One of the downsides of working alone on the farm is that there is no one to say Well Done. Our John comes home so late and leaves so early he simply does not see what I do. (So I am lucky that I have you – The Fellowship is laden with people, women and men alike, who know how important it is to say – “That was well done.”) 
Our John moving the work bench from the chook house to the barn. Well Done.
I knew a lady in New Zealand, she was a check out girl in a busy supermarket- though she was no longer a girl. She was large and bosomy, blowsy and over blown in the most delicious way. Short with big feet and a smile that was powerful. She beamed. She was Glory. And when she saw me in her check-out line at the supermarket, she would loudly greet me “Hello Beautiful Girl!. How are you my friend. Your work last night was glorious,” she would say referring to something my students had done, or “Hello Beautiful – I loved our homework last night.” Referring to the work her son brought home from school.
She would shoot my purchases across the scanner with an efficient movement that I envied. She was completely at home in her Self. And she always called me Beautiful. Even though, as I gathered up my bags and slung them across my shoulders, marshalling my children, ready for the walk along the beach and back up the hill to my little house, I would hear her call out with absolute sincerity: “Hello beautiful, how are you?” – to the next person she knew in her queue and she was the kind of person who knew everyone. It never once took from me that lovely feeling of being recognised and empowered by her beautiful ‘Well Done. ‘
Well Done miss c, I tell myself – for finally raking the hay properly. Following my instructions from the hay man to the letter – it came out perfectly. I have been learning how to do this for two summers. Now I have got it! I am now confident in my hay raking abilities. And I felt delightfully and quite ridiculously proud of myself as I drove the tractor and the rake back to the barn leaving a perfect field behind me. Now if the showers that are predicted do not fall, this will be a small but gorgeous load of hay.
I have decided that we cannot afford to buy another cow this year. I have two trips to New Zealand in October and January – dates I would not miss for the world. I will take you with me! And as we all know – money does not grow on trees. But we will rattle on. Life is life. I will live with it! Maybe I can milk Daisy once in a while, share with her calves every now and then. Given that I can get her healthy. But my stomach cannot tolerate pasteurised milk, I cannot digest it, so it will be a mostly dairy free summer, next summer. Until Aunty Del comes on line the following spring.
We will work it out – you and I.
I hope you all have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farmy,
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
72 responses to “Well done”
I never heard “well done” until my son started playing soccer. I fell in love with the saying. It fits so much better than “good job”.
Maybe there is someone nearby with a milk cow that you could barter with for fresh milk? Offer some pork from your freezer or veggies from your garden?
That check out gal, if only everyone was like her. What a delight with such a loving attitude. You are like her, you know.
I may not have always said it but certainly have thought it.well done Miss C.
Maybe I don’t,always say it because everyday you do a damned hard job always well done.
Just one of those things that we come to expect from you Miss C always well done everything and every time
Lots of love
I see a lot of elderly people at work. Some ladies come in looking very down and lonely. They are greeted with “Hello gorgeous!” and oh how their mood improves and big smiles appear! We all need to genuinely praise one another when a job is done well, and whenever possible, try to brighten someone’s day. My father was the type that would always tell me when I did well at school, work or social situations-oh how I miss that praise!
This makes you one of the angels in life you know, you can change someones life with that wonderful attitude you have. Huge smiles from us too, you are one of the stars!.. Well Done Beautiful!.. c
WELL DONE! It is a nice thing to hear and I’ll bet I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve heard it in the last 10 years. Good point. Maybe things will turn around on the milk cow front once you’ve returned from traveling. Even if you had the money, sounds like right this moment isn’t the right time for a new milk cow.
Well said and Well done Cinders! I had to laugh at how many suggested getting a goat and how many times you explained you didn’t like goat’s milk! 🙂
Hi Celi,
I love how hard you work, it totally inspires me.
I haven’t drank pasturized milk in 35 years because of the way the cows are raised. I do remember how delicious the milk was when I drank it from a friends farm, it was so creamy, the milk now is like white water, gross.
Anyway, you go girl!
Lv Robin
People like Glory are fabulous!
“I’ve heard there was a secret chord. That David played, and it pleased the Lord. HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH”. It’s being sung in far flung corners world wide by those who daily slip into the world of The Farmy. We read. We see. We watch. We understand. We appreciate. There’s smiles. There’s tears. We proudly say – HALLELUJAH – well done Celi.
That smiling face at the top of the blog post certainly thinks you deserve a Great Big Well Done! I agree, so I will say so again. Very Well Done, Miss C!
Yes, I had to laugh too. Maybe they are all Capricorns. I’m one myself, but as much as I think they are darling creatures, I can’t even touch goat cheese–something that’s very popular in salads around here.
Well I’m not going to add another “well done.” instead, I’m going to say what the farmer said to Babe: “That’ll do, pig.” of course, Celi, you understand I’m not calling you a pig!!
There was an article in the Tribune just yesterday about appreciating our partner’s accomplishments. (Heidi Stevens column.) And a joke: The farmer loved his wife so much that he almost told her.
And there’s another article in today’s Tribune I’d love to send you on the dangers of sitting. You’d get a kick out of it, Cecilia, since you sit only to eat (or milk Daisy.)
Well done, Ms. C. Your blog is so great & we enjoy it every day,
A job well done, Miss C! A perfectly raked field! A joy for the baler!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
Well done, Celi. You are an inspiration to me and, I am sure, to the rest of us.. Watched you slogging through the winter…well done! Raking and schlepping hay bales….well done. Helping your animals and caring for them…well done.
I love reading your posts about life on the farm! Your writing is at once honest, friendly, sweet and whimsical. I feel like you have been a forever friend!
Well done!!