Appropriate clothing

My choice of t-shirt was absolutely on point today! Love it when that happens. I had a very lovely day planned. I was going to meet a friend for a lovely relaxed hack round Blickling…

First I overslept, then the weather forecast looks a bit suspect and it being school holidays all put pay to that. So we went for a very lovely lunch lunch instead. Just as enjoyable. We managed to sit out for some of it, but after being buffeted a little bit too much by the wind, we headed indoors.

Good job too as the heavens opened! That was a rather regular occurrence for the rest of the day. One minute sunshine, the next minute rain. I had to laugh as I ended up being stuck in a stable mid-muck out. Reminded me of the quote ‘there’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing’. My t-shirt was may have been apt, but didn’t really help to keep me dry. Maybe not that appropriate after all…

Feel the rain

Bert and I got very wet on our walk this morning. Now as a good equestrian, I have lots of wet weather gear. So you’d think I would be prepared. And I was! I put my Reincoat on as I thought it might rain. What I wasn’t prepared for was the torrential downpour.

I was laughing to myself as the rain dropped off my hood. While most of me was dry, my legs weren’t. It didn’t help that I stopped to chat to another dog walker. Because as she said, we weren’t getting any drier. Good to know that dog walkers have the same sense of humour as horse riders.

When we got home, my jeans and my puppy needed to go in the conservatory to dry out.

I love this quote. Today I was both of these…

Flies

I decided to stay at my Dad’s last night as I didn’t fancy the joys of the M25 on a Friday evening. Instead, I had the joys of the M25 in heavy rain instead. Can’t win them all. At least it was moving pretty well and I had a good run through.

Stopped at Birchanger Services for a ‘comfort’ break for us both. Ended up being just Bert who relieved himself as the queue for the ladies was well out the door. It was packed in the services. Stopped at another services and it was the same – packed!

By contrast, it was lovely to take Buddy out. So quiet and peaceful. Hardly saw a soul. Well unless you count the flies and horseflies. They were everywhere!

Do horseflies have souls? There were a few more dead ones after they tried to bite me or Buddy. My poor boy took the brunt of it. Even after I covered him in flyspray. He looked like the character from Charlie Brown with the flies round his head. I always thought that was Linus, but apparently his name was Pig Pen. Can’t say I remember that at all.

Petflap

Bert got caught out in a rather heavy downpour. It was so loud that I couldn’t hear the webinar I was on!!

As I went to shut the conservatory doors, Bert decided to go and play in the rain. He soon came in when he realised just how heavy it was.

The cat flap is getting a bit snug now. He might have got a little stuck in it. He’s still growing!

I was feeling rather smug under my lovely newly laid roof. Then I heard an ominous dripping sound. Fearing the worst, I tried to pinpoint it. It didn’t seem to be coming from inside. So that was a huge relief. Eventually I found it. The water was dripping in the downpipe where it’s connected to the water butt.

Guess I was the butt of that as I got wetter than Bert. And I am in no way complaining about rain. It felt so good on my skin…

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…

Mudpack

Buddy excelled himself in the mud stakes today. He clearly felt that he needed some sort of mudpack spa treatment. Because he’s worth it!

Lord only knows how he managed to cover himself like that. Can’t help laughing at his precision coverage.

And I know what you’re thinking. No I didn’t attempt to get it off as it was too wet still. Yes I rode like that. In the rain. Which cleaned my coat, but sadly not Buddy’s legs.

Wonderment

Well it’s the first day of 2025 and to be honest it’s been a pretty nothing day. I really wasn’t feeling the whole NYE thang, so I was in bed by 10:30pm.

Of course, I was woken up by the fireworks at midnight. That and the howling winds. Why would people want to let off fireworks when it’s so stormy?! Seems a bit of a waste but there you go.

The storm continued today. With the added bonus of hail as I was mucking out. Bert was doing his best Dumbo impression with his ears flapping in the wind. Not sure he was that enamoured with walking in the driving rain.

He did throughly enjoy his hot shower when he got home. As did I. Not together, I’d like to point out.

We had a pretty chilled one. Rounded off with the Christmas tradition that is World’s Strongest Man. Well I didn’t attempt the annual ‘Christmas tree’ carry, so might as well watch the professionals. It’s the little things…

Catwalk

Decided to take Buddy in the school for some pole dancing. Just as the heavens opened. So Buddy was less than impressed. I wasn’t thrilled either.

We had to share the arena with a rather fetching cat. He/she was sashaying about the place. In fact, Buddy was so busy spooking at said cat, he totally forgot about the poles and nearly ended up on his face.

As you can imagine, the cat was totally nonplussed about Buddy.

Amaze

Blimey it’s been a bit rough here with the winds and rain. Buddy and I went out for a bit of a wind-assisted ride. The maize has been battered. It usually stands so tall and proud. So it was very weird seeing great swathes of it crushed. It was like a giant toddler had tried to make crop circles. Very odd indeed.

Clearly didn’t affect the taste as Buddy grabbed a few snacks on the way round. Eery but lovely way to end the day.

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.