Cunnamulla, QLD - Australia
Brisbane, QLD - Australia
Safety Harbor, FL - USA
Several people have asked me what my typical day in Koroit is like. There is very little that is typical or very predictable in opal mining. It's sort of like swimming in the ocean, to get from here to there your trip often is not a straight line. It's helpful to have a plan or direction, but then be prepared to be adaptable and make frequent navigational adjustments.
However, here are the possible typical parts of a day in the life:
Woke up, got out of bed
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup,
. . . oh, no no no . . . that's the version by those boys from Liverpool . . .
. . . In Koroit I don't sleep in a bed, don't have a comb and my downstairs is 40 feet underground.
To set the stage, when in Koroit, I sleep in a sleeping bag on a cot inside a 10' x 10' galvanized steel garden shed with a dirt floor and a simple fireplace I cut in one of the walls. Often I awake just before sunrise, which can be comfortable or not so comfortable. Remember it is winter here. Last night the low outside was about 2 degrees C (about 36 degrees F), the low inside my shed was about 7 deg C (about 45 deg F . . . to convert from deg C to Deg F, multiply by 1.8 and add 32). Awaking just before sunrise can involve the potentially unpleasant consideration of current conditions of air temperature, the fire in my fireplace and the pressure in my bladder. Mornings are cold (30s and 40s) this time of year until maybe at least an hour after sunrise. . . so getting up to nature's call can be uncomfortable.
When I do get up, I'll usually go outside, grab a few small bits of wood and throw them on the fire, answer nature's call, then go back inside to put on my pants, socks and boots. (I usually sleep in a t-shirt, sweatshirt (sometimes 2 sweatshirts and a hat) and underwear.) I have smelled it many times before (no not that), but as I'm getting dressed and the wood in the fireplace, which is almost always gidgee, begins to burn, I love that smell of burning gidgee in the morning . . . yes, probably much better than the smell of napalm in the morning . . . the scent of gidgee burning is tough to put into words . . . yes, a bit woody/smokey, but sweet, similar to a good cigar, but without any bite or harshness. . . anyway, quite delicious, but who knows, maybe poisonous. While enjoying the scent, contemplating the limited nature of our written language and Wittgenstein's remark regarding the logical waste of time trying to express the inexpressible (that which cannot be said must be passed over in silence), I usually have a bite to eat. . . some peanuts, an apple, an orange etc or some combination, brush my teeth then maybe visit the dunny (Australian for "outhouse").
With absolutely no scatological intent, a few dunny comments are worthwhile. As mentione
d above, "dunny" is Australian vernacular for what we yanks would call an "outhouse". In addition to "dunny", it is often referred to as a "long drop" . . . for obvious reasons. My dunny consists of a hole, now about 30 feet deep (originally deeper), which was drilled with a 9" auger normally used for exploration. The house part of the outhouse/dunny is made from a variety of bits and pieces I obtained at what is affectionately referred to in the Koroit region as either "The Cunnamulla K-mart" or simply "K-mart" (the Cunnamulla part, being obvious, is understood) . . . in other words, goodies from the dump in Cunnamulla . . . now before you get too disgusted, you should realize most of the K-mart-obtained components I'm talking about are car bonnets ("car bonnet" is Australian for "car hood") and steel posts. . . relatively clean and I'm being a good environmental recycler.
Once upon a time when he was young and very fit, one of my neighbors in Koroit by the name of Lindsay ventured into the Gents' (Australian for: Men's bathroom). This was located at a shearing shed in the outback - a group of simple buildings where sheep are brought to be sheared and where there are bunkhouses for the shearers, showers and a kitchen and dining room. This Gents' Lindsay visited was not a simple dunny like I have, but a flush toilet in a bathroom in a simple building much like a small warehouse.
Lindsay sat down on the toilet and proceeded to do what he went there for. After completing some of his business he felt something that made him think of a severe electric shock . . . now ladies take a breath and gentlemen, perhaps you should sit down . . . he felt that severe pain right where you are thinking, more specifically right on the end of where you are thinking - yes, I mean there, that place which is, well, quite special to most males. He got up and walked to his bunkhouse less than 50 feet away, but did not have the strength to climb the 3 or 4 steps into the bunkhouse. He sort of collapsed on the steps in great pain and was covered in sweat.
He had been bitten by a redback spider.
Friends took Lindsay to a nearby simple emergency room. He was brought into an examining room. An ER doctor, who was of course a young attractive woman, asked Lindsay why he was there. He explained and of course she asked to examine the afflicted area. Lindsay told me the pain was terrible, but the extreme swelling had made him a very proud man. As he painfully and proudly presented himself for examination he could see quite an amazed look appear on the face of the doctor. He asked her if she could give him something for the pain, but please leave the swelling. Yes, she laughed. However, there was not much she could do for the pain. There is no anti-venom for redback bites. She told him to go back home and drink plenty of fluids.
He told me he was sick in bed, covered in sweat, in pain and feeling miserable, unable to work for over 3 weeks. The pain did go away and so did the swelling.
After hearing this story, I have always been careful to check in, around and under the seat in a dunny.
To start work mining underground, I fill the gas tank and start the generator which provides power for the hoist, underground lights and jackhammer. On go my gloves and I climb about 40 feet down the ladder into the mine. As I go down the ladder I keep my eyes active - redback spiders (of course they are poisonous) sometimes build webs along the side of the shaft or on the ladder. . . and before I get to the end of the ladder, maybe 8 feet from the floor, I look down to see if there are any snakes or other undesirables waiting below.
