She made a piece for my 60th ten years ago. They are truly works of art.

Plus much more besides from the amazing Dianne – including a tiara and sash

Whisky from my dear friends in Scotland and a very generous gift voucher from two beloved cousins and from the children below – painted covers of the two books

I could go on but I’m embarrassed and tremendously appreciative. Thank you one and all💕

With my amazing husband of 51 years – the man responsible for our adventures and a life at The Gables which was all his idea. I thank him for everything.

The children and grandchildren amaze and delight me every day although, let’s be honest, being a parent has had its challenges! But the grandchildren are my reward for not killing my children!

Credit where it’s due – holding my children’s books in my hands (both have written several) over the years was one of the great joys of my life and spurred me on to write my own after I became a a pensioner! I admire both my adult offspring and like them too!

I am of the generation lucky enough to have been born after the Second World War and into a democratic country where I had a free education, free and excellent healthcare, affordable housing, work and leisure, travel and recreation and now a state pension. I take none of that for granted. I was fortunate. The world in which I now live is a different place and I can only hope that my grandchildren will have as good a life as I have been privileged to live.

And my birthday treat today? My beloved husband insisted at 6.30 am that he, and not me, would get up to bottle feed the three lambs and I received a cup of coffee in bed and the chance to write this blog. Not many 70 year olds can give that as their birthday treat!

My animals and their unconditional love keep me just about sane in these fraught and perilous times.

I drove to London this evening to celebrate my schoolfriend’s 70th birthday at a delightful cafe in the company of her very many friends and family

We were 11 years old and have remained friends for 59 years. It was a special evening with heartfelt speeches from her husband, sister and her three adult children. She gave a warm and lovely speech in reply. Of course the food was excellent and the atmosphere happy. I was glad to make the journey.

On the way home I parked the car in Golders Green Road to pay tribute to a heartbreaking memorial. This was on the site where the victims of the Nova Festival (gunned down on October 7th 2023) were commemorated. Now the large Iranian North London population in exile have covered the site with hundreds of photographs of the beautiful men, women, teenagers and even children who were gunned down by their own government in Iran – all for daring to call for regime change and democracy using their voices and not weapons. It is simply heartbreaking to stand in fronts of their photographs.

My only issue is that the word Genocide is being used in so many conflicts that many have lost sight of the true definition.

In their pain these Iranians, safe for now in their adopted home, have co-opted the word to describe the killing of innocent civilians in their home country.

May their families and the families of all the bereaved in all wars everywhere in our war torn world be comforted as they grieve their terrible losses.

Before eating they took the goats ( with Jeremy supervising) for a walk on their leads.

Although I haven’t seen him feeding I know he has because he has had what’s called a ‘colostrum poo!’ This shows he has taken the first, rich colostrum milk from his mother’s udder and then the first evacuation from the lamb leaves a yellow-coloured mark on his tail and backside. I’m sorry if that’s ’too much information’ but it makes this strange smallholder very happy to see.

Here’s a photograph – please excuse the scary eyes courtesy of the flash light on the iPhone

And an hour or so of barrowing wood chip to the larger rhubarb patch to suppress the weeds

One rhubarb patch is covered in wool and one in wood chip. Which will work better as a weed suppressant ?

They were just in time to help bottle feed the lambs

Then the vets arrived to give the lambs anti worming drench

Then they took a look at Juno who has some bare patches on his legs. They took blood and hair samples to see if it’s nutritional deficiency ( unlikely) or a parasite or tick

Meanwhile Nigel was tucking into his latest trophy – pigeon pie

He believes that you should eat what you kill