Thursday 30 August 2007

37.5 Hours

Our Company is being sold. It's been 'being sold' for ages, and I'm not sure how far down the road to 'being sold' things are, however I was told that if 'when it's sold' I want to keep my job, I'd better start doing 37.5 hours per week in the office ...no more working from home for me. Because I want to be at the Stables to ride every night before it's too late, and also because I don't DO traffic, I am now in the office every day for 6.45am and leave again at 2.30pm. I don't take a lunch break, just nip out to M&S for a buttie.

I've done this now for two weeks and I have to tell you that I'm absolutely knackered.

I will be in bed tonight for 9pm. I think I need to retire.

Poor Phoebe

The vet has been today...don't worry, there's nothing wrong - just time for annual flu and tetanus injections. Huge needle, jabbed into chest, and then about 20mls of harsh fluid plunged in. Horse's eyebrows leap upwards and then she looks at you as if to say..."How could you? I thought you loved me?" It's so traumatic for me....but it's for her own good, honestly!

Saturday 25 August 2007

Bank Holiday Weekend

Good Lord above - the sun is out - will wonders never cease? Yippee!!! and it's forecast to be sunny all weekend. FANTASTIC!!!

Wednesday 22 August 2007

The Weather

Who ever is in charge of the weather is having a laugh....aren't they?

Dan's Birthday




We had a lovely time when we went to Gloucestershire last week for Dan's 18th Birthday. Check out the bruise on the top of her arm - we don't beat her..no no no, a nasty horse bit her!!! The meal was lovely and the company was great. We had dinner with Bruce and Ali, who she works for and the two lovely girls that she works with...Abby and Bex. I had a glass of champagne too many and told one of the girls that she had lovely teeth for a girl from Cornwall (what?!!!!) I'm sure when you get to eighteen parents become excrutiatingly embarrassing. Glad I didn't let her down!!!!

I shall wear purple

A colleague of mine showed me this poem, and I think it's lovely.


When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit.


You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.


But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.


But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple

What can I say?

Yesterday at work, some of the lovely young ladies on the next desk were discussing forming a pop group and modelling themselves on the Spice Girls. "Can I join?" I asked. "Oh yes" came the reply, "you can be 'Old Spice' !!!"

Saturday 11 August 2007

Busy

I've been away in Spain since Wednesday - it was cloudy but very warm so don't have much of a tan, Had a big argument with Dan's Dad about her impending (Aug 15th) 18th birthday - but it's okay because I actually won for once!!! (I think). Before I went to Spain I worked away for two days in Gloucester and then in South Wales, so I haven't seen my lovely Phoebe for 7 days. Cressie has been round to feed the cat (thanks Cressie) who only killed one mouse in an entire week - which is a good thing as Cressie has a notoriously weak stomach. Whilst in Spain did 3 hair-raising journeys along the toll toad from Airport to House travelling at extremely high speeds and wimpering loudly (sorry Mike), and enjoyed 4 lovely days with extended family. I'm back now and off to Gloucestershire again on Wednesday for a dinner out and overnight stay for Dan's Birthday. None of the birthday presents that I have ordered for her have arrived yet (gulp) so I may yet have to shop to buy her a gift that I can take along on the day. Going to an event tomorrow to groom for Dee (Dan's friend) and am having a riding lesson in the afternoon. Jo is coming over for tea and cake at some point tomorrow also. Must phone my Mother, do laundry and ironing and find some time to write a report for work. Oh yes, also must balance bank account and work out exactly how much I spent on trip to Spain.

Thursday 2 August 2007

Good Luck Dan

Today Dan and Bugsy have their very first one day event of the Summer. Because of the rain all the others that she had entered were cancelled. She's on her way now (6.50am) to the West Wilsthire show ground and her dressage starts at 9am. She just sent me a text from the lorry and she was asleep!!! She's doing the show jump phase at 10am and then the cross country at 10.45am. So if you read this before then...keep your fingers crossed. Bruce (who she works for and who teaches her) has made her carry a whip (to 'encourage' Bugsy) which she is using for the first time in competition today!!! Bugsy will probably jump all the way to Kent. I'll post an update later so you can find out how they got on. Anyway "GOOD LUCK DAN"!!!

Wednesday 1 August 2007

Visiting

On Tuesday I went over to Gloucestershire to see Dan. It took me 4 hours to get there (traffic jam on M4) but it was worth it. She looked tired and seemed to have lost a few pounds in weight, so I took her out for a big meal, and we went shopping to a tack shop. The little house that she is living in is lovely and she showed me how busy she has been with all her cleaning and cooking etc!!! I miss her so much, and home is so very quiet without her (albeit tidier and more organised!).

The main thing is that she is having fun and learning lots about riding and more importantly - jumping cross country. The people she is working for are really nice and looking after her very well. So half of me is glad she's gone because it's so good for her, but the other half is not so glad as it's not that good for me. It's her 18th birthday on the 15th of this month and I can't quite believe that she is going to be all grown up. So put all that together with the news that I need reading glasses (see previous post) and I can tell you that I'm really starting to feel my age!!.

Nice things and not so nice things

Today has had some good parts and some bad parts. The bad part first. I was struggling to re-focus my eyes when looking from my PC screen at work to look at the clock (to see how close I was to lunch time) so I went to get my eyes tested. The bad news is that I need glasses for reading. The good news is that there was a 'bogof' offer on at the optician. Two pairs of reading specs for £200. The bad news is that this is a sure sign of ageing.

The lovely thing that happened today was that my friend Jo, or Jopa, as she is referred to (Jo is her name and PA is her job title) came to ride Phoebe a few weeks ago, and took a beautiful photgraph of her which shows her lovely face and her very 'kind' eye. When I got home tonight this photograph had been enlarged, put in a beautiful frame and left for me by Jopa as a lovely thoughtful gift. It was so nice that it made me cry.

When I get my new specs on Friday I shall be able to look properly at the lovely photograph!!

Beautiful New life