Summer to Autumn in a week?

After having several lovely swims down at the beach over the past few weeks in 'tepid' water I was hoping for a few more before autumn kicked in? But it was not to be. A week ago the much-needed rain came & after a week of several downpours, the green grass is sprouting forth. The calves are enjoying all the new growth. Both lost weight over the last few weeks. Barry & Rosy bought up some bales of hay which was nice of them. I don't think 'the boys' would have starved...they have enough fat to come & go on.
What a busy week we have had. Sheri & Steve stayed last Tuesday night (& will probably stay every Tues night until they go overseas on Easter Sunday). They took 'lil toot' (our little white 'shopping basket') on Wed to run around it. They have renamed it "Tootararri" after a Ferrari....ha ha! They can dream!! Sheri is colouring my hair tomorrow arvo...much needed..although it did hold out for the wedding (nearly 3 weeks ago now - where DO the weeks go?) I am going to walk group in the morning & will drop pup back to work first. The newlyweds, Blair & Lisa, stayed last night & I 'talked' them into leaving her with us! We will be looking after pup from Saturday as they go to live in Melbourne then :( I have the unenviable job of putting her on a flight when they are settled - about 3 weeks away probably? I told them they are brave giving me that responsiblility as RB & I both love her to bits...I might NOT do it :{ but that would be mean :\ and I couldn't do it to them.
Lynne & Grant stayed on Friday night. Saturday dawned with Grant Patrick celebrating ANOTHER birthday appropriately on St Patrick's Day and after a brekky of buttermilk hotcakes with boysenberries etc, GP & RB set off for a day on the golf course. GP was given a free round & also won a prize (which he couldn't stay to receive) so RB will get it for him in due course no doubt!!
Meanwhile Lynne & I were planning to drive to the Point...walk along the beach and reminise about holidays spent at our old bach. That was until William, the farmer, came along on his quad bike & asked if we would like to go for a ride up to the top of his farm....something I have been wanting to do for yonks but never seem 'to time it right' ie cake in the oven, visitors due to arrive etc. I told him I didn't think Lynne would be keen, but lo & behold...YES she was!! So we leapt the fence (OK...gingerly clambered over it) hoisted ourselves up on the quad bike which had a little trailer attached for the 3 farm dogs who accompanied us & OFF WE WENT. Well what an adventure! It was better than going on a ride at a theme park...NO KIDDING. This farm is ROLLING country...we were going straight up in places & straight down in others...very like being on a roller coaster. Lynne's face was ASHEN to say the least at times. She doesn't 'DO' theme park rides...ever?? I, on the other hand, LOVE them so was enjoying every bump. It was exhilirating to say the least. After about 40 minutes of careering all over the place, rounding up sheep, opening & shutting gates, and getting a guided tour of sights of interest from William, he let us off & pointed the way home! We were SO HIGH...we could see the top of Rangitoto & the Sky Tower...no kidding. We live about 70-80 kms away from the City if that gives you an idea of the height we were at!! It took us about 30 minutes to walk back to the house. Most of the paddocks only had sheep in them. Thankfully the BIG WHITE BULL, and black & brown bulls that are residents on William's land were in far off other regions. BIG BONUS!! Might not have been so keen otherwise. Sheep are well....sheep. They are more scared of you than you are of them. They all follow one another like.....sheep!! Cattle also follow one another. I have watched, observed and seen it happen...many times.
I was sad to read in the weekends paper a local legend of a man "Kimball Brisco Johnson" passed away after a battle with cancer. I didn't know him. Had only seen him on TV once singing. He was a country rock singer but he owned a bus and a few other vehicles with his photo emblazoned on them which we passed when going 'into town'. I felt like I DID know him. Fifty nine is too young to die. May he rest in peace!