Juliet, Kev, Emma and Hannah were due down for the weekend for our traditional mid-winter Xmas dinner (a little later than usual because of their sojourn to the UK). A saddle of lamb this time. On Thursday I had been to Taumaranui and popped into Helen and Phil's new (beautiful) house on the way home, so did not get in until after 7pm. Friday I was working, and though I took a few hours off, I managed to get very little done. I was thinking that J and K would probably collect the girls from school and be here around 4.30pm, but hoping they would be later! It was only when Alice started saying 'When will they be here' (in a whining tone!) and Eric said they have to wait for Kev to get home from work that I realised I had more time. Phew! I'd forgotten that Kev worked now!! Before unemployment he worked from home so they still got here a reasonable time. Anyway they arrived around 7.30pm and we ate around 8pm. When we went to bed, I thought it was around 11pm and got a huge shock when it was gone 1am!!!
Yesterday did not turn out as planned. We had a planned our meal for about 3pm, but the day was so nice we decided we did not want to spend it indoors cooking so we'd eat later. It was turning out to be busy anyway. Eric and Kev fetched the goosers in the morning, so we had to spend a few hours on that, getting them settled into their new home.
This is where they should be living.
No sooner had they had been settled in than they walked straight through the electric fencing and waddled around the paddocks! As long as they stay in our they'll be OK.
Juliet had to do some shopping in Matamata so saved me some time by taking Alice to and from netball (they beat arch rivals Waharoa). Harriette didn't have a match but was instructed to go the jewellers and get my watch and get me a replacement novel at the library. I have just finished Above Suspicion - an excellent read. Now H and A have for the last 3 years been trying to work out my PIN for my eftpos card (bank debit card). When I handed her the card and told her my number she couldn't believe it. I just forgot to give her clear instructions on how to use it. She typed in the number without first specifying which account to use and the card wouldn't work!! So she came home with the watch and a bill and 2 books I'd already read!!!
To add to the days activity Eric decided to build his smoker. He had made bacon and wanted to warm smoke it. I was not impressed at his timing but there you go.
On top of this Carol went and decided she would produce her baby. Now I have to say I was surprised at this as I was convinced Freckles would deliver weeks ahead of her. Anyway. We managed some canapes and a glass of wine, or 3, on the deck at around lunchtime.
It was now around 3pm and we were getting a little anxious about Carol. She had been at it for about 4 hours and did not seem to be progressing. We consulted the books (don't laugh R+R!) and decided she needed to be examined. Problem was Eric couldn't get near her, so we phoned Claire next door and asked if we could use the race (pen and cattle crush). We moved her into the crush and Eric examined her.
She was in an OK position but the hooves looked big and we decided she needed help. I phoned Warwick over the road but he was milking, so tried John next door. We were on the scrounge for some calving ropes (Eric had looked at some in the morning but not bought them!!!!). John came up with John jnr. John jnr took charge and the 3 of them pulled her out within a few contractions. Washed up and they were gone in 15 minutes!!!!
Xmas dinner was now destined to be an evening meal as it was now 5pm. Back to the house for some serious cooking. Camera battery died at this point so I'll have to wait for Kev to email me his photos.
I was exhausted by the time we went to bed. I woke totally disoriented and confused at 6am. The phone was ringing! It was Claire (in the UK). She was totally apologetic but once I'd actually woken I was OK about it. She is so busy, with 5 children, that she can be forgiven for getting the times mixed up. It was great to have a chat.
These were taken this morning...
..before we sat down to a breakfast of home produced: bacon (smoked and unsmoked), sausages, liver, black pudding and eggs (Juliet's. Cedar Lodge chooks don't know how to lay!!!). I haven't got as far as growing the wheat for the bread yet and the tomatoes and baked beans came out a tin.
R+R were meant to be coming round for tea sometime today but when I phoned they said they were having a busy and disasterous weekend and have lost 3 cows so would take a raicheck on the tea (they are in the depths of calving so it was always going to be a tenuous arrangement. So now, we are having a wonderful doss afternoon. It's been tipping down for hours so I lit the fire and got a jigsaw out. Early to bed tonight.
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