Weathering storms just got harder
THE storms have caused havoc. Torrential rain and gale force winds have made tending the sheep thoroughly unpleasant.
We moved the flocks down into the valleys where they could shelter, but getting to them every day is hard.
There’s so much water in the streams and rivers we have to cross to get to them.
The land is saturated and, for a place that is already so boggy, it has meant I soon discovered a hole in my welly.
Even two pairs of woolly socks hasn’t prevented me ending each day with a crinkly foot. Reuben took matters into his own hands and bought me a late Christmas present, a new pair of wellies from a friend who was selling some heavily discounted pairs of boots.
The children haven’t been put off going outside, the wind has been perfect for flying their stunt kite and they have excellent waterproof coats and leggings – no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes.
The wind took out the satellite internet dish again and the landline has been out of service – so we had a forced communications detox.
We have a lot of gaps in the drystone walls but when we start putting them back up I will be missing one of my little helpers from next week as Annas starts school.
Just a couple of days a week to begin with, but it’ll be a wrench not to have her smiling face around on those gloomy grey days.