This week...

Sometimes people ask you - "what have you been up to this week?" and on reflection you know you have been busy but it is difficult to tell them just exactly what you have been doing. I actually love weeks like this where you realise you have spent a fair bit of time at home doing the normal day to day living things to run a household, a farm and connecting with family.
 On Mondays I always look after my 3 year old grand daughter. It is a wonderful and tiring day. I took Claire on an outing to Newcastle to visit my eldest daughter  who is on holidays. We visited Blackbutt Reserve for an hour or so to see native animals and birds.

Claire and Nicky at Blackbutt Reserve

On Tuesday I went to our local town doing farm jobs and some food shopping, a book club meeting and then home to spend several hours working on the computer doing farm accountancy and then  mowing the lawn in the cooler part of the day. Wednesday was general house cleaning day - all that boring but necessary stuff like washing, vacuuming, washing the car and so on. I also went to Maitland to pick up bulk meat from our butcher who cut up one of our vealers to fill our freezer for the next few months. On Wednesday night my son, daughter in law and grand daughter, and daughter came for dinner. Thursday is my day. For years now I have visited a close friend and we quilt, stitch, chat and drink coffee and tea and eat. It is a day we solve the world problems, laugh and natter of family things. It is a day where I don't think about the farm and feel relaxed and sort out how to move forward on any issues bothering me. It is a day to spend with a very dear friend. And now it is Friday - I need to get ready to leave the farm for a few days next week. I am visiting with my son, his wife and new baby as my son is returning to work after the birth of their new baby.
 None of this is overly exciting but it is a wonderful way to spend your life. It is about being busy and feeling fulfilled and happy with how you spend your days! Being contented with your day to day living is calming. It allows you an equilibrium so you can relish the highs and exciting times and also to cope with the lows that life throws to us all at times.
On farm the usual has happened - milking twice a day, cows have been sold, silage is again in the process of being made, cattle have been moved, spraying of weeds and numerous other tasks have been undertaken.
 One day I will write a blog on how DH Farmer spends his week. It puts my week to shame with his hours of hardwork and dedication that he has for a farming life . But I know he feels the same as me - life on the land is mostly  happy and fulfilling and one we would not choose to change.