Friday 10 September 2010

Just a normal weekend!

Haven't posted for such a long time as we have been busy! Downsizing and stepping off the hamster wheel is an exhausting process you know

Had a friend around last weekend - oh had nothing planned but blimey she must have thought either a: What a hectic life we lead as city farmers or b: we had put together a rather good show!

She arrived on Friday only to find Hubby and Son getting ready for riding. The evening was spent in the usual way (if it sunny) down the local pub which is in the middle of nowhere but seems to attract hundreds of people. A couple of ciders later and first event occurred - deal done with regard to the purchase and collection of two pigs the following morning.

Saturday morning dawned and off we went to choose the piggies - we arrived at destination and friend and I were greeted by lots of lovely little piggies. We chose two girls and Hubby & co started to load them into the Landy. First pig in and when the second was coming over friend said - I think that is a boy, look he has dangly bits! A quick check of pig and she was proved correct. Whilst waiting for the exchange, friend looked at pig in Landy and confirmed that this too was a girly pig - whilst waiting for second exchange piggly tried to escape out of the back of the Landy. Hubby had previously said that a small electric fence would be OK for these as they could not jump high - mmmmm........ Pigs safely locked in Landy and off we went. Arrived back home and proceeded to load pigglys into the field. Pigglys escaped and friend had to run around trying to get them back into the field. The afternoon was spent at a food festival where the highlight was pig racing - seemed to me that we had already witnessed this event and indeed after experiencing the so called "proper" pig race, ours was much better! Evening drink on the terrace (aka flat roof) and friends popped in. Whilst having a drink Hubby was told that he should stack the bales of hay as it might rain - Hubby had beer in hand and wasn't having any of it but friend persisted so Hubby and friend went off in the dark into the field to stack hay. Neighbours arrived to assist with the hay stacking as they do! Visiting friend impressed with activities so far but little did she know how exciting Sunday would be!!

Friend hugely impressed when she awoke to find Hubby up, dressed and out in the shed making space for hay. People who know Hubby will also be impressed by this as the only time he is ever up , dressed and out is when he is skiing. No snow to be seen anywhere but it was the threat of the soon to arrive farmers that got him into action. Frantic activity in shed, 4x4 arrived with neighbours to help, another 4x4 arrived with farmers. Landy out with trailer "farm boys" standing on side of 4x4, sitting on top of trailer with bales of hay. "Farm girl" arrived to help in the harvest. Neighbour's daughter saddled up horse in car park for a ride. Friend much impressed by all this activity and thought Hubby was very hardworking on Sunday morning. "Was he usually like this?" ........ I could leave a space here for Hubby's friends to fill in! Shed full of hay - looked and smelt good but no real need for all this hay unless we turn the shed into some kind of farm activity centre. Oh did I forget to say that during all this harvesting activity neighbour decided to deliver the two sheep that we purchased so friend and I frantically tried to put in the electric fence as per Hubby's useless instructions. Sheep arrived and placed into field.

Ahhhh rest at last and a quiet afternoon - oh no - we had planned a BBQ on the beach. Loaded Landy with large Weber, surf boards etc and all climbed in (Well Son had to go with neighbours). Arrived at beach - raining. Not to be put off, Men decided to go surfing and left friend and I at BBQ with a box of wine. Well it could have gone one of two ways, but embracing the good old British spirit we put waterproof coats on, lit BBQ, opened box of wine and played rounders!

As another friend so excellently put it ....." A normal weekend for your friend then?!"

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