Harvest time

5. 1. 12

It has cooled down after a scorching week. Edd and I got in two ute and trailer loads of hay by moonlight one night and Bo and Josh helped get the rest in at an early hour next morning. Yesterday Edd returned borrowed trailers to their owners and stacked the last few bales neatly. Josh and I took Bo’s kids off to garden world for the day whilst Bo worked. This was the first time we have taken Sylkie on a long trip and she was very good.

Today Edd went off and brought a ton of oats and I went shopping for human food and needs. There were sales on and I found a wool rug at half price in spotlight that was the right colour for our guest bedroom. Our friends are already making noises about coming to stay when we move into the new house and I need to be ready for them. What a joy it will be to have somewhere to host friends again.

Nothing got done on the house during the very hot weather. It was well over 40 degrees in the donga every evening so mostly we ate out at Bo’s restaurant. She looks after us well. In fact it is almost impossible to do anything anywhere when it is that hot. It is going to take a huge effort to get our selves motivated and back into building every day.

The fox attacked again and dug into the chook pen. This time we lost the remaining faverolle, which was sad. I have left the chooks shut in their houses today but we will have to think of a new plan when it heats up again or they will cook. The pens were damaged in the fires but we have managed to keep them in action up until now.

2.1.2011

Happy New Year to all our friends and family. Basically 2011 was not very inspiring but lets us all make an effort to have a better time in 2011. As predicted it is really hot today. Wayne, Josh and Edd started work early and have already brought in one load of hay. I stayed home and did the milking and farm work and am now boiling eggs for lunch. It is already 30 degrees in here but that feels relatively cool.

It was up to 40 and beyond in here last night. We stayed out in our new house as long as possible and then came back in to sleep. I woke in the night feeling much too hot but it was a clear starry night and easy to walk down to the new house. It had stayed really cool in there all day so I was surprised that I still felt hot down there. It was actually just me starting to cook. After about half an hour I cooled down and actually needed covers to keep warm!

Hot days are not a problem now that the pool is in action again. We can live here very comfortably if we use all the facilities. I even managed to grout another metre of floor before lunch. Today is a day of high fire danger and I plan to move some of my treasured stuff down to the new house. It would be tragic to loose the little we managed to save if the donga burnt. The boxes are rather heavy so I am waiting for some help to lift them. How did I ever manage to carry them to the fire cellar three years ago?