Monday 16th March
Today Tiho gives us a lesson in chainsaw maintenance so we know how to look after the chainsaws properly and then we plan to have 2 days of tree chopping frenzy to maximise tree chopping potential before Tiho leaves. We do 6 trailer loads so we’re all pretty pooped by the end of the day and then we have a lovely roast pork dinner cooked by Daz to finish the day.
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Tuesday 17th March.
More tree cutting but today we only manage 4 trailer loads before we decide enough is enough. Then I’m supposed to go riding; taking Sonny at a gallop so that the 2 ponies, Sparky and Pinnochio, are encouraged into a gallop too because they’re a bit lazy and it’s hard to get them going. However, I chicken out and send Daz in my place. He’s already ridden Sonny a number of times so knows what to expect. Daz returns having had a good ride. Tonight is Merle and Tiho’s last night. We feast on chocolate and cookies. It’s so sad to see them go.
Wednesday 18th March
Merle and Tiho left at 5.30 this morning so it’s just the 3 of us putting the horses out and mucking out. Once that’s done Ion is off to continue work on the greenhouse – this is his pet project of the moment and he’s been working on it everyday since we finished the concrete foundations and has been laying a layer of breeze blocks which will be the base of the wooden framework walls.
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Whilst Ion works on this Daz and I fill the planters in the conservatory – this is where Christina will grow tomatoes.
Then in the afternoon I help Christina with Sonny and Nighty. We’re taking them to a farm where Sonny will be ridden by an experienced ‘reining’ horse rider (it’s the western riding equivalent to dressage). After the riding session we take Nighty and Sonny to Falkoping for a spot of shopping. Well actually Christina goes shopping whilst I keep an eye on the horses.
Thursday 19th March
Today we use a the soil/pebble mix that Daz loaded into the tractor trailer yesterday afternoon to fill in the holes in the drive to the farm. Unfortunately Daz manages to snap the spade handle because he’s using the back of the spade to tamp down the mixture in the holes.
We also do a bit of gardening, sharpen the axe, look at the bicycles and ‘sit-on’ mower which won’t start. It’s a beautiful day; warm like a summer’s day. We have been so lucky with the weather – 3 weeks and only one day with some rain although tomorrow it’s due to rain. The vet comes and castrates Korea, checks Silky’s teeth and checks Peanut over; she’s pregnant.
Friday 20th March
After doing the stable chores my mission is to turn the wood pile in the middle of the yard into logs using the circular saw.
Whilst I do that Daz is using the chainsaw to cut up some trunks that are too big for my saw. I make a fair dent in the pile but there’s still a lot of work left.
We finish about 3pm and slob out in front of the telly. At 9pm we go out to bring the horses in and it’s sleeting. We were expecting this weather much earlier and already the paths that were drying out nicely have turned into a quagmire – fortunately Daz and I are both proud owners of ‘hand-me down’ wellies. Result!
Saturday 21st March
Damn the weather. This morning it’s snowing. We were all going to go geocaching but we’re not going in this weather. Christina has to work today and we’ve got a German volunteer coming from Gothenburg today, Florina.
She’s just coming for 4 days to see if she likes it and to come for longer in her summer break. Florina arrives and we show her around the farm. Later Daz and I slob out in front of the TV whilst Christina, Florina and Ion go riding.
Sunday 22nd March
Christina has already left for work when we get up. By 11.30 all the chores are done and we’re planning another lazy day. But Florina is full of beans and wants to do something. She starts talking about going for a walk but that seems a shame to let her go alone so we find some geocaches we haven’t done and go out for a few hours. Then we resume our position in front of the TV whilst Flo bakes a cake.
