The Return of the Happy Farmer
Everyone has been asking what I have done with the Happy Farmer?
He has disappeared off the blog posts. Slid off the platform of social media. There have been no updates. No cheeky wee mentions. His last sighting was reportedly on ‘The Mighty Persabus Haggis Hunt’. Did he really in fact end up enjoying copious amounts of that ‘amber nectar’ leaving him ‘face down and feet up in a peaty bog’ never to be seen again, I have you all wondering?
The rest of the Persabus clan have been making their appearances, taking advantage of exploring the stunningly beautiful Islay coastline. Clambering over the boggy headlands to the beaches, with not a sighting of that Happy Farmer.
The Happy Farmer has been AWOL
He is not really into ‘beach time’. It does not involve herding cows or dosing sheep or building projects and adventures. On the occasions he has been known to make his way to the sand, it usually involves his cousin’s beachy BBQ, with the promise of burgers and steaks sizzling away at the shoreline, and
beers cooling in the Atlantic waves
On such occasions the Happy Farmer will positively skip to the beach. He will happily spend an hour or two basking in the heat of the sun. A cool beer to hand, munching on whatever tasty treats flow from the BBQ.
We are dreaming then of the summer to come. Open for bookings and hoping the restrictions ease. The BBQ king and cousins have their ‘spaces’ reserved. The holiday cottages at Persabus are at the ready. Newly decorated, pristine, and ‘available’ once we get the Scot Gov ‘go-ahead’. We are really hoping things continue to go well and everyone gets to enjoy a break this summer.
The Happy Farmer for his part is even getting excited planning the possibility of his ‘socially distanced’ summer party. Which at this stage may well entail one table being placed in each field, with megaphones to hand and a stash of drink, burgers, and a throw away BBQ at each setting. We might have to warn the neighbours about the particularly loud music, or maybe headphones and a playlist for each mobile phone would suffice? Ahead of the times then with
a socially distanced ‘silent disco’, in the fields, as the sun sets
So, in between his feeding rounds about the farm the Happy Farmer has been doing a lot of ‘dreaming’. The sort of ‘dreaming’ that I promise you does not involve a ‘sneaky wee snore’ behind a bale of hay. No, he has been dreaming of summer adventures and a time when he can be more sociable once again. Maintenance jobs have been calling him, as have essential workers. ‘Meet ups’ have had to be outdoors and within tier 3 restrictions, so
if you thought you saw another silage bale or two in the fields, rest assured it was in fact the Happy Farmer
and his ‘essential workers’, having important socially distanced ‘discussions’. They may well resemble silage bales, but in fact on closer inspection you will see it is layers and layers of woolly jumpers (farmers not sheep), thermals, hats, coats, waterproofs, waistcoats, fleeces, gloves and neckerchiefs. Neckerchiefs are a new addition. They double up as handy face coverings. Providing the perfect solution as the Happy Farmer would be in danger of suffering from something far worse than a virus if he took a face mask from the depths of his jacket pockets and dared to place it over his face. Those farmer’s jacket pockets carry a hazardous health warning at the best of times and should be avoided at all costs.
Today the Happy Farmer has headed off, a spring in his step, ready for a ‘party’
He is quite excited by the possibility of the social gathering he is attending. Of the people he will see and chat to. A meet up with his old school chums. And just before you worry at the possibility of him breaking ‘the rules’ know it is as exciting as it gets. He will be with his school chums. They will sit socially distanced in a waiting room ready to be called in for their Covid-19 vaccinations at the local hospital. The best of party the year.
We all look forward to a time when we can offer you a hearty welcome back to the farm. When we can prise the Happy Farmer to the beach for some ‘sunshine fun’ and party hard and long into the wee small hours and beyond in true Persabus style.
Until next time…
