Two on a tractor, the rest doing cart!!

Oh My God! I have had the best day and all I can say is move over Claire McCloud (or any other McCloud's daughters indeed!!!!) "Cart" is a Tardun tradition, begun I think by the original boys riding out on the farm on horses, the others being taken out on the back of a cart with boys swapping places during the day. Today cart means going out for miles on the farm with a tractor (ancient with a cab) towing a covered trailor/wagon with two bench seats and a roof to it with some kids sitting on the back and the rest riding behind the trailor on an assorted bunch of horses. One of the Brothers takes cart (the farming one)and so off we went about 11am which was a late start due to a mis-communication and Bro not thinking we were going out. The horses are a mixed bag of mokes some of which look as though they may have missed their calling at the knackers yard - their paddock is nothing but dirt and they are fed hay (looks like straw) so not the sleek fat types you see lolling in NZ paddocks LOL. Their looks belied their sturdiness however because we drove for two hours - not sure how many k's but more than 7. I went with the girls and sat in the back of the wagon, camera at hand to capture the day! One of our yr 11 girls drove the tractor with Bro and off we went with the horses at a brisk trot behind the cart (we took 5 horses). Every couple of k's Bro stopped the cart and people changed horses and someone else got to drive the tractor with Bro guiding them. As per usual I was keeping my eye out for fauna - saw a blue tongue lizard as we started out but too slow to take a picture - have found they are commonly known as bobtails!! After the first girl had a turn at driving the tractor - I had a turn. (There are photos!) and what can I say. Loved the accelerator that was a knob on the floor, I let the clutch out until my knee was nearly up under my throat but did not disgrace myself by stalling or bunny hopping and managed a relatively smooth take off. The steering was something else again, the steering wheel had little connection with the actual direction you wanted to go in so I was moving it constantly to stay in a straight line and then there were the brakes LOL - there was very little there either so it was take foot of accelerator, pump the brakes and pray that you stopped in time, especially when coming to a gate!!

But wait, there is more. We went through paddocks of dirt, some with dry wheat stubble, past dumps with old trucks, and goodness knows what, through salt flats, through flood plains that had water running from all the rain, through the bush, to the shearing sheds and then off again through bush, paddocks, past a lake, more paddocks and streams before getting back to base. Had been eyeing up the nags as the girls were riding and noted one that we put up a couple of girls not used to riding and decided that was the one I was going to have a go on. Waited until we were probably just after half way and then the next change over it was my turn. The horse is white, maybe, and between 15.3 and 16h high. Put my helmet on (ahh the joys of health and safety!) and then asked Bro for a leg up. They don't do that here, its put your foot in the stirrup (stock type saddle) and haul yourself up. Had an hysterical moment when I wondered whether I could get my leg up that high LOL (also lucky I bought stretch jeans that have some give in them LOL). Bro lowered the stirrup iron and amazingly enough I a) managed to get my leg high enough off the ground to get into the stirrup and b) was able to launch myself up onto said beast. I had already impressed one of the girls by catching her horse when she had it racing round the paddock and even getting on the horse scored me a few more points. (Forgot to mention I had my boots on especially today as well) And so, after more adjusting the stirrup leathers to get right length we were off. Hmmmmmmm the words like 'its just like riding a bike' sprung into mind and then a voice of old entered my conscious flow so to speak (Thanks to Annette who spent endless hours putting me through my paces in days of yore). 'Sit up, elbows in, heels down, walk on, trot on, hands loose on the reins (thumbs upright and reins held correctly)... and I was mobile. I gathered my reins and we went from walk to trot in about 30 secs and so started rising to the trot (Hope you are all impressed with my horse speak after my bowls speak LOL) - which was different in a stock saddle I think, or just parts of my body were reconnecting with cell memory on how to work, (which took some tracking down). Hadn't immediately fallen off so leapt into a canter - again a little ungainly as parts of me were still not responding entirely as they should. I felt like I was riding a barrel and trying to grip with my knees was a bit of an act, if I got that part right my heels were not down or my arms started flapping so eased up, and tried trotting again and somehow found some rhythem with the beast. In a very Hollywood moment, came to this stream and cantered through it, water spraying everywhere and it was magic. Another stop with the school in sight so I got off to swap with one of the girls and the classic moment of the day occurred. As I was taught, cleared the stirrups, threw my right leg over the horses rump at the same time as sliding off said beast .... and I kept on sliding - and slid to the ground at the horses front feet (and at Bros feet). I went to get up and fell down again!!! my legs would not work and had completely turned to jelly. I was in fits of laughter and Bro not sure what to do next I think, but I managed to haul my self up by the stirrup leather to a standing position and walked very slowly to the wagon, not sure that I wouldn't fall down again LOL. Managed to lurch my up onto the wagon and sit for the rest of the journey back and then only just managed to walk the horses back to the paddock, hose them down, and walk back up to the kitchen for lunch. I swear I was walking like a drunken sailor (bow legged at that) and had difficulty getting my knees to meet either walking or sitting. It's 9 hours later and am still feeling the effects LOL but loved every minute of it. The girls were completely impressed that I rode and told me: Miss you tell all them people you write to that you can ride good!!!!!! High praise indeed.

