Sunday
We celebrated the anniversary of our first week at home alone by scraping a truly skanky mix of old hay, mud and horse shit off the yard and out of two of the stables, which stank stank stank of rancid sewage. Christ almighty. We weren't at our radiant best to begin with but got half the yard done and the two stables by a combination of sheer grit, determination and a Gallic refusal to be beaten. Chucked all the pallets away as they were good for nothing - a bit like us after we'd finished.
Monday
First day off - marvellous. A day of mixed fortunes really in that we discovered that the muck heap (or dung clamp, as I now know the correct term to be) was going to cost roughly twice what had been estimated. Some soothing of French brows was necessary as a result of this news. Took delivery of a number of RSJs and got Mr T worked while workmen were repairing the road outside - he didn't turn a hair, bless his heart. Loff that boy. One of the guys came to ask me about him and we had a conversation about horses - it's like the Kevin Bacon six degrees of separation thing around here, only with horses instead of Hollywood actors.
Also - took delivery of new car (by which I mean I cajoled the owners into dropping it off, after a long and involved negotiation process), an unplanned but serendipitous purchase that turned up in such a way that it would have been difficult to ignore. And bugger me if it wasn't the same people we bought the littlun from :O So to cut out the middle man, we agreed that they just call us up next time they have one for sale, to save the irritation of having to advertise it.
I'm not going to say what sort of car it is but I will say this: it's one quite suited to our new lifestyle, and a thing of the supremest irony. Arrr. Flat cap and shotgun to follow.
Tuesday
Christ, another busy day. Cleaning and general shit, the blagging of several replacement pallets (cheers Keith) and the delivery of some railway sleepers, again for the dung clamp.
Said dung clamp is taking on epic proportions and as a result am considering an official opening ceremony with a bottle of champagne. Or I would do if I thought we could afford a bottle of champagne once we've finished paying for it.
Forgot to add that boys had dentist as well - T had some power work done, necessitating sedation. Had to advise vet and dentist of circuitous route to the place as a result of road works, and discovered that the new vet looks just like Zara Phillips. She's lovely, and I was able to surreptitiously pump her for information about when to bring the girls back safely once confirmed in foal - well, Alfama anyway. Xacra will be covered by one of the boys, most likely by AI in view of the inexperience of all. Yet another case where green on green definitely is not ideal :O
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