We have been away. I actually don’t like being away from here very much. Especially for bull sales. It’s not that I hate saying goodbye to the bovine buddies who have roamed our house paddock for a few months (actually I do), and it’s not that I really miss the rolling hills and ironbark sentries of our driveway (actually I really do), but it’s just all a bit of a drama.
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It seems to take weeks to getting organised: photographing bulls, compiling all the information sheets, sending info for vet certificates, weighing and scanning the bulls ID tags, packing, feeding animals, organising people to ‘cover’ in the animal-feeding department, organising boys’ gear, children’s sleepover allocations (and packing for them) and babysitters for the one coming with us (for a very exciting dinner/meeting).
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It’s also important to leave the house in a reasonable state (read: not too much washing up in the sink and the floors at least visible) for whoever pops in while you are away (a regular bush activity I have found! I am so not good at surprises…). Somehow I managed to tick off my massive checklist of chores (do I hear a round of applause? Thankyou, thankyou!) and even remembered to put the dishwasher ON before driving off. Only slightly smugly. (And you KNOW that’s gonna come back to bite me…)
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So fast forward a few hours, and we are at the saleyards with our five bulls and a few jangling nerves. Ever been to a bull sale? Want to see what it looks like?
OK.
Here are the pens of bulls, being inspected pre-sale.
See that big roof in the background?
That’s the sale ring proper, where the action takes place…
The auctioneers call out “SALE-O, SALE-O” as the first pens line up outside the ring. And suddenly a lot of vendors need to use the facilities (if you get my drift) and buyers gradually settle into the ‘grandstand’ around the sandy centre ring.
This is the view inside.
The auctioneers and agents are in the background above the ring, ready to call bids and coax buyers. A vendor is in the sale ring with his bulls, moving them round so potential buyers can see they are good stock, with the right muscling, good temperament and are not lame. See that cute couple (with their heads close together) in the foreground? That’s my Mum and Dad…
Hello Pagi, Hello Nana!
They are deep in discussion about the qualities of the bull in the ring. Either that or whether it’s too early for a skinny cappuccino. One of the two.
Vendors come in all shapes and sizes.
This guy is a veteran of both the sale ring and show ring.
Hello Reg!
His guys like a bit a extra attention – like having their tummies scratched. It’s very calming apparently. (Must try it on SSB when the next credit card bill arrives!)
Here is Jane.
She is very experienced with cattle work, and shows off her bulls beautifully. She is also tiny. This is just one of the (many, many) areas in life where size doesn’t matter.
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Of course the action isn’t all in the ring… all around, buyers are subtly bidding. It might take a nod, or a hand movement like this…
To get an equally subtle response from the bid spotters like this…
With an accompanying yell of “YESSSSSS!!” to send the auctioneer another $500-$1000 higher in his call… made me quite nervous when taking skinny cappuccino orders, I can tell you. The question: One sugar or two? very nearly saw us bringing home a brand new 1000kg bull! And the world’s most expensive coffee…
Yikes!
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Among the various things to keep one amused at the bull sale is continually attempted to see what one’s daughter is up to, as bids fly left right and centre, and cappuccino orders get taken, forgotten and taken again.
Hello TLW! Hello Brianna! We love Brianna. She played with TLW for a couple of hours… I think I might owe you some babysitting money, Bree. Call me!
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Of course, the highlight (for us) was the arrival in the ring of our bulls… and SSB. Mr Inscrutable. Captain Poker Face. You don’t want to give too much away in the sale ring. And my SSB is the man for the job.
Of course, I could be biased.
But I very nearly put a subtle bid in for the bloke walking the bulls around… then I remembered I was married to him. And
therefore get to take him home anyway!
Oh! I see Brianna has had to leave and Nana is now in charge of entertaining
TLW. And that can mean only one thing…
WIPSTICK!!!
Nice one Nana……
In the end, TLW looked a treat, we OD’d on coffee, chatted up a storm with other cattle people, and most importantly, we sold our bulls. They are going to good homes, which is always nice.
… And on the way home, I reflected on the 48 hours away from Granite Glen. On if the Chinese meal I had picked up would stay warm enough on the hour’s drive to Elle and Harv’s place (where Dash had been having sleepovers). And on whether the Prado would play up on the way there (as it has been for weeks now). What I didn’t reflect on was the one thing I SHOULD have been worrying about…
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WHETHER THE DISHWASHER HAD SHORTED OUT THE ELECTRICITY AND ALL OUR POWER HAD BEEN OFF FOR NEARLY TWO DAYS…
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Yours in yukkiness
(said she, up to her elbows in decaying vegetable matter)
BB
But I very nearly put a subtle bid in for the bloke walking the bulls around… then I remembered I was married to him. And therefore get to take him home anyway!
10 Comments
rhubarbwhine
Oh no, that one sucks, Hope your freezer was OK!
Muddy Boot Dreams
Great post, one of your best! But what a catastrophe. I hope that it is not too bad….
Jen
Debby
Oh! K-errrrrrrrrrrrrr-AP!
Pencil Writer
I feel your pain. Pushing the little button on the dishwasher and praying everything goes well: no frills, no spills, and everything comes out clean in the end. Ooooops! Not a fun “welcome home.” I understand and commiserate. Hope all is “put to rights” now and that you have a few minutes (hours, you say?) of peace and freedom from worries.
May we all be so blessed! To have those precious moments.
jeanie
Dang – where were those pop-ins when you needed them?
BTW – V pointed out that he build some of those raked walls in the sale arena. A big family affair!!
Wrensong Farm
What a great post! Felt like I was almost there. 🙂
Sounds like a great time and I’m glad you didn’t know about your rotting vegetable matter it would have spoiled a wonderful time.
I feel your pain, had the same type of thing happen last year….two defrosted freezers and a very warm fridge. I had been meaning to clean out the fridge/freezers but that wasn’t quite what I had in mind! Sigh.
Kate
Ick!!!!!! I’ve been there, done that. It’s gross gross gross. And it smells really bad! But i’m sure you know that. I love the pics! The bulls are amazing, i’m blown away with how big they are every time. And TLW is so stinkin cute. Love the lipstick shot. And i have to throw this in…your husband is hot. I would’ve bet on him too…except i wouldn’t off cuz i like you too much 🙂
dykewife
i guess that was grey and not silver in the linings of the clouds. dang! i’m glad the bull sale went well though. at least you’ll be able to afford to buy groceries.
Bush Babe (of Granite Glen)
Well the fridges are restored to an acceptable condition… they needed cleaning out anyway, but man I hate having my hand forced!!!
And Kate? You can say it. I know it. SSB wishes we’d all cut it out. He’s cute that way!
🙂
BB
Kate
egads, i really need to proof my comments before posting. I meant i would’ve BID on him but i wouldn’t OF done it. Sorry if that was confusing. And i’m sure he just loves it when your loyal readers gush over him 🙂 SS-types always love it…or not.