In hindsight we shouldn’t have visited the Reserve today to show Nick and his girlfriend what we have done lately as it turned out to be a bit of a downer.
It started at the entrance circle. We had enthused about how well it was coming along and how Goodman had promised for the staff to move the one heap and provide some soil. Well, obviously Pottaman had a go with his tractor and front loader only to make a total mess of the place with big ruts in the centre, skid marks all over the place and nothing to show for it.
We then went to the newly painted picnic benches to be pointed out how overgrown and messy things are around the bluegum trees in the central picnic area which we had to grudgingly agree with and then proceeded to show the pride of the place. the Xhosa huts. Need I say more.
I thought all would be redeemed by showing our greatest achievement, the Arboretum. This turned out to be a game of dodge the cowshit as quite obviously a herd of cows had made the arboretum their home for a good while, trampled all over the place including our newly cleared and planted ex-shade house. At least it is well fertilised now.
We met Ben doing his regular 25km bike ride around the Reserve and, even though he does enjoy the new tracks, he is weary because the stubbles are a bit long and we should dig the paths over, yeah right.
On the way out we passed a group of four dodgy looking characters which Ellie recognized to be our wayward workers. Don’t know what that does to visitors feeling secure.
The only positive note was that Nick tested the River Walk’s suitability for a trail run (ten minutes) and enjoyed that.
Ellie still sees the glass still as more than half full but for me it is getting rather empty.