Welcome to blog! I started it in 2020 to chart my recovery from breaking my ankle (hence the name). I guess no-one saw a global pandemic coming. It's turned into a place where I can talk about the things happening in my life, my horse and my cats. Enjoy!
I think I might have gotten a little carried away when ordering body parts for the Baby Sprocker. The note on the shipping slip made me giggle.
They had a sale on…. Enough said huh?! One thing’s for sure, Bert was very happy with this delivery.
This delivery today sent Bert into a bit of a frenzy. It also turned my stomach somewhat. I’m not the best with animal body parts. Bert’s delight outweighs my squeamishness.
I may have used tongs to pick up a chicken foot though. Bert made short work of it. His little happy chirrups would melt even the hardest of hearts.
Sometimes it’s worth stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing something new. But I’m still not ready to face rabbit ears…
Someone was very pleased with himself. I swear he’s part-womble! He had a whale of a time ripping this box up. He was tearing round the house too.
I have now nicknamed him ‘The Dark Destroyer’. Judging by the way he was throwing himself about, he clearly sees a future as a WWE star. And now he has the name sorted…
Bert’s new bed arrived today. I’d barely got it out of the packaging and he was trying to get in it. He was also testing its durability. With his teeth! Either that or he was trying to get the perfect spot for it. By carrying it round the room.
He was very happy with it. There was a bit of burrowing going on too. He’s such a happy little chap.
He’s also a shredder. He’s obsessed with toilet roll middles. They get shredded. And takes great joy in going in the waste paper box next to the fire. He’s shredded a few receipts and bits of scrap paper. Thankfully they’re there to be burned so no harm done. Other than my lounge floor looks a bit like the inside of a snow globe…
Well it’s not every day you can say you had a lesson with an Olympian! But there were so many other reasons to celebrate today. Rather early start as we needed to be at Easton for 8am. Poor Buddy has just gone out when I got him back in and on the lorry. We left the yard bang on 7:30am.
We were booked into a clinic with Nicola Wilson. Nicola was an international event rider and part of Team GB, winning a Silver medal in London 2012. She was also European Individual Champion 2021 – 2023. Amongst other medals and achievements.
She had a career-ending fall at Badminton in 2022 and sustained multiple spinal fractures that has resulted in the loss of sensation and movement in her extremities. I’ve followed her journey from accident to now. Talk about inspirational. She has determination I can only dream of!
She is also the most lovely person. So I was excited to have a lesson with her. It was the first time back jumping at Easton since Buddy’s injury. The little worry doubts were in my head. Well Buddy soon quashed those. He was having a wonderful time. He jumped everything. Even with my dodgy lines. Honestly, I need to work on straightness.
It was the first proper course we’ve jumped since April so again, a big tick on his rehab. He feels softer, freer and very adjustable.
This photo made me smile, he looks like he’s taking a bow! He was such a dude today. I can’t stop smiling. And let’s face it, I need lots of those right now.
This is a sure sign that we are heading towards Winter. The kittens have totally ignore this bed for months now. Today was the day Hugo reclaimed it. Can’t say I blame him. I love a blanky. And a fluffy one is even better.
Hugo is one very happy kitten right now.
Final day of camp and we saved the best till last. Buddy and I jumped our first course since his injury. And boy did he jump!
Buddy didn’t seem to have gotten the memo that we were meant to be jumping little jumps. He was mister chill till he realised we were jumping. Then he was like an bloody Exocet missile!!
He was tanking round the jumps. Taking me (well rather dragging me) towards them. He’s back that’s for sure!!
I burst into tears after our first round. I know his injury was minor. I know the vet told me that he’d be fine. But I honestly didn’t know if he was going to be happy jumping again.
Judging by how much fun he was having, I’d say I can put any doubts to one side. Now I need to work on both of our fitness and getting the discipline back. He was a bit of a maniac today! So I can foresee a Winter of training ahead. Today he had his fun. We both did. Even with the tears, we both massive smiles on our faces.
Well it’s been a long time come. Buddy and I are back at Forest Edge for the last training camp of 2024.
I set it as a stretch goal for his rehab. A lovely synchronicity in that it was at the first training camp in April that his injury was really noticed.
We’re doing one lesson per day rather than two. And I will be keeping an eye on him. In fact I’m pretty sure there will be lots of eyes on him. So many people have been on this journey with us. There are lots of Buddy fans here too.
He’s tucked up in his stable. I’m tucked up in my lorry. I bet he doesn’t have a leak though. I’m currently experiencing Chinese water torture with a drip behind my head. Another job for the list…
I will be OK. It can’t take the smile off my face right now. We’ve made it to camp. Big tick for us both.
I know I’ve been to a few without him. But it really is wonderful to have him here…
Today is my Mum’s 81st birthday. So I drove nearly 350 miles and spent nearly 7 hours in the Comedy Car to go and sing her Happy Birthday.
The nursing home where she is had put balloons and birthday banners in her room. And baked a cake specially for her. It’s a really lovely home. They do so much for the residence. 8 of the staff came in with the cake and sang Happy Birthday too.
The cake was delicious by the way. As was dinner with my Dad before I drove back.
My Mum has deteriorated so much since I saw her at the end July. She’s still here. And every day I have two living parents, I am grateful. One day I know I won’t and I will be the top of the tree. I’m not sure I’m grown up enough to have that level of responsibility.
Ageing is such a weird thing. I still think I’m in my twenties. Odd to think that one day, we’ll all be gone. Till then, I’m enjoying the ride… And aiming for 100 not out!!
While I was journaling today a memory stirred, so I took a moment to look at it. I remembered being criticised for my ‘child-like excitement’ of things. I was told in no uncertain terms that I shouldn’t be so overly-excited about things. At the time, I wasn’t sure how to respond. So I ended up toning down my reactions so I’d ‘fit in more’.
As I’ve got older, I realised that actually there’s nothing wrong with being excited about stuff. Big stuff, little stuff and everything in between. In fact, being excited about stuff shows it means something.
I was very excited yesterday before and after jumping. It’s something I love doing. This week I’m excited about going to Hickstead, catching up with good friends and making more memories.
If that’s childish, then guilty as charged. I’m good with being young at heart. Life can be bloody serious sometimes. I know so many people facing serious stuff. If I can lighten the mood and make someone laugh with my enthusiasm for life, that’s gotta be a good thing.
Tales, Tails and Talus 