Backyard blitz

Submitted: Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:14
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G/day all,I have just now read Sir Kev`s blog about Miss Jo`s palm tree`s.What a bunch of bloody legends you folk are,I wish Icould have been there to help. It is great to be associated with you all thru my member ship of OZ . Jan and I hope to meet you all at the next get together.

Best regards, Keith C
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Reply By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:41

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:41
Keith,

All it was, was a bunch of like minded people doing something for a mate.

I had only met Vince once in Jan 2008 when Sam and I dropped in for a coffee,
John and Adele at Innamincka at last years National Gathering,
I have met Trevor a few times in our travels,
Jo only the once late last year,
I had never met John and Colette, Shane or Mark and Keryl G.

Was good to see everyone pitch in and get the job done. We were all knackered by the end of the day.

Maybe some more people could get out from behind the computer and get involved to help each other out.

I hope you make it to St George in September ;)

Cheers Kev
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Follow Up By: Wayne (NSW) - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:46

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:46
Kev,

Well done.

Wayne
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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:47

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 17:47
Wayne,

I just co-ordinated it, without the help of the others it would not have happened.

Cheers Kev
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Follow Up By: Member - Fred B (NT) - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 18:03

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 18:03
I still think all of you were/are 'bloody' amazing!
Fred B (NT)
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Follow Up By: Willem - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 19:49

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 19:49
Good on ya Kev and others. Well done!

No, our garden is fine. But I am sure I a can think up something if you feel like coming this way...LOL


Cheers
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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 20:17

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 20:17
Willem,

Wherever I go at the moment the rain follows me.................will that do hahaha


Cheers Kev
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Reply By: Thunderflash - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 19:52

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 19:52
Good on you guys, I'm only a new member but have been scouring this site for around a year for most excellent information. The more I read the more I respect you guys. I look forward to meeting some of you soon, can't make it to St George but I'm keeping a very close eye on a meeting I can make. Legends

Cheers
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Reply By: Madfisher - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 21:08

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 21:08
Good on you Kev for organising the day. You have a big heart mate.
Ps we could do with some rain, maybe I can think of some jobs for you. LOL
Cheers Pete
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Reply By: PradOz - Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 21:23

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 at 21:23
Well done Kev, well done. I notice (if I am right) you wearing a back brace. I thought you had your back "fixed"?? I am 5 months post surgery - two discs removed - 1 fused, 1 replaced with artificial disc. Cant wait to get out into my own back yard and clear it after 3 years of letting it grow wild since injuring myself. Even noticed this week the rats have moved in amongst it - just hope SWMBO dont find them or there will be hell to pay until i work out a solution to that. I am hoping for all clear from my surgeon on gold coast very soon - fingers crossed. Great work Kev and all others involved. Would be something Miss Jo and family will truly appreciate and remember forever. With all the bad stuff going on around the country it was really great to read your blog. TOP STUFF!
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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 07:34

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 07:34
Yeah it was a back brace.

If I know I am going to do a fair bit of continual bending or lifting then the back brace goes on.
I didn't do the heavy lifting or I still wouldn't be walking now. They tried a couple of times for me to swing off the chainsaw late Saturday arvo but there was no way I was going to haha

It took me 6 months before I was allowed to lift more than 5kgs and even now I still am reluctant to lift over 15kgs.

You had better not let us know where on the Gold Coast or you may be next ;)

Cheers Kev
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Follow Up By: PradOz - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 11:32

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 11:32
Look after that back Kev - from personal experience they can be more of a pain in the asre than just back pain!! One day when i am back on my feet hope to catch up with some of you guys. And sorry dont think you will catch me out next as I am too far away for that stuff - my surgeon is on gold coast, not me. I actually fly up to see him for a couple days in march. i live in south western sydney - maroon thru and thru though, born and bred in Toowoomba Qld, but SWMBO unfortunately a blue- so for now will have to leave the jungle out the back and all its wild life for another day when i am back on my feet. Well done again, your a champion bunch of guys (and gals)
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Follow Up By: Miss Jo - Toad Keeper - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 11:59

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 11:59
Damn it, I was thinking the same as you Kev...
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Reply By: Miss Jo - Toad Keeper - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 01:25

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 01:25
You know what also shocked me?
Those whom had turned up.. I knew..
Knew John and Colette and stay in contact.
Camped numerous times with John and Adele and stay in close contact.
Knew Mark and Keryl from a previous drop in at my house for coffee, stay in contact. (I made mark work then to with my aquarium!!)
Have know King Cane Toad Trevor for a few years now, camped and stay in regular contact.
Had spoken with Vince a few times via mm and when we discovered we were camped at Mann River at the same time but I couldn't find him (But had not met his mate Shane before)
And Kev himself, I met for 10 min when he dropped in at my house to pick up his car seat while fulfilling SES duties out at the Gap.

