Country Retreat - 3. Making Arrangements

I had just finished packing all of my luggage when both of my parents arrived, and I made a point of introducing Rizen to them and explained that I was the only Aussie in this pod with the others being a Kiwi and a Canadian and Rizen coming from the UK. My parents chatted with Rizen for a few minutes, where he explained that he has Tibetan ancestry, that both parents work in law enforcement, and that his paternal grandfather was Australian, before immigrating to the UK.

Although he was part Australian, Rizen had no relatives in Australia, and it was his grandfather’s wish for his Grandson to experience what life is like in Australia, and this was the reason why he was attending Grammar School in Perth, Western Australia.

On the evening that I arrived home on the farm, after two months away, not much had changed at home, and my bedroom was just as I left it, and thankfully my younger siblings were already in bed and asleep when I arrived. Gramps and Gran had picked me up from school shortly after 5 pm, and drove me to their place for an early dinner, before Dad arrived for the 65-kilometre, 45-minute drive north-east to the farm, leaving just well after dark, so we had to take care with plenty of wildlife around, and sure enough we saw plenty of rabbits, a fox and several kangaroos on our journey.

After a quick hello to my Mum, I had a quick shower before I headed to bed, as I was tired. As usual, I was up early when I was on the farm, and I dressed and headed to the kitchen for some breakfast. “Good morning, I wasn’t expecting you out of bed for at least another hour or more,” Mum commented, as I gave her a peck on the cheek.

“I’ve always been an early riser, when on the farm Mum, you know that,” I replied, as Dad walked in the back door from outside, after kicking off his work boots, “Ah good, you are up and about, ready to help out with some work?” Dad asked me, “Sure Dad, but I just need to have a cuppa and some toast first please,” I replied, and Mum soon had two slices of toast, buttered and spread, and a steaming cup of tea with a dash of milk.

“Do you remember my friend Rizen from school? I was wondering if it is possible, for him to come up to the farm for the second week of holidays if it is ok with his parents?” I asked between mouthfuls of toast. “I’m not sure about that son, we will have to discuss it,” Dad replied as he looked at Mum, who shrugged her shoulders.

“I learnt that his Paternal Grandfather is originally from Australia, and moved to the UK as a young man, and that is why Rizen is attending school here, as his grandfather wants him to experience life in Australia. He has no relatives in Australia any more, and he is spending the first week of the holidays at a youth camp, he was not sure what he was doing for the second week, so I suggested he ask his parents if he could come here for the second week,” I announced to my folks.

“I see, and when will you know if his parents approve of this week-long stayover?” Dad asked, “Whenever Mr & Mrs Rizen telephone you with the decision. Mind you it is an eight-hour time difference, so it is most likely going to be in the evening our time and morning their time,” I replied, just as the telephone began to ring, and Mum quickly snatched it up, so as not to waken the younger two children.

“Hello Kingston Farm, Salena speaking,” Mum said into the phone. Mum frowned for a moment, and she was about to say something when we heard a response. Mum listened, as she waved me towards her, while Dad headed to the office where there was a phone extension line. Standing next to Mum, with our ears to the phone, I heard the last of the other conversation, and a click as Dad joined in.

“That ‘click’ sound was my husband picking up the other phone line, and Oscar is standing next to me listening” Mum responded. “Oh good. This is Jarvis Silverton, I am Rizen’s Australian-born grandfather, and I have my son and daughter-in-law joining us too,” we all heard.

After saying hello to Rizen’s parents and grandfather, I left the adults to discuss the matter over the next twenty minutes, while I finished my breakfast, rinsed my cup and plate before I placed them in the dishwasher, and I headed outside for an early morning fresh air walk to the sheds 140 metres away.

“Well, it is all settled, Rizen will catch the bus up to Moora on Saturday morning next week, leaving Perth at 9.30 and arriving here at 12.30, just in time for lunch. Dad will drive you both back to school on Sunday afternoon,” Mum announced to me, and I smiled happily at this news, just as I received a text message.

“Hey mate, I just received the awesome good news. See you on Saturday next week. RS,” and I chuckled on seeing the message. “Rizen has received the good news and he is happy to be coming,” I said to my folks, before following Dad into the shed.

Our farm has a mixture of grain and beef cattle, so at the moment, we are waiting for the first main rains to arrive before seeding can commence. Apart from Dad, we have one part-time farm worker Giles Carter, who works Monday & Tuesdays and Thursday and Fridays.

Giles is 28 years old single and a good worker, when not on the booze, and has been working for Dad for about 4 years now, he lives in the cottage closest to and only 400 metres from the main gate and 650 metres from the sheds.

There is a cottage located right next to the sheds, of which the master bedroom and 2^nd bedroom are the farm office and records store room, with the kitchen/dining room as the staff lunch room, while the other cottage is 140 metres to the east of the main driveway and 220 metres from the sheds is rented out to a local family.

When we arrived home for lunch after spending the morning checking all of the water points around the farm, I was immediately set upon by my younger siblings, who were happy to see me again. After lunch, Dad and I began transporting bales of hay around the paddocks as there wasn’t much summer feed left on the property, having a rather poor season last year.

Over the next few days, I checked and repaired any damaged boundary fences, before starting to check the internal fences and helped Dad with any other little chores that he had lined up for me to do, which included moving the stock to fresh paddocks, which I enjoyed doing as it meant more time on the 4 wheel motorbike.

While Dad kept me busy with duties on the farm, Mum and my younger siblings would go into town for shopping or attend a community Holiday activity, to keep Deacon and Amara from getting bored, which usually leads to arguments.

On Friday morning, I was looking forward to Rizen arriving the next day, when Deacon and Amara entered the kitchen, “Mum, something is wrong with Amara, she won’t stop scratching and she is covered in spots,” Deacon announced.

On hearing this, I sprinted out the back door to stay clear, in case it was contagious, abandoning my half-eaten breakfast. “Why the rush over here son?” Dad asked when arrived at the sheds. “Amara is covered in spots, I didn’t want to be close to her with Rizen due here tomorrow,” I responded. “Damn, that’s all we need,” Dad said as he pulled out his mobile and dialled a number.

“Is it true?” Dad asked when the call was answered, and I watched as Dad listened to what had been said to him by Mum I was presuming, who had been a nurse before marrying Dad, so she would have a good idea what the disease could be, after a brief examination. “Rubella! I thought that was rare these days… What are we going to do about Oscar and his visitor coming tomorrow?” I heard Dad ask.

I saw him nod his head a few times, before speaking again, “Ok, I will give them a call and let them know to expect Oscar today and Rizen tomorrow, bye” Dad said before ending the call. “I’d going to Regan’s Ford?” I asked and Dad smiled and nodded yes as he dialled a new number.

“Hey Mum, will you be ok to have Oscar for the rest of the holidays and his mate Rizen who was supposed to come here tomorrow?” I heard Dad say to my grandmother, and he smiled as he listened. “Not sure yet but Oscar hightailed out of the kitchen when he learnt that Amara had spots all over her… he is out in the shed with me at the moment,” Dad said.

“Ok, I will let him know, I just have to make some changes to Rizen’s bus ticket, I will see you a bit later, bye,” Dad said before ending that call. With the third call, I was not sure who he was going to speak to, “ Hello, this is Henry Kingston speaking, Rizen Silverton is supposed to be staying on my farm for the second week of the holidays, but we need to change that to my parents farm instead, as my daughter is ill.

We are happy to make the arrangements to get Rizen to Regan’s Ford, you just need to cancel his bus ticket to Moore, ” I heard Dad say, and I watched as Dad listened to the response.