On Friday Aimee and Gray arrived after a slow and steady drive. They saw lots of evidence of trees down across the road, but as most Tasmanian utes seem to contain a chainsaw they had been cleared by the time they went through.
The rains finally finished and the total for the fall was 40.8mm, quite respectable. The dogs spent the night inside, they weren't at all keen on either the high winds or the distant lightning.
I made a hoisin meatball tray bake for dinner, which was popular enough for seconds all round.
On Saturday we did a farm walk and Aimee gave pats to everyone and I showed Gray all the things needing repair or renovation if he wants to do some handyman work over this way. It was a very long list.......
We then changed and headed out to Derby for lunch at the Hub, where Aimee worked for a year when she was living with us in Tasmania. She caught up with the owners and they said to message when she was settled in the UK and they'd give her the contact numbers of some friends there who might be able to be of assistance if needed, or just show her around.
We then grabbed an icecream and did a walk along the main road and checked out all the things that had changed since she was last there. We went into the little school house museum, which now seems to house some of the display that used to be in the tin mining museum nearby, which is now a bar and cafe.
Star had a bleed off on Saturday, which tells me she was on heat three days ago. When I borrow a bull I will have to make sure he only has access to the girls I specifically want bred.
Today Aimee and Gray packed all her gear and adjusted the backpack so that it sat properly and moved the weight from her shoulders to her hips. She will also have a massive suitcase, I hope her luggage arrives at the right place because there's alot of it !
We had breakfast and a good chat and sorted out last details and then Gray took her to Launceston for her first leg to Melbourne. She reported later that the flight was delayed and there was alot of turbulence, but that she was now safely set up in her motel room for the night. Tomorrow she flies from Melbourne to Shanghai, and after an overnight there on to London.
I had a little cry when she left, which is silly, as she's going to be away about as long as she normally is from Tasmania, but it feels like a very long way away. I hope she has a wonderful adventure and makes many good friends and memories.
I fed all the critters and then decided to open the gate and give all the cows and sheep access to all the currently grazed areas so they can share round bales. Neither group is big enough to eat a whole bale before it started to weather, but together they should make more efficient use of the feed.
There's an east coast low bringing more high winds (south easterly for a change) and rain tonight, so I will get the dogs fed and set up with beds in the house before the rains start so that they don't come in soaking wet this time. They have shelter, they just like standing in the rain and barking.
This is the cow herd after they were let in together, the adults settled down to grazing together, but the calves had a very happy run and buck. It's always good to have a group of youngsters. The hills have greened up dramatically, a month ago this view was all brown.
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