September and October 2003

Lots to report, firstly, we have a new niece - Dad's brother (Mick) and his wife (Rachel) have had a little girl called Abigail.  Abby was not very well at first, and had to stay in hospital, she may need an operation when she is bigger, but she is now at home....I've not seen her yet (I might hide anyway!)   

In other news, we have combining peas, George (our nephew) has been over to look at the combine harvester (he loves all the big machinery and has toy versions of them all!).  If you can make someone's day with something the love or would enjoy, why not?  It has also been very noisy here as they have been levelling the concrete outside the big shed...I went to investigate, but it was cold and loud, so I left them to it!  Mum's car broke down and she had to drive it carefully to Cranfields (where the buildings and land are between the two farms) and it had to be taken on a lorry to the garage.  She is not best pleased because this car has been "unlucky" and had a lot of expensive issues with it.  In other bad happenings, Dad trapped his finger in a trailer door and had to go to a hospital (like a vets, but for humans!) and the combining continued in a stop/start manner as predicted.  Once it finished the combine was washed down and put away for the Winter (I don't like that, too much water - especially as the potato boxes were then pressure washed too - I left Will to observe that) and also the linseed straw was burned - I quite liked the smell.  There seems to have been a bit of a "last minute rush" with all the farmers around here to try and get the harvest in his year, it has no been very straightforward.

I had a day "home alone" when Mum and Dad went over to Grindleford (wherever that is!) for a long hike, and Will was at the other farm.  I love being here.....there is so much to do, and Pam came in to feed me anyway. Speaking of Pam, I have made use of her shed roof - "it is important to make the best of everything" after all - because in August we had the hottest day in Lincolnshire since records began - 37 degrees - I do wonder, and really hope, that all my brothers and sisters, and my parents are happy and healthy wherever they are....I was musing on this (and hoping) from Pam's shed roof. It is nice there with the heat, and also the breeze from the trees and the birdsong, you get to hear and observe so much!

this is me on the bonnet of the car which costs a lot of money, a lot of the time!