Wednesday 1 June 2022
Today is the first day of winter and as I write to you it is a balmy 30°. Down south they’re expecting snow and blizzards! Earlier this morning a young trainee pilot was doing touch and go practice on the runway here. Watching him took my thoughts back many years ago to when my son David got his pilot’s license. I remember my heart was in my mouth as I watched him take his first solo flight.
When we arrived here, a couple of days ago it was just so very exciting to finally meet our new family member, Coomalie, whom we named after this amazing site, where she was born.
Of course we were also excited to catch up again with Denise and James and later, Richard when he arrived.
Denise and James had kindly prepared a delicious roast pork feast to welcome us back ‘home’. Richard joined us as well, and shared in the celebration of our coming together again around the Wrightie’s generous table.
Denise conducted a formal handing over to us of our precious new family member. It was a very moving moment for both of us.
James also introduced me to one of the local frogs that live and croak loudly in Denise’s beautiful potted plants.
Later in that first evening, as I lay in bed with Coomalie snuggled up to me, I knew that I was really back here, when the curlew’s started up their mournful chorus which seemed to echo and swirl around the airstrip. It sounds as if they are remembering the men who flew out of here during the war, never to come back.
ON THE ROAD 