SO BUSY

I havent been able to update you for a while as things are so hectic here, the drive is getting built and we are flat out organising that. Trying to work to pay for it and also stripping cottages and fixing anything thats needs it. Fire checks, gas checks, electric tests, you name it we are doing it. And in 5 days time we need to be reopened for business. We also build every weekend to help theproject on a bit, I would like to get it all landscaped before the spring to give everything a chance to grow. Its a nightmare of a month and the cold doesnt help. Dixie has been a pain too as she keeps escaping back down to where she gave birth, but after several days now I think we have cracked it. The ice has melted and brought with it new problems of flooding, so thats always nice!!!!...My mind in in overdrive trying to organise all the things and adverts etc plus Purl and VAT,accounts, etc then the parking area and steps and also the animals. Time really isnt on my side, hence the hasty entry!!!!

A HOME WAS BUILT FOR BUZBY!

After making tea and a bed for Buzby it was time to relocate him to his new home for maybe long term recovery, We made a perch and a rock to bang the snails against and a nice warm nest. We went up to deliver the news of the new abode to Buzby......It was then we saw that Buzby hadn't made it, he was obviously more injured that we had thought and died before we could move him to his new home.....Poor Buzby

PETE MAKES A COOK?

Pete isn't the best in the kitchen and I was a little worried when he announced he was going to make some tea for Buzby. He filled nut shells with dog food to mimic snails, apparently that's what a song thrush eats?..that's if it is a song thrush?.. He made quite a few so I hope Buzby likes them!!

RSPB next?

We found this poor little injured...song thrush i think?....and decided to try to make him better. Pete caught him early in the morning and brought him to me to keep him warm. I tucked him up in bed and warmed him through then made a safe bed in our bath with water and seeds while we set about making him a new home. He's a pretty little fellow isn't he

NO MERCY

Is this what friends are for??? Steven inviting Ryan over whilst school was cancelled due to bad weather conditions and then laughing at him as he falls through the pond!...Some friend you are Steve...Mind you I guess I wasn't much better, I took the picture!!!! Don't panic everyone the pond isn't deep but it does go over your wellies which isn't the most pleasant of experiences!

BBQ?

I don't know where she gets it from????... Laura and Kait decided that snow (ok that was bad!) is the time for a BBQ and set up camp in the field, table chairs BBQ the whole caboodle....

It smelt great and only Laura could pull it off in true Laura style, if you knew Laura you'd know what I meant!

WHAT IS IT ABOUT ICE?

The dogs love ice, its really weird they go and collect it from far and wide. Lucky found this 7 inch think bit in the garden and was quite protective over it!

MOTIVATION TO GET UP!

Nothing gets Steven out of bed faster than a shout up the stairs "the ponds frozen over!"...Out he jumps quick as a flash wellies on and makes it his mission to break the pond, the ice gets so thick you can walk and jump on it...Its really hard to break but when it does you get drenched and cold with wellies full of ice cold water!...things that amuse eh!

COLD SNAP STILL HERE

Its freezing here at the moment, I love the snow but the frozen water is driving us nuts, we have to deliver water to the animals 3 or 4 times a day. Just as you finish one round of breaking ice and hiking down with water you are off again, not going to get anything done at this rate. 4 of our little kune kunes went to their new homes today, 2 went to Danni and Mark the other 2 to the Pub in St.Stephens! (as pets I hasten to add!)..The others aren't able to be collected yet as their new owners are snowed in!...Its going to be weird without them. Pixie will be due end of Feb but I dont think she will have a big litter, Kune Kunes usually have small litters. Duke is stabled again now too, He is really struggling in this cold weather. The ground is so hard for his feet, he hates being shut in but I cant bear to watch him suffer on the hard ground. He is all tucked up and see how he is tomorrow. I just hope he can get through this bit and the Spring will bring softer ground, then he might pick up again. Oh and Petes mum has broken her knee cap by slipping on the ice!Get well soon Pam!..... All the Golf is cancelled, Pete and Steve weren't supposed to be here today but Burhill comp was all cancelled...Wonder how much longer it will be a nightmare.

