The day after

Talk about a hectic life style. We have another full day out and about. Our cattle had a paddock change this morning. The cattle across the river need to be fed. The weaners are getting some rolled oats with their hay and the cows and calves are on hay. A tedious process.

The fish frames collected yesterday are still in their containers and are in the spare freezers. We learnt a long time ago never leave fish frames to warm up overnight they begin to stink very quickly. Looks like it will be the weekend before they can be put through the mulcher and packaged for the chickens omega 3 supplement.

It has been a week since we last exercised and we're down at the pool just after 8 am for a serious session. I don't know if it is the affect of fasting but we both feel energetic and do 500 metres before a solid aqua session on longer time spans. Back home for breakfast and then off to Raymond Terrace for the monthly shopping and library visit. It all goes quickly but still we are away for nearly 4 hours.

The last stop was at a large format liquor outlet to pick up a gift for Jean's mum who is coming for Christmas. The inexpensive Argentinian wine we were familiar with looks a bit odd. A closer look and we realise the shelf packer has put the very very expensive similar labelled version of this wine in the place allocated for its cheaper cousin. The expensive version is normally kept on the other side of the store. We are familiar with the expensive bottle as it is mentioned in "The Wine Diet" as one of the highest in anthocyanin and every now and then we purchase a bottle as a treat.

We round up an employee and inquire if this means we can purchase these few at the lower price. After some thought "yes you can". I put all five expensive bottles into the trolley. A nearby customer overhears the conversation and says "I'll have some of that". She reaches past me and grabs two bottles off the shelf but not knowing the brand doesn't realise it is the cheaper version and not the bargain. Jean explains the situation to her and she starts to put the bottles back.  Jean continues to explain that even the cheaper bottle has higher than usual anthocyanin. She buys the two cheaper bottles. Possible job opportunity for Jean?

Strangely, we leave the store both feeling guilty about taking advantage of an honest mistake.  Even now as I type this I feel a twinge of regret. Why is this? Obviously an ethically bad choice. So maybe if you feel bad about something then it is bad. It won't happen again.

Home for coffee after 2 pm. While we were away the incubator blew both lights and the eggs have cooled. We hope it doesn't have a serious effect. Two eggs are already starting to break open and some pipping emerges.

Then Jean drops me at the work farm across the river because I need to change their paddocks and set up feeders for the weekend. She keeps going to Karuah to collect some oysters and picks me up an hour later. It rained and I didn't have any wet weather gear. Home just in time to put on a dry shirt and head off again to collect milk. Jean gets on with the afternoon chores. It's 6.30 again before we are sitting down to a meal.

This self sufficiency life is just too hectic.