Posted by Rosie
Ben's cast has been gradually getting more and more manky over the last week or so to the point that it was broken in two places at the hand end. Last night he also complained it was hurting and there was a small infected spot under his thumb. Today was his end of term school trip - to the swimming pool - so I decided, as swimming wouldn't be possible, to take him to the local hospital so they could have a look at the cast. However the teacher at school said I'd need to go to the main hospital in Caen because that was where it was dealt with. Ho Hum - off we toddled up the motorway to sit around A&E. Actually they were pretty quick although it did seem that every nurse and doctor had a look before a decision was made. In the end they cut away the damaged part, treated the sore and added a new end section. No-one seemed surprised when I said that I doubt it would stay clean for long.
Once back home I set to making bacon and roasting a joint of pork on what has been the hottest day of the year so far. Why? Well on Saturday night I went to the freezer to take out some meat for Sunday's BBQ. On Sunday morning I went back to the freezer to take out some buns and was met by a pool of water. In the pool of water was a large carrier bag labelled - "Pork Joints x 3- Large". Ahhhhhhh!!! They were too far defrosted to refreeze hence my bacon and roasting exploits today. It's too hot for a roast dinner but when Simon has finished on the phone we'll tuck into cold roast pork and salad.
Oh - and dare I mention the blackcurrants? I decided to make more jam as I can sell any excess at Boot Fairs, so I put the fruit on to cook ............... and went off to play a game with the boys. "Sniff sniff - what's that smell Mum?" Oh THAT smell. That would be burnt-to-the-bottom-of-the-pan-blackcurrants then.
Unfortunately you will have to imagine exactly what the pan looked like as since a recent storm we are having problems with the printer which of course is where the card reader goes. There is a card reader on the computer tower but when we put the card in tonight it somehow ate it. A hour or so of fiddling and Simon retrieved the card but it now won't work!
Definitely not quite the day I had planned.
Monday, 29 June 2009
Sunday, 28 June 2009
Reasons to visit Lénault in June
Posted by Rosie
D-Day Landings and World War II.
June 6th marks the anniversary of the D-Day landings on the Normandy beaches and thus the beginning of the end of World War II. Each year, for those interested in history and genealogy, there are ceremonies and events to honour the men and women who fought to free France. We are just an hour away from the nearest Landing Beaches of Juno, Sword and Gold and all around us are guided routes, cemeteries and museums detailing the events of that time. From the house we can see Mount Pincon, a vitally important hill which has a memorial to the soldiers who fought there. The Mayor's Office at Lénault has a plaque on the wall thanking the Wessex Division who liberated the village. Heading west from here is the village of Monchamp which was a centre for the local resistance and a recently opened tearoom and museum* 
allows visitors to enjoy a slice of cake and learn more about the War and the Resistance Movement. A bit further on is the cemetery at St Charles de Percy, one of many in Normandy for the soldiers who fell from Britain, America, Canada and Germany.
Genealogy is a hobby of mine, although one which has been on the back burner since the boys were born. From my research so far though, I have found no family members who were in the armed forces during World War II but that doesn't mean this section of history does not interest me. Quite the opposite and I had meant to do a bit more research into the history and commemorative events but I'm afraid June has slipped by without my managing to do this. I'll try and find out a bit more and post it up in due course but if anyone else knows more or has an interesting tale to tell of some-one involved in the D-Day landings I'd love to hear from you.
* The tearoom at Montchamp is open, despite what the website says, but I'm afraid I don't know if the museum is yet. Perhaps some-one could enlighten me.
D-Day Landings and World War II.
