Good afternoon,

An early Blog today (16:07) as I spoke to Brent earlier & told him I was able
to return to light duties. He duly asked me to come in half an hour earlier (06:30)
tomorrow (Saturday). Deep joy. Glad I took advantage of my recent lie-ins.

The scab-lifter has recommended I do 'restricted duties' for 10 days & has specified
no 'bending, stretching up or across' on my cert. Hmmm. Wonder what Brent has in
store for me. Cleaning, I shouldn't wonder. Think it could be a long 10 days.

A lovely last day of freedom today, found 2 more 'Horse & Hounds' & have read about
neddies all day. Due to being shipped out here, they are only July ones but beggars
& choosers & all that. I spent my usual hour perusing the 'Horses for Sale' pages.

I give myself a budget of £10k & revel in fantasy-land choosing my neddy.

I know that I don't have a budget of £10k & more to the point, if I did, I should be
looking at adverts with the words, 'Schoolmaster', 'Honest', 'Reliable'. Why is it
then that I find my eye drawn to the flashy foties with the words 'Exciting prospect',
'eye-catching' 'scopey', 'intensive care' ?

My ideal horse would be a black gelding of 10 or so, about 16hh, who had done everything & was very cuddly. He would have a bit of Irish Draught or Clydesdale in him & I would call him Black Beauty. Ok, the very last bit's not true but you get the picture.

Cocky has been in touch to say that CB is very poorly with ongoing waterworks problems & may have to go into neddy-hospital. CB is a gorgeous, strapping boy, owned by June & I spent a lot of time riding him before I came to NZ. I am very fond of him & know June will be very worried about him. June bred him herself & I can say without fear of contradiction that everyone at the yard loves this horse. He is practically the biggest thing there (almost 17hh) but probably the most gentle. He loves cuddles & relates better to people than he does to other horses.

So - what news from the farm in the last few days ?

Harriette & Alice took part in their school's cross-country yesterday. Each of them came last in their age-group last year. Harriette bettered that by one place this year & Alice proved that consistency is her watch-word. Having seen how slowly Alice moves to Michelle's requests, her performance is not surprising. My physio has recommended hill-work to strengthen my back so I have told the gilrs they can join me on my training runs.
I plan to run up the back paddock & walk down it as many times as possible
in one go. I am aiming to do this every other evening, so we can all laugh at each
other if I can drag them out to join me.

Eric warned me the cows will be in the back paddock soon. Petunia will probably take
pot-shots at us with her sniper's rifle.

I will take a picture of the gradient in the back paddock, I anticipate calf muscles
like Fatima Whitbread.

Bin went for his weight-watchers weigh-in & has lost a very creditable 0.8kg.

He said the worst bit was getting on the scales in front of the other dogs.

Only another 10 or so of those to go Bin !

He looks, if possible, more downcast than usual.

I have tried, many times, without success, to take a nice picture of Bin over the
last few days. With Stinca it's easy as he is so photogenic. Bin, however, always
comes across as looking 'shifty' & not without good reason.

If his tackle is not on view then he just manages to look guilty.

He shows a lot of white around his eyes & has a very pronounced shiny, lower lip.
Neither feature helps him to look trustworthy. Eric says he is a 'Maori Dog'.
I am sure I don't know what he means.

I have decided too, that he is Roy Hattersley. Not in a kind of 'reincarnation, bean-baggy '
way, you understand. It's just that when I see him sitting down, back legs splayed, paunch grazing the floor & an ingratiating, avuncular smile on his face, I just think
'Roy Hattersley'.

I suspected I needed specs a little while ago (when can we have bigger font Q ?
pleeeeeeeeeeeease ) but reading the International Express today confirmed my
suspicions. I read the headline ...

"Pope John Paul II beautifies Mother Theresa"

with some astonishment & not a little scepticism before re-reading it & noticing I had added a surplus 'u'. It's an interesting concept though & would give 'Changing Rooms' a run for it's money.

Disappearing now to use some of the egg glut to prepare a meringue for dessert.

Which reminds me of my favourite Scots joke ...

To be read out loud in broad Scots brogue ...

'A man walks into an Edinburgh cake shop & says to the assistant behind the counter
"Is that a macaroon or a meringue ?"
"No sir, you're not wrong, it is a macaroon" replies the assistant'

If you can't do the accent, you won't get the joke.

Some of you will be able to do the accent & still won't get the joke.

Like the sweetheart who e-mailed me to say that they had read the 'Clap clap
the handicapped' joke twice &, like Alice, still 'Didn't gerrit'
And, no, nothing will induce me to reveal their name :)

On which note, several of Ange's friends have replied to say whether or not
they can make her leaving do. Der. Even after seeing the picture.
Double der.

Thank you Q for the article on notters. I spent an hour reading the Beeb's website
about my favourite aminals, including an article which made me say 'aaaaah' more
times than I will confess in print. The staff at the Blue reef sanctuary in Portsmouth
had made the notters fishy ice-lollies to cool them down in the heatwave.

Medals for those staff.

Ang, Thank you for my lovely p/cards lately. Love the expression on wet,
p***ed-off moggy. As for Californian Sea Notters doing hi-fives ? You lucky girl.
ps. I can make your do.

Weeny & Cocky, I am soooo jealous you are going to Quiche's 'do'
The Met won't be the same. Say hi to all the old faces for me, except JP
if he is there. Weeny, I trust you will locate his orange-juice.
Wonder if TCH will turn up & declare loudly that ...

'He is the highest-ranking officer at the do-you know'

Please make sure you take a camera, I want to see if all the gorgeous ones
have lost their hair & grown beer-bellies. Would be interesting to see how
the blokes have changed too.

Di, I was very impressed with your handiwork, have mailed it to Q & expect it
on Blog shortly. How long did that take you, Auntie Doris ?

Ooh, nearly forgot, going socialising tomorrow night to a 'Wild Western Night'
It's not, disappointingly for me, a barn dance, but a night in the local rugby club
with a live band called intriguingly 'White Goat', or 'Dead Goat' as Eric keeps
calling them. Another crowd-pleaser is advertised in the form of 'Flick's Fantastic Crabs'. The mind boggles.

Michelle & Clare have taken it upon themselves to set me up to meet someone
called 'Andrew'. I can picture the scene now ...

'Andrew, this is Carol, she needs to get married to stay in NZ - Andrew, Andre-ew ?'

Off now, will report in with how I get on Sunday.

We have a 10-seater van picking us all up & I for one intend taking advantage of
a glass or 2 of Ribena :)

ttfn,

Cx

Hello Mum xx