Gourmet on T.I.

Another busy weekend on T.I. Saturday night saw us at the Sarpeye Ball - yes, another ball :-)  This one is held outdoors at the army barracks and like the Wongai ball held in August, it's an occasion to dress up, dance and have fun. We were treated to an amazing seafood buffet and very reasonably priced drinks.

The weather was kind - apart from the short downpour later in the night - but that was not an issue as luckily the barracks has a decent undercover area and the revellers were able to take shelter while the heavens opened. But Rob and I missed all the excitement as we had already left by then and were safely home.

Rob and I enjoying a pre-ball drink with Rina and Steve

Glammed up for the ball

Peter of the red vest and Pastor Jan .... yes - Pastor :-)

Sunday saw us up bright and early to look after the pilots. I've been helping out in the pilot house kitchen over the past few weeks, but only on a Sunday. The cook takes a well deserved day off and as I'm not a stranger to catering and cooking for others, it seemed only natural for me to fill in on those days.

Traditionally the pilots have a BBQ on Sunday nights to give the cook (who used to live in) a night off. But as that is no longer the case Sunday nights have taken on a slightly different slant so when Rob suggested that we do pizzas - well, why not? He makes a mean pizza base so the pilots were in for a treat.

But what's a pizza night if you can't do your own toppings? So while Rob mixed and kneaded and worked his magic with the flour, I supervised the three pilots in Pizza Toppings 101.

"They're my olives"

Creating gourmet delights

Mamma mia! Tony, Richard, Rob and John looking very pleased with their creations

It was a fun night - the pilots don't usually hang out in the kitchen - so to be invited in and be given free rein was a novelty. We made four pizzas - one for each pilot and one with all the leftover toppings (that one was mine) - and they were all eaten with gusto ..... and with a pretty decent red.

Who said you can't eat gourmet on T.I.? Life is good :-)

Not long now

School is almost out - December 3rd is our last day. And while the kids technically still have just over a week of schooling, the time will be spent on activities, rewards for hard work, recognition of achievements .... and cleaning up.

The HUB - my desk :-)

One of the many cultural artworks that you will find around the campus.

The teachers are madly marking and writing reports and the teacher aide is madly giving them all the support they need :-) Today the year 8s were treated to a mediterranean feast as a reward for their hard work on their Ancient Civilisations unit.  We prepared platters of chicken, cold meats, lamb kebabs, greek potatoes and salad, herb bread rolls and a cake for dessert.

By the end of lunch most of the food had gone and we had enough left over for a few older stragglers who wandered in and politely asked if they could have something. I'd forgotten how much teenage boys can eat! A job well done for Vanessa, their teacher, and the four year 11 students who very ably assisted us with the preparation. BTW - there's hope yet for the year 9s if this is what they will eventually become :-)

This time of year also gives rise to a condition called Mango Madness. No, it's not a rush on buying or collecting mangoes - which are in abundance at the moment - it's a state of mind. I don't know if it's the heat or the change in temperature from hot to a bit hotter every day, but your mind starts to play tricks on you and emotions can run high.

For this reason, maybe (?), most people leave the island once school has fininshed and return some time in January. Rob and I, at this stage, have not made any definite plans. The nature of his work does not give us the luxury to plan too far ahead.

But I have to say that I may have a touch of MM. I'm hoping that once work is finished and I have time to myself, I may settle down and start to find my groove again. Perhaps the cure involves having something to look forward to, so for this reason I'm thinking of spending a few days away, maybe in Cairns.

I am a bit nervous about staying on the island over the festive season. It will be as good or as bad as I make it - and so far I have made my time here good. There is a cure for MM - it's about a change of attitude, it's about taking control and knowing that ultimately you can make a difference for the better.

At the moment - life is uncertain.

Only on T.I.

Every day on this beautiful island I experience something new :-) And while my days are filled with sameness and the mundane, some little event will always creep in and I think to myself  "only on T.I.".

* Only on T.I. can you wear a bright orange floral dress -anywhere - and not stand out like a sore thumb. Julie - this photo is for you. I know you've had trouble with the whole muu-muu thing but is this acceptable? (LOL)
The leg-ins are for modesty - it can get windy up here and big dresses are quite loose and tend to fly up. So at school we wear leg-ins as a precaution  against any sudden exposure.

* Only on T.I. have I felt so far away from family and friends and as a result fell into bit of a hole. But then I would not have experienced the love and support that came pouring out to me, in some instances, from unexpected places.
An afternoon Skype session with Carleen did wonders for my spirit - it was as if we were in the same room, nothing had changed. Carls - can't wait to get your package :-)

The beautiful people in my staff room - such caring, loving souls. Little kisses, hugs, little chats - it meant so much to me - thank you.

