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In summary - there were plenty of lice but not as many as this time last year. There were ample prickles, many of which will work thier way out of my hands, arms and probably knees over the next couple of weeks. All my muscles ache at a level just below noticable, as long as I don't do anything active. Some quite impressive bruises seem to be developing on my lower legs.
Monday
At the airport in plenty of time. Other flights to Queenstown have been delayed but the balg is cleared and we lift off on time. However the pilot informs us that if the weather is bad at the other end we have enough fuel to circle for about 35 minutes before we divert to Invercargil. Charming thought.
However there was a break - and then the weather closed in almost immedately after we landed. Nothing like walking out of the airport into snow, temperature nominally 2degC, wind chill 10+. If some of those who were so enthused when it snowed here the other week could have been there, they'd understand why I dont like the stuff at all.
Fortunately there are mountains between Queenstown and Cromwell, and on the other side of them it was fine, although the wind was still a little cool. We got the bulk of the drafting done and the first set counted and hoop-sampled (a ring of wool taken off around the midsection).
The week was made easier throughout by breaking up the counting with sampling. Not having to count more than 4 or 5 sheep before having a "break" is far less stressful.
The Lodge was much as usual, although they have changed the menu slightly this time. Maybe it's an annual thing.
Ate, slept, undisturbed by the shenannigans which would break later nights.
Tuesday
Arose nice and early for breakfast, gretted by the expected frost. This was the pattern of the next two days. The weather was actually glorious, the sun was up early enough and was warm enough that the morning chill soon vanished if you were doing any sort of physical activity. Unfortunately the person responsible was just sitting aroung writing down numbers, and complaining frequently about how cold it was.
Got through three groups. I was beginning to feel optimistic about getting home early - ie Thursday so I could get to gaming.
Dinner.
Now there was some sort of hockey competition being held in Cromwell. High-school girls grade to judge by the team or teams staying at the Lodge. Returning to my room at 9pm I was "entertained" until after 11 by the shrieks of ... whatever they were doing to each other and the running in the halls.
If they'd been a few years older it might have been more interesting.
Wednesday
While the "boss" drove one of our assistants back to Queenstown and returned with his replacement (they couldn't find anybody else who could do the entire week) the other guy and I finished the drafting and got set up. Despite the delays inherent in bringing a new counter up to speed, by the end of the day the chances of getting home Thursday looked bright. There was no question that we would finish Thursday.
The farmer whose stock we were using invited us in for whiskey and a chat at the end of the day. I would have much rather gose straight back to the motel.
A small consolation - while waiting for the others to get to the resturaunt for dinner I found a review of the Prius in one of the small local papers and snaffled it to add to my collection of clippings.
More squealing punctuated the late evening until I slept.
Thursday
The day dragged. By lunchtime it was obvious I wasn't going to be home tonight. We finally finished up about 4:30 (previous days we got away from the shed anywhere between 5:30 and 6:30). You'd expect this to lead to an earlier evening but D. & D. were to busy talking results to get around to ordering dinner. Eventually I did the honours.
Less squealing tonight - maybe the girls were finally wearing themselves out.
Friday
A pleasant sleep in followed by a light breakfast. With half a day to kill the others decided we should ticky-tour up the valley and have a look at the countryside - this despite the walls of fog which had broken the run of fine weather. This was to be followed buy visiting Queenstown proper for an hour or two. This I looked forward to, hoping to scour the local second hand bookstores, but some quick sums (and knowing D.s tendancy to misjudge time) indicated I was probably going to have less than an hour.
As it turned otu I needn't have worried - a quick enquiry at the Qt information centre informed me that there are no 2nd hand bookstores in Qt to be scoured. The 15 minutes brisk walk in light snow and rain it took me to cover all the shops demonstrated that there was nothing else I was interested in either. I then had to kill the remaining half-hour until we'd agreed to meet up. I got twitchy every time I walked past an internet cafe - particularly the one which said "check email free" - but resisted the urge. It was only going to be a few more hours...
Despite dubious weather conditions the flight out was onlyy slightly delayed. The takeoff was uplifting - the sort of uplifting that leaves your stomach nestled snugly above your lungs and your eyeballs trying to remember which socket they were in originally. Fortunately the rest of the flight was smooth.
After landing and getting dropped home I hurried out to work to attend the farewell for four of the major casualties of the recent redundancy round - all long-serving members of staff. This ran on and I got home anout 10 minutes before recieving a phone call from the rideo fmone of my billets for this weekend who couldn't find my house. The cat is very pleased to see me. I may strangle him if he doesn't stop bugging me for attention soon.
