals and it would not have looked great for me not to be eating the meal!

John reported back that the beef was still pretty chewy though. I was already beginning to suspect that Pungalina’s feral cattle, possibly chased around a bit before being shot, were not exactly providing prime meat!

After tea, the men sat round the fire pit area outside (too hot for a fire though) and talked with O. John and I did the washup, boiling water in kettles on the stove to do so. Then I did some prep for the morning – put cereals into plastic containers (need more of those), sliced bacon rashers into smaller lengths, put jams into dishes and into the fridge, put the long-life milk cartons in the fridge to chill.

The guests retired to bed quite early, for which I was grateful, as it meant we could too. I was tired – as much from the preliminary tension as from the actual work. Managed quick showers – would have to try to fit my shower in between guest presences in camp, in the future.