Sunday 22nd May

It’s taken me nearly all week to get back to normal here. I didn’t think the stress of going up to Auckland was that bad, admittedly the thought of seeing my daughter again after nearly 7 years of silence from her didn’t help, and just being in Auckland after the solitude and peace down here.

Still milking in the mornings, 572, the half horned cow and 814 are prime numbers for my cowhide mats and freezer. 814 managed to kick me Thursday morning and I am fairly sure I have a slight fracture in my wrist now. 572 and the half horn got together in the bails this morning, and did their usual back off, wait and try to get back in the bail, I saw 572, then grabbed the wash hose, 2” waterhose with full pressure, and got both of them as they started to go back in the bail.

You don’t have a lot of fun milking, but when you do, it is worth it.

I’ll have to get a morning off soon, Mike turned up this morning to change the gates on the herd, and I had a chance to see the early morning sunrise. Wish I’d taken the camera to work, the mist was over the river, and slowly settling into the bush on the hills. With the sun rise, it looked bloody spectacular.

Now that it is settling into winter I can see the garden and trees as they are, and what needs pruning, removing and replacing. Some of the early pruning I did when I got here has been good, now the leaves are gone I can see the structure and what I have to build on.

I picked up a supposedly small gardening job last week, it took me all week to get it started, the aftermath of the wedding had me comatose for the week, but anyway. Nice garden at the Naked Possum side of Bainham, trees, roses and lots of shrubs, all over grown with weeds, and no pruning done since it was established. I spent 3 hours on Saturday just clearing weeds from 3 of the gardens and pruning the roses in one, filled 2 trailer loads of rubbish, and it looks like I have a lifetime job ahead to bring it all back into shape. So, 3 – 4 hours a day a couple of days a week, will be good.

I’ve been trying to pay my account at Takaka for my Kenwood blender for 3 weeks now. When I picked it up, Andrea said she didn’t have the invoice, I could pay it next time I’m in town. I went in last week, she was away and I was told, no worry, next time you’re in town. I went in on Friday, Andrea was out, got told the same thing, said I’m not often in town, maybe once a fortnight?, got the Takaka reply, that’s ok, whenever you’re in town.

You really have to love living here to appreciate the feeling you get from the shop owners and everyone in the Bay.