It really was a total shock. I knew Trevor was going to drop in, "Yeh, I'll pop in and say G Day for a while since Kev is gonna be in town", and I had an inkling that Mark might turn up because he had previously talked about lopping trees for a living!
But I honestly had absolutely no idea about anyone else turning up.
And everybody knew what was going on! even all the interstate folk! and not one person spilled their gutz to me!!!!!!! come on guys.. you gotta get yourselves a bit better at the gossip thing!!!
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Follow Up By: Member - GREENDOG - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 12:17

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 12:17
Hay Jo, It's bloody great when a bunch of mates get together and help out hay, and you mention some thing about the interstate guys knowing what was going on mmm o.k i was one of them LOL,it's nice to hear you had a great week end.cheer's GREENDOG
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Follow Up By: Miss Jo - Toad Keeper - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 12:23

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 12:23
WTF??? you are in Adelaide! how did you know!
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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 12:47

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 12:47
It is such a small world Jo hahahahaha
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Follow Up By: Miss Jo - Toad Keeper - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 12:50

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 12:50
You are a cheeky $#%@&%# ...!!!
can't help but love ya though....
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Reply By: Miss Jo - Toad Keeper - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 01:36

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 01:36
Now to those whom were all involved I have emailed, but since this thread has appeared it seems only right that I once again make my thankyou public. So you all know just how they went above and beyond to lend a hand with the horror trees that was just impossible for us to do ourselves. So below is just a copy and paste..
Oh and for those who saw the blog, and saw the yard filled with the trees... keep in mind that that was only half the trees!!!!!! Mark and I had previously removed 15 more of them 3 years ago!!!!!!!!!!!
What a shocker of a yard!!!!!!!

Those who turned up at my home on Saturday I have emailed with my thanks, but it still doesn't feel like it says enough, so I would just like to copy and paste the email I sent to here and would like to publicly thank everyone for what.

Dearest Kev, John and Colette (Old Plodder), Vince (Vince B NSW) and Shane, John and Adele (Mr Bitchi), Mark and Keryl and King Toad Trevor.

Thankyou Thankyou. No words really can express mine/our gratitude.
I had no idea Kev had planned for others to turn up. No idea at all. All I kept saying to him was it was too much of a big job for him and myself and he just kept on saying 'it's cool, don't stress, I'll sort it.'
You all set a whole day aside to come and work in my yard, when you would have had more than enough of your own stuff to do. But, it wasn't just giving up your day and time but also out of your own pocket for fuel for driving here and fuel for driving to and from the tip.
It is so very generous and quite overwhelming to accept. I am like Kev and usually do the organising of stuff for others, to suprise others, I love to do that and be the giver. I am not usually on the other end being the recipient! It is easy to give but can be hard to accept being given.
Not a week would go buy where Mark and I had not said to each other, 'those trees have to go' or 'I cannot wait to see these trees gone'. We have a good idea how we would like to get the back yard done up, getting all the trees down was the starting point. Now we can get the wheels in motion.
I think Mark was kind of glad he had to go to dialysis because he felt useless that he wasn't allowed to do anything to help. While he has the catheter in his neck which has a direct line that feeds into his heart, he is so not allowed to do anything where he may pull or catch the catheter. Just way to risky. He goes in for surgery on Tues for a second fistula to be done on his arm, the first one didn't work. So they will make a second one, 2 months for healing time and if it is all good and functional then dialysis will be performed through the fistula vein in his arm and the catheter in his neck and heart shall be removed.
He is now on the hameodialysis machine which is much better for him than the peritoneal dialysis, that was constant complications and hospitalisations for him. This dialysis they say he should start to feel much better soon and be able to do more than what he has been able to do at present.
So now, in a month I can start working on a plan for the backyard which is long overdue and it will make home a bit more of a relaxation haven.

