Modern technology, there is no escape now

Been a very busy couple of days up here. As some of you already know, the Groom and myself are away to Northern Ireland for a charity garden party in aid of Lluest Horse and Pony Trust. It is being organised by our very good friend and ex- volunteer who is suffering from cancer and in her own words......

"You are by now no doubt aware of the rather large black cloud that currently sits in the vicinity of my head ... however, as the saying goes, with every cloud there is a silver lining...."

"I am now on a mission in the coming months to raise as much money as possible for a charity that is very close to my heart, the Lluest Horse and Pony Trust ."

Incredible person. So positive in her outlook that she certainly puts me to shame.

Now for the modern technology bit so that you won't all be wondering.

Their committee had their first meeting last night in N.I. and I was asked if I would like to attend. Not in person of course, I won't go over till the weekend of the garden party but using Skype which is some sort of FREE (you read a'right I did type FREE) computer database thingee that allows you to plug a special headset into your machine and get on with it. I could hear all that was going on( sounded like a hell of a cocktail party) and I could speak to them. Dont forget they can hear all you say as well so don't have a disagreement with your husband like I did. But there you go, just proves we are human I guess.

It all felt a bit Eurovision to me. I had this real urge to say something like "Good evening Northern Ireland, this is Wales calling. Douze point." whilst wearing a posh frock and standing arm in arm with a handsome young man with very white teeth. Needless to say I couldn't do that as I don't have a posh frock any more. It was a good meeting with lots of things sorted and I was there virtually.

I just sometimes marvel at the way modern technology has progressed. A lot of it I am not keen on, mobile phones for one thing, can't bear them especially in the middle of the supermarket when the caller is trying to decide whether parsnips are good for dinner or not. But this Skype thing has my vote I think. It has allowed me to take part in something important, something worthwhile that I would have been in the dark about. So, thank you modern technology.

For the next two weeks or so I shall be rushing round getting stuff ready to go to the weekend; Tabby and I are manning the Lluest stall where folk will be able to find out more about the Trust and what goes on here. There is a lot to do but then perhaps it was time a lot of it was done, some of the information boards are to be updated with some of the more recent ponies that have come into the Trust. Chance and Cquirt will have a board to themselves; Abandoned Animals. Also one about our education animals, Zorro and Sonny. We take them to schools to show the children the basics of equine care, always helps to have a hoof there when you are trying to tell children how to clean them out and the two ponies are rock solid with people.
Several more boards to take about our work here and about the history of the place and it's founder that will show what we are all about.

Other than that, the strangles and the flu symptoms infection rumble on, looks like a couple of the animals have one or the other now though it is hard to tell which is which till the advanced stages.

We did have a bit of good luck yesterday. Adrian was contacted and asked if he would like some hay off the field at a good price and so we had 120 bales delivered which meant we have some cracking hay now in the barn. The smell of newly cut hay is intoxicating and is a real smell of summer time. I am glad I didn't have to help unload it though as it was definitely a hot afternoon. I let Adrian have the first shower. Very gracious of me but also very necessary for him.