Bee nice

It’s good to be home. Even if it means I have to fend for myself. I could get used to being catered for you know. It was lovely not to have to think what to eat. Just grab a plate and tuck in for the past few days.

Being back from camp, also means a mountain of washing, cleaning and tidying. Made a start on that. The glorious sunshine means the washing dries quickly.

While making one of many trips to the washing line, I stopped to admire this geranium. I love this one. Especially contrasting against the daisies. It was smothered in bees. So not only does it look good, it does good too.

My garden has exploded while I’ve been away. It was only 3 nights. Fingers crossed we get some rain soon as some bits are starting to look a bit sad. Looks like I will be getting the mower out this weekend. Cause I haven’t sweated enough this week…

Very happy camper

Back home after another brilliant training camp. 3 nights away, 6 brilliant lessons, 2 great instructors, many wonderful friends, countless laughs and 2 very tired campers.

Well I definitely am. You’d like to think Buddy was too.

Today we finished off our lessons with more course jumping with jumps on angles. And a flat work lesson with no stirrups and counter-canter. It’s a wonder I could drive home!!

It was also a camp tinged with sadness as it could be the last camp for some wonderful horses and inspirational people.

This was my motto of the camp. And by Jove, I did just that! I couldn’t have asked more from
Buddy. He tried his heart out for me. Even with my inept moments.

Thank you to everyone who made it such a special few days.

Less than a month till we’re back there for BIG camp. Eeek!! Best get the washing on….

Poppies

Spotted these beautiful poppies across from the lorry this morning. What a glorious sight to bring start the day.

Two brilliant lessons today. First up a play on the XC course. Buddy was full of beans but jumped everything I asked of him. Really pleased with him.

After lunch, it was course jumping. Again, Buddy was up for it. He felt so balanced. We even got complemented on the quality of our canter. Something that rarely happens.

Buddy can be a bit of a mixed bag. When it’s good, my goodness it’s good. Today was very, very good.

Diaphoretic

This is the face of a rather sweaty Pip! And that was after I’d stuck my head under the tap. It’s been a tad toasty today. Not sure who sweated more – me or Buddy!

Two cracking lessons down. Lots of electrolytes and fluids down too. Buddy has found a new favourite snack: recover mash! Though he looked like he was wearing most of it by the time he’d slurped it up.

Finished the day by giving CPR to the shower plug hole to get it to drain. Thought for one moment I was going to flood the place. That wouldn’t have been a good look. Neither was the colour of the water when I’d finished in the shower.

Have I mentioned I love camp life?

Photo fail

I thought I’d try and take an arty photo of our boys in the forest. Ended up perfectly framing Katie between Buddy’s ears.

Couldn’t help smile. Well smile even more. It felt good to be back in the forest ready for another training camp.

Of course I might regret that statement after sweating my backside off tomorrow. I packed so many extra clothes. Unlike last time, it’ll be for sweating rather than shivering.

Oasis

I had breakfast and lunch al fresco today. My garden is usually a little oasis of calm. I love sitting listening to the birds.

Not today. Today there was a lot of noise. Seemed everyone was using the nice weather to get out in the garden too. There was a cacophony of lawnmowers, power tools and even a chainsaw!

If you can’t beat them, join them eh! I resisted the urge to join the noise. But went and did some tidying in the borders instead. The ivy had gotten a little out of hand on the back fence. So it needed a good cull. Still got a way to go with it though. It’s looking much better though already.

Comatosed

Hugo gave me a fright when I found him comatosed in the conservatory earlier. He was out for the count. I wondered if he’d overheated at first. It was pretty warm in there. Cause that’s cat logic. It’s a nice sunny day, so let’s go and sit in a glass box!

Thankfully he was OK. Just very tired from a heavy night of sleeping. I wish I could sleep like a cat, I really do.

KitKats

I don’t have much of a sweet tooth. But I do love a KitKat. They’re in my Top 3 chocolate bars (after Double Decker and Twirl). So imagine my joy when I went for a meeting with one of my clients and not only did we have KitKats with our coffee, she gave me these bad boys!

It’s a bit of an in-joke as we categorise issues in number of KitKats it will take to solve. I’m very tempted to recommend this system to the UN. Pretty sure it could take off.

Unsettled

I’ve felt very unsettled today. And quite emotional. I know what’s going on so that’s good. I’m working through some deep rooted stuff. Always exhausting. So I did what I always do when I don’t know what to do. I went to see Buddy and took him out for a hack.

That was after I put the magazine I’ve been working on to bed. A phrase I love on many levels. I think it’s so cute that it goes to bed. Not a clue where it comes from. Probably something to do with the old printing presses having beds where the typeset sat. Anyway it always makes me smile. As does finishing the magazine.

Buddy may have bitten off more than he could chew on our hack today. Even when I’m feeling low and emotional, he lifts my mood and makes me laugh. Although he did look like a redneck with cleaver hanging from his mouth.

Resilience

I thought I’d lost this Lily. It was one that started to regrow after the heatwave last year. Then got battered by the frosts and snow. So happy to see it survived. It’s about half the size it would normally be. But it’s still there.

Talk about resilience!!