June 6th marks the anniversary of the D-Day landings on the Normandy beaches and thus the beginning of the end of World War II. Each year, for those interested in history and genealogy, there are ceremonies and events to honour the men and women who fought to free France. We are just an hour away from the nearest Landing Beaches of Juno, Sword and Gold and all around us are guided routes, cemeteries and museums detailing the events of that time. From the house we can see Mount Pincon, a vitally important hill which has a memorial to the soldiers who fought there. The Mayor's Office at Lénault has a plaque on the wall thanking the Wessex Division who liberated the village. Heading west from here is the village of Monchamp which was a centre for the local resistance and a recently opened tearoom and museum* 
allows visitors to enjoy a slice of cake and learn more about the War and the Resistance Movement. A bit further on is the cemetery at St Charles de Percy, one of many in Normandy for the soldiers who fell from Britain, America, Canada and Germany. Genealogy is a hobby of mine, although one which has been on the back burner since the boys were born. From my research so far though, I have found no family members who were in the armed forces during World War II but that doesn't mean this section of history does not interest me. Quite the opposite and I had meant to do a bit more research into the history and commemorative events but I'm afraid June has slipped by without my managing to do this. I'll try and find out a bit more and post it up in due course but if anyone else knows more or has an interesting tale to tell of some-one involved in the D-Day landings I'd love to hear from you.
* The tearoom at Montchamp is open, despite what the website says, but I'm afraid I don't know if the museum is yet. Perhaps some-one could enlighten me.
Thursday, 25 June 2009
Tales from the Fruit Garden
Posted by Rosie
"Those raspberries are yummy Mum," called Tom from the fruit garden.
"There aren't any raspberries yet," I replied.
"Yes there are and they are yummy."
I wandered over to the mystery raspberries:
"Ahhh - THOSE raspberries!! They are actually my first Tayberries and yes - you're right - they are yummy."
The strawberries are reaching the end of their season but with the hot sun of the last few days their already good flavour has really intensified and I'm back to eating them straight from the plant. The blackcurrants have also been fantastic. I brought the bushes with me from England and how they survived I don't know. First they were dug up in a mini-heatwave and then left in plastic sacks in my old garden for several days before being shoved in a van and transported over here, only to be put in a shed and forgotten about for 3 weeks. Unwatered and in the dark for all that time I really thought they'd be dead but a quick scrape of the bark indicated some life so I potted them up. I planted them out in the spring and slowly they have gone from strength to strength rewarding me this year with over 5lbs of huge blackcurrants. I've made some jam, eaten loads on my breakfast muesli and I'm off now to search for other recipes. Any ideas?
"Those raspberries are yummy Mum," called Tom from the fruit garden.
"There aren't any raspberries yet," I replied.
"Yes there are and they are yummy."
I wandered over to the mystery raspberries:
"Ahhh - THOSE raspberries!! They are actually my first Tayberries and yes - you're right - they are yummy."
********
Today as well as the tayberries I picked jostaberries (a very meagre crop), 3lbs of blackcurrants, more strawberries and Sawfly caterpillars. Grrr - it would appear the second wave is here and once again it is my poor Worcesterberry they are munching. Luckily I'd gone to see if the fruit was ripe and spotted the caterpillars before they could do too much damage. And because I had a bowl with me I collected them up and fed them to the chickens, who eventually realised they were edible but only when I mixed them with a bit of their feed. Talk about slow on the uptake.
The strawberries are reaching the end of their season but with the hot sun of the last few days their already good flavour has really intensified and I'm back to eating them straight from the plant. The blackcurrants have also been fantastic. I brought the bushes with me from England and how they survived I don't know. First they were dug up in a mini-heatwave and then left in plastic sacks in my old garden for several days before being shoved in a van and transported over here, only to be put in a shed and forgotten about for 3 weeks. Unwatered and in the dark for all that time I really thought they'd be dead but a quick scrape of the bark indicated some life so I potted them up. I planted them out in the spring and slowly they have gone from strength to strength rewarding me this year with over 5lbs of huge blackcurrants. I've made some jam, eaten loads on my breakfast muesli and I'm off now to search for other recipes. Any ideas?
