Stop the express train!!

The cattery is quite busy and I do make a point of giving every cat that wants it some TLC.

The dogs are mostly quite young and full of energy so need lots of exercise.

My phone is very busy as people are booking their cats in for the summer (almost full now).

Also this week my boys have "trips week" at school which means often they are in 3 different place at 3 different times.
My eldest is doing his work experience. SOOO grown up. He is on a stud/horse yard and having a great time. (it's miles away from here of course)

My middle son is doing his D of E in the peak district and I will find out this evening if he has had fun.

My youngest does different every day. Fencing, football, swimming gala, Peak district walk are but a few of the activities.

My boys are at the Derby Grammar School and never have I had cause to drag them to school and they are all achieving well but most importantly they are  HAPPY.

In between I try and keep on top of the housework:)

How dare they!!

This evening my dogs were disturbed just as dusk was falling. My middle son looked out of the window to see two youths, who must have come through my closed gate, walking down our drive. Our drive leads onto our land and our land onto the neighbours. There is no access road nor any rights of way. I shouted out of the window as by this time they were climbing our fencing into our fields. They told me they were on there way to Sinfin!!

The route they were taking was in the wrong direction and what is wrong with the highway?

I called the police who were here very quickly. I also called the neighbours as they were heading for his land. He called our other neighbours and as the light faded the fields were full of men with torches and tractors combing the area. If nothing else I do hope that they get a clear message that the rural neighbourhood watch scheme works very well.

Needless to say I have double checked everything is locked and I have left my dogs in various places to increase our security.

The police were very good in terms of combing the area and informing me of their ongoing activity. I shall have no hesitation in contacting them should I have any cause for further concern.

We should have puppies soon :)

These two got married this morning. They courted a little first of course. Toffee, you may not recognise her with her smart hair cut but she is our miniature poodle. Duky is a KC registered cocker spaniel. Both have the most wonderful temperaments and the resulting puppies should be lovely. As one of the purposes to cross breeding with poodles is to reduce hair loss, I have purposefully used a working line as they are much less hairy and toffee will add the curl and thickness of coat.

lots of people have made enquiries about the development of our dog boarding facility. They have heard about it through word of mouth or via the local paper so, thanks to the paper for the publicity.
The project is moving along nicely. The plans look great and I am sourcing under floor heating and self filling water pots at the moment.

Horses!!

My eldest son had just had a great session with our big 17.3hh horse. We are getting him fit for horse camp in the summer.

He was turning him out into the paddock. We know he has separation anxiety so always let him go in a certain way as he often shoots off to his mates. except this time he spun into the handle of the open gate which impaled him, thank fully between his ribs and came straight out. He had an indentation the length of our index finger. He was clearly very shocked as he stood, motionless. He started to shake. My son was clearly upset and asked me to call the vet. Finch staggers a while then lay down, flat on his side and threw back his head. He was making strange noises and his eyes were rolling.

We all thought he was dying!!.

After what seemed an age he got up, shook his head and started eating grass.

4 days on he seems fine. He has a swelling which is close to where the girth sits but we shall tack him up and see how it goes today :)

An update

Sorry again it has ben a while but life is sooo busy.

Sadly I have been to both my brothers and brother in laws funerals recently. They were very best friends. They were both lovely, committed family men who did no harm to anyone. They went about life with a quiet demure about them. offending no one and worked hard. They died from different caused within 6 weeks of each other. One 50 one 53 years of age. I cannot believe they are gone!! Life is so cruel at times :(

 

This is Freddie

He is clearly enjoying the early morning sun. He has just been groomed too. (I should charge for this service :))

My boys are great. On half term and we are having fun which is what it is all about. We shared many hours playing on our horses yesterday and what a lovely day it was. 

I am so privileged to be able to share a hobby with my beautiful boys.

Digging out in readiness for the dog boarding is now complete.

It looks fantastic!!