Thistledown Farm

That's What Friends Are For!

Urgh ! Urgh ! "Stop it Life you crazy bitch". The silly dog was standing over me on my bed and slobbering all over my face. "Okay I get the message", and with that I fell out of bed with a bouncing excitable dog by my side. I opened a tin of dog food I had bought from the dog pound and threw a couple of handfuls of mixer biscuits in for good measure.

 After showering I made breakfast of eggs and toast, and helped myself to a large mug of Kenco coffee. I hadn't got much food in the cupboards and freezer so I started to make a mental note in my head of all the groceries I might need.

 Now let's see....I drove through a town by the name of Riverview, then Hidden Springs and Twinbrook, finally drove into Pleasantville, and just a few kilometers more and I arrived at my destination....Thistledown Farm Riding Stables....such as they were ! Hmm, yes I remember seeing a large store in Pleasantville on a corner, I am sure they will have what I need. Besides groceries I needed paint, paint brushes, nails and screws, coveralls and a work shirt after all, none of the clothes I possessed were suitable - well when you had formally lived in a city, and your job had been an accountant in an office....need I say more ? In Bridgeport where I came from, the night life was good but I doubt you could get past the security wearing coveralls !

 Okay so where are my car keys ? Ah ! here they are. Checked to see if I had my wallet with me, mustn't leave that behind. I patted my thigh signalling for Life to follow me outside, locked up and was just about to get into my car when Life started to bark at a figure walking up my drive. "Quiet Life" I ordered.

 "Howdy and welcome to Pleasantville, I'm your neighbor from across the ways, the name is William Clinton".

 "Hello William I'm Kyle....Kyle McCormack". We smiled and shook hands.

 "Please call me Bill. My wife, Hillary and I saw you arrive yesterday". He pointed to the building and said, "You be renting the place out then ?"

 "No, I own it. I intend to do the place up a bit and get a few horses and hopefully make a living from the riding stables"

   "I'm well pleased to hear it. Need any help to cut the hay in yonder meadow ?" he said with a respectful nod in the direction of the meadow.

 "Yeah, that would be a great help. Um, at the moment I have to go into town to get a few supplies and such but don't let me stop you," I joked.

 With the conversation ended, Bill set off back down the track and I got into my car, pushing Life over onto the other seat of the car and set off to town. 

 The store owner chatted away to me as I told him what I needed and I thought it wouldn't hurt to tell him that I was planning on starting up a riding stables at Thistledown Farm. In a small town like Pleasantville I knew how gossip would spread quickly....so free advertisement you could say. Can't be bad. Jim was the name of the guy who owned the store which just about sold every thing....Jim McCloud.

 As I drove home and turned off the road and up the dirt track of my driveway, I had a 'pleasant' surprise....excuse the pun. In the meadow were three guys, one of which was Bill, cutting the hay with a big machine. Seems Bill had took me at my word ! He waved as I got out the car.Life jumped out and eased nature, then excitedly ran over to the meadow barking. All the guys made a fuss of her. Chuck, one of the guys introduced himself saying he would come by in a few days time to bale the hay as in this heat it wouldn't take long to dry. The other guy, Joe, said it would be good seeing the place used again. Neither would take any money for their hard work so I promised to buy them a few beers....quite a few beers, when we could arrange a convenient time to all meet in town. They all excused themselves as it was now time for sustenance and my stomach was beginning to growl too.

 Seems I had made some friends today.

I grabbed a sandwich and coffee and changed into my recently acquired gear. I got the ladders from the barn, fixed the guttering and cleaned out all the debris. Loads of leaves, dirt and tufts of grass blocking up the gutter were loaded into a bucket and disposed of. Next job. I painted the front of the building. Even with it all being on one level I needed ladders to reach into all those awkward places.

 At the end of a perfect day I got my laptop out and keyed in....Tomorrow clean the windows and get started on a few minor repairs to the two stables in the barn in readiness for at least one horse.

 Thought for the day....wonder if any of the guys I had met have daughters ?