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
More Memory Lane(ish)
Posted by Simon
We decided to continue cutting the grass and scrub in the field. So Monday I spent the afternoon armed with the brush-cutter and finished cutting all the growth down. The grass was so full of bramble and bracken that we could not use it for hay. I left it on the ground to dry and today Rosie and I raked it up and burnt it. My trip down memory lane - oh I remember those steep hills, the insect bites, the skin ripped by brambles and the aching limbs at the end of the day! Plus on a hot June day loading a red hot bonfire is not the best of occupations.
We decided to continue cutting the grass and scrub in the field. So Monday I spent the afternoon armed with the brush-cutter and finished cutting all the growth down. The grass was so full of bramble and bracken that we could not use it for hay. I left it on the ground to dry and today Rosie and I raked it up and burnt it. My trip down memory lane - oh I remember those steep hills, the insect bites, the skin ripped by brambles and the aching limbs at the end of the day! Plus on a hot June day loading a red hot bonfire is not the best of occupations.This half of the field we had planned to fence and start to clear this year is now completed. The idea at first was to get it fenced and then get the sheep in but I realised it was not worth moving them down there until after they were sheared. By the time we'd sheared them the grass had grown too long and so needed cutting. Now we have cut everything back and so that is another big job out of the way.
We will have to cut the scrubby areas again, at a later date, to keep it under control and let the grass grow back. Some of the bramble was over two metres high but now it is cleared we feel it was a job worth doing - only problem is we've got it all to look forward to again in the other half of the field (see 2nd photo).
We will have to cut the scrubby areas again, at a later date, to keep it under control and let the grass grow back. Some of the bramble was over two metres high but now it is cleared we feel it was a job worth doing - only problem is we've got it all to look forward to again in the other half of the field (see 2nd photo). I have also been progressing in the gite with the timber work on the upper floors nearly completed and the digging out of the ground floor slowly getting there. Although there is a rather large pile of earth outside the gite which has to be dealt with - one day. It's slow work but I do feel I'm progressing in the right direction.
And by the way, anyone fancy a conservation holiday doing grassland management and fencing later this year - or moving piles of soil?
Saturday, 20 June 2009
A trip down Memory Lane
Posted by Rosie
Over the last couple of days, Simon and I have been working on our "New Field". We need to get the grass, brambles and bracken cut back and raked, then allow the grass to grow up a bit before we can put the sheep in there. So Simon had been attacking the vegetation with either a brushcutter or our rather natty brushcutter on wheels (known to us as "The Perambulator" because it's wheels resemble those of one of those lovely old black prams). He started to rake up but them called me in to help so he could get on cutting. And that was when I took a quick trip down Memory Lane. In a previous life I worked as
a Countryside Officer for Kent County Council and spent many hours both strimming overgrown chalk grasslands and raking up grass from haymeadows, a combination of what I was doing now in our field. However a quick look round and there was something missing, my trusty band of volunteers. These helpers came out in all weathers, giving their time for free to help manage and maintain the countryside of NW Kent. Most were brilliant, some drove me demented and one of them - well he WAS working in the field 'cos I married him!!
Over the last couple of days, Simon and I have been working on our "New Field". We need to get the grass, brambles and bracken cut back and raked, then allow the grass to grow up a bit before we can put the sheep in there. So Simon had been attacking the vegetation with either a brushcutter or our rather natty brushcutter on wheels (known to us as "The Perambulator" because it's wheels resemble those of one of those lovely old black prams). He started to rake up but them called me in to help so he could get on cutting. And that was when I took a quick trip down Memory Lane. In a previous life I worked as
a Countryside Officer for Kent County Council and spent many hours both strimming overgrown chalk grasslands and raking up grass from haymeadows, a combination of what I was doing now in our field. However a quick look round and there was something missing, my trusty band of volunteers. These helpers came out in all weathers, giving their time for free to help manage and maintain the countryside of NW Kent. Most were brilliant, some drove me demented and one of them - well he WAS working in the field 'cos I married him!!