Now I'm going to prep for the party. I am of course not in the best of moods (the people who have read this far get the benefit of an early warning :) ) so I'm going to borrow![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
darkferret's mantra - This better be a bloody good party.
Monday
At the airport in plenty of time. Other flights to Queenstown have been delayed but the balg is cleared and we lift off on time. However the pilot informs us that if the weather is bad at the other end we have enough fuel to circle for about 35 minutes before we divert to Invercargil. Charming thought.
However there was a break - and then the weather closed in almost immedately after we landed. Nothing like walking out of the airport into snow, temperature nominally 2degC, wind chill 10+. If some of those who were so enthused when it snowed here the other week could have been there, they'd understand why I dont like the stuff at all.
Fortunately there are mountains between Queenstown and Cromwell, and on the other side of them it was fine, although the wind was still a little cool. We got the bulk of the drafting done and the first set counted and hoop-sampled (a ring of wool taken off around the midsection).
The week was made easier throughout by breaking up the counting with sampling. Not having to count more than 4 or 5 sheep before having a "break" is far less stressful.
The Lodge was much as usual, although they have changed the menu slightly this time. Maybe it's an annual thing.
Ate, slept, undisturbed by the shenannigans which would break later nights.
Tuesday
Arose nice and early for breakfast, gretted by the expected frost. This was the pattern of the next two days. The weather was actually glorious, the sun was up early enough and was warm enough that the morning chill soon vanished if you were doing any sort of physical activity. Unfortunately the person responsible was just sitting aroung writing down numbers, and complaining frequently about how cold it was.
Got through three groups. I was beginning to feel optimistic about getting home early - ie Thursday so I could get to gaming.
Dinner.
Now there was some sort of hockey competition being held in Cromwell. High-school girls grade to judge by the team or teams staying at the Lodge. Returning to my room at 9pm I was "entertained" until after 11 by the shrieks of ... whatever they were doing to each other and the running in the halls.
If they'd been a few years older it might have been more interesting.
Wednesday
While the "boss" drove one of our assistants back to Queenstown and returned with his replacement (they couldn't find anybody else who could do the entire week) the other guy and I finished the drafting and got set up. Despite the delays inherent in bringing a new counter up to speed, by the end of the day the chances of getting home Thursday looked bright. There was no question that we would finish Thursday.
The farmer whose stock we were using invited us in for whiskey and a chat at the end of the day. I would have much rather gose straight back to the motel.
A small consolation - while waiting for the others to get to the resturaunt for dinner I found a review of the Prius in one of the small local papers and snaffled it to add to my collection of clippings.
More squealing punctuated the late evening until I slept.
Thursday
The day dragged. By lunchtime it was obvious I wasn't going to be home tonight. We finally finished up about 4:30 (previous days we got away from the shed anywhere between 5:30 and 6:30). You'd expect this to lead to an earlier evening but D. & D. were to busy talking results to get around to ordering dinner. Eventually I did the honours.
Less squealing tonight - maybe the girls were finally wearing themselves out.
Friday
A pleasant sleep in followed by a light breakfast. With half a day to kill the others decided we should ticky-tour up the valley and have a look at the countryside - this despite the walls of fog which had broken the run of fine weather. This was to be followed buy visiting Queenstown proper for an hour or two. This I looked forward to, hoping to scour the local second hand bookstores, but some quick sums (and knowing D.s tendancy to misjudge time) indicated I was probably going to have less than an hour.
As it turned otu I needn't have worried - a quick enquiry at the Qt information centre informed me that there are no 2nd hand bookstores in Qt to be scoured. The 15 minutes brisk walk in light snow and rain it took me to cover all the shops demonstrated that there was nothing else I was interested in either. I then had to kill the remaining half-hour until we'd agreed to meet up. I got twitchy every time I walked past an internet cafe - particularly the one which said "check email free" - but resisted the urge. It was only going to be a few more hours...
Despite dubious weather conditions the flight out was onlyy slightly delayed. The takeoff was uplifting - the sort of uplifting that leaves your stomach nestled snugly above your lungs and your eyeballs trying to remember which socket they were in originally. Fortunately the rest of the flight was smooth.
After landing and getting dropped home I hurried out to work to attend the farewell for four of the major casualties of the recent redundancy round - all long-serving members of staff. This ran on and I got home anout 10 minutes before recieving a phone call from the rideo fmone of my billets for this weekend who couldn't find my house. The cat is very pleased to see me. I may strangle him if he doesn't stop bugging me for attention soon.
Now I'm going to prep for the party. I am of course not in the best of moods (the people who have read this far get the benefit of an early warning :) ) so I'm going to borrow
darkferret's mantra - This better be a bloody good party.