OFF WE GO TO INTERVIEW!

After seeing the weather forecast was heavy snow, I rang Chicheter uni to see if they were planning on calling off the interviews, but I was told in no uncertain terms, definitely not! So we left there and then, we didn't hang about, jumped in the truck to see if we could get to Chichester before they closed the motorways. After a rather hairy ride we arrived safely in Chichester ready for the interviews the next day, it took absolutely hours and hours. But after a meal and some revising for Laura we were ready for the next day. At 11pm we already had 8 inches of snow but had a text to say interviews are definitely on. Woke up bright and early dressed up in layers and layers of clothes and wellies, Laura had all her dance kit on for her dance workshop and interview plus farm coat and wellies! and we trudged through the snow for 40 mins to the uni. We were soaked by the time we got there in heavy snowfall. We walked in the door and they said sorry the uni has to close. I was not a happy bunny! We explained that we were up from Cornwall and that we also had the music interview tomorrow. He said he couldn't do anything about the dance interview as the tutor was stuck. But the head of music and Laura's interviewer was 4 miles away. He agreed to walk in to interview Laura...bet we were popular! I then had to run back through the snow to the hotel to get all of Laura's flute music and flute. She hadn't warmed up the flute or prepared herself for the music interview as we were there for dance. But she has been practicing for days and days so she should be fine. After a hard trek I got back with the equipment she needed and the head of music arrived for interview, all smartly dressed in waistcoat, jacket etc...and then there was us in wellies.....could have died...but we were there and its the talent that counts!!! After a long interview and several instrumentals Laura appeared with a smile on her face. They never offer uni places there and then but he was so impressed with Laura that he offered her a place on a pure BA(hons) music degree, Laura was so chuffed, she went for a joint honours, but to be offered this was amazing, so the trek was worth it. You can see in the photos above pictures of the motorway and then one picture of the before interview dressed for winter and the after shot with a smile on her face and back in the truck ready to come home! We did have to stop for a steak in Frankie and Benny's to celebrate though..and a sickly dessert!!!! SO well done Laura on securing a place at Chichester Uni, very few places on offer on that course, but you have one safe and sound in your pocket!!!! The drive home was hairy but we made it and all the better knowing Laura had a place and was more than delighted with it!

SHADOW THE SNOW DOG

We wont have any snow left at this rate Shadow will have eaten it all!, Shes like a hoover, its really weird how animals love the snow!

POOR DUKEY

Poor little Duke, Hes our old man and the snow just adds to his aches and pains. He has a field shelter but hates being shut in, so we let him come and go when he wants with his friends, but he does look sorry for himself here, no grass exposed just hay and hard feed..Not the same is it Duke.....dear of him.

SNOW FINALLY GONE TO THEIR HEADS

After many days of snow munching I think the dogs have finally flipped, they ran down the hill hold on to each others lips with there mouths...now that must have hurt....but they ran for quite a while like it and then ran around in a circle really excited!

LOOKS IDYLLIC EH!

Love this photo, suns out and we have snow...the fact its still -5c is besides the point and -12c last night! It not usual for Cornwall to be plunged in to freezing for so long as we are surrounded by coastline...but the snow is nice...well a novelty for a while anyhow!

SMARTIE GOT THE RIGHT IDEA

If Smartie was a person she would be a super model...but a nice one!...She will sit and pose for the camera for hours. If she is really comfy, nothing will make her move she will just sit or lie there all day, at the moment her favourite spot is the giant beanbag in front the fire...I think she has definitely got the right idea, she is just the kind of cat you want. She hasn't been spayed yet and I did toy with the idea of missing the deadline and having accidental kittens!!!! No delete that thought Pete will go mad! or should that be madderrrrr!

OUT ON THE FEED RUN

Its character building ...honest! Out at the crack of dawn and helping with the feed run!....Don't be too impressed I think its the snow that drove him to this....I am not sure Steven would have been so keen had it not been icy and white!..I think it was the frozen pond that was beckoning him to see if it was thick enough ice to walk over... You can see the moon is still up in this picture..

