Such is the life

Big day yesterday.

Sometime ago we were asked to go to the Coleg Elydir Open Day, I am sure I mentioned it in passing.

Yesterday was the day. We had wondered if we were going to be able to take any ponies, obviously not from the farm as we have strangles but we took Maggy and Sapphire, 2 Trust ponies who are at a loan home up near Llyn y Fan and therefore not involved in our problem. All last week Tabby and I redid the info boards so that we could take them with us to Northern Ireland and also to this Open Day and I was still fiddling with them yesterday morning.

We were due there about 2 so we left the farm here at just gone 12.15, I had asked about where we should park the truck as the ponies are in a field well tucked away up a steep lane etc. Adrian has been up there on foot before so he had a rough idea of where he was supposed to be going and had we all thought about it we would have asked if the two girls could be in their other field which is definitely more accessible. But we didn't think about that did we?

So off we go and it is clear that we aren't going to get the truck too far up the lane, at one point there was a hairpin bend and a recent landslide. I was sweating. Adrian was as well and announced that he would go no further so had to back the truck round the hairpin and try not to drop the truck down the valley. I was definitely sweating by then let me tell you. There is something about a drop of 100 feet that makes you worry a bit.

We set off on foot. "How far is it?" says I.

"Miles." he replied.

About a mile and a half up hill actually. Lovely views, incredible views but it was nearly 1 by then so we pushed on all the way to probably somewhere near China (I am convinced) and eventually there were the ponies with their 3 people so we set off back down the mile and a half of lane to the truck, Adrian edged it round a bit and Sapphire loaded wonderfully. Not so Maggy who didn't think she was going anywhere, thank you very much. A total stranger who lives up there somewhere was driving up the lane and stopped to give us a hand, in the end it took all 6 of us half an hour to get Maggy in the truck and it was just coming up to 1.45 when we set off again, arriving only a half an hour late.

The Open Day was wonderful and we were very well received. The students were thrilled to see ponies and of course the ones that come to the Trust for their work experience were the most thrilled of all. As were their parents who said that they found the difference in thier children noticable and their confidence unbelievably increased. We did lots of networking and chatting and smiling and bloody hell is that hard work.

We were to have left at 5 but it was gone 6 when we loaded up again, Maggy was much better this time and we had plenty of help as well. Off we set and we got back, parked in a handy layby (thank goodness) and popped the two ponies in their alternative and more accessible field, jumped back into the truck thinking it was a job done, Adrian turned the key and....

Nothing...flat battery...flatter than a pancake actually. I looked at Adrian, he looked at me.

"Nice evening for a walk then."

So we got out of the truck, locked it, and walked the mile or so home down a hill and up another hill and across a field and into our back garden and then started on our own animals at about quarter to 8.

Shot to bits we were. Dinner was beans on toast with a glass (or 2 or 3) of wine and half a bar of Bournville chocolate.

This is not an easy life but such is the life we lead. Anything can happen and frequently does.

It's the way it is.