Thursday, 18 June 2009
I Wish.......
........my owners were not watching me - cos it smells so so good. Home produced pork and chicken wings glazed in a honey marinade - it smells so so good. With a touch of herbs and garlic - it smells so so good. They're being cooked with home made sausages - it smells so so good. They are slowly cooking on the BBQ - it smells so so good. If only my owners were not watching - I could just push off the lid and it would taste so so good. 
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
Strawberries. Lots of strawberries!
Posted by Rosie 
Well I never thought I'd say this but I'm actually getting ever so slightly fed up of the sight of strawberries!! I planted my strawberry bed last Spring and had just a few fruits last year, most of which Ben ate before they got to the kitchen. But this year even Ben can't manage to eat the amount I am harvesting. This is about a third of what I picked today and I still have a quarter of the bed to go. I reckon I have picked at least 15kgs overall and they are still coming. Ahhhhhh!!
So what have I done with them all? Well of course we started with eating just the fruit but then I moved on to:
Well I never thought I'd say this but I'm actually getting ever so slightly fed up of the sight of strawberries!! I planted my strawberry bed last Spring and had just a few fruits last year, most of which Ben ate before they got to the kitchen. But this year even Ben can't manage to eat the amount I am harvesting. This is about a third of what I picked today and I still have a quarter of the bed to go. I reckon I have picked at least 15kgs overall and they are still coming. Ahhhhhh!!
So what have I done with them all? Well of course we started with eating just the fruit but then I moved on to:
- Strawberry crumble (requested by Ben)
- Strawberry liqueur (not requested by Ben)
- Strawberry jam (my favourite)
- Strawberry buns
- Strawberry ice-cream (2 different recipes)
- Strawberry lollies
- Strawberry shortcake
- Strawberry yoghurt
- Strawberry iced sherbet (Simon made this)
- Strawberry sauce - (2 different types)
- and I have 3 jars of bottled strawberries in the oven as I type.
Others I have frozen and I'm off to search for any freezable recipes so I can enjoy the fruits of my labours as mid-winter treat.
Oh and I almost forget - I had a couple of sliced strawberries in my Pimms this evening ;-)
Sunday, 14 June 2009
Relaxing - for some
Posted by Simon
It is coming to the end of a very restful and relaxing weekend, for me anyway. Rosie did another boot fair today and has been busy making cakes and biscuits and generally getting herself ready for it. She spent the day selling her wares and did reasonably well. I took the two boys over to the boot fair and we met various people we knew and spent the time chatting, eating crepes and sausage and chips. All very pleasant.
This afternoon the boys had some TV time and I read my book; knowing me I may have fitted in 40 winks as well. I was glad of this because late yesterday afternoon I got a message that a friend was staying in Caen overnight and then doing the Caen 1/2 marathon this morning before returning to the UK. I went up to Caen and met Andrew and his Father-in-law, Peter. We had a very
pleasant evening catching up over a beer and coffee. We were sitting 'al-fresco' at a bar next to the marina. Most of the population of Caen seemed to be out and about having a very laid back evening. It was the first time I've been to Caen like that and and it won't be my last - it was an extremely enjoyable evening in a lovely atmosphere. It ended up being quite a late night.
And the weekend started in it's relaxing form as on Friday evening Tom and Ben planted a pumpkin plant each to see who can grow the biggest pumpkin before we went to some friends for a BBQ.
Ben is getting along fine with his arm in plaster and has managed to do most things boys do - ride his bike, fall off his bike, etc. - and his arm seems to be healing well. But one lesson I had today whilst trying to teach the boys to play Swingball - is not to stand too close to a naturally left handed person who is learning Swingball and playing with his other hand due to normal arm being in plaster. Am I allowed to stay 'wrong ball!'
