Solar powered

Day 157: solar powered. When the phone rang early this morning, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Thankfully it was a friend asking us out for a puppy play date. We took the dogs over a local dog park. Bert had a blast. We had coffee and a good catch up.

I am clearly solar powered! Bit of sun and I’m back to boundless energy. So when I got back, the horse hoover was deployed and cleaned out my lorry. I’d brought it home yesterday after Newmarket.

Then Bert had Puppy College. He was a little tired from his morning exertions. No bad thing for Storm Bert. He was definitely ready for his afternoon nap. So I left him home while I went to the yard to muck out and popped Buddy over a couple of jumps.

What a lovely day!

Back again

After a very long time, today saw our return to Blickling. Honestly, it’s been months since we were last there. It was also Bert’s first visit! It was so good to catch up with Katie and Archie too. We talked the whole way round.

It was glorious weather too. This photo made me laugh, it looks like Archie and Buddy have had words.

Having ridden for nearly 1.5 hours, I took Bert for a run around. We had our first recall fail when Bert decided that another spaniel was far more fun than Mummy. Thankfully, said spaniel was very happy to play and the owners were incredibly understanding. They said they remembered those moments well.

There were lots of positives though. Bert waited in the lorry while I rode. He ignored several other dogs. And he did come back after he’d played. He clearly has the same love of Blickling that I have…

Common sense

I have suspected for a while now that common sense is a rarity in this wonderful world we live in. But this made me laugh. Also make you wonder how many people ignored the cooking instructions on the back. The first one is remove lid.

I’m very partial to a Fray Bentos pie. Might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s one of my guilty pleasures. There’s something about a pie in a tin that does it for me. Make of that what you will.

For me, it’s proper comfort food. And on a rather wet day, it was much needed. I also needed something to warm me up after getting a tad soggy.

Thankfully it stayed dry for our pony play date this morning. Bert gained more gold stars for his ‘Lorry Dog in training’ chart. I’d parked the Buddymobile facing the arena. Bert was like a little meerkat popping his head up when I rode past. So cute!

In fact, he was so happy in the lorry that when we got back, he didn’t want to leave. Or it might have been he didn’t want to get wet in the rain…

Rockstar

This is the face of a hacking rockstar. It’s a very handsome face too. Today Buddy had to overcome a lot of our hack. I hadn’t realised they were picking up the sugar beet. He put his brave pants on to walk under the dinosaur. Yes I’m sure it’s got a technical name. But it looks like a dinosaur hanging over the road. It also made a bit of a racket as it picked the beets up. It also made one hell of a racket as it dropped said beets into the massive lorry.

That made him jump, but still he held it together. Said massive lorry then came up behind him. Thankfully it turned right as we turned left.

Next we went past a fence being erected with banging and drilling. Lots of cars, dogs, prams and even a few cyclist. It seemed a rather popular time to go out.

Still he held it together. His undoing was a man walking round the corner. Fair enough, his little bucket was full.

After that spook, he didn’t break his stride with a cacophony of gunshots. Total hacking rockstar!

I have to say that there were some really lovely people out today. Who stopped, were patient and let us have space. It really does make all the difference. I’m also very grateful to have such a trusting and grounded horse. That makes all the difference too.

Taxing Day

Today has been a bit of a taxing day. In a few ways. Not just cause I completed my tax return and paid for it too. I’m poorer as a result. But it took an age to do!

I was heading over to my amazing friend who seems to be able to explain what I need in a way I can get. She also ignores my huffing, puffing and toddler-like tantrums and makes me do it!

It should have been a 30 mins max journey. Today it took well over an hour as there was an accident on the road I needed. Luckily I spotted that before I went that way. So I decided on an alternative route. Along with every man and his dog. It wasn’t just the volume of traffic, there were road closures, diversions and road works. I was seriously losing the will at times. It’s a good job Bert is so good in the car. He crashes out mostly.

Once I’d arrived, and everyone had had puppy cuddles, we cracked on. After several hours, it was all done. Honestly, I don’t think people realise the amount of ‘admin’ and ‘processes’ you have to do when you run your own business. There’s so much that needs to be done behind the scenes!

My tax return was a lot easier than my Corporation Tax return. Still makes me laugh. My little business is so far away from a Corporation!

I’m definitely getting less panicky when faced with brown envelopes. Well till I found one on my doorstep. Then I realised it was the Buddymobile’s road tax renewal. Very taxing indeed!

Lorry Dog

Bert is now officially a ‘Lorry Dog in Training’. I had to take the Buddymobile over to the workshop for some work. So thought I’d take Bert along for the ride. He was such a good boy. He curled up and slept for most of the journey. Big Gold Star right there!!

On the way back, I realised that I’d left his lead in the lorry. Doh! It was the one that came with the cat harness I bought for the kittens (and caused Hugo to flop like a rag doll). It was annoying me anyway as the clip was really fiddly. Not what you need with a wriggly puppy!

As we were coming back through Wroxham, I remembered there’s a dog shop there. So lovely new lead purchased. While there I asked about harnesses etc. The lovely lady in the shop said if I bring Bert back when he’s had his vaccinations, she offers a fitting service.

I can already see it will become a cool place to go. So lovely that there are so many dog-friendly places about.

On the fence

The now traditional camp clean up was the order of the day. 5 loads of washing done. Managed to get some almost dry on the line. Even managed to rescue it all before the rain hit. Winner!!

The kittens are very happy to have me home. Dodo spent most of the morning on my lap. And Hugo wasn’t too far away either. He made me laugh when I went to get the washing in. He was definitely ‘on the fence’ about whether to come in or not. How on earth can it be comfortable sitting on something so thin?!

I brought the Buddymobile home last night to decamp. So that got a good clean too. It’s amazing how messy it gets being away. Sad that it was the last camp of the year. They really are my happy place.

Young guns

Buddy definitely slept better than I did. I had a bad night. We had lots of rain overnight. Which meant the Buddymobile leak got worse. Luckily I had some tea towels to mop up the water.

Coffee was my friend today. But thankfully my excitement of getting to ride Buddy at another camp kept me going too.

Buddy came out a bit all guns blazing for our lesson. Not sure it was our best effort. I’m definitely not match sharp. Or fit enough. I can feel I’ve lost some of my core strength.

I’ve been rescued tonight as I’m in a motorhome. Good job too as there are more showers. I will sleep well tonight…

Forest dwellers

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…

Oily issue

Thought I’d put some oil in the Buddymobile yesterday. Always good to check your oil and water from time to time (she says like she knows what that really means).

It should have been a very simple job. Take off the oil cap, pour in oil, return oil cap. Right?! Wrong! This is me. This is the Buddymobile. I couldn’t get the oil cap off. I tried and tried, but it wasn’t shifting. I even enlisted a man to assist. No joy there either.

So today I took it to the local garage. After 10 mins fighting and lots of tools, it came off. In pieces. So new oils cap ordered. Till it arrives, I won’t be going far with my temporary cap. But at least the oil is in. And it wasn’t that I was being inept (for once).

Got back to the yard to be told that I’ve got a headlight bulb on the way out too. At least that should be easy to fix.

I do love the Buddymobile. Even if he’s a bit quirky sometimes. Then again, Buddy and I both have our quirks. So perfect really!