Yeah Rick, I understand that one. I used to shine my rig at least once a week before coming out here...now, with the farm, limited water and the new found rust inhibiting benefits to dust I'm hard pressed keeping the seat shiny! Will see if I can load a pic of it...am having trouble with the sizes, and only getting certain ones on, so the upload keeps telling me - but they are all the same darn size!

You know mate...I get all worked up sometimes, and think its all too bloody much, then my mate boots me up the bum with the comment "Didn't you come out here to live the simple life?" and I ease up on myself a bit. We can complicate everything and usually do Don't let your world get on top of you. That's gotta be the best thing about having a bike...when it all starts to get on your nerves or your just plain sick of the constant job list, you jump on it and blow all the hassles away...

On a farm nothings ever finished. It will all still be there tomorrow. And if it's not then just tick it off and tell ya missus it's done anyway... If somethings a problem, stop doing it. If your cows are getting zapped, turn the zapper thing off and just run the water once a day to fill everything - they'll soon learn that the water is on in the mornings and not in the arvos, or vice versa. Machinary...man's modern nightmare. The more you got, the more you've got to maintain. AA taught me to keep it simple, I just have to keep reminding myself to do it.

You know...my mate...he gets into stuff, and just assumes I'll back him up. Sometimes I just can't. I end up resentful and bitchy when I try and I start not liking myself again. Not a good head space for an alkie to be in. I figure he would call me a supportive mate, but there are also times when I just have to say, "Whoo...this is your thing. If you want to do this, then you need to work out how your gonna do it, cos I got other stuff on." He asked me to sew some patches on for him a few times...kept asking...in the end I said, "Look how about you have a go at it yourself?" So he did, and it turns out he's pretty good with a needle and thread...much better than me really. Sometimes we do for others, and forget we can teach and encourage.

Your missus has an injury, but she is only as disabled as she and everyone around her thinks she is. Best way to let her know exactly what you're up against, is to share a bit of it. Bring in the parts that need washing, rewiring, sanding - any sitting jobs that take up time - and ask her to do them. When she looks at you with the "What the...?" look, just buzz off again. She'll work it out...either that... or she'll stop making your lists and telling you its all a "breeze" and start making her own.

When we love things - they're not hard. While I am the first to say that sometimes it is very hard to find love in roll of barbed wire....or a septic pipe....or a faulty generator...it is definately a lot easier when we look up from the job, check out our farms, and say "I love being here, and I'm just plain glad to be where I'm at".

Thinking of you Rick.

Nic