What a week...

Hi everyone,

Terribly glad we're at the weekend.  Four day weeks are fun but tend to throw me off my rhythm.  And yesterday's gallivanting about the countryside didn't really help I have to say.

On the plus side, I'm getting my handle on work again.  A good week next week and I should be right back on top.

Weather still unpleasantly hot.  Thought about going for a run after work but went for office drinks in air conditioned comfort.

Tomorrow is the birthday of Grace and Rachel.  Missing them terribly again.  I keep thinking how I was able to soothe away Grace's little worry last week and wish I could do that for them all the time. It just sucks not being there with them :(. Thank God for the Skype date tomorrow.

Very tired tonight.

More later.

A great use of my time...

Hi everyone,

Can I have a moment to gripe?

I'm sitting here in the Yarrawonga office on a hot afternoon.  How hot?  This hot

It's an hour's drive here from Shepparton, and now I've got an hour and a half drive back to Karramomus.  Or rather, longer as I need to stop and do a site inspection at Yarroweyah on the way back.  What makes it annoying is that only one of my three appointments up here actually turned up and I skipped lunch to get here on time #waaahmbulance.

Not that I'm in a hurry to go back to the farm.  I have the problem of being a free trader in a protectionist household, so im likely to attract some blame in connection with the decision today not to subsidise SPC Ardmona.

The thing is, yesterday I sent an email supporting funding for SPC Ardmona to certain members of parliament, and this morning preparing a news report for the firm detailing its support for a subsidy for SPC.  So yeah: I sold out my principles because to match the inclinations of the higher-ups at work.

It's been a marked couple of days then.

I guess I should bite the bullet and get on the road.  Roll on cooler temps next week!

Evening post

Hi everyone,

Typing this just after midnight as the house cools down.

Day went well after I got back to the office from the dentist.  Not quite as good as I'd hoped, but close: I'm still not working quite at a satisfactory level, but I'm getting close.

Missing the girls like hell right now.  One of the presents I got them for their birthday is a game called "Sturdy Birdy" - as best I can tell its kind of like twister except for balance.  All the reviews on Amazon talk about how much fun it is, and how children love it. And I know I'll never get to play it with them: because after all, I'm only a "special events Dad", and, you know, a dangerous maniac.

Life, even with the best of resources, still truly sucks sometimes.

Well, nothing is improved by moping.  Continuons.

At the dentist...

Hi everyone,

Typing this in the waiting room at the dentists.

I've slipped put of work - legitimately - for this.  I still feel a bit guilty despite having told my employer.  Truth is, my performance hasn't been so hot of late and I'm beginning to feel that sense of being a stupid fraud I had at H&W.  I guess what amplifies it for me is that they're so good to work for.  It's a great firm and I still love turning up to work.

Anyway, I'm sure I can bounce back.  I know what diabolically bad performance at work looks like and this ain't it.  All I need is a good day and a half and I'll be back on top no problems!

The day after Australia Day.

Hi everyone,

It's the Monday after Australia Day and, therefore, a public holiday.  Typing this just before lunch.

Yesterday was a beautiful day - lots of sunlight and warmth, and we spent it separating weaner steers from their mothers.

Good way to spend the morning, although I did something to my foot that left it sore and so I put the planned run off to to today (will get to it after).  Oh, and while I was closing a gate, I brushed my backside against the hotwire.  I can guarantee the electric fence is at full power!  I substituted the run for a short but intents weights session.

This morning was spent rejuvenating a stretch of fence line.  It's another beautiful day, although the blues are kind of niggling at me.  Annoying, although it'll fade in a few hours I know.

Probably head into Shepparton this afternoon for groceries.

More later

Tuesday back at work

Hi everyone.

Typing this on a hot night:

I've got the door and window open in the hope of catching any stray breeze.  Nothing yet.

Today was a bit patchy.  A fair degree of client work.  In the afternoon I had an uncomfortable blast from the past, inasmuch as a conversation with my boss gave me the same feeling of grinding imbecility I had constantly with a couple of past jobs.  Not fun.

Really needed a run after work, so despite the heat I banged out a stiff 6kms around the lake in town.

Home by 8:30.  Dad and Fran to head to Flinders tomorrow to see how Michael is faring post leg surgery.  Hope recovers well.

Tuesday...

Hi everyone,

Quick post before I close my eyes.  Good day at work today.  Finally finished reviewing files for the directors - tomorrow I can get back to doing paying work.

Home by 7pm.  Took bins down to the corner.  Good strong workout of planking and weights in evening.

More tomorrow.

The new year

Short post to start the new year.

Started the day with an 11km run in Flinders, to the war memorial, pier and golf course.  Beautiful conditions: warm, overcast and just enough spots of rain to cool you down.

More work on baler through morning.  A decent belt of rain went past in afternoon.  Dad and I returned to Goulburn Valley in evening.  Back to work tomorrow.