Aussie tradesmen

If England is (or was) supposed to be a nation of small shopkeepers, then Australia seems to be a nation of small tradesmen! There seems to be an abundance of tradesmen of various types out on the streets during the week, with their 'utes' (half car, half truck utility vehicle) driving around or parked at the side of the road. They're even active at the weekends, with work often being done on house builds or renovations.

The tradesmen we've had here (and we've had a few!) have always been cheerful and accommodating, with none of the criticisms of someone else's work or sucking their teeth and warning us of the likely high cost for any job - although of course it does help being in a rented property!

You'd think that there must be plenty of business around considering the numbers that are about, but it also fits in with the lifestyle. A tradesman's vehicle might often have a surfboard as part of the equipment on the roof or the back of the ute, and no doubt many enjoy the flexibility and outdoor work, plus quite a few are probably reserve firemen for the bush fires in the summer.