It is coming to the end of a very restful and relaxing weekend, for me anyway. Rosie did another boot fair today and has been busy making cakes and biscuits and generally getting herself ready for it. She spent the day selling her wares and did reasonably well. I took the two boys over to the boot fair and we met various people we knew and spent the time chatting, eating crepes and sausage and chips. All very pleasant.
This afternoon the boys had some TV time and I read my book; knowing me I may have fitted in 40 winks as well. I was glad of this because late yesterday afternoon I got a message that a friend was staying in Caen overnight and then doing the Caen 1/2 marathon this morning before returning to the UK. I went up to Caen and met Andrew and his Father-in-law, Peter. We had a very
pleasant evening catching up over a beer and coffee. We were sitting 'al-fresco' at a bar next to the marina. Most of the population of Caen seemed to be out and about having a very laid back evening. It was the first time I've been to Caen like that and and it won't be my last - it was an extremely enjoyable evening in a lovely atmosphere. It ended up being quite a late night.And the weekend started in it's relaxing form as on Friday evening Tom and Ben planted a pumpkin plant each to see who can grow the biggest pumpkin before we went to some friends for a BBQ.
Ben is getting along fine with his arm in plaster and has managed to do most things boys do - ride his bike, fall off his bike, etc. - and his arm seems to be healing well. But one lesson I had today whilst trying to teach the boys to play Swingball - is not to stand too close to a naturally left handed person who is learning Swingball and playing with his other hand due to normal arm being in plaster. Am I allowed to stay 'wrong ball!'
Thursday, 11 June 2009
Farm fresh milk
Posted by Rosie
I bought these two milk churns for 3 euros at a Boot Fair recently and they are now full of milk from our neighbouring farm's cows. 3 litres of warm fresh milk for 1.50€. Now, as well as having the most local milk we can (without actually having our own cow) I plan to have a go at making butter, soft cheese and yoghurt. I have made yoghurt with sterilised milk and the results were OK but not brilliant - hopefully this time I'll be happier.
I bought these two milk churns for 3 euros at a Boot Fair recently and they are now full of milk from our neighbouring farm's cows. 3 litres of warm fresh milk for 1.50€. Now, as well as having the most local milk we can (without actually having our own cow) I plan to have a go at making butter, soft cheese and yoghurt. I have made yoghurt with sterilised milk and the results were OK but not brilliant - hopefully this time I'll be happier.
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Eggs and Bacon
Posted by Rosie
Oh dear - egg numbers seemed to have been down over the last week or so. We think the "Old" Girls are unhappy with the "New" Girls and this has put them off lay. Fast forward a day or so though and whilst watering the window box I cast my eye down to ground level and what did I see - 12 eggs in the front flower bed. Honestly!!!
After this discovery every time we saw a hen head into the flowers she was scooped up and returned to the hen house. Problem solved? No chance!! Egg numbers dropped again but there were none in the flower bed. Hang on - isn't that the sound of "The Other Old Hen" squawking I've just-laid-an-egg ........ in the woodshed. A quick investigation and yes - one lovely warm egg in a bag of hay. But that's only one and with no more eggs in the flower bed and none in the boxes the others must have found somewhere else to lay. But where? Luckily "Old Speckled Hen" also make a heck of a lot of noise after laying and in doing so she
led me to the egg stash - in the stinging nettles in the sheep field - 6 this time and I'm really not surprised about all of "OSP's" shouting - this is what she laid!!
And to go with this egg - bacon of course. I have just made bacon for the first time which I have to admit is a little salty - not a problem though, soak it in water for a little while and it's fine.
So we're having home-laid eggs and home-made bacon for lunch. Yum.
Oh dear - egg numbers seemed to have been down over the last week or so. We think the "Old" Girls are unhappy with the "New" Girls and this has put them off lay. Fast forward a day or so though and whilst watering the window box I cast my eye down to ground level and what did I see - 12 eggs in the front flower bed. Honestly!!!
