This can mean only one thing. Tomorrow Buddy and I are off out competing. This time it’s a spot of Arena Eventing. So that’ll be fun!

What wasn’t so fun was trying to print out my number. I created a template the the club. But my printer decided it wouldn’t print. Lord only knows why?! Clearly it decide to join my keyboard, which has also stopped working.

Of course that could be because Bert spilt lemon and ginger tea on it…. The printer has no such justification. And yes, it has ink.

Very grateful that a wonderful friend was at work and printed it for me.

Apparently the number 57 is nicknamed Grothendieck prime (it’s a maths joke as it’s not a prime number). Buddy has been on top form recently. We need to leave at a rather ungodly hour, luckily the clocks change so it shouldn’t feel as bad as it looks on paper.

Let’s hope we are both primed and ready to have a fun outing.

I was peopling this morning and my lovely chiro checked me while I was there. She said I was low on copper. Honestly, I didn’t know that was a thing, but there you go.

I asked her what I needed to eat to get more in my diet. Dark chocolate was her response. Now I’m not a huge chocolate fan (I know, I’m weird), but I do like dark chocolate. So off to the shop I trotted.

She didn’t say how much I needed. Or for how long. These are mere details. Right now, I’m enjoying this nutritional advice. Better than kale huh?! What is it with kale?!

Blimey it’s been wet and wild today! It’s been one of those batten down the hatches and light the fire kinda days.

Bert wasn’t keen on leaving the house for his walk this morning. I wasn’t with either. But needs must. Bert’s ears were in full flap-mode! I battled my hood and lost. So we both came back like drowned rats.

He got to dry out while I headed to the yard for maid duty. When I got back, I really wanted to light the twig burner. But the chimney sweep was booked for this afternoon. So I caved and put the heating on.

Once the chimney was swept, it was all systems go. Bert approved! I definitely did too.

Can someone please explain how my darling horse can snap a buckle?! This is not the first time it’s happened either.

It’s a good job I love him. It’s also a good job I have a spare rug (or two. Honest I’ve cut down) till I can get this one fixed.

He looks very smart in his new rug. To go with his new shoes. It’s been a bit of a pamper week for Buddy so far. Haircut, pedicure and a new outfit! I should be so lucky.

Though I did have another Bowen Technique session today and dinner out at a Committee meeting. So I’m not doing too badly myself…

Someone decided that they wanted to be a lapdog today. He’s a bit big now and rather heavy. He makes a lovely hot water bottle though.

It did make typing rather hard. His snoring was a bit distracting. My legs were feeling it too by the time he got off. He’s just so cute though I didn’t want to turf him off.

He’s usually happy to sleep under my chair while on the laptop. So it was a bit of a shock when he jumped up. He clearly decided that I needed warming up or he just wanted a cuddle. I’m not complaining either way.

I might have gotten a little bit wet today. Can you detect the sarcasm?! I got soaked to my knickers! I had a very soggy bottom where the rain had wicked up my trousers. The joys of horses huh?! Poo picking in the pissing rain.

Oh and ragworting. It’s been so mild, the bloody stuff is growing again. Fun times! To be fair, I was laughing to myself as I trotted down the road with my wheelbarrow. It was raining so hard, I couldn’t actually see where I was going. It was running in my eyes.

I didn’t want to get the seat wet in the Upgrade. Thankfully I have one or two plastic bags. Why do we end up with so many in the car?! So drove home on one. Typically by the time I got home and showered, the sun had come back out. At least I got to have lunch in the sun.

I thought Buddy was going to raise a formal complaint when for the second day running he didn’t get turned out with the others. He was easily appeased with a haynet and his first haircut of the year.

His coat seemed to have grown so much while I was away in Bath. He was getting rather sweaty. So needed to be done. Really grateful that Beki was able to squeeze him in.

Doesn’t he look handsome?! He was definitely feeling lighter judging by the way he headed across the field afterwards. Wish me luck people…?!

Buddy, Bert and I headed over to World Horse Welfare early this morning for a jumping lesson with Justine Ward.

We got off to an interesting start as Buddy was rather confused by heading straight from his stable to the lorry. I was rather confused when I got in said lorry to find my breakfast toast had disappeared! Not sure you’ll need 3 guesses to work out where that went. Thanks Bert…

To be fair, it was my fault for leaving it on the seat. It’s the first time he’s stolen food like that. He’s such a cracking little lorry dog. He loves to sit on the driver’s seat watching the comings and goings. He happily watched over proceedings while Buddy and I rode.

Buddy was on top form. Justine was complimentary and gave me some great tips. A friend popped over to watch us in action. It was the first time she’d seen us together in the flesh. She was rather impressed. In fact, she was so busy watching she forgot to video us until near the end. Lovely to get any footage though.

All in all, I’m very pleased with the Oversized Labrador and the Baby Sprocker. Oh and yes, I did have something to eat after I’d jumped. I needed it, I can tell you.

I have to say that Bert makes a pretty good hot water bottle. I needed it after getting rather cold today.

Pipping hot broccoli soup, a hot shower and the twig burner were all called into action too.

Bert was fascinated by the twig burner. I guess he was rather little the last time I lit it. He sat staring at it. And running off with bits of paper from the kindling box.

I’m not sure how comfortable this position was for him, but he was snoring. I was very appreciative of the extra warmth, that’s for sure.

Last night I was craving mash potato. It’s one of my winter go-to’s. I didn’t have any in (yes I’m very lazy and use instant) or any potatoes (shocker), so I headed to the local Co-op to get some. They didn’t have any instant either, but they did have some pre-made (no judgement). So that ticked that box.

While I was there, I noticed some reduced mushrooms and broccoli. So I snapped them up and today I made two more batches of soup. I hate food waste. Each time it’s getting better and better. Just call me the Soup Dragon.

I used to love the Clangers. It was one of my brother’s nicknames when we were growing up. But the Soup Dragon was always my favourite character.

The downside to broccoli soup is my house does smell a little funky…!