A selfish week

I didn't do much really, the most strenuous thing was getting into and out of my Land cruiser to be honest, but I arrived home around 18:00 feeling worn out and ready to simply flop down on the couch and stay there. Of course, that didn't happen...I had to water my garden, sweep up and pick up leaves and other detritus that had blown around overnight and make dinner...Then I was able to sit on the couch...after cleaning up the dinner things, making my lunch for Monday, ironing a shirt for work and getting a few files and things organised so I could get a quick get away first thing Monday morning.

Today I took some visiting relatives to the Barossa Valley wine region for a drive around, lunch and wine tasting.

The region is world-renowned for its vineyards and the production of some of the best wines available and I've been lucky enough to call it my back yard all my life as I was born and raised in a small town there. I like taking people there and showing them around, talking about the history and how the region and the businesses that operate there have changed, become more diverse, ecologically and from a sustainability perspective, and kept up with the demands of doing business globally. Today I was the tour guide, driver and director of catering and social events.

I'm not much into wine personally but my guests are so I took them to three excellent wineries: Chateau Tanunda, Jacob's Creek and my favourite St Hugo's. If I never drink wine again in my entire life it wouldn't bother me in the least bit however I'll have a glass now and then and the St Hugo's wines are one of my favourites; not cheap, but good quality and that's what counts.

My guests did some wine tasting at the first two and I took them to St Hugo's as the last stop. We know the chef there and were treated to a very special experience which was incredibly enjoyable.

I actually did a little wine tasting myself but as I was driving tasted but didn't consume any choosing to use the spitting out thingy instead. I actually bought some wine there, something that is quite rare for me, but I'll do a different post about that some other time.

My guests also purchased a couple dozen wines and then we moved away from the buildings and into the garden where our chef-friend showed us around his most excellent kitchen garden, which was the highlight for me. It was fascinating hearing how he built his menu around the produce and how foods picked that morning are served at lunch on the same day. Being into vegetable gardening myself I found that part far more interesting than the wine tasting, although I'll admit that it was also interesting hearing about the wines.

From there we got back into my Land Cruiser and headed home and on the way stopped into the town where I was born and had a poke around, drove by the house I was born and raised in and reminisced a little. I dropped my guests off at their accommodation an hour later and went home feeling tired but satisfied.

It was a pretty full day from 09:00 to 18:00 and due to the heat of the day, some 31°C, and all the driving I did, I came home feeling well and truly in need of some rest. It was a good day though and I enjoyed it, but it was tiring indeed.

My guests are leaving on Tuesday and life will get back to normal thankfully. I lead a very busy life with work and home commitments, my vegetable garden and household chores, the work I do with veterans, exercise, shooting, hiking, kayaking and other outdoor activities, social engagements, writing on Hive and off, crypto and so many other things including the all important sleep!

Sometimes I wonder how I fit it all in with people pulling me this way and that and never seeming to let up or accept no for an answer. I'll admit it grates on my nerves at times. I try to be a little selfish at times though, I need to be, for my own well-being. I think I'll enjoy a week of doing my own thing in the next few days and into the coming weekend...I think I've earned a selfish week.