The Weekend Gumboots

By Heather Ross

The farm owners, Targe and Kate, have their struggles with bad weather, poor finances, and Wendy to contend with. Now with the family farm facing an uncertain future, Targes sisters receive the opportunity to help. The three sistersAnna, Blue, and Elizabethhave their own lives in the city, busy with work, family, and plans for a quiet retirement. Bonded by childhood memories on the family farm, the sisters are determined to help. However, their age, inability to milk cows, and some fear of bulls make them the most unlikely of saviors. Will they be able to save the farm through the trials and tribulations ahead? This is a story that captures the essence of everyday life with characters and places inspired by rural New Zealand.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris NZ
• Release date: Jun 19, 2018
• ISBN: 9781514466902

Heather Ross

Heather Ross is an illustrator, author, and textile designer. She is the illustrator of How to Behave at a Tea Party by Madelyn Rosenberg, as well as the Crafty Chloe books by Kelly DiPucchio. She also wrote the bestselling craft books Weekend Sewing and Heather Ross Prints. Heather's own dog, Lobo, currently holds a regional title for Smelliest Pup. She lives in New York City.

Book preview

THE WEEKEND GUMBOOTS

Heather Ross

Copyright © 2018 by Heather Ross.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2018905259

ISBN:   Hardcover       978-1-5144-6692-6

             Softcover          978-1-5144-6691-9

             eBook                978-1-5144-6690-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the

product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance

to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 06/11/2018

Xlibris

0-800-443-678

www.Xlibris.co.nz

769695

CONTENTS

Chapter 1 The Storm

Chapter 2 A New Day

Chapter 3 Green Bale Covers

Chapter 4 The Running of the Bulls

Chapter 5 School Holidays

Chapter 6 The Excursion

Chapter 7 Reflections and Thoughts

Chapter 8 The Trip

Chapter 9 The Visit

Chapter 10 Departure Day

Chapter 11 Wendy

Chapter 12 The Phone Call

Chapter 13 Sabotage

Chapter 14 Blue’s Return

Chapter 15 Rosie

Chapter 16 The Eviction

Chapter 17 Happenings

Chapter 18 The Motorbike

Chapter 19 The Bonfire

Chapter 20 New Life

Chapter 21 The New Tenants

Chapter 22 The Unexpected Health Scare

Chapter 23 Hurdling Bulls / The Big Escape

Chapter 24 Back Home

Chapter 25 The Orphan Calf

Chapter 26 Bob’s Visit

Chapter 27 Struggles

Chapter 28 Girl Farming

Chapter 29 Storm and Elizabeth

Chapter 30 Satisfaction

INTRODUCTION

This fictional story relates to a farm that had been occupied by four generations of the same family and is now owned by Targe and Kate. Targe’s previous wife, Wendy, is out for revenge. She remains the family’s nemesis because of her cunning ways and Targe’s inability to keep her away. Her use of the law enables her to keep siphoning the farm income so that Targe and Kate suffer hardship and struggle to keep the farm viable. The reader will come to know many of the family and friends assisting the couple to weather the storms, both physical and financial, in their day-to-day existence.

Memory.jpg

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Contributors.jpgElizabeth%20Sketch.jpg

A book has been written for all to see,

based on a story of wonder and joy.

To visit the farm some years ago

would have brought some to tears.

But oh, not today,

As the farmer is happy, and joy is to be seen.

All the fences are mended for the cattle and me.

Elizabeth

Anna.jpg

After spending weeks revisiting my childhood farming days, I was happy to be able to say, This was the best experience of my adult life. It was a privilege, and I was lucky enough to have been able to spend time with my siblings on this farm—the very one I grew up on. How lucky is that?

Having taken on the challenge to mind the house and dogs, and chickens at the onset, it became apparent from day one that this was not going to be straightforward. Faced hour by hour with the many challenges unbeknown to us at the onset, a pattern began of hard work to do against major adversity. Firstly common sense had to prevail in order to keep the farm operational in the absence of the family, who were away on holiday, oblivious to what was going on. We cleaned the house, settled ourselves into the home, and organised a plan to have all the bases covered, while also milking cows and keeping them safe. This in itself was a major undertaking. We encountered so many undertakings one would not expect to find in an ordinary day’s work on a functional farm with good fencing. We were hampered by the wind, rain, and wandering animals. It certainly was a time to remember, almost beyond belief. Hence why I became interested in contributing to this book. Who could possibly believe what we were doing there?

