"No, you can't!" Demeter protests waving her hands in front of her. "It's too much you can't afford this."
"Don't worry honey. We've saved up enough money for this. You've worked hard enough," Demeter mom said soothingly.
"That's right. We can do what we want with our money," Demeter's father retorts.
"We can talk about it on the way home," Demeter's mother said while guiding her shell shocked daughter to the car.
As Demeter leaves her parents home, she is racked with shame of her lack of financial success. She worried the entire two-hour trip. Shouldn't she be supporting her parents in their old age and not still be relying on them? She also felt guilty for feeling excited about starting her own farm. With these conflicting feeling, of course, her parents wouldn't change their perspective.
The next day Demeter put in her two weeks notice. She was done with office work forever. During the lunch break, she met up with her childhood friend again to discuss the sudden change.
"Are you really quitting? This is just crazy!" Olive interrogated her friend.
Demeter chews her salad slowly it was still a whirlwind for her as well. "I'm done. I can't believe it myself."
"No way, you're leaving me here all alone," Olive complains.
Demeter smirked at this man seeking office lady and said, "You can join me on the farm if you want."
Olive rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue. "I would rather die than work out in the mud all day."
Demeter pointed her fork at Olive and teased"If you didn't want to come don't complain!"
Olive waives her hand in front of her in dismissively. "Fine, but why couldn't your dream be to run a chic coffee shop or something? I'd happily join you then," she complained.
Demeter's face twitched as she looked at her friend. "You'd still have to work! I wouldn't just let you flirt why I did all the work," she countered.
"Titch," Olive clicks her tongue then retorts, "why do I have to work hard in my imagination too?"
Both women begin to laugh at their own antics. "I'll miss these moments," Demeter sighs while wiping away a laughing tear.
"Then don't quit," Olive said matter of factly.
"You wish," Demeter responds as they go back to work.
The two weeks flew by as Demeter was filled with her dreams of a new perfect life. In mid-April, she arrived at her new home. The weather was warm around fifteen Celsius, and the grass was greening up nicely. Demeter sucks in the fresh air dramatically then blows it out with a determined face. "Alright!"
First Demeter had to get everything ready. She'd had friends and family agree to come and help her the coming weekend. Before that, she had to get the equipment up and running.
With that in mind, Demeter rushed to the barn. When she reached the doors, she grabbed the handle of the right one and pulled. It wouldn't budge at all. She was an accountant that spent most of her days sitting at a desk, so her muscles were almost nonexistent. Undeterred by the stubborn door the past accountant redoubles her efforts. Pulling with her whole body now and her shoes slipping on the dirt she eventually moves the door enough for her to squeeze in between them.
After this, she goes between the two-door and pushes with her back on the left door and her hands on the right. When the doors were too far for her hands, she used her feet. She was hanging between the two doors and gave it one forceful shove with her legs. The doors swish open causing her to fall on her bottom. "Ouch," Demeter groans as she rubs her butt.
After recovering from her sudden injury, she entered the barn. First, she wanted to check on the tractor. After searching for a while, she found the serial number and looked up the user manual on her phone.
The first maintenance she would need to do is change the fluids. After finding the drainage valve in the manual, she crawls under with a pail she found in the barn. She'd brought her small adjustable wrench with her, but no matter how much she tried she couldn't turn the bolt.
Demeter blows her hair in frustration and complains to herself, "Stupid dad has all kinds of tools. Why didn't you get them before coming." She was too excited to get started and thought she could handle things. Now however it seemed she'd need to trek back to her parent's place.
"Having trouble?" A woman's voice rang out.
"Wha," Demeter jumped and bonked her head on the chassis above her. "Ow!" she cried.
A blond hair woman looked under the tractor and said, "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you."
"Don't worry about it," Demeter replied while crawling out from under the tractor.
"Hi, I'm your westerly neighbor. Names Diana nice to see another woman around!" Diana says as she gave Demeter a hand getting up. Diana was wearing a typical cowgirl outfit you'd see in magazines. With a tied off plaid shirt and short jeans.
"Hello, I'm Demeter it's nice to meet you," Diana reciprocated the greeting while shaking the hand that helped her up.
"So what are you working on?" Diana asks.
Demeter knocked the dirt off her pants while looking at the offending machine. "I was trying to see if I could get this old thing running. But I'll be honest mechanics aren't my thing," she confides in her neighbor.
Diana looked at the pathetic wrench and smiled. She patted her neighbor's shoulders enthusiastically and said, "Don't worry no ones good at everything. Is this your first time farming?"
"Yeah, I just quit my accounting job sooo," Demeter said while rubbing her head sheepishly.
"Don't worry about it! Since we're friends now, I'll help you out. Just let me go get changed from my friend making outfit," Diana said straightforwardly.
"Ok, thanks a lot! Um, I have to go get some more tools from my dad, so I won't be back for a few hours," Demeter explained.
"Don't bother we'll drag over some of my tools," She offered as they walked out of the barn. Diana then looks over at Demeter's car and gives a rye smile. "We'll use my truck. You should consider investing in one, your self. You never know when you need to haul something."
Demeter nodded in understanding, "I'll keep that in mind."
They walk down the road to Diana's house chatting as they went. Diana had been farming for ten years since she was sixteen. She'd inherited the place from her grandmother. She'd managed to get into the Farming Lord competition last year but hadn't placed.
She explained some of the intricacies of becoming qualified to get into the big Grand Harvest festival. A farmer must participate in different events and fairs throughout the five years running up to the Grand Harvest festival. After each contest, the farmer is awarded points based on taste, look, and texture.
When they reached Diana's house, Diana waved and said, "I'll be just a second." Diana runs into her house and a few minutes later comes out in overalls and an old long sleeve shirt. "Ok let's grab what we need and head back."
They pick out some more suitable wrenches, some jacks, along with cart with wheels for easy access lastly, Diana grabbed a long leather apron. They threw it into the back of her red truck.
Grrrrr Demeter stomach growled. She blushed, "Sorry I didn't eat before getting started. I was too excited."
"It's almost lunchtime anyway. Come in, and we can eat a sandwich quick before heading back," Diana said while ushering her new friend to her house.
Inside Diana grabs some tomatoes lettuce and lunch meat and quickly whips up a sandwich. She then grabs some bears, and they eat on the porch.
Demeter bites in, and her eyes widen in surprise. "The vegetables are so good! That's amazing."
"Thanks, they're what's left of last years harvest. I sealed and froze them," Diana said while laughing happily.
"These are frozen? No way how good were they when they were fresh?" Demeter asked in awe.
"Not good enough. I still have a long ways to go," Diana replied while looking out at the field.
Demeter takes a drink of beer and leans back in her chair. "This is the life. Drinking a beer and relaxing without worries midday," she sighs.
"I think there is still plenty to worry about!" Diana jokes reminding Demeter of her broken equipment.