It is amazing just what you can order, with the press of a button over the internet; when I need some bacon I go on line and press the button, if I require some English books I just press the button.
Close your eyes and press that button
In May I pressed the button and ordered 2 workaways from the USA to help paint my new house. They arrived on time and in good condition. Normally the first thing I do when I receive something over the internet, is I remove its protective packaging and check it for faults and damage. I particularly like stuff that arrives in bubble wrap, I can get around 10 minutes fun popping the bubbles.
Mrs Sensible said it was not necessary this time to remove the protective packaging and added that if I attempted to remove any part of their protective packaging, something might break. I think she was hinting that I might damage my fingers or even my neck. Although I couldn’t understand how this might happen, I decided to take her advice.
Workaway 1 checking that the protective packaging of workaway 2 is still in place
Throughout June our workaways wandered around our house and packed our stuff into boxes, they helped keep the house nice and clean and seemed to function incredibly well. The only thing we had to do was feed them and give them a corner to sleep in. When we transferred to the new house, we reprogrammed the workaways to unbox our belongings and set about painting the house. The reprogramming was very easy, with my Tomtom satnav I need to hook it up to my laptop, but with the workaways they had a very simple verbal interface.
Workaways One and Two safely locked up for the night complete with a bottle of wine in case they became thirsty. (I am not sure why Mrs Sensible insisted on her looking after the key)
The new house has a wine cellar, so one evening I took a drive to one of our local wine cantinas to buy some wine. I took the workaways with me to help carry the heavy boxes of wine. While we were there I let them taste a glass or two and the transformation was amazing. They really liked the wine, in fact when it was time to go they really didn’t want to leave.
Workaway 2 didn’t want to leave
I don’t like reading the instructions that come with items I order over the internet and the manual wasn’t very clear. Instruction number 2 stated:
Do not mix with alcohol. Did it mean I shouldn’t drink alcohol when operating the workaways, or they shouldn’t drink the alcohol. I decided to ignore the warning; I couldn’t ask Mrs Sensible what she thought, because she had flown to Sicily to see her mother and left me in charge of our workaways. Her instructions regarding what I could and could not do with the workaways was very simple, clear and specific, it also included what might happen if I disregarded any of her advice or attempted to remove the workaways protective packaging.
Two days later I decided to see if the workaways enjoyed burnt food, so I fired up the barbeque and burnt some chicken and some sausage. Workaway number 1 was despatched to the wine cellar to fetch some wine and workaway number 2 was ordered to begin the task of opening the wine.
Workaway one fetching a bottle of wine
Workaway 2 successfully opens the bottle of wine
What happened next was unbelievable, all the expensive programming just stopped working. They couldn’t follow simply instructions, when I suggested workaway 1 should go and mow the lawn she collapsed in giggles.
Workaway one just giggled when I asked her to mow the lawn
When I told workaway 2 to clear up the mess and start cleaning the kitchen she just laughed at me. It was a very disappointing evening.
Workaway 2 laughed when I told her to clean the kitchen
Yesterday I returned the workaways to America with a strongly written complaint and I have suggested they should improve their user manual. I have ordered another workaway for September, hopefully its programming will not be affected by a little alcohol.
Thanks to Mrs Sensible for tolerating me and a very Special thanks to Jessica and Liz for being so much fun and working so hard and thanks to the guy who invented workaway red wine.
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Englishman in Italy 
Had fun reading this! Just had a look at the workaway site, what a great idea! 🙂
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Thanks Sarplane,
When workaways come here it is more Guestaway or Drinkaway than Workaway. We always have a lot of fun in between a bit of work.
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I’d have flown over to have a drinkaway if I knew about it before I decided to move to Hong Kong haha 🙂 Well I hope you have fun with your next one in September!
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Honk Kong is not that far away, It took them nearly 18 hours to get here from the USA
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It’s taking me around 18 hours to get to Hong Kong from the UK, long journey. It’s something worth looking into, travelling and meeting new people 🙂
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I will put the wine in the fridge, give me a call when you land
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Haha, a nice dry white? I’ll be there in a couple of hours 😀
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🙂
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Which button do you need to press to get bacon?
