Olive harvest Thursday 23- Sunday 26 May 2024

Well, I'm very behind....it's now 10/6 - and just back from another session at Nimmitabel - cleaning and primping...(but more about that later) ( and its now 17/6, so even more has happened)

I came up on the Thursday afternoon, as a few people were coming to assist on Friday morning

First Dave - our trusty plasterer came and plastered up around hearth in the kitchen.  I had prepared the kitchen putting down dust sheets/towels etc - luckily not too much mess.  He was pretty much finished by the time the next lot arrived

And the next lot were Maria from Qasair (again) and Jerry - who were liaising re the chimney cavity, and trying to work out some sort of elegant solution to get an extractor fan in there

Jerry didn't like the idea of grinding down the arch bricks - so suggested cutting the back cast iron plate, removing some bricks to make the cavity wider, inserting the extractor fan and some sort of base plate for it to rest on/ stop crap coming down the chimney - and then putting back the cast iron back section which had been cut off.  But you can't weld cast iron - so it would need to be glued....(or something)

He was also going to build a temporary protective cover/shield for the aga - to be in place whilst doing all this work - so as not to damage it....

Anyway, they all thought it was pretty possible - until they didn't.  Jerry thought about it some more, and didn't like that idea, and neither did Justin - so back to square one.... and the aga remains draped by the old doona cover, sadly unused

Too long ago to remember what I did for the rest of the day...

Actually I do remember - I cleaned/dusted the red room (for Susan and Mark) etc , and organised a slow cooker osso buco for dinner with sweet potato mash 

Justin arrived in the later afternoon and we had olives and a drink in the dining room

Susan and Mark arrived around 6.30, and we had dinner together  - lovely

Up and at 'em by 9am on Saturday morning - as we were here for our annual olive harvest (for olive oil)   Susan and I out there first, soon followed by Mark and Justin.

Terry, Sarah and Jane also came to assist

Sarah said it was very foggy on the trip up - sunny and blue in Inglewood though

 I should also add that the shed components had also been delivered during the week

Stopped for a pleasant lunch - need to keep the workers fed and watered

Mark from RA had also dropped in to have a look at progress, told us we need to declutter /wash windows etc.  Despite saying that they are only interested in 3 rooms ie dining room, kitchen and stairway/mural, they also want to peek in/film the other areas, And at the moment the downstairs green room, and the little upstairs yellow room are full of stuff, and there's still stuff in the upstairs hallway....So more work than we thought

Anyway, more olive picking after lunch

And finally we were done, pretty much picked every accessible olive.  I'd been aiming for 150kg, and we'd got 156kg - hooray.  Susan and I were really getting into it

Had an impromptu concert before dinner

With an appreciative crowd

While dinner was slow cooking itself - in mood lighting - this time  beef stroganoff, with fettucine, and a green salad.  

Was all very pleasant

Justin and I also tried Terry's breathalsyer - I had been on bubbles and water all night - so was strangely  close to 0 - .0007 first blow, and 0 the 2nd blow. so everyone though it was faulty.  That said Justin reading seemed accurate...

 

And there was another concert after dinner

Sunday morning there was a frost

And the others left after breakfast

Justin and I pottered around - and I guess he left after lunch

I was hanging around a bit as Arlene was going to drop her olives off to me to take to Maccas - but she wasn't ready - so I just took ours

 
So, a good weekend was had by all, and we were very efficient with the olive picking - doing it all on the Saturday

A small postscript was that the new season of Restoration Australia has come out - and we are in the opening credits.  Firstly Justin and I greeting Anthony at the front door, then a shot of the very cracked bay window, and then me in the dining room - taking off some loose plaster, and giving myself a fright at how much came off

Below is a screen grab that I took from I-View