Wednesday, July 02, 2003
Due to complaints there's nothing new to read on my blog (thanks Tim), thought you might want to read the text of diary entries I made while in Bourke several weeks ago. Largely created in my opulent sitting room in the evenings. You may remember I was getting increasingly frustrated to be marooned there, but I had a good time too....of sorts. (since a potential audience was the bosses, certain strong views had to be toned down).
Wkhc Bourke June 2003
Day 1:June 2nd 2003
After a smooth flight leaving Broken Hill at 9am with 5 passengers crammed into a tiny charter plane (and cursory instructions on use of the emergency beacon should we crash en route) we landed at Bourke under overcast skies. A short ute ride later past vineyards and a display centre encouraging people to discover the 'Back of Bourke' (an expression meaning middle of nowhere) and we were in town. The Riverside Motel proved to be an oasis with statuettes, swimming pool, rose bushes and no big headed, three legged dogs in sight, contrary to warnings. There were however three very cute dogs and a cat to welcome us.
After a preliminary inspection of the decorated wooden floors and scented bathroom of my embarrassingly large suite, it was time to head to the school, less than a block away. Initially there was hushed silence in presence of the solemn Virgin statues standing among dewy roses in front of the convent building, but this only lasted 30 seconds. The music hall where we were to conduct our check was up some cleverly hidden back stairs with the old, musty smell ubiquitous to the back of school halls all over the world. Having made it upstairs we found ourselves in a bright area filled with colourful Aboriginal paintings. A feast of sandwiches and fruit soon arrived, followed closely by the arrival of other health staff from Bourke and beyond who were to participate.
We soon got down to the real business of the afternoon, a blow by blow description of the health check. Some of the more memorable revelations of the afternoon included:
· a discussion of whether the Tooth Fairy should receive health funding after a mother revealed that the going rate for having 8 teeth pulled out at one time was $20;
· that some of the older kids, reluctant to go through the indignity of having to pee into a Styrofoam cup, were altering the parent consent forms for the Health Check; and
· Andrew’s colourful description of the mating habits of head lice (the male crawls underneath the much bigger female, grips her front legs then in their passion they both stand on their heads: the mind boggles).
After more rejuvenating coffee we were fortunate witnesses to the St Ignatius school assembly, held outdoors in the netball court, where Year 6 gave a tuneless but enthusiastic rendition of Rocket Man. Nat then gave out the prizes for the best artwork done by the kids for the Health Check. It was then hometime for the kids, and for us, a “dry run” of the health check with some enthusiastic children volunteered by their mothers who were on staff. There was some mild troubleshooting: the opening of the 20 litre bottle of conditioner obtained by Nat; the replacement of the wildly inaccurate stadiometer which claimed I stood 2 metres tall (now I know THAT to be incorrect!).
We then retired back to the Riverside, some to a little enlightening wine and beer, others to books and computers. The planned BBQ became an indoor affair due to rain, and afterwards the dining room became a scene of serious industry as we filled those dilly bags with all sorts of health goodies (pamphlets, badges, magnets, anything Nat had been able to beg off related industries). Faced with a 6.15 am start everyone has made it an early bedtime.
Day 2 – Tues 3rd June
The day of reckoning – huddled over a hot breakfast the sleepy crew at 6.45 am refused to cheer up. However the short walk to the school accompanied by the faithful band of motel dogs started to fire us up and we used the remaining half hour to whip our stations into shape and take “calm before the storm” photographs. Everyone was smartly attired in our very nice Health Check T shirts.
The first kids turned up with clutching dilly bags with one hand, parents with the other. The ear check turned out to be relatively harmless and when they found out that each station meant a new present to put their dilly bag enthusiasm started to appear. The eye check also had nice ladies there though the Lang postcard caused a few puzzled faces, though most could eventually see the star, cat and car. The hair station meant a new (and very stylish) hairdo and then it was the turn of Dr Andrew the muffin monster who could sing “Rocket Man” and also checked your skin. But then it was time for the vampire ladies at the blood station and mostly the emla magic cream worked to numb the skin, but for a few kids this was not enough. Then it was time to check height and weight, and finally the wee test downstairs, which was “gross” but most kids did it anyway.
