Thistledown Farm

Happy Hooves Day

As six kids had signed up yesterday at the opening day and payed $28 each, I thought, well no time like the present. So today at ten a.m. Toby, Rick, Adele, Vicky, Britney and Aimee would arrive. The youngest was nine and the oldest twelve, but that was okay as Kate was coming to give me a hand. I couldn't wait to see her again.

 After breakfast I said my goodbyes to my brother Bodie and my sister-in-law Kayley who had spent the night in my spare bedroom....

 "Watch out what you're getting up to and don't do anything that I wouldn't do." Winked Bodie.

 "I wouldn't know what you are talking about." I joked giving my brother a playful shove.

 I waved them off and suddenly felt lonely....but not for long as I noticed that Life had got into the garden patch where the garlic had been planted and was furiously digging then up ! "Bad girl, bad girl Life." I shouted and ran over waving my arms frantically. I can tell you I gave her a right telling off as she cringed and crawled away as I replanted several garlic cloves while muttering more threats under my breath.

Kate

 "I hope I don't get that sort of treatment."

 I jumped to my feet with a start. "Oh hi Kate, I didn't hear you come." There was Kate, her hands on her hips. Now I felt like I was being told off ! My face must of been a picture. Like I'd been caught out doing something I shouldn't be doing and then she started to laugh.

 "You should see your face you do look guilty, like you been caught eating the freshly baked cherry pie that your mother warned you not to touch !!....More Laughter.

 I started to speak slowly at first, "So, you never got caught out when you were little doing something you shouldn't," I teased back.

 "Okay, okay, point taken," giggled Kate, "any coffee going ? "

 "Yep, come into the kitchen and I'll make us a coffee....Kenco alright with you Kate ? "

 "Fine."....

 It was nine fifty three a.m. The parents began arriving, dropping the kids off. The kids were excitedly chatting away to each other with squeals thrown in.

 "Now kids we must remember to be calm and a little more quiet around the horses," I reasoned.

 So Toby, Rick, Adele, Vicky, Britney and Aimee followed Kate and myself into the barn. 

Lady being led out

The kids who were now reasonably quiet, fed the horses, led them outside and under the supervision of myself and Kate, loosed Smokie, Lady and Flint into the small field. The horses ran around loosing off steam and had a good roll.

 I turned my attention to the kids and continued, "We'll clean their hooves out and brush the horses when we fetch them back in, and we'll have to look them over for any injuries, that's important."

 "Last one back into the barn is a chicken," Kate shouted. And with that we all ran over to the barn. Inside the stables got cleaned....well sort of, as the kids were in high spirits and began throwing the horse poo at each other....and Kate got caught in the cross fire. It was all on her face and in her hair. I couldn't stop laughing but Kate was not amused, no, not one little bit !

 "Don't encourage them " screeched Kate.

 Uh oh, I thought. So I said the first thing that came into my head, "Erm, did I tell you how attractive you look ?". Think I may have put my foot in it.

 "Oh you....you....you....ergh! " and with that Kate stomped off to get cleaned up I presume....

 "Right Kids, " I said in a serious sort of voice, "lets have a bit of order here now else your parents will have to be informed. That seemed to do the trick as the kids came to order. I set them on to cleaning the saddles and bridles while I went off to look for Kate....

Kate having a shower

 She was just getting out of the shower and had a bath towel wrapped round her. "Sorry Kate," I said in my most apologizing voice I could muster up, "I shouldn't have laughed at you."

 "This is gonna cost you big time". This was said in a i'm gonna make you pay for that voice.

 Oh boy, was I in for it now. "Okay, i'll take you out tonight for a meal, where do you want to eat ?"

 Kate thought for a while then said, "There's a new Italian restaurant opened up in Hidden Springs you can take me there, now go away while I get dressed."....

 Well the time came for the kids to go home and later me and Kate went to The Blue Lagoon Restaurant, run by Gino Dicappio. I just knew it was gonna knock a big hole in any money I had made on the Happy Hooves Day !