Vehicle breakdowns and General Mayhem

Steve was told on monday that he had an abcess on the kidneys and a kidney stone and he needed urgent hospital treatment. It was decided to admit him into hospital in Bristol on Tuesday till at least Friday. Realising that Steve was not going to be in any fit state to drive the lorry to Derby on Sunday for the Pony Club Championships. I thought I’d better practice as I haven’t driven it for a while and we had a breakdown the week before due to air in the diesel the mechanic had been out but I thought we better take it out and check it was ok. Sharon and I took it for a spin to talbot then down the M4 and back through Llanharry everything was fine so we decided to take Amelia and Destiny to Gloucester the next day for the BSJA Show jumping on Tuesday. We left about 9am got onto the motorway and the engine cut out before the next junction. Unfortunately we had just passed the hard shoulder. A Traffic cop came out and parked his flashing lights behind us. We spent two hours waiting for the rescue vehicle sunbathing just off the hard shoulder with the copper standing on the motorway making hand gestures, some not so polite at passing cars. The Rescue man raised the front end of the lorry onto his truck with horse still on board and towed us home with a police escort. We decided that as we weren’t meant to be at home we would go out so we went to the White Lion in Ystradowen for lunch. Jenni’s agent rang today and told her he needed someone in Portugal urgently to run a hotel entertainment package so she is flying on Saturday, which adds to the already short of staff problems I have. I spent Wednesday morning on the phone trying to make arrangements to get us to Derby for three days. I got a lift for Amelia and Destiny on Saturday and Toni has very kindly said she will drive me and the team and the other horses up on Sunday afternoon in her lorry and stay with us and bring us all back on Tuesday. The shop has been getting a bit low so off I went with Steves cash and carry card to bridgend, the shop is looking well stocked now and so is my freezer. The show jumping on Wednesday night was busier than its been for ages, but the burger van was well covered by the manager of Burger King Amy and Fleur who also works at Burger King.  The jumping finished at 10pm and then Amelia had to ride Leo for an hour by the time I had cleaned up sorted everything out and watered my garden in the dark  it was 11.20pm. Today’s we had client show jumping I got in the car to nip down the village for rolls only to discover I had a flat tyre, beginning to think I am cursed where vehicles are concerned just lately. The show jumping was a little quieter than usual but we still didn’t finish till 3pm. Amelia rode Leo and then we turned him out in the field. This was the first time he has gone out in at least six months since he was on box rest. He did gallop about a bit so we will have to keep fingers crossed and hope that leg doesn’t swell up over night. New pony arrived on trial today called ‘Rupert’, he is quite young and will need some schooling but he looks a nice sort. Some kids were letting off firecrackers at the top of the lane which were frightening the horses so I went to have a tactful word with their mother, who told me that boys will be boys and that they were well informed about how to handle the firecrackers and how far back to stand, Is she mad, theses boys were about 12, who in their right mind allows their kids to light and handle firecrackers, and doesn’t she see the adverts on TV before bonfire night informing people about the dangers and the dangers to animals. Yard seemed to run without any more choas than usual tonight finished up and watered garden in the dark (again). Steve will be home tomorrow but has to go back next week for a scan. It has been a bit difficult this week trying to keep on top of everything and I couldn’t have managed without some great friends that have been here to lend a hand and all the girls that have worked so hard on the yard. Can’t decide whether I turned the tap off to the hose that fills the water tank by the indoor school so looking forward to major flood tomorrow.

Posted on Friday, August 14th, 2009 at 1:15 am You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.