DIXIE TRAINING HER BABIES

Dixie is really doing well, the piglets go to their new homes hopefully this week, obviously weather dependant now! But she is teaching them snow ploughing techniques and how to roll a snowball, they love the snow, I forgot the camera and only got these two shots but they were so funny, could have watched them for hours....If you don't find these seriously cute you got a screw loose!

BUZZ IN A RUSH TO EAT!

I think Buzz must have been in such a rush he forgot to get out of bed and brought it with him, he was last out, he must have panicked and thought he may have missed breakfast....What am I going to do with him!

PETE V PIZZA

At the grand age of 52 you would think Pete knows what a pizza looks like or is!... however he kindly offered to make us pizza bread for lunch which Laura and I have as a treat on a Saturday....and make Pete some, so it was his turn to sort!... Its just arrived and made me laugh... he had kind of melted cheese and then put some tomatoe puree on the top instead of the bottom and it looks kind of odd, but thanks..odd is what I expect...thanks:)

YOU GOT TO HAVE A LANTERN!

Every time it snows I take a picture of LANTERN AS IT REMINDS ME OF OLD CHRISTMAS CARDS, EXCEPT MY LANTERN IS PLASTIC AND SOLAR POWERED AND THE ONES I AM TALKING ABOUT ARE METAL AND OIL FILLED.....still its the thought that counts!!!...I dont know whats up with my keyboard but it went into capitals and I can't alter it...sorry about that, snow must have got in the brains of my computer...or maybe its me...no surely not!

FINE FIGURES OF DOGS!

Gem, Lucky and Shadow are having a great time in the snow, you can see them posing in their individual way above, Gem causing trouble and looking like she just ate someone, Lucky not letting anyone have that Xmas tree toy at any cost! and Shadow pretending she has got a brain under all that fur and that she is is control, neither of which I am convinced of! But we love her all the same....I wonder if thats what people say about me!!!.....now where is PETE!!!!

WORK STOPS ON DRIVE

Due to the weather....god if I had a pound for every time that has been said to me... I am sure some of them haven't even got snow that are saying it!!!! Our fields are frozen so we have had to stop work on our driveway, it will look good once it has been landscaped and blended it ....it just needs a bit of poetic licence and imagination. But it will be better for us, giving us a private entrance to the house and access to the feed store and ponies, at the moment it is really difficult for the feed to be delivered and if we have a sick pony it really difficult to load so this should sort that problem out.

BRUCEY BABE!

Bruce is a fine specimen of a scraggy ol' rooster.....I said Bruce not Pete...only kidding!! Bruce was in fine form in the snow preaching to all the others telling them whats what and what to do...Hes a right one all scraggy around the edges with an attitude from hell....mmm now what was I saying....

OUR PET ROUGH LEGGED BUZZARD

This buzzard is really a pet or a guest maybe, he lives here and seems quite tame, living up above in our woods and perching on the pig stys when he wants a chat. Quite a handsome fellow eh! Took this photo out of Stevens bathroom window.

DEREK AND JAN MUST THINK I AM NUTS!

After a phone call trying to book a cottage and being told we were stuck in snow and cut off in Chichester, Derek and Jan must despair...then I get home to book their cottage and holiday, left a message on their answerphone ...something about snowmen and skiving!!....and then they ring to confirm and I have to tell them to wait as Steven has an elastic band around his legs and is stuck!...Don't ask....Sorry guys but thanks for coming to visit us yet again...you wouldn't like it anywhere else...its the madness that draws you here honest!!!!

HERES TO 2010!!!

And there goes another year....in a flash we'll be there again!!! Now we need to get our heads down and focused on whats in store for the New Year. For me it holds " How many scams can I get away with until Pete kills me" and for Pete its "A race against time to see if he can get one step ahead and stop the mayhem!"...No seriously he makes as much trouble as me, he's always getting us in the cart and my speciality is up the creek without a paddle!.. So another exciting year is in store at "Ye 'ol Woodmil!" Wonder what will happen.......