OMG

The first day of rain in nearly 3 weeks I think...I was only saying to Pete earlier that the dogs have been good lately and not escaped, I think I have filled all the holes.... THEN they went missing, so I searched for them only to wish I hadn't found them!... They had been off playing in the Peat bogs and I could recognise them by colour they were all black, no clean parts at all, and Peat matts the fur so they were and still are matted, I wont be able to get the knots out, they will have to grow out....plus covered in brambles. I tried to catch them to hose them down, that just resulted in me running around like a loony getting really hacked off with them, they thought it was a game and were umping up at me I was plastered, wet and cold....and guess what...yeap Pete isnt here yet again!...They found their way into the kitchen/conservatory before I could stop them and shook about 7ft up the walls and splattered everything in site with mud...I think I am just going to let them continue and dry out and then sort it...I don't know what else to do...Meanwhile I climbed up the bramble hedge, getting more wet ad cold and tangled to repair the hole they got through, after de-tangling the pig netting and stapling it to the tree I tried and failed miserably to get back down off the hedge....So after a few bruises completely wet and bedraggled, makeup running down my face and hammer in hand I thought I looked ready for a night out!!!!....What a day, and I need to be clean here tomorrow as I have people coming.....OH my...just get the people in white coats to come now and be done with it!!!

CHAMPION!

Well done to our Steven who took the title of 2010 Cornwall U14 golf Champion on Sunday, a title needed for his progression....so Congratulations and well done, you deserve it after all the training you put in....Oh and us!!

ROCKY AND RINGO

Ringo and Rocky only a week old, but could be coming this way soon...Rocky is black and Ringo has a white ring about his body and is smaller. Yeap they are Pygmy goats...SO watch this space!.... It was really funny when we went to Kaits to see them.....We rushed up to see them as I have never seen such young goats. Got to Kaits mums who I dont know that well and really needed the loo....So after an embarrassing ask to use the loo moment....I then made it through the house to the loo...the next minute I heard a bang...I thought I had broke the toilet ...but no..worse than that...(well I thought it was!) I had dropped my phone down the toilet...OH MY GOD.....I am in a persons house who I dont really know, she might be cross as I was late getting there anyway and now my phone is in her toilet!!!....I felt like I was in a scene from Mr Bean, I was hoping from leg to leg just thinking OMG OMG OMG, my whole life was on the sim...so had to get it out, I dived into the loo and retrieved it, and got the sim card out....tried to regain what composure I could and went back up to see the goats... But I had to come clean...(thats a bad punn) I told them, I dont think she knew what to say either........Finally left and now I have no way of contacting the kids to say all ok and on way back , as we keep in touch minute by minute sometimes in Stevens case.....I was phone less, so stopped in a pay phone which didn't work..surprise surprise...but then I don't know any ones number so I guess that was fine!... SO all in all another eventful 2 hours! (photos arent that good as they were taken on a phone....NO not mine!)

RAINBOW

Its nearly my nans birthday 29th April (now just watching over us) so its quite fitting that we saw a rainbow around this time...Quite a spectactular one too...Mind you she always knew how to do it in style!.....A double one...nothing else would do eh!

TASTY?

Shadow was getting in to the whole summer sun and daisy chain making with ....Laura and Kait...they teach Shadow all sorts of things. Shadow wasn't sure how to make the daisy chain and wasn't too keen on the taste of them....Eventually got it sorted and ran about with them in her mouth to join in the fun.....Well.... Lauras fun!

HELPING?

Storm was helping Kait and Laura cleaning out the pony shelter,but I seriously wonder about how helpful she was in all that....or did Laura just bury her in straw???

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Laura said chins on table so me and Shadow did it....no idea what Pete is doing...!!! Pete is the one on the right....and dont ask which one am I!!!!!

NIGHT OUT???

Steven went for tea at Nanny and Grandads we stopped work early at 6pm and thought ....right...we have about 1 and 3/4 hours to go out for a walk a rare luxury! SO as we were about to head off, we couldn't find Shadow , she had got her self stuck the other side of the fence and we had to try to get her back in so we could go out...now we were down to 1 hour and 20 mins...but still time to run to the chip shop, so off we went at great pace to get to Tywardreath chip shop only to find that the award winning chip shop had closed and it was a Thai takeaway with a very rude owner! If I wasn't as hungry as I was I would have told her where to stick her chips! But scene averted, chips in hand, we saw a bench and was just starting them when the phone rang. I wasn't going to answer but was afraid it was one of the kids...Answered, ...and someone wanted to come and see the piglets...which is good but not on our spare hour! so obviously said yes and ran back to house to meet her.....not the most relaxing hour I have ever had!!!! oh well maybe our life isn't really made for time off!

TAKING CARE OF thE ENEMY!

Hes not really an enemy but thats not what the ducks were flapping about. the very sight of a fox sends them into a frenzy and usually we would chase a fox away if we saw one. Firstly to protect our chickens and ducks and secondly to protect the dogs from disease....But when we saw what the ducks were making all the fuss about we couldn't bring our selves not to try to help. A small helpless fox curled up by the ducks, he had no external injuries but it was clear there may have been internal injuries. We rang the RSPCA to try to catch him but they wouldn't come out unless we contained him. They told us to feed him and try to make contact and if we could get him they would come out. Well we took him down food and water and tried not to disturb him or frighten him any more than was necessary. If he ate we knew we could possibly save him. But after a few hours...quite a few hours! we lost him, but at least we tried....poor Mr Fox...mid you the ducks were quite relieved!

