STILL HERE

Well Saturday wasn't any better than yesterday with Oscar. He slept all day and didn't get up to feed. The vet gave me some antibiotic paste to give to him, in his fav food, but not even that caused a stir. I got the vet out, I was really worried, he injected him with enough antibiotic for a mammoth!!! and pain killer. He didn't appear to improve at at. But late morning today (Sunday) he got to his feed to feed, albeit very wobbly and not very comfortable, he was on his feet for about 4 mins, so that's got to be some improvement. Tomorrow, Martin will come out and assess him, we just haven't been able to pull him about, as he has just been too sick. But hopefully tomorrow we can get a better look.... The other worrying thing is, I went down to feed Rosie and Daisy and their front shoulders were quivering. I have never known them cold?... It just makes me think they too are sick, I will mention to Martin tomorrow, maybe I am wrong..lets hope so. Oscar is sleeping with Bubs tonight, she misses him and I think he will pick up with company. Rosie and Daisy are in the other sty....I need to build more and bigger I think. I was thinking about putting the heat lamp on for them, but this may hinder rather than help...Wait till tomorrow and see I guess. What a worry, and with so much going on here at the mo, we really could do without it.

BEEN A BAD DAY WITH OSCAR

Oscar... our pure bred Welsh Hunky Boar is soooo sick. We have been down there until now with him. Over the last couple of days, he has been a little lethargic, nothing to put you finger on, just Oscar in his ways. We thought he was just being Oscar,as he can be a little temperamental and attention seeking, so we thought a cuddle and he would be fine...But woke up this morning to find him in pain and lame. We tried for 2 hours to move him into the sty, where we could look at him and see what was going on. He was growling and shouting, but we had to get him in. Finally managed it. Martin the vet was on his way, and just turned up as we got Oscar in to the sty with some warm fresh straw. Martin took one look and knew he was real sick, but it seemed so sudden, from yesterday being a bit slow but eating and ok really to this. He couldn't weight bear, but nothing was in his feet and the shape was good. He had a huge injection of antibiotic and we thought over the course of the day he would get better...just a little. But after sitting with him and stroking him and then hand feeding and watering him, it became apparent he, was getting worse. I will speak to Martin in the morning again and see what we are to do, I just hope he goes ok over night. We think it maybe a virus that is carried in soil, not passed from pig to pig, rather soil to pig...luckily no other animals here will be affected...I think the only other animal it affects is sheep. It attacks the joints and can get into the organs, heart etc. and cause blood poisoning and we could loose him. He is such a lovable guy and a real character. To get another like him would be impossible and at present doesn't bear thinking about....what a day....not going to sleep tonight, wish I could bring Oscar up here...but cant move him and believe you me, he would be up in our conservatory with the heater on it I could!!!. Bubs is missing him, Oscar is her knight in shining armour. Protecting her from Rosie and Daisy. They normally cuddle up together, but are in separate sty's tonight.

TODAYS THE DAY!

Today the roof of cottage 6 got felted and battened....not sure if that's how its said!! with a hope or rather a necessity of getting slated on Wednesday. Chased the windows and doors today, and plumber and lecy will be here on Thursday...well they better be!!!!...The schedule gets tight from here...yeah , like it hasn't been already!...but from here until Xmas it is a very tight schedule with timing crucial.....so we'll see...see if it pans out the way we hope!!!!!!

SHES TAKING THE BISCUIT NOW!

Not only does Sassy continually want a cuddle, she has now got so comfy, she has fallen asleep on Petes back.....Are everyones animals like this or is it just ours?

THE ROOF IS READY TO FELT!!!!

Its been exactly 5 weeks since we started and we are ready to felt and slate this week. Pete looks like the cat thats got the cream on the roof here!... Its been a hard few weeks for all of us, Andy, Ant, Pete, Me, Tim and Dad....I think its the stone work on the outside that will take the time, but time is a luxury we don't have, we need to have it all ship shape and Bristol fashion by end of Feb....AAAAHHHH going to ache!!!

RAIN!

It hasn't half rained lately, the fields are already saturated because the water table was so high after the summer (what summer I hear you say!)....and now when it rains, it really rains, the paddocks haven't really got any food in them now, its just mud, cant really do much with the ponies either, they have a shelter and are on hard feed but its quite awful down there at the moment, could do with about 4 months of sun really!....mind you we don't notice the rain when we are working, you just get your head down and work, its got to be done, and we have to do it....Its just walking around on the feed run and slipping everywhere that makes you realise how wet things are. Went flying in the chickens tonight...that wasn't supposed to be funny by the way!!, need to sort a pathway through there, as you take your life in your hands feeding them every night.

PURRRFECT HELP!

Sassy, just wanted a cuddle and will not give in at all, she climbed the rafters that we were trying to fix for the roof of cottage 6 and got onto Pete's back, she stayed there for ages, Pete was clambering around the roof with a cat on his back....people must think we are nuts....mmmm..now theres a thought!

THE ANIMALS HAVE US ON THE RUN!

Lucky is driving me bonkers, last night she pinched Stevens school shoe and left it in her favourite place in the garden, we didn't find it until this morning and it had rained all night. Stevens shoe was drenched, I put it on the Rayburn, but that wasn't even going to help, school was in 1 hour, so he had to go in his golf shoes!.....Its one thing after another with her at the moment. If its not shoes its the tape measure you have just dropped or the screwdriver you really need, because you are holding something really difficult to fix, and shes swooped in and taken the darn thing!

WISH I WAS A CAT!

Look at lady muck here, Sunny chilling out in front the fire. I wish I were a cat, just laying about all day and doing exactly as you please.......could be the start of a poem there...a bit of a Pam Ayres thing going on... "Oh I wish I looked after me cat" (she says teeth) but I think cat could go well there too!!!...Dont tell me you cant remember

HARD WEEK

This week was our fifth on the build and our...well...my..strength was beginning to falter, Dad was a great help, he moved the rest of the back fill, a load of soggy, heavy mud. I think he took pity on me, as I couldn't even push the barrow in the end!!! It was great to get done, but a nightmare of a job, we have moved in excess of 70 tonne by hand to date, so our muscles are feeling it a bit!....Mum didn't get off lightly either, she was set to work preparing the Christmas post....But the weather was cold and we were all under pressure this week. Ant and Andy worked really hard, but still had to finish the last bits of the gable on Saturday morning, which we are very grateful for!!!, we hoped to finish Friday but time just ran away with us really...So hoping that next week will be a little less hectic. My shoulders aren't working anymore,I am unable to move my arms to shoulder height...I think they have given up!