Well, today was your revenge.
It has lashed down all day. The weather now is whipping itself into a frenzy like a fractious child.
The weather forecast promises a storm 'worse than the recent one'
The Tanners neighbours Ian & Clare have lost a large chestnut tree today with no undue damage luckily.
And at Trelawney we lost another 200' tree today, again near to poor Spook's paddock. He must be starting to feel like there is a bullseye on him.
And our job today ?
Picking up poo in the paddock which has had 40 mares through it recently. We filled 4 trailer loads & I can honestly say it was a thoroughly awful job to be doing in the pouring rain.
Even my full-length oilskin gave up the job after an hour of the most insistent rain.
As I am typing the rain is clattering against the windows. It is so hard that it sounds like small pebbles hitting the windows.
It has now rained every day at some stage since the 16th September. I make that 48 days. That's just not funny. When we turn the horses out into paddocks we issue them with water wings.
I am sorry if this leaps around a bit but I am finding it difficult to concentrate as Eric & Michelle are doing crosswords with the kids & I can't resist poking my nose in & answering the odd clue.
Well, I say that Eric & Michelle are doing crosswords, in truth, Michelle is doing crosswords & Eric is lusting over an office stationery catalogue.
Harriett is telling us about the diarist Samuel 'Peeps'.
The kids accents are doing weird things over here.Alice sounds almost entirely Kiwi & causes Eric no end of dismay by trying to attract his attention by shouting 'Diddy ?'
Harriette also sounds Kiwi but with the weird addition of an Essex accent. Weird because she has never lived in Essex in her life.
They have both adopted the very Australasian =habit of finishing every sentence on a rising inflection. This makes listening to an ordinary story very distracting. Instead of just hooking in at the end to take note of the punchline/point you find yourself waiting for the pont at the end of every sentence.
Try it for yourself to see how odd it sounds.
Read these statements as questions.
The Smiths have a lamb ?
It's name is Flossie ?
It is very cute ?
Hard work isn't it ?
The kids have also shamed me by adopting all the local words for things.
Hence wellies are gumboots, Weet-a-bix is Weetbix, registration numbers are rego numbers.
I steadfastly refuse to call my wellies 'gumboots' & have caused much unprovoked hilarity at work.
I am perversely clinging to my Englishness despite loving my adopted homeland.
Michelle has just cause great mirth by delighting in informing me that the long-range weather forecast is rain for the whole of October.
Today I said a temporary goodbye to a lovely girl who has been with us on work experience during the last 2 weeks. She is only 14 & lost her Dad a few weeks ago after a racing accident.
Oddly enough Michelle nursed him whilst he was in ICU. She is a lovely kid & a delight to have around. The staff have decided we could be mother & daughter & the sad thing is that age-wise it's feasible. How scary is that ?
As if it isn't hard enough to lose your Dad at 14 she also suffered a horrific riding accident herself.
She was on her horse, 6 strides out from a jump when the horse had a heart attack.
It fell on her & suffered her into unconsciousness.
As it fell it broke it's neck.
She relayed the story as if it was an every day occurrence. I have been very taken with her & impressed with her attitude. She has a natural way with the horses, is completely fearless & has brains to boot.
When I asked her what she would like to do I assumed with her connections that an equestrian career was a foregone conclusion.
'Law' was her answer.
We have exchanged mobile numbers & e-mails & I have told her I will go & see her compete at the weekend when I have days off.
Well, I have hogged the pooter for ages & I have a good book to finish so I will sign off for now.
I am reading a lot of Mary Wesley at the moment, in fact I think I am finishing her last one today.
She was a bit of a late developer, in fact she didn't publish her 1st novel until 70 so I have a way to go yet.
She writes nothing like an older person & has a shocking honesty which makes for very entertaining reading. Her descriptive powers are acute & I will be very sad to finish her last book.
Bye for now,
thinking of you Mum,
Cx
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