Great, the volunteers are coming, so we'll get tons of jobs done in the vineyard. All we have to do is sit back and watch them work right? No, no and no. Volunteer week is the first time in the year when we re-open the house, so during the two weeks prior to the vollies arriving Ali and I have to get everything ready. Here's a rough breakdown of what that means.
Six bedrooms and their bathrooms are cleaned and aired, beds made up and towels, loo rolls and the like all in place. The big kitchen downstairs takes a day to clean. (We don't use it in the winter as we live in our apartment.) Menus, recipes and shopping lists are prepared for a week's worth of breakfasts, lunches and dinners for up to 16 people. The shopping takes two days. Gas bottles for the cooker and heaters are refilled. The boiler-man has been to service our workhorse that provides hot showers and underfloor central heating.
So far four of the seven lunchtime soups which will be served hot in the vineyard have been made and are sitting in a neighbour's freezer as ours are all choc-a-bloc. The tea, coffee and milk are in the vineyard caravan, Olive, ready for morning breaks. Ali has yet to go and buy the wine. 16 people x 7 evenings. So how much is that then?
Then there's the machinery. Queenie the quad's been serviced and her trailer has a new wheel after we melted the old one to extinction; the yellow muncher vineyard mower has had a new skirt and sharpened blade; the two heavy duty strimmers have been sharpened petrol-filled and oiled, eight pairs of loppers have been sharpened and oiled, as have four pairs of secateurs. Two axes have had the same treatment. Hoes have been tested and five new ones bought. The generator has been serviced. The van's been serviced. The ride-on mower has been serviced. Six containers of petrol and two stroke have been filled. Trees have been ordered.
Yesterday I serviced the chainsaw. It had stopped working and only when I took it apart did I realise a bit was missing. Three minutes of searching in the shingle where I'd last used it and I discovered the vital screw. So now that's sorted out. All the tools have been assembled ready to lob in the van, land-rover and trailers - to be transported to the vineyard. 15 pairs of gardening gloves and extra protective gear are ready in a box.
Now we just have to sort out a bit of evening entertainment to keep the vollies amused, have haircuts (so it doesn't get caught in the chainsaw) and we're ready. Phew. Sometimes it feels as though we've already done the major part before the vollies arrive! Now just keep your fingers crossed that the weather picks up. It's warmed up quite a bit, but we're having rotten rainstorms and we need brilliant sunshine to keep us all happy. It would be great if it shone on our parade.
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