After this discovery every time we saw a hen head into the flowers she was scooped up and returned to the hen house. Problem solved? No chance!! Egg numbers dropped again but there were none in the flower bed. Hang on - isn't that the sound of "The Other Old Hen" squawking I've just-laid-an-egg ........ in the woodshed. A quick investigation and yes - one lovely warm egg in a bag of hay. But that's only one and with no more eggs in the flower bed and none in the boxes the others must have found somewhere else to lay. But where? Luckily "Old Speckled Hen" also make a heck of a lot of noise after laying and in doing so she
led me to the egg stash - in the stinging nettles in the sheep field - 6 this time and I'm really not surprised about all of "OSP's" shouting - this is what she laid!!"Ouch"
And to go with this egg - bacon of course. I have just made bacon for the first time which I have to admit is a little salty - not a problem though, soak it in water for a little while and it's fine.
So we're having home-laid eggs and home-made bacon for lunch. Yum.
Sunday, 7 June 2009
Unexpected Visitors
Posted by Rosie
Thursday afternoon, I was just off to feed the chicks when Simon called me over. "We've got visitors." I saw no car and wondered who he meant. Simon led me towards the gate onto the footpath where I was met by a two walkers with a dog and two donkeys. It transpired that Ema and Christoph, their pack donkeys, Prince and Pepin and their little dog Maurice are walking from the village of le Merlerault near Argentan in Orne to Brest in Finistere (and back again). The entire journey is 2000km and they plan to take 5 months to complete it. They walk about 15 to 20 kms per day before searching for a suitable field in which to rest and feed the donkeys and set up their tent. "Have you anywhere suitable where we could stay?" they asked. "... that is donkey-proof and not full of young trees they will eat!" Our fields by the house are all planted with orchard trees but we showed them our "new" field and it was perfect.
Later, after they had put up their tent, they joined us for wine and cheese and we had a fascinating evening learning about the walk and their even greater plans next year to walk to and across the Alps. They were a great couple and an inspiration to anyone who has ever had a dream. And whilst walking with a donkey may have been done for millenia, Ema and Christoph do have several of life's modern luxuries to help them on their way - waterproof, lightweight panniers for all their gear; a modern tepee in which they can cook and run a heater if needed; a solar panel to run the heater as well as a light, charger for batteries etc.; a GPS system (cheaper and lighter than all the maps they would otherwise need); a computer to keep in touch (when they can get a signal!) and, most important of all a dog basket with rain cover so when 11 year old Maurice feels a little weary he can hitch a lift on Pepin.Technology notwithstanding, the success of their walk is still reliant on the good nature of the people they meet on the way - some nights they find somewhere to stop very quickly - other nights it takes much longer but they said as yet, no-one had outright refused to help - although some hadn't answered the door when they were sure they were in. From time to time they rest more than one day in the same place for a well earned rest and I think they would liked to to have stayed here longer but the weather forecast was for rain and they wanted to crack on before a longer stop. They have however, taken our email address and promised to send regular updates of their journey and have said they will come back when the first Gite is built. I really hope they do - we were briefly able to be part of their dream; I hope they can become part of ours too.
Friday, 5 June 2009
Never Again - well not 'til next year
Posted by Simon
I have been quite busy for the last week. Getting the barn cleared out for the party and everything ready took up some time although we did have a restful couple of days afterwards - Sunday we cleared up then Sally and I played boules (2 games all) and Monday we took the boys to the local park and had a picnic. Rosie and I read our books whilst the boys played. Very relaxing.
We also managed to get the sheep sheared on Tuesday. What a performance! I had to go and get the sheep shears from our friends, sort the barn, get it penned up and get the gear ready before we could even start.
Then it was time to get the sheep and it was like they knew. Getting them into the field with a pen in it - no problem. Getting them into said pen - big problem. Two heavily panting-for-breath humans - no sheep in pen - major problem. Two totally exhausted humans and no sheep in pen - now seriously not amused problem.
