Hello Cherry Parkers
I hope you are all staying well in these desperate times and finding things to do if you have to self-isolate. I know that many of you will be in that position and I have heard from Lesley that she too has been told to self-isolate. She is still able to go and tend the ponies, thank goodness, but has to do it on her own. Sally W is still helping her but they keep a good distance from each other. Sally ND poo-picks on a Friday and I intend to go and poo-pick on Wednesdays. As long as we all go at separate times or keep our distance, everything will be OK. If you are in a position to help under those conditions do let Lesley know. I am sure we can co-ordinate a rota.
Lesley tells me that Jim and Reuben will be living out at night as from this weekend so that will take some pressure off the mucking out but not the poo-picking! Jim has had a new set of shoes fitted by Lesley’s farrier, Daryl, and is reportedly a very happy pony. Thank goodness the weather has turned better so they will be fine outside.
As you know (if you read my email!) your committee cleared out some of the “carriage house” at Park Farm and stuffed everything into the trailer with a view to storing it in the field shelter in the bottom field once the ground had dried out. Well, Storm Dennis got wind of our plans (sorry!) and promptly blew it down! Happily, Lesley has some very good contacts and a lovely builder called Mr Luck came along and dismantled the remains of the field shelter and has re-erected it in our driving field so that we will have somewhere to shelter when we eventually start sessions again. So, it’s an ill wind that blows no good…sorry, sorry!!
Not only that but Lesley tells me that the area to the right of the tap (where the kettle lives) has had a new roof so it doesn’t leak anymore and we will be able to use it for storage.
We still have some items to remove from Park Farm which included our three spare carriages which we intend to dispose of. Lesley put the word out to RDA Groups and I am pleased to tell you that one of them has taken our little old Randall carriage. As it is very old and needed some TLC and they are an RDA group in need, we have given the carriage to them free of charge. They are extremely grateful and will be spending the enforced break bringing it back to good condition. The other two carriages, the Fenix two-wheeler and the Bennington Funbug, we intend to sell but of course that won’t be anytime soon now.
I hope to send you news and updates as and when I can so keep looking at your emails so that we can all stay involved.
If you are able to and feel inclined, please let me know how you are coping. We are all finding it very hard and it’s good to communicate.
Stay safe
Very best wishes
Hilary
