Speedy Slime

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Hey hey!

It's a picker checking in! Sorry i've been so pants at scribbling this blog - still no internet, so yes, i'm still big mates with Ronald at McDonald's who lets me use his free wifi...bother.


Where to start - still picking as always - we're pretty much professional pickers now - well i am at least - as for Slime - he's still stadig in the fields!! He swears he's just got bad lines with min berries but i know better - shuffles along in 1st gear chatting to his snail friends! It really is excellent that he never reads my blog - i get to make up all sorts of stories! Still though - whether it's paddling or picking, Slime doesn't move! Anyhoot - the berries are still not coming to the party - but now many of our fellow pickers have upped and left for greener fields - we are now therefore down to 6 which means we work twice as hard but for the same amount of pennies! Bother - when the berries arrive though we'll be smiling...provided i get a knew back by then! Slime has also now been battling with his back - he never used to suffer but he obviously tweaked something while picking in slow motion...every time i try and rub it for him he squeals like a girl...silly mutt - Trevor too is not pleased as he now smells of Dencorub - the Aussie take on Deep Heat!


Another picking tale which i'm sure i've already told some of you involves me up to my armpits in pond sh*t while Slime - farmer Bill's favourite gets to ride the tractor and mend broken trolleys! Farmer Bill - being the kind berry farmer he is, is always finding us odd jobs to keep the pennies rolling in whilst there are no berries. So anyway, the one day he tells me, Diego the Italian and Frida the long Swede that we can weed the dam for $100 each. Knowing we'd all do just about anything for an extra buck we sign up for the mission and pile into his rickety boat dressed up as the Paddington Bear trio - giant yellow raincoats, waterproof pants and gumboots. Good grief - what a job - there were SO many lillies and the slimey beasts are HUGE - plus you have to dig way down deep into the watery depths to make sure you pluck them from the roots! And they smell like death - AND there were no snakes - the swimming kind! Awesome! But all in all - it truly was one of the funniest days - or 2 days - ever - an experience i'll never forget... nor will i forget Slime's smug smile as he drove past on the tractor! Good times... life on the farm is fun - Farmer Bill even cooked us a big barbeque the one day and made Sime and I a ridiculous sign for our 8 year day - plus his wife betty Ann, is forever baking us treats - anything to keep the pickers merry😊 And merry pickers we are - well most days, except if it's raining or we're picking mould or weeding dams!


Apart from picking, there's not a whole lot to report. We're still living in Trevor who is still happily parked on the patio of our very own house! Luca the chef is leaving today for a better life in Brisbane working as a real chef - as opposed to one who picks berries and feeds his fellow pickers pasta! He will be greatly missed - as will his pasta and pizza! So then we will be down to 4 in the house - me, Slime, Diego and Frida - the long Swede... there used to be 7 of us but Natasha the French thief and her boyfriend Fabio (another Italian) ventured North - good thing too! No one likes a thief! Shucks - she would steal EVERTHING (food, clothes, books) - proper clepto - but never get caught... stealing from supermarkets is one thing but from your fellow pickers!? Should she ever stumble upon this blog - Natasha - i want my phone charger and razor back! - a razor? Who the hell steals somebody's razor - that's just nasty! So yip - we're now down to 4 - we had a big farewell barbeque for Luca last weekend - and jolly good fun it was. It was our first bbq - just us pickers plus Corinne (our yodelling Aussie pal) and the SUN - shucks it was 27 that day - so much for Winter! The Italians bought enough meat to feed a herd of Stans so we ate, drank and played ridiculous games such as Twister and darts of course (S.A vs. Italy). Twister was probably not the best call for a bunch of pickers with bad backs! Good times.


Another tale worth telling is when Slime and I ventured to Mount Tamborine to celebrate the big 8 year mark. We packed up Trevor and the kids and off we went. Gary was keen for the musical mount but alas - no tamborines in sight - bought him some award winning fudge instead. We had lovely grub at an Indian spot and went on many a rainforest stroll. On day 2 - after buying Slime his stinky cloth-bound-cheddar from the cheese factory, i picked up a pamphlet about 'Jumpers and Jazz' - a festival in Warwick, some 2 hours away. There was no question - we HAD to go! Once a year - these loons in Warwick jam jazz tunes and knit jumpers for TREES! And not just any jumper i may add - some are dressed up as sunflowers - others resemble an entire rainforest with knitted spiders and snakes crawling in their branches - while others sport designer ponchos and scarfs!! It was completely nuts - some definite crazies living in the small town of Warwick - we decided to sleep elsewhere for the night! Was awesome to see though - i'll try and attach some pics of the snug shrubs so you guys get the idea.


And i think that's enough stories for now... will check in with more tales sooner this time round. Looking forward to the dork coming to town - that's Jo my varsity friend - she's coming to play at the end of September... there are also plans to head to New Zealand and possibly the Andaman Islands to meet some more of our travelling companions... all depends on how fast Slime can pick and how many pennies we can save! Missing everyone beastly and think of you all often as i shuffle through the fields - on trolley or tractor! Oh yes - Farmer Bill actually lets us drive his tractors - under supervision of course! Big Bess is my favourite!


Right i'm out - lots and lots of love and should anyone spy a raisin or a treat be sure to send it to:

Professional Picker
18 Fennell Court
Morayfield
Queensland
4506


Love eM, Slime, trevor and the kids
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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