Anyway to cut a long story short we (eventually) got the ram and dragged him into the barn. One hour later he returned to his field looking like a skinny mountain goat. A possible 5 out of 10 for his hair do. Next we caught one of the black face sheep and was she keen to have a hair cut? Like heck! We tugged and pushed and dragged her over to the barn. 20 minutes later she was shorn (6/10 just). She enjoyed it so much she had to be tugged and pushed and dragged back to the field.
Next please and in the pen runs the third sheep - sorry I must be dreaming. This time luck was on our side and we got the other two into the field pen. Then we hauled and tugged and pushed and dragged them both over to the barn, watched by our neighbouring farmer who was very much enjoying cutting his hay in the next field. Well, he had a huge grin on his face but we couldn't see anything remotely amusing! Sheep number three - getting good at this - 15 minutes and the fleece almost off in one piece. Not a cut or scratch on the ewe and I fared quite well - pushing towards an 8/10 here. Number four - I'm an expert now - com' on 10 minutes it will all be over. 30 minutes later I need a rest and she is only half done. What a stubborn cow - I mean sheep. She would not stay where I put her, she needed two of us to hold her down - or should that read pin her down. I'm afraid to say she went back to the field looking rather the worse for wear and with a few added nicks and cuts. I'd be pushing a 3 out of ten for that one.
And after all that hauling and tugging and pushing and dragging them back to the field, I was knackered. My back ached, I was filthy and stinking and I needed a cuppa, a shower and a change of clothes - I'd finished and was quite pleased with my second go at sheep shearing (I did have a go 16 years ago). BLISS.
'Simon' Rosie called - 'before you shower, have you remembered you are going to shear N & S's sheep?' Arrrgh!!!
I have been quite busy for the last week. Getting the barn cleared out for the party and everything ready took up some time although we did have a restful couple of days afterwards - Sunday we cleared up then Sally and I played boules (2 games all) and Monday we took the boys to the local park and had a picnic. Rosie and I read our books whilst the boys played. Very relaxing.
We also managed to get the sheep sheared on Tuesday. What a performance! I had to go and get the sheep shears from our friends, sort the barn, get it penned up and get the gear ready before we could even start.
Then it was time to get the sheep and it was like they knew. Getting them into the field with a pen in it - no problem. Getting them into said pen - big problem. Two heavily panting-for-breath humans - no sheep in pen - major problem. Two totally exhausted humans and no sheep in pen - now seriously not amused problem.Anyway to cut a long story short we (eventually) got the ram and dragged him into the barn. One hour later he returned to his field looking like a skinny mountain goat. A possible 5 out of 10 for his hair do. Next we caught one of the black face sheep and was she keen to have a hair cut? Like heck! We tugged and pushed and dragged her over to the barn. 20 minutes later she was shorn (6/10 just). She enjoyed it so much she had to be tugged and pushed and dragged back to the field.
Next please and in the pen runs the third sheep - sorry I must be dreaming. This time luck was on our side and we got the other two into the field pen. Then we hauled and tugged and pushed and dragged them both over to the barn, watched by our neighbouring farmer who was very much enjoying cutting his hay in the next field. Well, he had a huge grin on his face but we couldn't see anything remotely amusing! Sheep number three - getting good at this - 15 minutes and the fleece almost off in one piece. Not a cut or scratch on the ewe and I fared quite well - pushing towards an 8/10 here. Number four - I'm an expert now - com' on 10 minutes it will all be over. 30 minutes later I need a rest and she is only half done. What a stubborn cow - I mean sheep. She would not stay where I put her, she needed two of us to hold her down - or should that read pin her down. I'm afraid to say she went back to the field looking rather the worse for wear and with a few added nicks and cuts. I'd be pushing a 3 out of ten for that one.