Enjoy our journey as we did.

Cheers, Anna

Blue%20sketch.jpg

We lay in our camp beds in an empty old home

We watched the flames from the open fire as they danced on the walls of the bedroom.

At the drop of a hat, we grabbed our gumboots and ran.

We rounded up stock that escaped purposely to interrupt our meals;

We piled up wheelbarrows of dung and moved it on.

We met helpful neighbours and their tractors.

We got drenched by the rain and laughed at ourselves.

We sang our own little ditty to ease situations.

Overall we had fun and will never regret it;

we really just want to share it.

Blue

House%20Boots.jpg

The sisters’ boots

Blue, Elizabeth, Anna

CHAPTER 1

The Storm

On the local radio station, warnings were regularly being played to tie down trampolines and other outdoor equipment and suggesting farmers put animals into shelter. The forecast was for a once-in-a-hundred-years storm passing through with winds up to 140 kilometres per hour.

As the wind howled outside and the rain was coming down at an alarming rate, Elizabeth sat in her warm and cosy home in the city, lost in her thoughts. Elizabeth, a nurse, worked at the local hospital. Having already put in a good day’s work of caring for others, running frantically around the wards, she reflected about the influx of patients she had seen. Where did they all come from? It must have been a surgery day. Her husband, Storm had the right name for tonight. She smiled. Elizabeth tried to imagine how much quieter it would be when she retired in a few months and moved to the capital.

As Elizabeth pondered and reminisced on her day, she suddenly sat bolt upright in her chair and asked her husband, Storm, I wonder how Targe is getting on. If the storm is this bad here, what on earth could be happening on the farm? Maybe I should phone him.

So off Elizabeth went to the phone. She collected it from the phone stand, dialled the number, heard the phone ring, and waited for him to answer. She thought, Just answer it, Targe. She was frustrated by the time it took him to answer.

When he finally answered, Targe told of the devastation and destruction of the storms. There were trees down, and the power was off. Targe said they were managing, as the log fire was keeping them warm and the kettle could be boiled for a hot cup of tea.

What about the cows and the milking? Elizabeth asked.

Targe responded, No milking tonight. The winds and the driving rain have made it impossible to walk outside and get to the cows in the back paddock. Anyway, the power is off, so the milking machines cannot function.

Storm%20Trees.jpg

But the biggest news from Targe was yet to be revealed—alarming news. An enormous old pine tree brought down by the storm was blocking the entrance of the house. That was it. Enough said. Elizabeth hung up the phone.

House.jpg

Do you think I should go down to the farm and see if there is anything I can do to help? she asked Storm. After all, I will only sit here and worry, as I won’t be able to sleep.

It is now bedtime, and after a long day, driving would be treacherous, Storm replied. Please yourself.

Her instincts set in. Elizabeth phoned Anna, her sister who lived nearby. She found Anna was already in bed. Elizabeth gave a short version of the storm update on Targe’s farm. Without hesitation, they agreed they would get together and brave the storm by journeying to the farm.

Elizabeth gathered her overnight gear and a torch, said goodbye to her husband, and left with a whoosh, closing the door behind her.

Within a minute, Anna’s four-wheel-drive had arrived. Elizabeth held on tightly to her belongings with some effort as the wind whipped around her. She managed to open her sister’s car door and get in safely. The wind was strong, and the rain was falling in torrents. The wind gusts were powerful, and the windscreen wipers on the car had trouble keeping the glass clear. Heading south in the warmth of the car, the two of them made their way through well-lit streets. At least the power was on in the city. If the lights went out, the linesmen would be promptly on the job to rectify the problem.

The girls chatted as they went. Anna navigated the roads cautiously, as the weather made driving conditions difficult.

Then a thought crossed their minds. If Targe and Kate had no power, it was likely a meal would not be available. A farmer without a good meal was not a good situation. Elizabeth imagined them sitting in the dark, hungry and cold. It dawned on her that when they got to the next town, if anything was