I was principal Vampire lady though I preferred the title Butterfly Girl. Di and I after a few initial hiccups soon had a rhythm going and at our best was able to see one child every 7 minutes!! However a few memorable moments – when littlies refused the blood test it was usually with nerve-jangling anxiety attacks and I managed to do a spectacular blood splatter against the hall wall in front of a parent while filling a blood tube. A miserable muffin and a full bladder later I felt relieved when Mary arrived to be the reinforcement. In no time it seemed it was 11 o’clock, the last kids were being ushered out, and I was surprised to be told that we had bled 31 children that day!!
Mary and I sallied out armed with digital camera to take photos in the school yard and this proved popular with the kids. A real lunch duly arrived and the dissection of the day had already begun when it was decided to have a break – some headed for the nearest café with chocolate cake while I chose a quiet moment underneath the Bourke Wharf looking over a muddy Darling River. There were graceful white herons and pelicans to watch and dream, though later I was sprung by Mary, Di and Cath looking over the edge and spotting my shoes!!
The afternoon saw us turn the music hall into a scene of industry once again as we tackled last-minute data entry issues and started preparation of a results booklet. All agreed that the day had gone off more smoothly than expected, with some delighted and cooperative kids and their parents. Even those who had had to wait a while with empty tummies had not complained and the teachers had helped to ensure the flow went smoothly.
A little afternoon sunlight was left to me to wander around Bourke central, which turned out to be surprisingly inviting but the presence of bars and shutters on all the shops attested to the unrest which plagues this town after dark. I returned to my spot by the Darling for sunset which was a gentle glory of pink clouds reflected in the river and pelicans sailing serenely through it all. Maybe another painting has started gestation.
Nightime and the group headed for the Port’O Bourke pub which served an admirable Beer Battered Barramundi in a genteel dining room. Must say I am seeing a number of very nice colonial buildings, heavy with antique solid wood furniture. As I type my laptop is resting on a wooden rolltop writing desk with cold Milo in a porcelain teacup beside me. Ah, the life. Time for bed as there’s another ungodly start tomorrow and there’s 40 kids coming this time.
Day 3
Well this morning about 10 am it hit me : a wave of weariness. By then I’d already stuck about 20 kids and the constant pressure to get the vein first time, plus various other snipes, was starting to get to me. My life was becoming an obsession with needles and getting good “stats” with a low number of refusals and failures. The kids were as gorgeous as ever and we’d actually had a great run with older kids and bulgy veins were swimming in front of my eyes. At our best Di and I clocked up an amazing rate of one kid every 4 minutes.
Luckily Mary was able to take over about 11 am and I had a much needed break, even making it to the Wee Stop. Finally it was all over – we had seen 40 kids, they had all departed happily with their bags of goodies and everyone scattered for coffee and lunch. Nat and I went out to see the Back O Bourke centre which turned out to be a teaser of an intro movie about the outback, but no actual display (still under construction). Never mind. The afternoon was spent watching the others working on stats and playing with my photographs of the Healthy Kids Check and some graphics for the personal results booklet.
Also was able to check my email (thank goodness – was starting to get uncomfortable about the fact I am uncontactable here, since the phone is out of action. No emergency messages from friends and family, thank god.) Watched sunset from the wharf, wrote a poem and unsuccessfully tried to murder the mosquitoes stalking me.
Dinner a last-night group affair at the Kidman Way café, very nice chicken although the others complained about there being no desert, the consensus being we had to remedy that at the RSL afterwards. Now it’s feeling “late” (10 pm – old age kicks in fast) and I should go to bed. 30 or so more kids to survive tomorrow – don’t know about my fitness for that.
Piokiwi 7:22 pm
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