Tuesday 27th October
Unseasonably warm here, I have turned the heating off and haven't even had the woodburner going for the last couple of evenings.
Lots going on again as ever. We took Star out to her new home last Thursday, I think she will do well there with Ivy who was already in situ to be companion to an elderly horse who coincidentally passed away the morning that we took her over. Not planned. Emrys, a little section A pony who had been at a loan home for 3 years had to come back to us last Tuesday and went to his new home on Saturday morning. He is a lovely first pony and the children love him. A good match there I think. Alfie and Chico are to go to their new home this weekend to further their training as a driving pair. We may have homes for another couple of animals in the next few days. That is the way it seems to go here, nothing moves for quite some time and then we rehome several in quick succession. My few minutes of fame on BBC Radio Wales was broadcast this last Sunday, since then we have had contact from an animal welfare trust who heard the broadcast and wants to help us. It all helps.
Tomorrow is very interesting. We are involved in a reality nativity that is being filmed for S4C and have been asked to take a donkey along to film the trailers. We are using Eeyore, our 4 year old that came in this spring. All he has to do is walk up and down and be filmed in various poses etc. I have warned the people that you should never act with children or animals but hopefully Eeyore will rise to the occasion and do his stuff. Just in case we need a bribe to get him to move quickly we are taking Millie who has been on the set before and she will make sure he knows the ropes. That and some pony nuts, extra strong mints and a mint and molasses lick thing that he adores. I am a firm believer in bribery at times.
Friday evening is also interesting as Adrian and I are off to a black tie reception in Llanelli where we will receive a donation from the Ray Gravell and Friends Charitable Trust. Needless to say I went into panic mode as I certainly had nothing to wear having got rid of all my posh dresses etc when we moved here. I have borrowed a dress (thanks Julie) and took the bus into Carmarthen yesterday to pick up the rest of the necessities like high heels (ouch), make up (how much?), tights (4 pairs as you never know) and not least a bow tie for Adrian. That proved the most difficult to find actually. Apparently nobody in Wales must go to posh "do's" or at least not round Carmarthen and I went into 6 shops before I could find one. I am clearly out of touch with the shopping world and even more so with fashion. Anyway, I might not look like a goddess but at least I won't disgrace myself and that is the main thing. I quite enjoyed my trip into Carmarthen actually. It gave me an opportunity to wander round on my own and shop by pricing things in various places to get a good deal. And there were lots of them around.
Digit has made a full recovery and should go home soon, he hasn't contracted laminitis as a result of the steroids, sighs of relief all round. We moved lots of horses from field to field today to make the best of the grass that is left and to rest some of the fields for the winter. Which will soon be upon us I fear. It remains to be seen if it is as hard a winter as the last one. At least the pipes shouldn't freeze this time as Adrian has lagged most of them with appropriate foam thingees that will insulate to a really low temperature. I really don't want to go through another big freeze.
Tuesday 27 October 2009
Wednesday 21 October 2009
Wednesday 20th October
Another busy time, also one fraught with the dreaded swine flu. Tabby our groom got it first and is still off sick, Adrian next and then myself though we had a lesser attack, only took us a week or so to recover. Sure makes you feel washed out though. There is a lot of it about, everybody we know has had some contact with someone who has had it. Mind you I am only assuming that the symptoms that we had and which matched those on the website meant that we indeed did have the illness, neither of us went to a doctor, don't think you are supposed to are you? Amazing what Lemsip and whiskey can alleviate.
Still enjoying wonderful autumn weather for the most part. Did rain like hell for most of yesterday and of course that coincided with a visit from a load of school children who came up for the day to "do things." We made sure there was some mucking out to do after which I was bombarded with questions about animals and the farm in general. Post lunch was pony rides for all the children before they had to go about 2pm. We can class the visit as a complete success and have hopes that the children will do some fund raising for us this year in their school. it was a first time for this sort of visit, we have had Brownies and home education groups but this was the first of it's type so we can now launch ourselves on an unsuspecting world.
Only blot on yesterday's landscape came when it was noticed that Digit, a pony here on livery was looking decidedly unwell. His eyes were swollen shut, his gums had lost all their colour and he had lumps all over his body. The vet was called and duly arrived, she expressed her concern and the only thing she could think wass that Digit had some sort of allergic reaction to something, we know not what. Had we not acted as quickly as we did, it could have been much worse. He was pumped with steroids, adrenalin and various other drugs and made a complete recovery even though it took several hours. His owner was here as it happened (she was helping with the school trip) and stayed on with someone else till nearly 11pm last night just to make sure all was well.
Keeping the motivation going for all the fund raising projects is difficult. We had to cancel one due to unforeseen circumstances and now really must get to grips with the rest. It is really easy for me to think there is plenty of time but big events take lots of planning to get right and time slips away so very quickly. The sponsored ride needs to be sorted but I can't do more on that till I have the go ahead from other people on various aspects and so it goes on. Now that the worst of the swine flu is gone and summer activities are finished I shall hopefully get my mind to it more easily.
