My Perfect Weekend: A relaxing time around home for Rangitīkei farmer Richard Gower
Each week we ask a person from our community what their perfect weekend would be. This week Finn Williams spoke to Rangitīkei farmer Richard Gower.
I'm sure for most people, their perfect weekend would involve hiking or biking or climbing mountains but, for me, I do all of those things in a normal week on the farm.
So my perfect weekend after a week of hard work would be to just spend some quiet time at home.
On Friday evening, once my wife is off of her shift cycle, I'd share a beer and some Indian takeout with her. I'm particularly partial to a good vindaloo.
If we were lucky we could share it with our youngest son too, as he'd be home for the weekend from boarding school, and we'd give our oldest son a call to catch up.
Saturday would still be spent on the farm, but for fun rather than for work.
I'd start with a quiet ride around the farm with our dogs, before heading out into the hills in the afternoon for some deer hunting.
Sunday would be all about relaxing at home.
It'd start with a decent cooked breakfast, then I'd go and mow the lawns. I know it's not everyone's thing, but I love the smell of the cut grass.
Then, in the afternoon, I'd settle in front of the TV to watch an Aussie Rules game.
If we're talking the perfect game for this perfect weekend, then it'd have to be a game where Collingwood beat the West Coast Eagles, because Collingwood is my team, and my wife is from Western Australia, so the Eagles are her team.
Really that's not very exciting, but when you've been working flat out on the farm all week, to sit down and not really be doing sheep and cattle work is quite nice.