* Only on T.I. would I pay $5.35 for a lettuce and not flinch - well ok, I flinched a little.

* Only on T.I. do I walk home from work and as I come over the crest of the hill I catch a view of the beautiful aquamarine water that surrounds our lovely isle. This water is so calming to the soul.

A visit to the foreshore - which is only minutes away - does wonders for me. And I don't do it enough. It's like everything - when it's all around you, you take it for granted and it's not until you stop, look and listen that you realise what you have at your fingertips and how lucky you really are.

Life is good ..... again :-)

Feeling lonely

Today I felt it - the distance. Today I was alone. Today, I wanted more than anything, to be with a friend - to have a coffee, maybe even a drink, to chat, and to have a little vent. Today I wanted my support network but distance got in the way.

So ...... I went to the foreshore. The water was perfect - flat, clear and inviting. The sky was blue and cloudless. The neighbouring islands provided a peaceful backdrop as I sat on the rock wall and felt lucky to be there.

I'd bought a book with me - reading relaxes me once I can get my mind to stop racing - and together with the groups of families and friends around me I enjoyed the beauty of the T.I. foreshore.

There is no substitute for a friend - as beautiful as this place is - but it did wonders to restore my soul and peace of mind. I'm still in a mild turmoil. I'm a talker - that's how I 'heal'- I get the words out of me, and I feel better. That's what my wonderful friends do - they listen, they help me to heal.

Today I missed you so much.

Below: The beautiful foreshore on T.I.

This travel blog photo's source is TravelPod page: Thursday on Saturday.....

Dr Dolittle

This weekend the vet is on the island. She visits every couple of months. To let us know she's coming the council puts an ad in the Torres News and brochures are left on notice boards around the town. Then we ring to make an appointment - Friday for surgery and Saturday for consultations.

Today Rob and I took Kacee and Zoe to the vet for vaccinations and worming. Consultations are held in the animal control offices in the council compound. We wait outside on the veranda with the outdated, broken photocopier and a table and chairs. It was raining today so the verandah was wet and crowded.

After each patient, the vet comes out and asks "who's next?" and in you go. It's a grotty little room - it has a satinless steel operating table which Jo - the vet - uses as a treatment table. Kacee needed 3 needles - her yearly innoculation, an antibiotic and heartworm. She also had a worming tablet. Zoe got her first needle.

Jo is lovely and caring and thinks that Kacee has a sweet nature :-) $278 later and the pets are updated and healthy.

Looking after the family - life is good :-)

Resting after a traumatic visit to the vet



So much to tell you

Living on T.I. is a lot like living anywhere else - it never rains, it pours. Since Friday Rob and I haven't stopped. There's been fetes, drinkies, races, catching up with friends and just overall being very busy.

If you remember I was looking after the cake stall for the church fete. Now even though I am a bit of a veteran when it comes to fete stalls, I was a tad nervous about this one as I was following in the footsteps of one Mrs Pat Jones. Pat has been here for ever and doing the cake stall for as long, so - this was going to be a tough act for me to follow.

I had been hearing how she was able to muster up so much support that the cake stall was always the money maker on fete night. As it turns out my fears were groundless. I'd momentarily forgotten that I was living in a small community and that everybody rallies around and pitches in. Hadn't I met people in the street and asked them to bake for me? - well they did - and with a vengeance!!

Whether it was one cake, two cakes or trays and trays; whether it was bags of cookies, trays of donuts, fudge, jars of chutneys, damper from Hammond Island cooked in banana leaves and  ..... the mainstay of all fetes around Australia - toffees - the good people of T.I. supported the cake stall as they had done in years gone by.

At this stage we still have rough figures but in one and a half hours we took over $2000 - that's just for the cakes :-) The entire fete made over $22,000 in 3 hours. Not bad hey? But then we Catholics always did know how to raise money.

The next day saw Rob and I frock up - well I did, Rob went semi-formal, as you can see from the pics - for the annual T.I. Derby Day.

Rob and I in the pilot house kitchen. One of us is overdressed .....

The event was held at the boat club - spectacular views, icy cold champagne, delicious BBQ lunch and lots of fun betting on distant races. We had our own derby later in the afternoon - I was a jockey, but the dice rolls were not friendly to me and so my punters lost money :-(

Why would you want to be anywhere else?

Palm trees at Derby Day

Sunday saw me feeling very sorry for myself and laying low - you can draw your own conclusions :-) But then what better way to come back to life than a spot of gardening. Here is a pic of the donger as it it now - no longer bare, but warm and inviting.

A few pot plants to soften the look, a table and chairs to share our meals, a cane chair to relax in while talking on the phone to loved ones, a garden bed to define our space.  Yes, life on T.I. ..... is good :-)