NEW HAIR DO!

Storm was so impressed with her new hair do she was ready for a night on the town... hair done tail sorted and Pedicure sorted courtesy of Meg our farrier...god they don't know how good they have it, I haven't had any of those things...something wrong there!

LAURA NOT IMPRESSED!

As you might be aware we think Smartie our cat is pregnant and possibly due the end of APril...so...as we like to be prepared for such eventualities we decided to look up on the Internet to see what we need to do, it suggested having a warm dark safe place in case they wanted to snuggle up and feel safe to give birth...I have a sneaky feeling Smartie will do this on the cream bedroom carpet but hey we got to try haven't we.....So Laura and I hatched a plan, we have a large dog crate which we could use but the bars look not too happy,....we laid shredded newspaper and a blanket on the floor and then sewed blankets to the entire inside of the crate so it looks really warm and comfy not a bar in sight! But to do this someone had to hold the blankets up from the inside and as I don't really bend and if I do I cant un bend! it was Laura who had to go in the dog crate....I don't think she was too impressed!!! But its all ready now and Smartie has an option of a very cute blanket cave!...I'll keep you posted!

PIGLETS

The piglets are growing fast and their new homes are imminent. It is really important that they get to their new homes as soon as possible and as young as possible so the new owners can grow with them and this makes for really nice pets. They are quite a size now but still as cute as ever. This little one is Lily's piglet seen here eating and thoroughly enjoying a strawberry, so watch out Phil she will be in that strawberry field before you know it!!!....They all seemed to go for the strawberries they only had a couple each as I didn't want them to have upset tummies but they are doing really well with the food.They are all really fit and healthy ..Pixie did well in the end eh! And all the piglets are reserved so thats good too!

A LITTLE COMPETITION!

Not sure who was going to win this rough and tumble, but Shadow looked pretty much in control of the whole situation until Laura took hold and went for the under handed approach and tickled Shadow......I think they were both worn right out after and sat there for ages...anything but work eh!!! Shadow is a real big part of the family in more ways than one, she is almost human in some of the things she does.....I think secretly she was trying to get Laura back for that bath episode!

STRESS?

You know you have those stress balls for corporate environments or as joke presents and they fit snugly into the palm of your hand....we'll this is Petes version of one.... He reckons he needs a big one because of the stress he is under!!!!...Its Ok we dont need sectioning yet...ITS A GYM BALL!!!!

WEIRD FUNGI

Not sure what is is but we had lots of it after the wet few weeks we had, I haven't seen any of it since the sun has been around...Just wondering what it is and do you have any in your garden???

MORNINGS!

I bet you got up this morning with a cup of tea and perhaps a paper or toast, and gently ambled down the stairs on your day off.....Well for one we never get a day off and for two non of the above ever happens at Woodmill...As I got things prepared in the house and the animals up here fed. Pete went to feed the outside animals and it was a normal kind of day until we thought about it. Pete was feeding Ruby whilst having Sassy (cat) on his head taking off Rubys (horse) nighttime coat whilst managing a pocket full of duck eggs and Shadow running through his legs! (our mountain rescue dog).... Thats normal to us....I think we are in real trouble....We dont know what the other normal life is...cant remember anytime different!....worry eh??

A STORY IN PICTURES

It starts with Laura filling up the water bowl to try to catch Shadow to try to rinse her down after a mass brawl in the bathroom which left both injured to some degree...but not one to give up Laura was going to finish the job.....Shadow is hiding from her behind the plants in the next picture....then after a running session Laura caught up with Shadow and administered the water!....The final picture is both with a sense of well there you go, DONE!...I only wanted them to be clean!!! Not sure its their strong point....

LAURAS DAY!

This picture is the end result of Laura trying to bath the dogs....I forgot to say to her they hate it...I nipped out to see how things were going .....this is what my downstairs loo looks like now and the rest of the downstairs area looks like a bomb has gone off!

CHICKEN HEAVEN!

Spent all Easter building a new den for the chickens, we have a climbing frame and different levels with perches and a house fit for a queen and a huge deck so they don't have to go in the mud in the winter! So mission complete, now we just need the willows to grow for the ultimate chicken adventure and bobs your uncle eh!

WE ARE BACK!

Its been a little hectic.....NO I hear you say...surely not! Well Yeap it has. The piglets are growing fast and escaping even quicker, but all under control now!..with the help of Lucky...Yeah right!...The ponies are restricted still to help their diet!...I need one of those!....And Laura managed to look after the farm for 4 days whilst we were away at the Faldo series in Oxford. Steven made the cut to be in the competition he was the youngest there, U21/U18/U16 World championship qualifier. Steve played his round with a U21 England International, which was a great experience and he did himself proud. It was really tough by the best peoples standard so he did great, and to make the cut this young was even better, he has many more years to hopefully be selected. Laura and Kait managed to keep all under control and still get to college...no mean feat!....I haven't heard of any mishaps yet....except they collected the duck eggs that the call ducks were hatching....I guess Mr & Mrs Duck will just have to lay some more and try again!....But thanks Laura, it will all be worthwhile when you get your trip to Disney in June!...Bribery and corruption always works!