After lunch I dragged myself back to my little house on the praire as I needed a change of clothes (horse slobber, mud etc) and back up to the dorm. Also, as it was just us for dinner tonight (boys away) one of the other staff had promised to cook a lasagne for dinner (she is the real McCoy - Italian LOL) as the original plan was to get the girls to help - which they did. We also set up the dining room with table cloths, serviettes, flowers etc and then all had showers and got dressed up. We had had some pretty ferral behaviour go down on our last outing so after a rant about behaviour in public, team work etc etc that weekend and cancelling any outings until they had left school, during the week I had said this weekend's meal was not just a meal but a test in all the above, teamwork, behaviour and decorum with visitors (invited the boss and his family, and several other staff who were on site). After ablutioning, I got dressed up, put make up on, blow dried hair and dragged out some of the jewels to wear. Once again, impressed the girls. One of them came up to me and said: You're really stylie miss, you really put things together well!!!! (had also used some of my Dior perfume and they all commented on how nice I smelt wafting through the place LOL). My cup runneth over!!! Compliments flying everywhere and what a buzz it was to see that all the girls got dressed up, some in skirts etc, some in their best jeans and tops, some with makeup and bling and all looked sparkling neat and tidy. Took their photo out on the steps and more while we were having dinner. They had all helped set the place up and some had spent a lot of time in the kitchen helping to prepare the meal so after they had said Grace, my workmate,husband and I served the girls and guests with a great meal. The girls behaved brilliantly and the staff were blown away when one of the girls I had asked, got up to say thanks to Bro for Cart and to the staff who cooked dinner - a first for these girls! So at the moment, like Cinderella, they will get to go off site next weekend for their great improvement. I had several hugs tonight to say thanks for a great day which has blown me away and makes me think today is one of the one step forward days LOL. They are a funny bunch and for all the fanging I have done, they are starting to get it. Tonight I found them all sitting on the steps with the door unlocked but had not gone inside because I hadn't said they could and they didn't want to do the wrong thing - pinch me. (This would be after a particular fanging I did yesterday after taking three out for a treat and two not listening to what was required and in fact doing the very thing they were told not to do - which caused the rant about trust, cheating the system, letting the whole dorm down as obviously they couldn't be trusted, blah blah blah.

I am now going to take my slightly achey body and go to bed as with the sun, fresh air and being out on the farm, I am feeling knackered. Kay, I hope you have noticed the paragraphs tonight (sister who is a teacher giving critique LOL) Am 3/4 of the way through the jig-saw I started on Friday night. Its laid out on a table just inside the door everyone enters through and it is amazing how many girls have come by and put pieces in, some have done quite a bit and chatted at the same time. Has felt very family weekendish this weekend and we have had lots of laughs (fanging aside LOL) Catch you later.
Love Lynn