Again Thankyou, I just don't know what words to say to truly express mine/our gratitude.
Love you all!


PS.. and a big thankyou to Adele for feeding us all , (out of her own pocket may I add). Those chicken chippies were yummo!!! and Colette for the homemade carrot cake, that too was yummo!
And under instructions from Goldie, (which is a good idea), once the back yard is all or near finished, a backyard barbie and spa party will be a goer.

And a big thankyou to Shane.. You never even knew me from a bar of soap yet wanted to help. I am sincerely grateful to you and would love to count you as a friend. (You do look very familiar Shane)

Not counting what I still am to finish off, yesterday was 22 trailer loads to the tip and each load we seemed to be around 2.8 to 3 ton loaded.. (ok besides Trev who weighed in at 3.6 ton... the extra weight for the lights on his rack!!)

PPS later notice to me, apparently Vince was weighing in near the 3.6 ton as well. And I am estimating about 5 trailer loads left with the remaining tree and stacked up logs.
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Follow Up By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 09:35

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 09:35
I reckon the hero for the day was Shane the banana farmer, Vince's mate. He let Vince talk him into coming. Knew nothing of Exploreoz, and came anyway. Then worked the hardest after Mark, and brought two chain saws as well. He was picking up logs that Kev wouldn't even go near (for obvious back reasons), and I thought about but didn't dare try (grey hair must be bringing wisdom at last). Just up and onto his shoulder and to the trailer. He didn't even flinch when all of the cochroaches climbed out of the palm heads, but them Vince, Mark and Shane are from NSW. :o)
One correction, Vince had 3.8 tonnes over the weighbridge first time, and the pajero weighs in at 2.2t.
Interesting that three pajeros turned up, one patrol, one navara and one cruiser. (Me stirring? never :o))

Jo, you booking another day to finish it off?

Who is going to offer?

Best part of the day was seeing the surprise turn into a grin on Jo's face, and Mark with almost nothing to say. 2nd best was the lunch supplied by Adele, thanks.
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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 09:51

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 09:51
John,

I killed as many cockroaches as I could hahahahaha

When are you available to finish it off ;) the last weekend in March is not good for me hahaha

Russell Coight:
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Follow Up By: Miss Jo - Toad Keeper - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 12:20

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 12:20
Yeh John, Shane was awesome!!!!!!!!

I didn't get to see him much as I was doing the tip runs.
Throwing them logs on his shouldler like he did.. you can tell he throws bunches of bananas on those working shoulders!

Mark (my Mark) was totally overwhelmed! He doesn't come onto the forum here or anything like that.. generally, if I left it up to him to stay in contact with people, then we wouldn't have any friends!!! Being sick has really made him withdrawn.
He was so shocked at what everyone did...He came with me for first tip run before having to go to the hospital...
'I can't believe it. But why, why would they want to do that for us?'
My reply.. ' Because there are people that do care about you and me, Because they are our friends, even if you don't really know some of them!'
He has just been blown away by the whole thing..

John I am hoping the weather won't be too hot and I am hoping to get out there on my weekend off on mon and tue to get it tidied up.
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Follow Up By: Miss Jo - Toad Keeper - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 12:35

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 12:35
Well tidy up what I can, Those logs won't be dried out enough yet for me to lift! The side of the house was just starting to dry out.. then we had big rain yesterday afternoon!
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Reply By: Miss Jo - Toad Keeper - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 02:12

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 02:12
OH and I want everyone to know..
Kev didn't just organise it but he had to drive 550km, 6 hours to get from his house to mine!!! I am just waiting for an opportunity to pounce with pay back!!!

Vince traveled from just over the QLD/NSW border and Mark did the same (I think it is about 3 and a half hours from Marks place to mine). Old Plodder and Mr Bitchi are local.
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Reply By: Member - DickyBeach - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 03:43

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 03:43
What a great effort by you great people, this story brought quite a lump to my throat.

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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 07:36

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 07:36
Twas just another ExplorOz gathering with a difference




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Follow Up By: Miss Jo - Toad Keeper - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 12:02

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 12:02
No there was no difference Kev... we still had rain, we still had mud, we still had a vehicle nearly bog and dig trenches!!!!!
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Reply By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 10:47

Friday, Feb 20, 2009 at 10:47
I have just added a few more action shots to the Blog as well :)


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