Life in St Arnaud

[NeilA]

It's about half way back to the shortest day again, so the mornings are getting later, but that was very unusual. I can get them out at 7.30 most mornings now and its usually well light.
I was wondering where I've put my LED lights, I could hardly see to clean out.
Low black cloud. It's lifted a bit now and lightened up a bit but still a lot of cloud and we are going to get some rain. Which is good.

I was thinking June would be your shortest day ? The 8am still being dark confused me as I was thinking 7am would be light

[Murray]

Yea it's half light at 7, daylight at 7.15 sh. But at 8 o'clock this morning I could hardly see the perches in the loft. Bizzare!

[Murray]

I tell you what this getting old sucks
It is rainy and mild today, and my knees are like they are seized up. Don't like the damp.
Jockey's knees.

[Trev]

I tell you what this getting old sucks
It is rainy and mild today, and my knees are like they are seized up. Don't like the damp.
Jockey's knees.

It certainly does mate, I'm only 59 and my body is knackered, aches and pains everywhere, can't even drive for more than about 20minutes without being in agony
Too many years of abusing it, I remember being told as a 15 year old just starting work, that I'd regret being a cocky teenager one day, he wasn't wrong

[Murray]

I tell you what this getting old sucks
It is rainy and mild today, and my knees are like they are seized up. Don't like the damp.
Jockey's knees.

It certainly does mate, I'm only 59 and my body is knackered, aches and pains everywhere, can't even drive for more than about 20minutes without being in agony
Too many years of abusing it, I remember being told as a 15 year old just starting work, that I'd regret being a cocky teenager one day, he wasn't wrong

That's the truth, Trev.
I had some terrible crashes as a teenager, but was dragged out and sent out the next morning to ride work. Concussions, fractures, all sorts.
They wouldn't get away with it now, but it was a different age, wasn't it.

[Murray]

But I tell you what, I had some nasty injuries. I had one flip over and land on me on the asphalt once, they thought it had killed me.
15 minutes later I was out on one, because I was the light jockey and it needed a fast work.
It was tough, but you didn't sit around thinking about it and getting scared.
You'd be the same. You get injured from time to time in the farming industry too.
When it starts worrying you, well, its time to find something else.

[Andy]

Back in the 80s I had my wrist broken during the morning milking by being kicked by a cow. I finished milking and after breakfast the secretary of the farm told me to go to A&E. I had it put in plaster and was back milking in the afternoon with a surgical glove over the plaster. It was in a bit of a state when removed a few weeks later. That wrist is giving me a bit of Jip from time to time now.

[Trev]

Back in the 80s I had my wrist broken during the morning milking by being kicked by a cow. I finished milking and after breakfast the secretary of the farm told me to go to A&E. I had it put in plaster and was back milking in the afternoon with a surgical glove over the plaster. It was in a bit of a state when removed a few weeks later. That wrist is giving me a bit of Jip from time to time now.

I know that feeling Andy, we used to take pride in not taking time off work back then.
I broke my hand, it was trodden on by a stroppy cow during morning milking. I had my breakfast after milking, went on silage cart until afternoon milking, wore a surgical AI glove as my hand was so swollen that I couldn't get a normal milking glove on. After milking I drove to a&e where they found that I'd broken 3 bones in my hand, the worst break was too my little finger, they tried several times, unsuccessfully, to reset the break, next day I was in surgery having the break pinned. I was signed off work, but although I was unable to milk the cows, I did all the night checks and as many other jobs that I could so that my colleague didn't have to do it all.
I have to say though, that if I'd realised then, just how hard it was going to be to get any kind of medical or financial support now I need it, I think I'd have take n every day off that I was entitled to !!

[Murray]

Devo and I have formed a partnership to breed and enter youngsters in the many OLRs and breeder plate races here.
There are few half decent pigeons in my shed, and it is a great chance to do something useful with them.
So today I was out with the tools making a start on extending the shed.

[Murray]

Like when I built the loft, that is the first wall panel. I am fortunate that now I have lots of good tools. This will go together nicely.