Vets & vaccinations

Skipper booked for flu & tetanus annual booster vacs. today - Vet Alistair expected in afternoon. He phoned last night to ask if he could come at 7am! Yes it was a bit early...but on the plus side, Skipper so bemused to see Vet so early, accompanied by me in my coat and pyjamas - needle in and out before eyes properly open! Things so busy in animal kingdom vet has to start that early to squeeze all calls in. No credit squeeze there then...

four new shoes hit the road!

New farrier, who seems to have missed all the lessons about not being punctual, and ignoring clients' calls, has been today. He arrived early, having called beforehand to ascertain all details. Worked carefully and patiently, and WAS CHEAPER! Hooray for 4 shoes on horse. Skipper should be back to roadwork tomorrow weather permitting - but that's another problem...

weasel corpse

big boy and I were walking up the field to pick some apples and blackberries for a crumble this evening, and we stumbled upon this tiny corpse. Its a juvenile, about 6 inches nose to tail, and had quite obviously just been killed by something, giving it a sharp, and deadly nip at the neck, as you can see. Its a handsome creature, though big boy glad to see it dead, as he has often lost chicks to predatory weasels. Brought it back to house to photograph - that's dedication. Crumbles in oven now, its years and years since I picked brambles into a plastic bowl, quite excited about results! How domestic.

Poor horse fated in the shoe department. Found new farrier, prepared to come tomorrow, just texted to say van broken, try to rent new one tomorrow. Uber-disaster, horse feet desperate for help. Original farrier not responding to phone, presume still hospitalised. AAARRRGGGHH

laundry lows

Presenting: one sheet (on right) and one matress cover from below the sheet (on left). Now what are you doing in your holiday bed, that makes a bright coral coloured stain, which has resisted all washing techniques, said stain running right through the sheet onto the plastic matress cover below? Not blood, not nail varnish, not make-up. I cannot think what activity may have taken place to make these terrible stains. Of course, I am putting the linen straight in the bin, but it makes me really cross. And here, for the uninitiated, is a lot of washing. Bored already.

Unsurprisingly its been raining. We left the dog shut in yesterday, and she doesn't like storms. There must have been a small storm over the house, and in her agitation she dug all the shoes out of the shoe cupboard, along with my sewing bag, dead spiders etc... Today youngest son stayed with her (everyone else went to salt mines) and he managed to surprise the dog cuddling up with her mortal enemy the cat. Just shows what she gets up to when she (thinks she's) alone. Mucky ducky departures today, yuk, yuk, yuk.

apple slobber

Just so you can see for yourself: limit of 6 fruits per sitting, for fear of colic - boy does he love 'em.

more tesco terror

Just watched local news (Look North) and another mum with her 15 yr old daughter turned away at till of Tesco. (Brigg branch). Friends keep phoning to say 'did you see the news, same as you!'

Had three days off from salt mines to gather strength for absence of other two full time staff for 3 weeks on holiday, they depart imminently. Doubtless I shall be dragging people in off the streets to help with the workload if things get really bad! Happens every year, and makes me crabby as a box of crabs every time. During the last two days I have washed, ironed, cleaned, tidied, cooked food, shopped, changed beds, vacuumed, in fact, everything I can think of to ease the next month. Am trying to convince menfolk that they would like to take over food duties for 4 weeks, but not well received.

Skipper still missing front shoes, Farrier stood us up again, although he appears to be in hospital so he does have a reasonable excuse. Hoping for next week? Skipper in fat, idle heaven doing so little work.

Whilst tidying my clothes, and throwing some out, I couldn't help noticing that the older ones all seem to have shrunk at exactly the same pace. Uncanny. What happens to clothes on their hangers? Is there some sort of shrinking dust in the air? Luckily, new purchases have more space in them so tightness not an issue. Its a sad truth that my shape seems to have morphed from the equivalent of a stiletto heel into a rather comfy old shoe. At the same time hair colour has altered from mousey blonde to 'white blonde'! When I look around I see that almost all women over the age of 30 dye their hair! Why do they do that? I can't decide whether I should continue the graceful descent into full whiteness, or fight and dye.