The people that you meet

In all of the jobs that I've had over the years, I've met a few characters. For some reason or another, I always seem to remember 'the good ones' and a few of the bad ones.

Now, owning my own business and working for myself, the people that I meet, and the connections that I make seem a bit more meaningful.

Like, the other day. Josh had a call from an older lady who lives in Bundaberg. She told him that she saw us on the TV (thanks Queensland Weekender!) and that she and her husband would like to come out and visit us for lunch.

Sure enough, a few days ago, she did. We had a bit of a chat while she was ordering. She kept apologizing for taking so long to get the money out of her wallet - with her arthritis, it made it hard for her fingers to do what she wanted. Her husband had a fall in November last year, and the surgeon botched the job (so he told me), and clanged around with his walking frame.

It became really apparent that they had made such a huge effort just to come out and visit our little winery.

After I bought them out their lunch, I went to top up their water and asked if everything was ok. With a big grin, the lady said that it was the best cheese board they had. "Even better than the one we had in New South Wales!" the husband chimed in.

We had a bit more of a chat. She told me what they were doing for Christmas. She asked if she could take some brochures to tell her friends. While she was looking around the shop, her husband went on a rant about the Chinese buying up all the farm land in Australia.

Before she left, she told me that they don't get out often, but they have had the most wonderful day. She thanked me for being so patient with her, and for the lovely lunch. Then she asked if she could give me a hug before she left.

Sometimes you just have to stop and appreciate that owning a winery isn't always about making wine.

Same old, same old

I feel like I don't have anything to write about. Everything on the farm has just been ticking along without too much drama.

We've had lots of group bookings lately, leading up to Christmas. We accidentally triple booked ourselves one day (41 for morning tea, 37 for lunch, 24 for dinner - whoops!).

We've partnered with a florist in Bundaberg, who has purchased $150 worth of my jams to use in her gift hampers. (Good and bad - good that our goodies are spreading a little further, bad that I need to make a heap more to re-stock!)

We've bought some new winemaking equipment (Josh assures me that that's all he needs for a while now!)

We've made some new products. Firstly, a honey liqueur. We thought it was pretty awesome, but it's received some mixed reviews - "It tastes like alcoholic honey. I don't really like honey." Secondly, a black sapote port. (Black sapote is a mexican fruit, also known as a 'Chocolate Pudding fruit'. Doesn't really taste like chocolate pudding to me, but it goes ok as a port!).

We thought the pump for our irrigation was broken. Firstly, it kept shorting out the power. We fixed that, but now it keeps losing pressure. Josh reckons he's fixed that too now.

So, I guess what this all means is that I have finally settled into farm life! Everything just keeps on keeping on and it all just seems normal now!