NellieA long term friendship is in dire peril these days. Nellie, our 1985 Ford pick-up truck and I have had a spat. With spring in full swing and the gardens at Bluegrass Knoll hungry for a feed of nourishment, Nellie and I head to Pembroke to get a load of compost. The rich, black soil, referred to as ‘Black Gold’ is available only for a few short weeks every spring. It was a perfect day, travelling the back roads, listening to country music with my cowboy hat on and an attitude that life is good….until we arrive at the waste management plant where the black gold is to be obtained. As we drive past the mounds of the garden manna, my mouth is watering but Nellie rebels. She is smoking uncontrollably, a sure sign of overheating. Is the thermostat stuck, is it a bad radiator or is Nellie just being difficult?
It is agreed upon by the guys at the plant that I might be able to make it home but with no compost. The extra weight could be the straw that breaks the camels back for ole Nellie as she wins the first round. Driving past the wonderful compost, the saying comes to mind ‘So close and yet so far’. With 40km to get home, I begin coaxing, begging and negotiating with Nellie to hold it together enough to get us back to Bluegrass Knoll. 
Maybe she would like a spa day?
Nellie complained, wheezed and coughed herself home that day and both of us were relieved to see our laneway. Although she let me down in regards to the compost she got me home. How can I be mad forever with her? Yes, I felt like I was spinning my wheels and getting nowhere with a wasted afternoon but maybe there is something to be learned. Could it be that I need to take a hint from Nellie to stop, rest, rejuvenate and recharge? The Baby Feast is on with twenty babies booked, the studio is busy, Bluegrass Knoll’s gardens are mostly planted and mulched and the cottage is open. It has been crazy with other projects being put on the back burner. Should I take a clue from Nellie and retire to the cottage for a spa day? Soon, Nellie, soon.
Until then