Working weekend

Saturday, a day off for most, was spent picking hooves and olives... and had the heavens not opened the next day, I would've spent Sunday doing more of the same. As it was/is, however, I am sitting on the internet getting the things done I've not been able to do for the last week or so. Like giving you fuckers photos!! Urgh, the effort involved in that for a start...

I'm glad I am not picking olives today, as much as I love that plant, because I was starting to see olive branches every time I closed my eyes. And my manky dog bite finger is almost healed so I don't want to accidentally rip it open again from a particularly stubborn olive branch.

It's really a funny process, olive picking... you arrange all these big mesh nets under several trees (a long process for the hilly orchard we've been working on) and then pull (or milk as I see it) each branch free of olives, and at the end push all the olives into a pile at the botto. After picking out most of the leaves, you put them in a carton and voila, they're ready for the factory! We ate some of the first batch for dinner last night, tasty stuff!! Although we never made it to the olive oil party the factory invited us to and that was a bit of a disappointment. Would've been a laugh.

Milk those olives!

Just when my hands started to smart slightly at the 'milking cows' action of stripping olive trees, I was granted my day off. So here I am, on my day off, sitting on the computer wishing and hoping I haven't missed one of the few buses into town so I can get to Orvieto to do some sightseeing. This really will be my last chance to do so before I leave, so forgive me if this blog is slightly rushed.

A couple of things I forgot to mention in my last explanatory blog... there are currently 2 other helpers here, both lovely - one from Adelaide (it's so funny I only meet Adelaidians overseas, not in Oz!) and another from Japan. The Japanese girl surprised all our stereotypical expectations, esp my host who wasn't sure at first if she was a girl or a boy! Too funny. But I am bunking now with Japanese girl and all is well. Ariel the dog still follows us around and sleeps outside our door. It's a nice feeling. I miss having a dog.

Speaking of dogs, I had a sad dream last night where my sister's dog Molly went missing and she was about 10 years old in the dream so most people thought she was sick and went away to die without us seeing, in the bush somewhere. Anyway, it wasn't the way I wanted to wake up but anyway... at least it moved my dream on from the recurring theme of a past friend who has popped up repeatedly over the last few weeks. At least I'm not dreaming of olives yet though...

We delivered our first batch of olives to the oil factory yesterday and were taken through the process of how it's all made. The smell was divine! Then we were given invites to their 'oil party' on Saturday, how fun!! Really hope we go, I'm sure we will. Ahh, the things that make me excited these days.

As opposed to the last place in Slovenia, these people always offer me wine and I find myself having a glass at lunch and dinner. Italian wine. Excellent...

The hosts are really nice here and I am so glad I've broached the subject of riding their horses. I went well the first time and ended up riding the 6 year old for most of the time, so I guess she was trustful enough! She also put me onto a site where people get PAID for horsework around the world. I'm super excited about that, may actually mean I can travel for longer. It's just those few little factors itching away at me for the moment... but all will be decided in time.

Travel plans, as always, are fluid as olive oil and I am currently trying to devise ways to get back to London for certain events and Munich for the same. JUST figured out how I'm getting back to Budapest for my teaching in Slovakia. Phew. What a life, eh!