Nothing is sacred. I have nowhere. I am followed most places.

And then things I need are taken or sat on.

And sometimes it can be quite the argument to get them back too.

Often, there is no negotation available and I have to give up and go and do something else instead.  Note the claws.  I think I left in disgust and was forced to go and do housework. Ugh!

But I forgive Monster, because he is very photogenic.

Meanwhile, I have spent every other waking hour in my shed stabbing away making my felted sheep.  The cruise ship visitors are buying them up faster than I can create them.

These two keep me company while I binge-watch Grey’s Anatomy, crying my eyes out trying not to draw my own blood with blurry vision.  It’s not easy and I am addicted.

After tea, weather-permitting, I try to go for a walk to check on the Ancients. I don’t see them much as OH gives them their morning bucket and reports back.  But I do like to know for myself that everything is ok.

I am pleased with Bibble. He lost weight in winter but has put it back on.  Phew.  Good effort, Bibble.

And Kolka is the same as ever, shovelling as much in her face as possible.

Now where is that darn cat?

This morning started off with a large downpour of rain.  It has been pretty much solidly raining since Friday and everyone was heartily bored of it, though I do have to say that the rugs on Fivla and Vitamin held up very well.  I didn’t have to put dry ones on as theirs’ were never wet through, which is impressive.

This lot didn’t have rugs and Storm was dithering and following me around looking pathetic, so I took him into the shed to warm up.  He thought this was great and thank you very much as he dragged me along.

After Storm had finished everyone’s bowls and haynets, he quickly realised that inside was not a fun place to be and wanted out.

A few hours later, the rain had stopped and the sun came out so I let everyone outside and crossed all my fingers that we have beaten the laminitis (this time, though I shall watch them like a hawk).

My back is also agony so I am hoping the total change in dietary regime for the ponies – ie, I have stopped all extra hay and fibre blocks – will mean they only have what they can find on the track plus their breakfast scoop with mins/vits.

There was lots of rolling – they do this to re-establish their herd smell.

And they were so pleased to see each other.

It was lovely.  The change in them all is huge.  Happy little ponies together again.

I told them to go down to the track and find whatever they could find to eat because that’s it.  No one needed telling twice and they rushed off quickly in case I changed my mind again.

This little lot seem much better.

While, I sorted out their filthy bedroom, I let them out to play.  The wheelbarrow was not upright for long – thank you, Waffle, and they were into everything.

All three were racing around the school and I would say Waffle is certainly 100% again.

Albie and Tiddles may need a bit longer inside.

It was nice to see them playing too.

The minute a sense of humour appears, I know everything will probably be alright.  Today, they were very wicked.

I didn’t ask them to run – they just wanted to.  A lot.

Like every parent, I mucked out their bedroom (quite literally!) and they ran back in as I had also added two new haynets of soaked hay.

I am glad Waffle, Albie and Tiddles are brighter.  Everything feels almost back to normal.

Tomorrow, I might let Waffle go back outside.  On the track, all food has been cut right back to nothing and they only have what they can find to eat now.  There is much complaining.  I don’t want to go back to Square 1, but I do need to know if he could live outside.

I was in a rush this morning, so everyone got a bit of a lick and a promise, while breakfast was dished out and paddocks mucked out.

I was off to Turrifield to do seed planting all morning.

After sewing tiny lettuce seeds and then massive runner beans, I was given a tour to see the results of my previous planting work.

It is very satisfying and I kept saying to myself “I did this”, as well as many other folk who volunteer too.

And then there was the fruit tree polytunnel, where the trees have been cleverly grown into an espalier (a tree trained flat against a support with several tiers of branches).  I want to learn how to do this very much. It is an ancient art. 

I’m still keen on the polytunnel idea but I am beginning to realise that it is a lot of work and time is something I don’t have at the moment so mine would be full of weeds and badly neglected.

I am still transcribing my Great Great Aunt Kate’s diaries and, because today is a special day and one which she lived through, I dug out the 1944 diary to look at what she wrote.  I have only reached 1936 so I am jumping a few years on.

It’s another small diary – they all are tiny – and the writing is minute too but I mostly have my eye in by now and know her ways and shorthand.

It was also stuffed full of little bits of newspaper cuttings.

Anyway, I thought you might be interested in her entry for that week….

Some background: Kate is 65 years old.  Her sister, Alys (my great grandmother) is 60.  For the duration of the war, they have left the dangers of London to live at Layton Manor, Richmond, Yorkshire (left to Alys’ husband (my great grandfather), Dennis, a few years back).  Dennis is at Ashbridge Hospital, Berkhamsted working as a pathologist for the Army.  The sisters are looking after James, Alys’ grandson (my uncle).  My mother (Eve) is 4 years old and remains with her mother.

Allies enter Rome – June 4^th, 5^th
We land in France between Cherbourg and Le Havre
Airborne and seaborne. Fighting in Caen 6th

Tuesday 6^th June 1944
Windy. Cool.
Baden said Invasion started. Heard at 10 o’clock. Eisenhower speech to Europeans and troops. Dutch and Belgian; Prime Ministers Auctioneer’s men taking furniture all day. Alys gave them sausages and mash. I got tea. We had oxtail, red currants and raspberries and custard. To Dimmock, Holt, Barnes, Gell, Dob, O’Brin. Cake and water. James with Alan. Wrote Ella. Listened to news. To garden, pigs and lettuces, sausages and bacon. I late so no bath. Brains Tr; Meynell. King spoke.

Memo:
10^th Fete 6^th Auction men and 7^th
5^th James’ 7^th birthday
6^th INVASION started. Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force – “SHAEF”.
10^th Rents
9^th Miss Brown with posters.

And I found tucked into the diary this little folded slip of paper.

I am very humbled by this.  Somehow words don’t seem enough.