Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

I'll bet Bob made a better job..... If you want a job doing, do it yourself. How true.
You are as obsessive about your dress-making as I am with my engines.... No criticism, I think it's the only way to be!

[Stanley]

Enjoying the day, looking after Jack and moving quietly ahead wit the engines.... Any spare time will be spent re-reading John le Carre......

[Sue]

Absolutely to both Stanley. I have an inspiring sewing teacher who taught/ is teaching me to draft patterns. She is rapidly becoming friend rather than teacher and whenever I have visited( tuition when I need rather than every week) she has inspired me to try new things.

Today I am making Briony's PE bag for when she starts school in September. She has asked for pink( surprise surprise) and a picture of a ladybird. Thus today I am relearning how to use my embroidery attachment to my machine. We are also packing as it is our annual June trip to the Lakes. Expect rain, it always does

[Julie in Norfolk]

I envy you the trip to the lakes, it was monsoon weather last time I went. Today, moving furniture around in Mum's new bungalow to make room for laminate flooring to go down in the study on Monday. Hopefully, when we put it back in place in a week's time, that will be the majority of furniture moving. Pine (in our house) may be a lesser quality than oak (in mum's house) but it is a darned sight easier to move.

[Stanley]

Sue. There are some who aver that the only way to fully appreciate the scenery in the Lakes is through a thin veil of falling rain.....
The shed got exciting yesterday when I reached the stage where all one of the engine needs to make it a runner is the valve and gear.... Exciting stuff!
Julie, you have my sympathy.... Shifting stuff round for work to be done in the house is a personal nightmare! I hate disruption and that's why I am currently resisting the urge to get the decorators in....

[Sue]

We have lived in a permanent state of furniture shifting since we started our list of home improvements last October. All is back to normal now. The big tasks have been deferred until next Autumn. We have abandoned the idea of removing the anaglypta from our bedroom walls as so little can be seen. We have a run of wardrobes on one wall, a large window running the length of another wall. The two short walls are hidden by the bed head and a run of drawers. So the bedroom merely requires a coat of paint. The big job is the lounge. All the other things are done. The house is looking much improved.

How is the kitchen going Wendy. I am sooooo pleased with our kitchen.

[Wendyf]

Steady away Sue! It will be a while before signs of the new kitchen start to appear. I'll post some photos on the other thread. Col has done damage in the area of his ribs while doing some pipe work in a tricky corner of the bathroom and has been in a lot of pain, but he is slowly improving and has soldiered steadily on...
I shall be out in the garden again today, I got most of my grass mowed yesterday (it took just over two hours with the petrol mower) today I'll get the old hover mower out to do the steep banks and then strim edges.

[Julie in Norfolk]

Furniture moved, decorator seen and confirms that he is there tomorrow. Tomorrow and the forthcoming days are: carpet up, skirting off, wallpaper off, ceiling painted, walls prepped, laminate floor underlay then laminate floor, re-position skirting, paint, paint, paint. Hopefully next weekend is furniture back in place. Big computer desk, 3 bookcases, sideboard, bed settee, guinea pigs, etc. etc. etc.

[Julie in Norfolk]

Oh, and I forgot that the bathroom is being done this week also. I did suggest mum went into a hotel for a week but she said no.

[Sue]

Hard work Julie

[Stanley]

Please stop talking about decorating, it makes me feel guilty!
Wendy, Give Col my sympathy. I broke two ribs once while working on pipework. Mind you it was 3" pipe and a 48" Stillson.... Pipe-fitting is dangerous stuff!

[Stanley]

Valve making.......

[Stanley]

Valves.... The lumps are reducing all the time as I chew bits off them!

[Sue]

Yesterday was lovely here in the lakes until the thunderstorm at 1.00 when we got soaked. We have not planned today yet. We may go to Keswick

[Wendyf]

I was going to the hairdressers this morning than dashing home in time for the farrier at 12.30, now I need to get the vet out for Sparky so I'll probably miss the hairdressers. Mostly I shall be worrying about Colin having his 6 month check up.

[Marilyn]

Thinking of you, Wendy. Don't forget to "breathe"...tomorrow is another day.

[LizG]

I was going to the hairdressers this morning than dashing home in time for the farrier at 12.30, now I need to get the vet out for Sparky so I'll probably miss the hairdressers. Mostly I shall be worrying about Colin having his 6 month check up.

You can get a haircut next week Wendy. I think Colin is under control. What's wrong with Sparky?

[Wendyf]

Just got an "all clear" text from Col..no more nasty little bladder tumours. Phew!!
Sparky was hit by laminitis yesterday Liz. I got him inside as soon as I realized there was a problem and gave him extra anti-inflammatory drugs (he is on a low dose for his stiff joints). A couple of hours later he seemed much improved, which was a relief. Their small paddock has very short grass, but an afternoon of rain after all the hot dry weather brought on a flush of grass. My fault, I should have been prepared.The vet is coming later this morning to check him out, if I have to keep him in then Dennis will have to be inside too...they go crazy if they cant see each other!

[Marilyn]

All is well then. Pop the kettle on and have a good sit down. ( haggly hair and all)
Hope Sparky is soon kicking up his heels.

[PanBiker]

Fantastic news for Col and I hope Sparky recovers OK. I'm with Maz, have a relax on that nice terrace of yours.

[Wendyf]

Good news for Sparky too, no apparent damage done to the laminae as I caught it in time and was able to deal with the inflammation with drugs I had to hand. The vet & I agreed that I can try and contain him in a small area of the field rather than keep him inside for a week, which he would normally recommend.

[PanBiker]

Good, glad he's OK Wendy.

[Stanley]

Wendy, I know you know this but for the benefit of anyone who doesn't know, Laminitis can be very serious and in beef cattle can be brought on by too rich a diet. Barley fed beef were prone to it. I think you are correct in that it was probably the flush of grass which triggered Sparky's problem. You know as well as I do that it could have been much worse, I once helped to try to cure a lovely pony with Grass Sickness.... We failed and it had to be put down. Same reason, a flush of grass early in the year. The horse people up at Leyburn never bought new season's hay, they wanted it two years old at least and I think this was for the same reason.
Shopping and Valves......

[LizG]

There's nothing worse than a horse that founders. I'm so pleased you caught it in time Wendy.

[Christian]

Putting a few hours in at work, then off to Bradford for a second interview.. Fingers n toes crossed.