MUM'S EIGHTIETH BIRTHDAY

Its been a very busy week - somehow, no matter how much time you've got you still need more - bearing in mind we've had the extra week to get ready for skiing we still seem to be struggling to get everything done. Thank goodness I got the dates wrong!!

Sadly we are one horse down now as we had Laverty scanned on Wednesday and he needs a rest as he has a slight hole in his tendon. The heat has gone from his leg and it always feels fine when he comes in from the field but I was a little concerned as there tended to be a slight filling in the leg in the mornings after he had been standing on it all night long. Its a pity as he loves his work and was coming on really nicely. He now has the chance of putting on some much needed weight and coming in early and possibly doing a bit under rules before the cut off date.

Jay is at home at the moment and will be looking after the house and the various animals. She is going back to university on Monday when Will will take over the running of the yard and the house.

Lucy has been skiing this last week and phoned Doug the night before she was due back - He said "Hi Lucy, I expect you're phoning to say that you've broken both legs - Ha ha" to which she replied "No - both arms actually" And she wasn't joking. She had a nasty crash on the slopes and after X raying was told that both her wrists were broken. Since she has been back in the UK she has been re-X rayed and one small mercy is that although one arm is badly broken the other is just bruised and not broken after all. However she will be out of action for some time. She can go on the easy list with Laverty. Georgie Shep is very kindly coming back from Kent to help us for the week we are away.

As it is my Mums Eightieth today we are having a little surprise Birthday Party for her at a nice hotel in Rugby. We are then heading off for Gatwick for the early flight on Saturday morning to St Anton. We're really looking forward to the break now (second time around!)...