All is quiet on the Southern Front

 

Sunset from our backyard

While things aren't so quiet in Ukraine, our family of two is leading a very calm life at Tanunda.

COVID-19 has slowed us as it has for billions of others. We haven't been on a cruise liner since early 2020; we haven't been anywhere really except for a two-day stint at Renmark that was rudely interrupted by a six-day SA state lockdown causing us to head home before it commenced.

We'd love to get away to either one or both of the SA peninsulas, however, we're busy with ANZAC Day preparations and a fund-raising Fashion Show that Christina is managing on behalf of the RSL.

Dale has been offered a second cochlear implant and has accepted, however, we don't know when it will be implanted because non-essential surgery at the Darwin Hospital has been suspended due to the C19 virus impact on hospital beds and staffing.

When he is given a date, we'll do what we did last time: drive to Alice Springs, pick up Dale, drive to Darwin and remain there while the surgery and follow-up are completed, and then reverse the trip. We'll spend some time at The Alice with Dale, Meredith and Tory before heading south again.

Post-operation, Dale isn't allowed to fly for a few weeks, so it all has to be done by driving. Additionally, he can't be expected to do it all alone, so Christina goes as his "carer" and Robin is the driver and odd-job, backup member of the team. We do get to spend some time with Dale.

We miss both of them being so far away after years living close-by and live in hope that one day they will move to South Australia. When Tory finishes his electrical apprenticeship, I'm sure he'll move somewhere, not necessarily south.

The Territory has a lot going for it at present with a lithium mine being developed, gas infrastructure, military expansion, an Albatross aircraft manufacturing factory being built, huge solar arrays to provide power for Darwin and Singapore underway, a tourist resort being built at Gove, Ammaroo ammonium nitrate fertiliser mine and processing plant, and finally, more copper and gold mining within the Barkly (Tennant Creek) region 500 km north of Alice Springs.

Robin lived at Peko Mine, a copper mine eight miles east of Tennant Creek from 1958-1965. He worked most of his school holidays with the Geopeko Exploration team exploring the region and identifying new mines, Gecko and Orlando. Now the area is being opened up again. That's great for the Territory and Australia.

If you don't mind oppressive humidity for most of the year, Darwin is the place to be as many "Mexicans" from Victoria and New South Wales are finding out as they move there in droves.

It's not all that exciting at Tanunda for we two retirees as it cools heading towards Southern Hemisphere Winter. But the sunsets are still enjoyable, the wine very drinkable, and the locals very friendly.

Life is good!

Robin and Christina