Work Work Work



 Well my last post was in August and it's now October. I'm such a bad blogger. There have been things to write about but I just don't get time. All my spare time has been consumed with sleeping or doing copious amounts of washing. The year is drawing to close very fast and time just seems to be getting away from me. I have been here for over 4 months. On some days it feel like I have been here for years and then when I think about here I haven't been here very long at all.

Work has been very busy but nothing very special has happened. The school holidays have been very busy with a few states overlapping so that means we get the holiday trade for almost a month. We have Outback Spirit coming in twice a day, every day this month as well as several other tour buses that stop off and do lunch with us. A Tuesday at the start of this month was the biggest day I have ever worked here. We did 170 lunches (110 a la carte and 60 set menu), that is mammoth for a place our size. I don't know how we even accomplished it to be honest. We sit about 60 people (max) so that means we turned the restaurant over almost 3 times! When its happening we are all running around crazy just trying to get it done and then afterwards we're all so shocked at how much we did without realising.

What has happened in the last month?

We had a killer of a dust storm. Everything in the place was covered with dirt. Wine bottles that had been here a week had that very 'vintage' look to them and there were sand dunes all over the veranda. Impossible to do any washing or even stand outside.


Blinman Pub

 

Blinman

We had Smooth Radio from the UK come and broadcast a 6hour show to Britain from our front veranda. I wish I had got some photos of this. They had the whole setup right outside the front door.

We have also rearranged the gallery to include some Utopian Art which is work done by local Aboriginal Artists.
 

Hallway



We have also hung some of Peter McDonald's photos in the front bar. I love them. He is such a nice guy and his work is amazing. Hard to believe a small place like Para can lay claim to an internationally known photographer.

We had a guest stay who was here around the time of the first derailment of the coal train (I say first as this week it has come off for the third time in as many months) and he brought us some photos that he took. The first one was by far the worst and if it keeps going this way we won't be able to tell people that it is the longest front-pulled coal train in the southern hemisphere anymore.

 Maybe the new claim to fame will be 'The train that derails once a month'

Around the middle of September we had a group from the BMW Safari come through the region. 324 riders stayed in Parachilna, Angorichna Village, Blinman and a couple other places. It was a huge event and seemed to be plagued with injuries and mishaps from day one. 20 riders were seriously injured on the first day and one of those injuries resulted in a fatality. Such a shame that a fantastic idea was so poorly executed.



Angorichna Tourist Village




Blinman - There was a separate truck for luggage




Blinman Pub




Blinman Pub - The follow on vehicles were BMW's as well



We had Bill chambers here on the 17th of September. He is Kasey Chambers father and although not as well known as his country singer daughter is is still an artist in his own right. He is very Australian country and its easy to see where he gets material for his songs when you listen to the stories of his life travelling around Australia. He did a show on the Saturday night with Mark Elberg and Jo Ahearn who works for one of the tour groups we have come through. Was quite a good night and after they were done John O'Dea played till late on the veranda as usual. The also did a Sunday sesh and it was so cool lazing around listening to them play in the afternoon. definitely a highlight.





Jo Ahearn, Bill Chambers & Mark Elberg




Bill Chambers



 


Yes the wigs and hats came out again!

 

There are quite a few bike rallies and events held out here. As well as the BMW Safari there was a memorial ride for Tony Kirby, which was absolutely HUGE, and also a Postie Bike Rally which was a fundraiser for the Cancer Council.



Tony Kirby Memorial Ride




Tony Kirby Rider at Blinman Hotel




Postie Rally for Cancer Council at Blinman Hotel



Something else exciting is I met the biggest dog I have ever seen in my life!! His name is Barney and is a Perinese Mountain Dog. They used them to protect sheep from wolves because they blend in, although I don't know how well that worked unless wolves are killed by copious amounts of licking and excitement. Barney is 2years old, weighs 65Kg and is about 105cm high when sitting next to me (he is slouching below).



Barney

No that is not a very small terrier - it's a very big Barney

I do enjoy also that some people here have the same sense of humour as I do.

The Fizz is strong with this one ...

Blogger is being a jerk so I'm going to sign off now.