The Farmer: “Jessie, are you heading to town any time soon? Because if you are, today would be great, and I have 67849678250 jobs I need you to do for me while you are there.”
There are always jobs that need doing on a farm.
I actually do head to town on a semi-regular basis. I’m either working, picking the kids up from an after school activity or heading to an appointment. Very occasionally, I spend days (and even a week) without heading anywhere. It’s divine. Things get done at home, the stocks in the pantry slowly deplete and I can enjoy some down time.
More often than not, this ‘down time’ means that someone else at home (presumably The Farmer) will be required to head in to town to grab farm supplies or bits and pieces needed for some job or another that has to be done immediately. And because when I am at home I am the least busy person, that person has to be me; hence the conversation above.
Mostly a trip to town involves stopping in at the ag supplies shop to grab fittings and parts or even chemicals. Occasionally it could involve a visit to the post office, getting something signed or delivering a parcel. Whatever it is, I guarantee that whatever needs doing, needs doing immediately. It is a job that probably even needed doing yesterday.
The same logic applies for if you are heading to the city. Something will need to be brought home or dropped off there as well, and thankfully up until now there has only ever been one occasion when the car was simply too full to comply.
More often than not, The Farmer will tell you that I spend too much time in the car anyway. If you ask him, I don’t need to be in the car anywhere near as much as I am. I disagree with him of course.
However, the days that I plan on staying home could almost certainly be better spent heading somewhere that isn’t at home. Just ask The Farmer.
It’s Murphy’s Law – if you plan on spending the day at home, something will almost certainly need doing in town.
There is no such thing as a ‘quick’ trip to town. Aside from the fact that it takes over an hour just to get there and back again, you will be armed with an arsenal of jobs to do while you are there. You will probably run into at least six people you know and haven’t seen in a while as well.
I don’t mind being in town. Running into people, enjoying the social aspect of being in town, or being there for work – it’s all the same. I’m keeping busy. Things are getting done.
It’s a win-win for everyone involved, and for every time I have had to do a job for someone else, I’ve been fortunate enough to have someone do a job for me as well.