Farm Experience: Monday 29th November, 2004
"Oh boy, I'm in such luck! I didn't realise what a great deal I got for doing my farm attachment at Len Simmons's farm. Len seems pretty responsible and fatherly, and I'm completely blown away by what a warm family they are by themselves. I'm starting to wonder why it is that I feared coming here by myself in the first place.
The 1 and half hours drive here was one of the rare times I actually got worried that I may doze off though. In the past, I can honestly claim that I have never had trouble with keeping wide awake driving long distances, but perhaps it was the blazing sun and the absolute lack of cars on the road that made me yawn constantly, not to mention the fact that there's no one to talk to. So I turned to the best solution I could come up with - singing as loud as possible to some groovier songs and feeling like a complete idiot. It sure did help me stay awake! And I was busy counting the km too. Len gave me directions on how to get to the farm over the phone but it sounded pretty odd to me because he told me that his farm was exactly 79km from the turnoff onto the Brookton highway. 79km! Not 80km, or 78km, which made me edgy and worried that I might miss the entrance to the farm. I expected the entrance to be some small unnoticeable dirtpath, so I had to monitor the km travelled very carefully as I neared my destination. He really should have told me to turn off at "Strange Road", which was really where the farm was situated upon. I got paranoid all for nothing it seems. Anyway, I'm glad that I eventually got to the farm safely.
I got off to a wierd start with their daughter Belinda, who was the only one home. Len and his wife Gail had gone over to Adelaide to judge for a national shearing competition. When I drove up at the house, Belinda was looking at me from inside the house, "masked" by the flyscreen door. After I said hi and made the necessary introductions, I expected her to open the door for me, or at least invite me in. But she didn't. Instead, she just stood there and looked at me, as though she doubted my words or expected me to open the door myself even though she was standing right behind it. So I had to ask to use the toilet to invite myself in. First impressions: she seems a little slow and stutters quite a bit. But I don't want to be unkind and judge her for it cuz I still don't know her very well.
The rest of the afternoon was like my first major lesson on babies. Belinda has an 8-month-old daughter called Nicky, whose name was spelled that way so that it was "easier" (Frankly I thought that when the daughter grows up she would probably resent it... doesn't Nikki seem like a better choice? Would definitely save a lot of unnecessary confusion later on in life). I had 2 hours to spare before Len and Gail came home from the airport. There was only the Tv, Belinda and the baby, and me. What could I have done other than to play with the baby and talk to her? The major problem with this was that I didn't have any experience with babies at all. I don't even remember ever having carried one... I guess I didn't really trust myself with a potential human life in my hands. But I was desperate not to let the arkward silence descend upon us for the entire 2 hours so I asked if I could hold Nicky for a bit. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, we were talking about Nicky and focusing our attention on her daughter's every move. I almost feel as though I have just been initiated into the "baby-club". Finally I guess I have become qualified to be left alone with an infant now without feeling at a loss of what to do. Natural baby-lovers probably would never understand how I used to feel apprehensive about babies and how I try to steer clear of any.
As if I haven't had enough new experiences with children for the day, in came Belinda's brother, Ian, and his family, into the house when we were halfway through having dinner. Len and Gail had come home by now and had prepared a kangaroo sandwich for us each. Ian had 2 very younger daughters aged 5 and 6 (if I remember correctly) who are very pretty, but terribly hyperactive (So far all the Aussie kids I have met fall into the hyperactive and attention-seeking category.. I wonder why). I was eating my sandwich and suddenly I was faced with the prospect of entertaining the 2 girls Chloe and Britney while their parents talked to their grandparents. Chloe was the elder daughter and within 5 minutes of looking at me, started planting kisses on my jacket sleeves. I was very, very speechless. She then kept trying to drag me off to the living room to play "keeping house", and my lack of experience with kids allowed myself to be manipulated by her. Britney, on the other hand, keeps staring at me and then talks in a way I can't understand. I think she is still trying to form her words properly, but it really bothers me that I have no idea what she's talking about most of the time. Gosh she is so cute. I actually like them the way they are, so free-spirited and outspoken, not at all shy. So unlike singaporean kids, who are too well-behaved and controlled by their parents. Is it inherent nature, or merely a difference in upbringing, I wonder.
Len and Ian started eating some yabbis after dinner. Yabbis are like bigger versions of prawns, but are smaller and hardshelled like crayfish. Upon knowing that I haven't eaten it before, Len extracted the meat from one to let me try it. It felt so odd to be chewing it while having so many pairs of eyes looking at you and waiting for a response. Frankly it really just tasted like one of those seafoods to me. But I don't think they eat much crabs, prawns, lobsters and stuff. Most of the time they feast on yabbis, which they can actually grow and catch in their water dams, which also serve as a water supply for the cattle and sheep.
I think I've already mentioned how nice Len and Gail seem to be. After Ian and family had left, we sat down at a table and Len took the opportunity to tell me that he would spend all the time he needs to tell me all that he knows and answers any questions that I have over the next 2 weeks. And that, while I'm here, he would treat me like his daughter and as part of the family. Len and Gail run a ballroom dancing club too...how cool is that! Len is primaily a shearer more than a full-time farmer, so my job here will be to follow him to farms and help in the shearing sheds where he shears. I feel excited already. No more chasing of sheep and lambs all day!"