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Lol, it arrives but it is expensive. The workaway button is more fun
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Bacon…..
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lol, I have run out of bacon, i still have some wine but no one to drink it with. 😦
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Sorry to hear that – I am sitting in the garden having a glass with you!
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Good man. 🙂
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Having a glass with both of you 🙂 Seriously, how much fun did those girls have!? I want to go and live with you – even if it does mean wiping something every now and then. It seems like the wine and fun far outweighs the work part of the experience! I hope you encouraged them to start blogs – I’d LOVE to read their stories!!
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We don’t really do workaway, it is more like guestaway or maybe even drinkaway. Maybe I should open a bed and breakfast. We had a fab time I was sad too see them go.
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Might I say that there was a time I was sympathetic to your plight–what being an Englishman in a non English country…I no longer feel that sense of sympathy—as words such as “typical, chauvinist, cad, neck, pig, a&$…” keep coming to mind.
There is much more than a finger which needs breaking—plus all internet privileges must be taken away!
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Oops, Sorry Julie, it is a light-hearted post. I am sorry it offended you.
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as was my response dear one with the trigger happy finger 😉
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and might I add that a response bracket sadly can not show the smiling face or inflect the oh so wounded pretend tone one ascribes when responding to such a post–I could never be offended my single track minded friend—or perhaps that is two or three tract mind if we throw in the bacon and vino 😉
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Thank heavens for that 🙂
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🙂
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Those little bubbles are so enticing…
AV
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Bubble wrap is great fun.
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Yes, that too… I was referring to other little bubbles. I might be old but I still think about it.
AV
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Oops. Pressed the button too soon!!!!
I was saying that all workaways mix well with bacon…
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Hi Donna, every workaway that has stayed with us has enjoyed the British breakfast almost as much as the wine. When are you coming back? Luigina misses you.
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what a great concept and i thought it was great ordering rainboots online. how fun!
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It is a fab concept, you can go to India and look after elephants or fly to Africa and help at a school or even come to Italy and drink wine with Pecora Nera
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wonderful and i am thinking of doing this is costa rica, to help comb a beach.
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Great idea, I would love to go traveling, maybe next year I might try it.
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Wow! Too bad they didn’t have that “Workaway” thing when I was young enough to actually do some work. I don’t drink so the wine would not be an enticement….which means maybe I could still get some work done. But I’m old enough that my protective packaging does not include shorts…a burka maybe.
I can only imagine the tales your workaways have to tell the folks back home. Do they have blogs?
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Hi, I don’t think they have a blog. They did work very hard, but we had a huge amount of fun. They joined us when we ate at friends houses or when we went around the cantinas sampling wine. Plus Mrs Sensible wouldn’t let them work too hard. A burka is fine, you might get hot, but at least the mosquitoes wouldn’t bite you.
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I’ll just imagine their stories then.
Unfortunately since I retired my goal is to remain as stress free as possible so…I work as little as possible. I live alone so I can get away with that.
But I do spend lots of time in my own private jungle on my patio. A jungle in Seattle? Yes, it surprises me too but I planted a bunch of little four inch plants in pots on my patio and now I almost need a machete to get to my chair to sit with my tea and read my book.
I am very good about not taking the laptop out there so I am not tempted to press that little button which I do way too much.
Glad a good time was had by all. Have you been adopted by a new cat yet? How is Scooby doing? Hopefully he has found a new “sucker” to feed him.
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Ciao, from rainy Italy. You can still remain stress free and do workaway, I hope Liz and Jessica enjoyed their time here. I saw a great site about vertical planting. If I can find it I will send you a link, it is so you can plant up a wall rather than using the floor space.
Scooby is fine Luigina has adopted him and we keep checking on him. Nope no cats here so far.
