the people Libby had heard Tom talk of. She had left Nathan a small amount of cash and her husband’s saddle, probably for sentimental reasons. When she came to the part which concerned her, she was shocked. Nathan was right. She was wealthy beyond her dreams, and Aaron hadn’t told her. Why? It made no sense, and she would certainly talk to him about it, but at the end of the day, it made no difference why she was here on the farm. This was her life now and that of her family.
***
The shearers arrived early on Tuesday. Libby had baked up a storm on Monday since Tom had warned her they ate a lot, and she was responsible for feeding them. There were two guys and a girl who did the classing, as Tom explained to her when he introduced them.
Once the kids were on the bus, Libby was out in the yards, helping Tom get the sheep sorted. They had already separated the ewes from their offspring late yesterday, and the noise from the hungry lambs was deafening. Libby tried to ignore them while she herded the sheep into the pens ready for the shearers to grab while they worked automatically. She had learned a lot since they’d first arrived at the farm, far more than she would have believed. Libby followed the process through. When they had been crutched, the wool from around their butts cleaned off, she saw them sent down another chute, which led to the holding pens under the shed, and she was running between the pens keeping them locked away from their screaming lambs. She had cringed when Tom explained to her how to dock the tails and ring the male lambs but with so much happening now, she was immune to their cries and the smell of fear on their short, white wool.
Molly, the wool classer, kept Tom busy as he swept the clippings away from the shearer before he pulled another animal from the pen. He threw it on a large, slatted table for her to sort through and bag into Own bin or Bale, as they were called. Even the small amount of wool they ended up with was money for the station, and it was a job that had to be done to keep the sheep free from fly strike.
Tom worked with the dogs to put the rams into a separate paddock from the ewes that were reunited with their lambs.
When the kids got back from school, they rushed through their homework and came out to help in the shearing shed. Tom told Josh to let Bella go and work with the older dogs for the rest of the afternoon so she could learn from them.
Libby left them finishing up for the day to shower and prepare dinner for everyone. The shearers would stay in the quarters with Tom and Winton, but Libby wanted them to eat in the house. It was easier for her, and she wanted to make them feel welcome.
Three clean shearers and her family all came in a short time later, laughing and joking with each other. Libby quickly sat them around the large kitchen table and passed them plates. Next, came the chicken hotpot and roast vegetables. Libby added a large pot of coffee, and juice was passed around too. Everyone was in good spirits. The work was going well, and they hoped to be finished tomorrow night.
“That was superb.” Molly sat back in her chair. “Sorry, Tom but you aren’t cooking for us again.” She laughed. “Not with Libby here.”
“Hey, that doesn’t worry me.” Tom chuckled. “I’m getting spoiled too and loving it.”
“I have chocolate cake for dessert, if anyone is still hungry,” Libby offered.
“Can I have a slice of that, sweetheart?” said a voice from outside the kitchen door. Nathan stepped into the kitchen where they could see him. He took his hat from his head and looked at Libby. She hadn’t heard him come up the driveway.
“Nat, my man,” Molly squealed. She jumped from the table and wrapped her arms around him. She clapped him on the back pushed him to the table, and into the chair beside her. “Looking forward to coming over to you next, Nathan.”
“Looking forward to having you too.” He glanced around the table. “Sorry to
***
The shearers arrived early on Tuesday. Libby had baked up a storm on Monday since Tom had warned her they ate a lot, and she was responsible for feeding them. There were two guys and a girl who did the classing, as Tom explained to her when he introduced them.
Once the kids were on the bus, Libby was out in the yards, helping Tom get the sheep sorted. They had already separated the ewes from their offspring late yesterday, and the noise from the hungry lambs was deafening. Libby tried to ignore them while she herded the sheep into the pens ready for the shearers to grab while they worked automatically. She had learned a lot since they’d first arrived at the farm, far more than she would have believed. Libby followed the process through. When they had been crutched, the wool from around their butts cleaned off, she saw them sent down another chute, which led to the holding pens under the shed, and she was running between the pens keeping them locked away from their screaming lambs. She had cringed when Tom explained to her how to dock the tails and ring the male lambs but with so much happening now, she was immune to their cries and the smell of fear on their short, white wool.
Molly, the wool classer, kept Tom busy as he swept the clippings away from the shearer before he pulled another animal from the pen. He threw it on a large, slatted table for her to sort through and bag into Own bin or Bale, as they were called. Even the small amount of wool they ended up with was money for the station, and it was a job that had to be done to keep the sheep free from fly strike.
Tom worked with the dogs to put the rams into a separate paddock from the ewes that were reunited with their lambs.
When the kids got back from school, they rushed through their homework and came out to help in the shearing shed. Tom told Josh to let Bella go and work with the older dogs for the rest of the afternoon so she could learn from them.
Libby left them finishing up for the day to shower and prepare dinner for everyone. The shearers would stay in the quarters with Tom and Winton, but Libby wanted them to eat in the house. It was easier for her, and she wanted to make them feel welcome.
Three clean shearers and her family all came in a short time later, laughing and joking with each other. Libby quickly sat them around the large kitchen table and passed them plates. Next, came the chicken hotpot and roast vegetables. Libby added a large pot of coffee, and juice was passed around too. Everyone was in good spirits. The work was going well, and they hoped to be finished tomorrow night.
“That was superb.” Molly sat back in her chair. “Sorry, Tom but you aren’t cooking for us again.” She laughed. “Not with Libby here.”
“Hey, that doesn’t worry me.” Tom chuckled. “I’m getting spoiled too and loving it.”
“I have chocolate cake for dessert, if anyone is still hungry,” Libby offered.
“Can I have a slice of that, sweetheart?” said a voice from outside the kitchen door. Nathan stepped into the kitchen where they could see him. He took his hat from his head and looked at Libby. She hadn’t heard him come up the driveway.
“Nat, my man,” Molly squealed. She jumped from the table and wrapped her arms around him. She clapped him on the back pushed him to the table, and into the chair beside her. “Looking forward to coming over to you next, Nathan.”
“Looking forward to having you too.” He glanced around the table. “Sorry to
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