Apologies for being inactive for the last month, but there have been a few reasons.
However, I'm not going to try and justify my neglect of my blog, I'll just get back into it!
As I've previously mentioned, my school is on 28 acres and as well as having 570 children, we also have a number of pigs, sheep and cattle and their numbers are growing.
So, as well as being a Co-Principal, there has been a bit of farming to learn this year as well!
Those Pigs!!!
Our pigs have been a constant source of problems as the year has progressed. When they were young they would slip out of gaps in the fences and needed to be chased back in to their paddock. One thing about pigs, they are smart. As soon as they find a way out they keep going back to it. Fix it, and they find a new escape route. This game of cat and mouse (and pig) just continues.Now that the pigs are bigger (around 50-60kg) they still get out, but don't roam far.
Recently I got called out on a Sunday afternoon as one of them was out on the school oval.
It must have looked a sight, me on my motorbike chasing a pig around the oval!
I eventually got it back into its paddock, but the look it was giving me was clearly one of "The moment you leave I'm out of here again!!"
Looks like a bit of a stand off here, just after I got it back into the paddock.
It has just demolished the newly grown strawberries, not impressed!!
Yesterday I spent time helping to load them on board a truck as we have sold most of them.
Talk about mission impossible!!! We got two sows out of the paddock and into the ramp that leads into the truck. All that the first sow had to do was to take a few final steps and hop into the truck.
But would she? Nope!!
She decided that she had done enough for the day and no amount of pushing, slapping, coaxing or swearing was going to get her to move an inch forward. Even throwing some pig feed just out of her rich was unsuccessful, she was determined to stay where she was.
Two grown men just could not get her to go one step further!!
So we managed to turn her around and get the other sow in the chute, and after only 5 or so minutes we got her into the truck, but there was still no way the other one was going to follow.
As for the piglets...success! It only took us about 10 minutes to get them in.
The worst part of the whole process was standing in a small pen about 2m x 2m and you have 7 pigs jumping around and all you are thinking is how to stop them trodding on your feet, which does happen (and hurts like hell!!)
An amazing sight...
Sold!!
Our house was recently put on the market, and after some last minute problems with the purchasers, the sale finally went through and we hand it over in 3 days time.
This has been a sad time in a way as this place has been our home for the past 16 years, and really became a home.
However, we do need to downsize a bit as it is just too big for what we need now as it is mainly just Jen and myself at home now.
We moved into a smaller house in inner Bendigo on a small block, which will take some time to get accustomed to. The hardest thing has been deciding what to keep and what to throw away.
Even today, Jen has been going through lots of what we have brought here and having a second crack at throwing things out.
For example, do we really need two crowbars here? Or 6 rakes?
The next few days will still be a blur of sorting through boxes and throwing out more stuff. Probably better not to ponder about what to keep or toss, just get rid of it!
One of my last days on the deck, doing school work on a lazy Saturday morning. A great view that we never got sick of.
It's officially sold!!
Moving day last week and we are still smiling!
Part of the new house, it will eventually sort itself out!
The removalists rocked up at 8.00 am, and finished unpacking at the new house at 11.15am
They worked like there was no tomorrow.
Stacking a removal van is just like a giant game of Tetris!
And to make matters worse, yesterday was the day we had hoped to have the previous house all emptied and ready to hand over.
There was just one load of heavier things to transport in the trailer, and as I was getting out of Jen's car, something just 'went' in my back, leaving me unable to lift anything, and barely able to walk.
Today has been a day off work and into the physio where a problem was diagnosed and treatment given which has worked a treat. Some dry needling, which I'd never had done before was a very weird sensation, so if the recovery continues at this rate I should be up and about in no time at all.
And a surprise at work...
Last week I rocked up to work after a few rather busy days, to find this surprise on my desk...
A Kit Kat, a bag of twisties, some bubble mix (I'll look good sitting at my desk blowing bubbles!!), a stress ball, a fidget spinner and some Fruit Tingles. The perfect way to take the mind off the daily stresses.
And one other item...Ear Plugs!!!
Just good to know that there are people who you work with who are looking out for you.
Well Readers,
Once again I'll say that I'll try and make my next post sooner rather than later. The next few weeks, my last ones as the school Principal will be flat out as there is so much to finalise in that time.
So, until my next post...
Cheers!!