The 1 and half hours drive here was one of the rare times I actually got worried that I may doze off though. In the past, I can honestly claim that I have never had trouble with keeping wide awake driving long distances, but perhaps it was the blazing sun and the absolute lack of cars on the road that made me yawn constantly, not to mention the fact that there's no one to talk to. So I turned to the best solution I could come up with - singing as loud as possible to some groovier songs and feeling like a complete idiot. It sure did help me stay awake! And I was busy counting the km too. Len gave me directions on how to get to the farm over the phone but it sounded pretty odd to me because he told me that his farm was exactly 79km from the turnoff onto the Brookton highway. 79km! Not 80km, or 78km, which made me edgy and worried that I might miss the entrance to the farm. I expected the entrance to be some small unnoticeable dirtpath, so I had to monitor the km travelled very carefully as I neared my destination. He really should have told me to turn off at "Strange Road", which was really where the farm was situated upon. I got paranoid all for nothing it seems. Anyway, I'm glad that I eventually got to the farm safely.
I got off to a wierd start with their daughter Belinda, who was the only one home. Len and his wife Gail had gone over to Adelaide to judge for a national shearing competition. When I drove up at the house, Belinda was looking at me from inside the house, "masked" by the flyscreen door. After I said hi and made the necessary introductions, I expected her to open the door for me, or at least invite me in. But she didn't. Instead, she just stood there and looked at me, as though she doubted my words or expected me to open the door myself even though she was standing right behind it. So I had to ask to use the toilet to invite myself in. First impressions: she seems a little slow and stutters quite a bit. But I don't want to be unkind and judge her for it cuz I still don't know her very well.
The rest of the afternoon was like my first major lesson on babies. Belinda has an 8-month-old daughter called Nicky, whose name was spelled that way so that it was "easier" (Frankly I thought that when the daughter grows up she would probably resent it... doesn't Nikki seem like a better choice? Would definitely save a lot of unnecessary confusion later on in life). I had 2 hours to spare before Len and Gail came home from the airport. There was only the Tv, Belinda and the baby, and me. What could I have done other than to play with the baby and talk to her? The major problem with this was that I didn't have any experience with babies at all. I don't even remember ever having carried one... I guess I didn't really trust myself with a potential human life in my hands. But I was desperate not to let the arkward silence descend upon us for the entire 2 hours so I asked if I could hold Nicky for a bit. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, we were talking about Nicky and focusing our attention on her daughter's every move. I almost feel as though I have just been initiated into the "baby-club". Finally I guess I have become qualified to be left alone with an infant now without feeling at a loss of what to do. Natural baby-lovers probably would never understand how I used to feel apprehensive about babies and how I try to steer clear of any.
As if I haven't had enough new experiences with children for the day, in came Belinda's brother, Ian, and his family, into the house when we were halfway through having dinner. Len and Gail had come home by now and had prepared a kangaroo sandwich for us each. Ian had 2 very younger daughters aged 5 and 6 (if I remember correctly) who are very pretty, but terribly hyperactive (So far all the Aussie kids I have met fall into the hyperactive and attention-seeking category.. I wonder why). I was eating my sandwich and suddenly I was faced with the prospect of entertaining the 2 girls Chloe and Britney while their parents talked to their grandparents. Chloe was the elder daughter and within 5 minutes of looking at me, started planting kisses on my jacket sleeves. I was very, very speechless. She then kept trying to drag me off to the living room to play "keeping house", and my lack of experience with kids allowed myself to be manipulated by her. Britney, on the other hand, keeps staring at me and then talks in a way I can't understand. I think she is still trying to form her words properly, but it really bothers me that I have no idea what she's talking about most of the time. Gosh she is so cute. I actually like them the way they are, so free-spirited and outspoken, not at all shy. So unlike singaporean kids, who are too well-behaved and controlled by their parents. Is it inherent nature, or merely a difference in upbringing, I wonder.
Len and Ian started eating some yabbis after dinner. Yabbis are like bigger versions of prawns, but are smaller and hardshelled like crayfish. Upon knowing that I haven't eaten it before, Len extracted the meat from one to let me try it. It felt so odd to be chewing it while having so many pairs of eyes looking at you and waiting for a response. Frankly it really just tasted like one of those seafoods to me. But I don't think they eat much crabs, prawns, lobsters and stuff. Most of the time they feast on yabbis, which they can actually grow and catch in their water dams, which also serve as a water supply for the cattle and sheep.
I think I've already mentioned how nice Len and Gail seem to be. After Ian and family had left, we sat down at a table and Len took the opportunity to tell me that he would spend all the time he needs to tell me all that he knows and answers any questions that I have over the next 2 weeks. And that, while I'm here, he would treat me like his daughter and as part of the family. Len and Gail run a ballroom dancing club too...how cool is that! Len is primaily a shearer more than a full-time farmer, so my job here will be to follow him to farms and help in the shearing sheds where he shears. I feel excited already. No more chasing of sheep and lambs all day!"
posted by Min @ 7:01 PM
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