Safety Harbor, FL - USA
Several people have asked me what my typical day in Koroit is like. There is very little that is typical or very predictable in opal mining. It's sort of like swimming in the ocean, to get from here to there your trip often is not a straight line. It's helpful to have a plan or direction, but then be prepared to be adaptable and make frequent navigational adjustments.
However, here are the possible typical parts of a day in the life:
Woke up, got out of bed
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup,
. . . oh, no no no . . . that's the version by those boys from Liverpool . . .
. . . In Koroit I don't sleep in a bed, don't have a comb and my downstairs is 40 feet underground.
To set the stage, when in Koroit, I sleep in a sleeping bag on a cot inside a 10' x 10' galvanized steel garden shed with a dirt floor and a simple fireplace I cut in one of the walls. Often I awake just before sunrise, which can be comfortable or not so comfortable. Remember it is winter here. Last night the low outside was about 2 degrees C (about 36 degrees F), the low inside my shed was about 7 deg C (about 45 deg F . . . to convert from deg C to Deg F, multiply by 1.8 and add 32). Awaking just before sunrise can involve the potentially unpleasant consideration of current conditions of air temperature, the fire in my fireplace and the pressure in my bladder. Mornings are cold (30s and 40s) this time of year until maybe at least an hour after sunrise. . . so getting up to nature's call can be uncomfortable.
When I do get up, I'll usually go outside, grab a few small bits of wood and throw them on the fire, answer nature's call, then go back inside to put on my pants, socks and boots. (I usually sleep in a t-shirt, sweatshirt (sometimes 2 sweatshirts and a hat) and underwear.) I have smelled it many times before (no not that), but as I'm getting dressed and the wood in the fireplace, which is almost always gidgee, begins to burn, I love that smell of burning gidgee in the morning . . . yes, probably much better than the smell of napalm in the morning . . . the scent of gidgee burning is tough to put into words . . . yes, a bit woody/smokey, but sweet, similar to a good cigar, but without any bite or harshness. . . anyway, quite delicious, but who knows, maybe poisonous. While enjoying the scent, contemplating the limited nature of our written language and Wittgenstein's remark regarding the logical waste of time trying to express the inexpressible (that which cannot be said must be passed over in silence), I usually have a bite to eat. . . some peanuts, an apple, an orange etc or some combination, brush my teeth then maybe visit the dunny (Australian for "outhouse").
With absolutely no scatological intent, a few dunny comments are worthwhile. As mentione
d above, "dunny" is Australian vernacular for what we yanks would call an "outhouse". In addition to "dunny", it is often referred to as a "long drop" . . . for obvious reasons. My dunny consists of a hole, now about 30 feet deep (originally deeper), which was drilled with a 9" auger normally used for exploration. The house part of the outhouse/dunny is made from a variety of bits and pieces I obtained at what is affectionately referred to in the Koroit region as either "The Cunnamulla K-mart" or simply "K-mart" (the Cunnamulla part, being obvious, is understood) . . . in other words, goodies from the dump in Cunnamulla . . . now before you get too disgusted, you should realize most of the K-mart-obtained components I'm talking about are car bonnets ("car bonnet" is Australian for "car hood") and steel posts. . . relatively clean and I'm being a good environmental recycler.Once upon a time when he was young and very fit, one of my neighbors in Koroit by the name of Lindsay ventured into the Gents' (Australian for: Men's bathroom). This was located at a shearing shed in the outback - a group of simple buildings where sheep are brought to be sheared and where there are bunkhouses for the shearers, showers and a kitchen and dining room. This Gents' Lindsay visited was not a simple dunny like I have, but a flush toilet in a bathroom in a simple building much like a small warehouse.
Lindsay sat down on the toilet and proceeded to do what he went there for. After completing some of his business he felt something that made him think of a severe electric shock . . . now ladies take a breath and gentlemen, perhaps you should sit down . . . he felt that severe pain right where you are thinking, more specifically right on the end of where you are thinking - yes, I mean there, that place which is, well, quite special to most males. He got up and walked to his bunkhouse less than 50 feet away, but did not have the strength to climb the 3 or 4 steps into the bunkhouse. He sort of collapsed on the steps in great pain and was covered in sweat.
He had been bitten by a redback spider.
Friends took Lindsay to a nearby simple emergency room. He was brought into an examining room. An ER doctor, who was of course a young attractive woman, asked Lindsay why he was there. He explained and of course she asked to examine the afflicted area. Lindsay told me the pain was terrible, but the extreme swelling had made him a very proud man. As he painfully and proudly presented himself for examination he could see quite an amazed look appear on the face of the doctor. He asked her if she could give him something for the pain, but please leave the swelling. Yes, she laughed. However, there was not much she could do for the pain. There is no anti-venom for redback bites. She told him to go back home and drink plenty of fluids.
He told me he was sick in bed, covered in sweat, in pain and feeling miserable, unable to work for over 3 weeks. The pain did go away and so did the swelling.
After hearing this story, I have always been careful to check in, around and under the seat in a dunny.
To start work mining underground, I fill the gas tank and start the generator which provides power for the hoist, underground lights and jackhammer. On go my gloves and I climb about 40 feet down the ladder into the mine. As I go down the ladder I keep my eyes active - redback spiders (of course they are poisonous) sometimes build webs along the side of the shaft or on the ladder. . . and before I get to the end of the ladder, maybe 8 feet from the floor, I look down to see if there are any snakes or other undesirables waiting below.
7/17/08, 8/4/08, 11/6/08
. . . more to come . . .
.
. . . more to come . . .
.
No comments:
Post a Comment