The Morning Dilemma or Cows, Kangaroos, Council Workers and Creek Crossings

Some gorgeous baroque pearls (up to 20mm in size) in natural colours that I sourced through the buying group, made into a simple but eyecatching pendant.

I am part of a group of lovely (mostly) women from across the world who band together to buy quality gems and pearls so that we get good prices and very often different and unique stones and/or cuts.     Some of our members attend the Tucson gem shows each year and keep on the lookout for special things.

  

One of those ladies had returned home from the shows yesterday and listed what she had found and what was available for us to share, try and buy.  We got to have a look for a few hours then at a certain time this morning we were to send our ‘want’ lists and she would fill them, in the order they arrived.

All sounds good, right?  The time today was arranged so that most people around the world would be up and my local time was 7am.   Normally this would be perfect.  It’s the time that I get the children out of bed and ready for school and I’m usually up earlier checking overnight emails, out in the garden, getting mail ready to go, and so on.

But, last night The Farmer tells me I have to drive him down to our furthest property (about 40km away) first thing as he needed to do some work there and had to drive the tractor that was already down there, home.  “Ummmm,” I start, “but there’s a buy on at 7am, I have to be here or I’ll miss out!”   He looks at me oddly, but relents and agrees to leaving earlier (aka in the dark) so that I can hopefully get back in time.

So we’re up in the dark at 5.30am, he breakfasts, checks his emails, gathers his things.  While I bounce up and down looking at the clock.   We leave about 6.05am and it’s just starting to get a little light. 

There was a storm last night and a bit of water on the road, the rickety bridge at the end of our lane is as rickety as ever and there is still mud on it from the flash flood last weekend.   The highway is clear, the main road after that is fine, then onto the last, more isolated, road that starts fine, but then becomes populated with kangaroos, bounding across the road in front of us.  One is so fast that it slips and slides a few feet along the road and we wince thinking of gravel rash!   The last part of the road is dirt, full of corrugates (really bumpy bits caused by people braking or accelerating) and with a few “gotcha” corners (you really don’t want to go round them fast).   We arrive at 6.35am.  Hmmm, I think silently, not looking good to get back by 7!

There are cows in the front paddock.  I eye them off.  They look back at me.  I estimate the time it will take to drop The Farmer off and decide I can’t leave the gate open as then I might very well be faced with them getting out and having to get them back in!  So, I open and shut the gate.  And the next one - although I warily leave that gate open estimating the nearest cow won’t make it there in time if I’m fast enough!

We whizz past the tractor and the Farmer sees my concerned look but assures me it’s just to check the tarpaulin is still on the super (phosphate – fertiliser) after the storm.   

I tell The Farmer “I’m going to miss the buy!”  He laughingly says “What, are all the ladies sitting there poised to press “send” on their computers at exactly that time?”   “Of course”, I reply, “they’re as addicted as I am!” 

Then it’s back to the shed, we get out, he gives me a  peck on the cheek and in I hop to reverse the trip.  It’s 6.40am.   

First gate – the cow was close but she hadn’t quite made it as far as the gate, so I quickly shut it after me.  Next gate – lucky I DID shut it, look at them all within a few feet of the gate and I’m sure they would have gone through.    On to the dirt road which I take carefully if a little slow for my liking, I pass 2 magnificent Wedgetail Eagles that are feasting by the side of the road.  You don’t often see them close, so it’s always surprising to me how big they are.    Only one black tipped wallaby debates whether it will dodge out in front of me, I slow down and it decides to hop off back into the scrub.  Good decision!

All is clear on the main road and highway although I pass my in-laws house at 7.01am which is still a few kilometres away from home.   

On the lane there are council workers looking at the rickety old bridge and the sign posts that were bent at 90 degress in the recent flood.  I dodge around them, waving good morning and continue on my way.   I turn into our drive, trying (unsuccessfully) to avoid the deep puddle just after the ramp and notice as I fly (well , I go as fast as I can – about 50km/hr) up our drive, that the fuel light is on – lucky I didn’t run out as I hadn’t checked that earlier!   

Into the open garage, hop out, dropping the keys on the rack, run to the house, boots off at the backdoor, trot into the house, yell at the children to "Get Up!"and press “SEND” on my computer.  It’s 7.10am.  

A bit late, but I may get lucky!!!

Till next :)

Annette