And after all that hauling and tugging and pushing and dragging them back to the field, I was knackered. My back ached, I was filthy and stinking and I needed a cuppa, a shower and a change of clothes - I'd finished and was quite pleased with my second go at sheep shearing (I did have a go 16 years ago). BLISS.
'Simon' Rosie called - 'before you shower, have you remembered you are going to shear N & S's sheep?' Arrrgh!!!
Monday, 1 June 2009
Post Party Lethargy
Posted by Rosie
We had a party on Saturday and it has worn us both out. Actually in our defence we had two parties, but more of that later, and so yesterday after tidying up, essential animal duties and a bit of watering, Simon and I did a rare thing. We sat in the sun and read/slept. The boys were exceedingly tired and a bit whingey and kept asking us to do this or that.
"When did you last see me sitting in the sun with a book?" I asked them after the umpteenth question.
"Errm ......?"
"Exactly so could you kindly leave me alone and go and be whingey somewhere else."
Why Two Parties? - Ben wanted a birthday party and some friends of ours who play in a folk band wanted to have a session in our barn. So, somewhat foolishly, we decided to have the parties on the same day. 4.30-7pm for the kids, 7pm onwards for a BBQ and band. We crawled into bed at 2pm.
French children's parties are a bit more laid back than the equivalent in England - put out lots of toys, send out drinks at regular intervals if hot, feed them at some point and sing Happy Birthday when the cake comes out. The children were exceedingly well behaved, ate everything I had laid on for them like a hoard of hungry gannets and all said their s'il vous plaits and mercis.
Most of the children departed at 7pm and everyone else arrived for the evening do. The music sounded great in the barn, a mixture of traditional English folk music and French Breton music, the latter performed by French friend who I had first seen play a the school last summer. Very soon people were up dancing - again a mixture of French and English dances. Simon took some film which he'll edit and post up later. Mind you if we do it again we need to think of a way of keeping the dust down!
And the remaining children? Take one present of a pack of water pistols. Add three teenagers and mix thoroughly with a large water trough. The result - a lot of very wet but very happy children.
And today? The sun is still shining, it's another Bank Holiday and the boys want a picnic in the park. I have a long list of things to do but nothing that won't wait til tomorrow......
We had a party on Saturday and it has worn us both out. Actually in our defence we had two parties, but more of that later, and so yesterday after tidying up, essential animal duties and a bit of watering, Simon and I did a rare thing. We sat in the sun and read/slept. The boys were exceedingly tired and a bit whingey and kept asking us to do this or that.
"When did you last see me sitting in the sun with a book?" I asked them after the umpteenth question.
"Errm ......?"
"Exactly so could you kindly leave me alone and go and be whingey somewhere else."
Why Two Parties? - Ben wanted a birthday party and some friends of ours who play in a folk band wanted to have a session in our barn. So, somewhat foolishly, we decided to have the parties on the same day. 4.30-7pm for the kids, 7pm onwards for a BBQ and band. We crawled into bed at 2pm.
French children's parties are a bit more laid back than the equivalent in England - put out lots of toys, send out drinks at regular intervals if hot, feed them at some point and sing Happy Birthday when the cake comes out. The children were exceedingly well behaved, ate everything I had laid on for them like a hoard of hungry gannets and all said their s'il vous plaits and mercis.
Most of the children departed at 7pm and everyone else arrived for the evening do. The music sounded great in the barn, a mixture of traditional English folk music and French Breton music, the latter performed by French friend who I had first seen play a the school last summer. Very soon people were up dancing - again a mixture of French and English dances. Simon took some film which he'll edit and post up later. Mind you if we do it again we need to think of a way of keeping the dust down!And the remaining children? Take one present of a pack of water pistols. Add three teenagers and mix thoroughly with a large water trough. The result - a lot of very wet but very happy children.
And today? The sun is still shining, it's another Bank Holiday and the boys want a picnic in the park. I have a long list of things to do but nothing that won't wait til tomorrow......
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