Monday 1/4/85
Maths was hard. Didn’t have hardly any time to learnt before skool – no one (I don’t think) got it finished in time. It was hard. In PES, took notes cos’ of the weather. Science – marking stray HW. History – understand the last part now. Almost finished it 2nite. BP – new topic. Practical, too. English – started Animal Farm essay. Continuing Yentl essay. (Hurry, Liss!) Art – made a vanilla/custard slice looks nuthin’ like it. Rainy today again. Tim – I get nervous and self conscious when he’s near. Never know just how to stand or sit or what to do with my hands. I’ve tried to control it but I can’t. Late nite.
Tuesday 2/4/85
Really worried today that I wouldn’t get my work done. I have my PES to complete tomorrow, 3 assignments due Thurs & my art clay work. Got my History & 1 English assignment done & worked out my art. PES I dunno – & Animal Farm (the otha’ english assign.) tomorrow at school & prehaps after. Today was cool. Didn’t take me jumper. DAY 5 – Science ›blech‹ BP ›blech‹ -er! German ›blech‹ -est! Maths Mr Way was absent. Maths puzzles & english worked to my capacity. ‘S’arvy finished Hist. Dunno if I’ll wear shorts on our Free Dress Day on Thurs, now.
Wednesday 3/4/85
Today was terrible. Couldn’t sleep last night – mozzies buzzing in my ears. When I did sleep my whole body was under the sheet. History is done! Double art – did theory instead of clay work will tomorrow, too. Have to work in lunch time. Maths – got test mark back Below class average. 17½/30. Class AV 18.5/30. [This would no doubt have caused Perfectionist Me undue stress for a few hours.] English – Mr V.S said we only have to hand in one english assignment whichever one we want. Great! Lunchtime – did PES testing – skint! In PES played hockey. fun but hot. BP got all work done in class, so no HW 4 Hol’s. Watching movie – “Xanadu”! 
Dunno wot ta wear 2morrow.
Thursday 4/4/85
I thought Tim’s family would be comfortable financially cos’ he wears Tab shorts to school but today he wore daggy black jeans like Shane S. used to wear…. Still I don’t look at his clothes – just his spunky face. Wore my red’n’white Sportsgirl shirt, sweatshirt & sanshoes. Took my Sportsgirl bag. All of us were allowed in the science lab, today (only 2 boys had correct leathers on.) German had competitions. Natalie P. won. Art, watched boring video. Didn’t get clay done. Eng. & Hist finished up essays’n’mucked around. Maths – won an egg! packed this arvy. Haircut just a trim. Saving up for perm! [OMG, yes. It happened a number of times in my youth…] Lateish nite
Friday 5/4/85 (Good Friday)
Woke 5:30 today. Didn’t do exercises. Finished packing and went to work. When eski was packed at work, we came home cos’ we forgot somethings then left on our 3hr journey. Tried to sleep while travelling. Sick tablet helped me stay awake. [We often took travel sickness tablets as a precaution. My sister had – and still has – a weak stomach for travelling. She was invariably always the one we stopped for.] Got to Chillagoe 11-11:30. Drove to the Walsh River, saw Karen M & the Holletts ‘n’ everyone. Didn’t see the Strikes. Was too crowded there. Drove on, looking for Elisabeth Gorge. All those who gave us instructs were wrong. Finally went to the “Bellvue” Station Homestead. A real ‘bloody’ Aussie gave us directions. And we cross-countried all over the property, 4wd country alright!! Had to look for certain things e.g.: windmills, dams etc. Like a treasure hunt. When we finally made it (6:30) was already people here! Still, camped a bit away. River’s alriiiight. No trees where we camped. Don’t really like it. Feel homesick already. Jules bedded early. The rest of us went down for a bath/swim. Bed at 9:30
Saturday 6/5/85
Woke quite early 6:30. After brekky cleaned up & set things up totally. Then went for a dip. All of us got Aussie [my stepmother-to-be’s German Shepherd] in & she began enjoying the water. Then went firewood hunting. Got heaps, but dad wanted this giant log – trying to get it, we staked it. The back right wheel punctured BADLY. After changing it & getting back, we all drifted down to the creek & spent most of the arvy in it. Everyone else but me got burnt badly – or visibly bad. Withered the arvy away. After tea I had a half’n’half enamel mug of range & reisling. Anthony the dickhead [stepbro-to-be] was trying to convince me I was drunk. Dad was the only 1 (I think) who knew I wasn’t. Late nite.
Sunday 7/5/85 (Easter Day)
Dad came in at 7:00 singing “Peter Cottontail”. [He pretty much rolled this one out every Easter, since his first performance on a camping trip a few years earlier had delighted all of us kids. You know the way Dad’s do, once they think they’ve hit a ‘winning formula’.] Julia ended up eating all her eggs today. [That was usually MY trick] Hot X Buns for brekky. Lazy, swim about morning. Went walking up the gorge & found a beeauutiful hole. All swam & fossicked until around 1:30 – 2:00. After lunch, lazed ’round – swimming, photographing, playing games. After the last swim/bath, had tea and sat by fire. Am tired. Talked & quizzed each other. I had more wine 2 nite & didn’t get ‘pithed’. Am going to sleep out 2 nite – hope it’s cold.
A Life in Words 