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I have seen some lovely garden wall but…since my apartment has mostly a picture window and sliding glass door (so I can view all my pots) there is little wall space to plant. I also don’t think the property management company would appreciate it and I might be in violation of my lease. Although my patio has greatly increased what they call here “curb appeal”. Here’s a pic…just imagine those plants about a foot taller. If I had known they would get so big I could have bought fewer:
https://picasaweb.google.com/108609841914264779487/MyPatioSummer2014?authkey=Gv1sRgCOLS37_u-9ucPQ#6040839301128977650
So sorry it’s raining there. I understand they are also having rain in Venice.
I’m sure Gilda is keeping Scooby entertained.
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Nice, I love the expression curb appeal. Just grow a little forest.
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Thank you for starting my day with lots of giggles! Those 2 workaway automated workers look almost human, don’t they? I can just see Ralph at his computer in Spain right now, ordering some of his own.
They look like they were having the time of their lives. Home will never be the same for them! Cheers!
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Gosh, Ralph would order 5 at a time. We were laughing so much we cremated the meat on the barbeque 🙂 It won’t be the same here either. The house is empty, I don’t even have Scooby to torment
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Sadly, I cannot match your wit so will only say thanks for the laughs. I’ve missed visiting here and see you’ve moved. What happened to Scooby Doo?
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Ciao Lois, Thanks for your comment , its not really wit, it is just how life happens around here. Scooby is fine, he spends his days tormenting Gilda the short legged but incredibly fat dog
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Well it’s entertaining to me. 😉 So you brought Scooby doo with you on your move?
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🙂
We talked to the owners of Scooby Doo and they said “he is an outdoor cat and if he is hungry he can come home and be fed” So we couldn’t take him 😦
We keep checking up on him, at the moment Luigina is looking after him, if we think he is struggling I might still catnap him. This winter will be the difficult time.
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Oh how you have come around. 😉 Poor Scooby, it sounds like he was much better cared for with you.
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We keep checking on him. If he starts to loose weight we will help him. He is a mad cat but we miss him
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Looks like those girls had a brilliant time. I must remind my son about Workaway for next year. It’s such a fantastic thing to do.
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He will be a great experience for him, I think at some of the workaways they do have to work, not all of them are guestaways 😉
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I did notice they were paint-spatter free! 🙂
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Would love to order a workaway too, please! One will do for me. Thanks to you, I will not give them wine 😉 or maybe jus a bit …
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Workaway is a great site and a fantastic idea. You can read the profile of the workaway before he/she arrives, most have some feedback from places they have stayed.
We normally accept 2 or 3 during the summer and have only had one hiccup, but he left after 6 days.
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I wonder if there is a workaday arrangement where I can get workdays to come to memphis TN. I would be happy to give them wine in return for their work. But would I have to pay the shipping costs? That could be prohibitive!
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So let me get this right… you ordered yourself two girls on the internet, got them drunk and made them do all your work for you! That sounds amazing!! Now I just have to ask permission…
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Asking permission is the easy bit. Getting the permission is slightly harder.
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Mrs Sensible has become distinctly un-sensible lately. What have you done with the real Mrs Sensible??
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Hmmmm! Maybe I have been overdoing the drops of grappa in her evening mug of hot chocolate. I will tweak the amount before she realises 😉
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I love this! Can I borrow your workaways for the olive harvest in October? 🙂 maybe you can pack them up in some bubble wrap and drop them on a train to Liguria after September…pretty please? I have loads of Prosecco to keep them inspired 😉
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Unfortunately, my two workaways have flown home ;( Hopefully they will return next year.
Go and have a look at http://www.workaway.info and order some of your own. I can’t guarantee, they will be as good as the workaways we have had, but if you talk to them by e mail and or skype, you should be able to find some that fit in with your household.
All the best PN
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They look so incredibly happy. What must one do to be a workaway? I need to sign up to be one! 😀
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We had a great time, we had a barbecue. I managed to cremate some chicken and sausages and we were slowly working our way through my stash of wine.
I think some hosts actually make their workaways work… we just have fun.
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