OK, so the first week of picking was hell. Especially for Bryn cos he had to put up with me whinging about how hard it was. A couple of weeks later, when we were comfortable with it, we went from being paid hourly to contract. Contract means you are paid a piece rate, in our case $30 for a bin that is about a metre cubed, so we now have to fill 5 bins a day each to match our hourly rate, though while paid hourly managed about 3.
It's amazing how you can rise to the challenge when there are financial implications. On Monday we picked 13 between us without stretching ourselves too far and had reached a point where we were feeling pretty good about how well we were doing .. but then, right on cue, came the next challenge. Today we were moved to a new field where the trees are a lot taller than before, therefore requiring more time on ladders. This has slowed us down hugely and we only picked 9 between us and left feeling utterly frustrated. I know in a few days we will probably be coping with this as well as previous challenges but right now it seems to be a pretty tough call.
Anyway, that's about all I have the energy to write about today. Despite the hard yakka, we are enjoying being outdoors and being in touch with what goes on around us. In an office, you're very immune to the world outside.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
Ooh that sounds like hard work! but so much better than meetings & reports & blasted spreadsh*tes! Have you considered a layer of :balloons: at the bottom of the bin? use cheap balloons that deflate slowly in the hot sun therefore ensuring you hand in an apparently full crate! :D
ReplyDeleteI'm sitting here in my beige office, oblivious to all but the coffee machine & this blog, wondering how Bryn's birthday was? I plan to make & eat some cake in your honour darlin!
Drizzly Brizzle loves xx
Can you invent a grabber to get apples that are higher up? Also just think of how fit you are getting too eh :))
ReplyDeleteThinking of ya lots too .. can you make any better money buskin n fire juggling btw? Try and do stuff ya enjoy if you can poss?
Take care anyhow you 2 ..
Massive hugzzz n tingzz xxxx
yeah...why not just get a proper job?
ReplyDeleteanyhow, I thought we were the whinging Poms?
Oh the irony!
We started looking at flights yesterday - providionally looking at 1 month from 12th ish december. just so you know...
:hyper: !!!!!!!!!
and of course
:cheese:
Love ya like herpes x x x
Hi you two! Great to see you there, and great to hear you are out doing some picking! If you get a long stick, a coat hanger and plastic pot you can make your own grabber, or shake the tree like mad... But I'm sure you will be brilliant at it very soon. Missing you in sunny bristol...
ReplyDelete