Magpies

As I was driving back from Wymondham this evening, I spotted 8 magpies. Not sure the rhyme goes up that far?! I’ve not seen that many together before.

I’d popped over for Express Equine’s Spring sale evening. I wasn’t aiming on buying anything. Still managed to come home with a base layer for me and a saddle pad and supplement for Buddy. Whoops!

It was a rather eventful journey back. They’d closed to road to recover a rather large lorry that had crashed into a field. So I had a 20 mins diversion round the countryside. Saw some new bits of Norfolk. Some very nice bits too.

Horse person

I’m back home from my trip South and the joy that is the M25. As I drove back, I played tag with a rather swanky horsebox. I say tag. It overtook The Comedy Car twice (work that one out) and I then followed it through the Dartford Tunnel before it turned off.

As a kid, I used to look out for horses on road trips. Now I look out for horse lorries and trailers too. With the lorries, there is a bit of market research in a way. There are some very lovely lorries indeed. At the moment there’s a bit of champagne taste on beer budget. But it’s fun looking. It makes me smile seeing other horse people on the road.

Good news, bad news

It’s been a good news, bad news kinda day. But some days go like that, right?! Is that what they mean by balance?

The Buddymobile is back! That’s very good news! Bad news, the bill. But it drives so much better. The mechanic joked I was going to need a crash helmet it would go that fast. He wasn’t kidding, I felt like Ayrton Senna driving back compared to before.

I was meant to be giving blood but bad news, they missed my vein so I couldn’t donate. Good news, I got an email offering me a place at a training camp in May.

Bad news, the weather has turned colder again. My fault, I foolishly changed my duvet to a lighter one. Good news, I have a Dodo shaped hot water bottle tonight.

Unlucky for some

Spotted this hare’s foot hanging from the top of a hedge while out hacking. You can see how high it is so guessing a bird of prey left it there.

Very unlucky for the hare. Got me thinking, why are rabbits and hares feet considered lucky?!

I have a Joules soft toy hare on The Buddymobile keys. For luck wherever we go. Wouldn’t say it’s always worked. I have a rather large bill coming my way from the garage.

But I consider myself very lucky to have my own transport. I love being able to get out and about with Buddy.

Wacky Races

The Buddymobile needed to go into the garage today. As the garage is about a 40 mins drive away, I needed a lift back. So Colette followed me in The Comedy Car.

Let’s face it neither of my vehicles are designed for speed. But it did make me laugh seeing The Comedy Car in my wing mirror.

It reminded me whacky races as we drove along. I do love both of them though. You can’t help smile in both.

Club together

Day 162: club together. Back home after a fab weekend away at the BRC Arena Eventing Champs. Lots of driving, but the Buddymobile did me proud. And now has a new memento onboard.

First time that someone else has slept in the lorry with me. It was a little cramped but we made it work. The heater was needed to keep us warm during the night. Poor Sam had a hard night as the air mattress deflated.

Oh and I have a very cute snore. Whoops!

Buddy and the kittens were pleased to see me. And I will be pleased to see my bed tonight.

I love being part of a riding club. It’s so much fun doing stuff as a team. I also love being able to help a friend and support others. It makes me very happy indeed.

Stay warm

Second time this week I’ve ended up in the local camping shop on a mercy mission. Today it was to buy a heater for the Buddymobile. I’m on driver / groom duties this weekend. We’re sleeping in the lorry and there’s no heating in the living. It’s a tad fresh out there so hoping it warms up a bit tomorrow. Otherwise it’s going to be a cold night even with the billion or so layers I’m taking.

The weather has been random to say the least. Bright sunshine one minute, high winds the next, then snow storms. Interesting riding with snow blowing in the arena. I think I was more weirded out by it than Buddy was.

Still on days like this, I’m grateful for the indoor school. And tomorrow it’ll be about making memories. Let’s hope the little heater does the job in the little lorry.

Snowflakes

I really wanted to hibernate this morning when I work up. In fact, Hugo decided that I should stay in bed by sleeping on my chest. At least he made a good hot water bottle.

I can’t say I’m thrilled at the return of cold temperatures. But I am thrilled that The Buddymobile is back. With a new battery, new gas bottle and most of the issues fixed. Apparently he has leaky injectors (whatever that means), so he’ll need to go in for those to be sorted. But at least there should be no need to jump start him every time I want to go somewhere.

After dropping him back at the yard, I walked home with snowflakes swirling around. Grateful that it’s only a short walk. Now thawed out.

Size matters

I took The Buddymobile into the garage today to get the battery issue fixed. I also had a bit of a list of other things that I wanted them to look at while it’s there. You know the silly little things that annoy you after a while.

One thing I needed to do was change the gas bottle. This has been on the ‘to do’ list for so long, Calor Gas have discontinued it. I kid you not. So I’ve had to change to Flogas.

Simple right?! Of course not! The Flogas bottle is bigger than the Calor Gas bottle. So while it will fit in the lorry locker, it’s too big to go through the door and turn. So they’ve got to cut a new door though the bench / bed so it can go in that way. I can feel a strongly worded email coming on…

On the plus side, I did get a reduction on the new bottle price at the camping place. And I finally took The Comedy Car through the handcar wash.

That’s also been on the ‘to do’ list for a while. The poor man tasked with cleaning it asked if I work on a farm. No, I have a horse. He was very grateful he didn’t have to clean the inside. 😂

Sunday brunch

Headed off early to meet up with two of my camp friends for a hack round Blickling. We took a different route and were out for two hours! I could have kept going. It was so lovely. We chatted all the way round.

It seemed lots of people had the same idea as the car park was rammed. Two people had parked so close to the Buddymobile, I wasn’t sure how I was going to get out. Thankfully they came back as I was putting Buddy away so I didn’t have to do a 97 point turn.

Honestly, some people have no common sense. My lorry isn’t huge but I do need more than a couple of feet end. I wish I’d taken a photo of it. It really beggered belief. Still no harm done and it didn’t spoil a lovely morning.