Skip to main content

Pandora's Box

Oh, what am I doing? Abi has long been bugging us (well, me - it's not worth bugging Glenn) on her deepest and most fervent desire to own her own horse. She has been so determined, and sat down in the week to write to all the people she could think off who own fields or stables nearby. This included a letter to the 'person who owns the stable at the top of the lane' where she introduced herself and told the recipient that her stables and fields would be perfect, and she (and her horse of course) in turn would be perfect tenants! Having cracked and entertained this idea, I did acknowledge today that it would make far more sense for her to have a horse at the local stables where we have been riding. At least that way there will be other people around, she would have access to a ménage and indoor barn, covered areas to groom and tack up, and some advice along the way where needed. Of course it would also mean that we could pay for the privilege of someone else doing some of the work so I don't have to do it all.

Ho hum - why do I let myself get into these situations? On the one hand I have no need or desire for yet another time / money consuming past time. On the other hand I see just how much Abi loves being around horses, and I love the fact that she is keen to do everything from muck out to grooming to riding to hunting or competing. It gets her out of the house doing something that is active and away from screens - what parent doesn't want that these days? I keep thinking I want them both to be able to do something they love... I just wish she hadn't chosen something so expensive and difficult to achieve!

Glenn very clearly thinks I'm mad, but even he sees that we should be channeling their energy into positive activities rather than iPads or worse so I feel its inevitable and therefore we need to find the most efficient / least intrusive way of making it happen. In the end I think we'll just have to find a horse that will be suitable for Izzy to sit on, Abi to do everything to and me to be able to exercise for she times she can't.

Izzy on the other hand has gone completely art mad and is drawing at every opportunity she gets. She's currently specialising in portraits of stylish ladies with fabulous hairdos and extravagant make up - everything she aspires to. At least one of them has chosen something which doesn't require a second mortgage.

In other news, if I wasn't too busy having a mild panic about suddenly owning a horse that I really don't want or need, the dogs are being more and more of a liability and I really don't know what to do about it. Freya had (I thought) got better with other dogs and for the most part has been coming back to me when she sees another dog, meaning I can put her on the lead and avoid any problems. Yesterday however I checked there wasn't anyone in the field, let her off her lead and then watched as Bertie flew off into the distance with her following. They shot into the next field where he had seen someone and before I knew it I could hear barking and shouting. I ran over to find Freya jumping up at a dog being held by a teenage girl and trying to nip at it. I shouted at Freya, Bertie was barking, she was barking.... not our finest hour. I managed to catch her and pinned her to the ground and apologised profusely to the 3 kids and their dog. They headed off with the youngest boy in tears. Not great and I don't know what to do with her. She is the sweetest thing in the house and a pain outside if we meet another dog. Memories of Boomer abound. Anyway, tomorrow I'm calling the dog trainer and making an appointment - I have to try and sort it before it becomes either too late to fix or she does something we really can't just make excuses or apologise for.

Looking on the bright side, as a result of all this I walked them at 6am this morning. The woods are lovely at that time, it was light, the birds were singing, I saw lots of deer and I had the entire place to myself - funny that!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Welcome Albert James!

So this week has been full of new things - Jess and Chris have welcomed Albert James Wilkinson Rayner to the family, a tad early but all doing well apparently (and so cute!!), I started my new job, Abi has her new shed and Dad got sorted on a phone that wasn't invented before the kids were born!! I always knew this week was going to be full on and it certainly has been. The first thing I had to do was try and sort out my diary which had been filled from dawn to dusk by my predecessor with meetings. I decided to set out as I mean to go on and immediately took out those that started before 9am. While I can get into  the office for 8am , it's a pain and requires me to be on the 6:30am train which is just a bit much every day (stating the obvious). I then made it clear that we don't need to be joined at the hip for the next 4 weeks which is a sensitive process - even though he is retiring it's hard to let go and he is understandably keen that the team are looked after. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Diary management!

This part of the summer is definitely typified by me trying to remember who is supposed to be where and when. Abi likes to be off doing something with someone while Izzy is happier to know she's close to home and so for the last week they've gone their separate ways. Abi has been down in Somerset making the most of Ben and Laurie being about. From what I can tell she's having a lovely time. Apart from the covert phone call one evening to tell me she was 'starving'  (Mum was cooking for the hordes and so it had been delayed), I've barely heard from her. The few calls I have had have very quickly ended in "can I go now" like I'm making her speak to me! Today she switches from Mum and Dads to a night or two with Kerrie - not sure who is more excited! Izzy didn't want to be away for that long so she opted not to go. She's very conscious that Abi and Laurie are joined at the hip when together and Ben has his own things he wants to do so she ...
Post a Comment
Read more

All about Izzy

This weekend has mainly been about Izzy, mostly because Abi has been off riding again and so we've hardly seen her. This has its pros and cons - on the one hand Izzy gets lots of attention and the choice of what to do. On the other she misses Abi and when big sister arrives home we have the inevitable few hours of resettling which seems to involve tears as a matter of course. I did have a moment of despair this evening when I looked across to the table just before Sunday dinner - normally a happy time - to see both of them, heads on arms, holding back tears. Luckily a bit of food and a game of 20 questions to share what everybody had enjoyed about their weekend and we kind of managed to get back on track by dessert. When asked what she wanted to do, Izzy immediately shouted "Jo Jo" so my task was to sort out a visit with Jo, the boys and Ellie. No matter how much time passes they still love to see each other and the first task is always the same. Edward and Izzy have t...
Post a Comment
Read more