Another busy time, also one fraught with the dreaded swine flu. Tabby our groom got it first and is still off sick, Adrian next and then myself though we had a lesser attack, only took us a week or so to recover. Sure makes you feel washed out though. There is a lot of it about, everybody we know has had some contact with someone who has had it. Mind you I am only assuming that the symptoms that we had and which matched those on the website meant that we indeed did have the illness, neither of us went to a doctor, don't think you are supposed to are you? Amazing what Lemsip and whiskey can alleviate.
Still enjoying wonderful autumn weather for the most part. Did rain like hell for most of yesterday and of course that coincided with a visit from a load of school children who came up for the day to "do things." We made sure there was some mucking out to do after which I was bombarded with questions about animals and the farm in general. Post lunch was pony rides for all the children before they had to go about 2pm. We can class the visit as a complete success and have hopes that the children will do some fund raising for us this year in their school. it was a first time for this sort of visit, we have had Brownies and home education groups but this was the first of it's type so we can now launch ourselves on an unsuspecting world.
Only blot on yesterday's landscape came when it was noticed that Digit, a pony here on livery was looking decidedly unwell. His eyes were swollen shut, his gums had lost all their colour and he had lumps all over his body. The vet was called and duly arrived, she expressed her concern and the only thing she could think wass that Digit had some sort of allergic reaction to something, we know not what. Had we not acted as quickly as we did, it could have been much worse. He was pumped with steroids, adrenalin and various other drugs and made a complete recovery even though it took several hours. His owner was here as it happened (she was helping with the school trip) and stayed on with someone else till nearly 11pm last night just to make sure all was well.
Keeping the motivation going for all the fund raising projects is difficult. We had to cancel one due to unforeseen circumstances and now really must get to grips with the rest. It is really easy for me to think there is plenty of time but big events take lots of planning to get right and time slips away so very quickly. The sponsored ride needs to be sorted but I can't do more on that till I have the go ahead from other people on various aspects and so it goes on. Now that the worst of the swine flu is gone and summer activities are finished I shall hopefully get my mind to it more easily.
Sunday 4 October 2009
Tuesday 6th October
Crikey, another month has gone by.
September was glorious and dry mostly, sunshine all round.
I have been out and about walking, gardening and doing outdoor things mostly, making the most of the weather. The goats have been enjoying the front paddock, it has a decent shelter in it so they stayed outside for most of the month. The paddock looks pretty good now, they always do a good job of getting rid of the rubbish plants anywhere they go.
We lost another of our cats, Hobo, whom we believe must have had a heart attack. I found him in a state of distress behind the back door one morning. We took him to the vet who I think realised that he probably wouldn't make it but he had a pain killer and antibiotic and we took him home to see how he was in the afternoon. By 4pm when Adrian went to have a look, he had died quietly and without pain in the bedroom curled up on the bed, one of his favourite places. Adrian buried him under a big slab of slate in the back garden, I must assume that the slate has been put there for that purpose previously as it is too big to be there.
Sunday I had to walk over to Bethlehem (no, not that Bethlehem) about 5 miles away I suppose. Not a bad walk and when I finished the business I had there I decided I would walk up Garn Goch, an Iron Age hillfort that sort of overlooks Bethlehem. It was quite a hike up there and I did manage to find myself in the centre of the local hunt on the way up but eventually I reached the top and my goodness what a view.
Crikey, another month has gone by.
September was glorious and dry mostly, sunshine all round.
I have been out and about walking, gardening and doing outdoor things mostly, making the most of the weather. The goats have been enjoying the front paddock, it has a decent shelter in it so they stayed outside for most of the month. The paddock looks pretty good now, they always do a good job of getting rid of the rubbish plants anywhere they go.
We lost another of our cats, Hobo, whom we believe must have had a heart attack. I found him in a state of distress behind the back door one morning. We took him to the vet who I think realised that he probably wouldn't make it but he had a pain killer and antibiotic and we took him home to see how he was in the afternoon. By 4pm when Adrian went to have a look, he had died quietly and without pain in the bedroom curled up on the bed, one of his favourite places. Adrian buried him under a big slab of slate in the back garden, I must assume that the slate has been put there for that purpose previously as it is too big to be there.
Sunday I had to walk over to Bethlehem (no, not that Bethlehem) about 5 miles away I suppose. Not a bad walk and when I finished the business I had there I decided I would walk up Garn Goch, an Iron Age hillfort that sort of overlooks Bethlehem. It was quite a hike up there and I did manage to find myself in the centre of the local hunt on the way up but eventually I reached the top and my goodness what a view.
I walked all the way along the ridge following the valley and don't know just how far you can see but it is obviously for miles.
The weather wasn't brilliant that day as you can see from the haze but I should imagine the view on a sunny day is to die for which is of course why the people would have built it there in the first place I suppose.
Anyway now that the summer is over and the strangles etc has gone, I should have a bit more time to post things.
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