I hate February, roll on March!

Having made a nice cuppa, throwing jacket potatoes in the Aga and some Pork and Stilton sausages and stoked up the front room fire, I've just enough time to write another blog page!

I've just come in from a snow blizzard happening outside!  Boy the wind is cold and the little tiny snowflakes feel like tiny pebbles hitting your cheeks! Definitely the coldest and nastiest day so far this winter.  The snow is drifting and swirling through the yard and into all our buildings.  The horses were keen to come in tonight as they were shivering.  They've got an extra warm fleece rug on tonight.

This morning I went to Wellingore U3A in Lincolnshire to give one of my talks "Tales from a Farmers' Wife" and not a drop of snow anywhere, but jolly frosty and very, very cold.  It was very cold in the village hall too, but the audience were extremely friendly and made many great comments about my talk.  I do seem to meet the nicest of people doing this job.

Also, Mark is getting very tired and almost fell over going upstairs today, misjudging the steps.  And this was in the house not outside!!  Even with all the extra help and with Harry home for two weeks half term break, it doesn't take the pressure off milking at least 10 times per week.  Tomorrow the relief milker is coming for afternoon milking so Mark can stay indoors in front of the fire.  And does he need it.  As we had a very hard frost this morning, everyone got excited about getting the muck out of the farm buildings and up into the fields, out of the way, without making any more mess than usual.  They did nine loads and emptied all the sheds, then bedded the cattle with fresh straw.  Now that's quite an achievement

Talking of Harry Barnes, in between playing on the quad bike in the snowy fields, he's meant to be revising for the dreaded GCSE's.  His first Maths paper is the week he goes back at the end of February, so after lunch everyday (including weekends) "we" have been doing Maths papers and struggling to understand each question.  Luckily Charlotte did A level Maths so when she returns home is able to help us out.

Today is also Ash Wednesday (who forgot to make pancakes yesterday?).  I've announced to my family that I'm going to give up bread for lent!  The choice was bread or chocolate and I think bread will be easier! 

I hate February!  Roll on March.