DRAW RESULT AT LAST

We have the internet, the phone AND the Polo back, all on the same day. Things are looking up. I've felt bereft without the internet - far more than the phone, which is rather worrying. I realise I do pretty much everything online. I had to go down into Chagford on Tuesday to use my Mum's i-pad for the grocery shopping rather than actually make the journey to the shop. In my defense, the shop is over twenty miles away. I'm sceptical as to how long the internet will last so I'm getting a quick post in before it disappears again. 

This morning OB wrote a sweet little sign in his rather eccentric handwriting, and drew out the winner who is...........

Congratulations Cait (http://caitsphotos.blogspot.co.uk/), the cards will be on their way as soon as you send me your address. Shameful fraying on OB's school jumper; he shreds it with his teeth during lessons and I haven't got round to hemming it yet. He is not alone in doing this I'm glad to say.

While I've been away, there have been few opportunities to take pictures thanks to the weather. I have rarely been so glad to live on high ground. We may be getting the same amount of rain or snow, but at least it drains down into the streams and rivers. We are so lucky not to be flooded as so many are. Water can be such a force for calm and yet so destructive too. I did happen to have the camera with me as I set out on a seemingly sunny afternoon. Ten minutes later, this happened:

Ten minutes after that:

I took these in Trigger's paddock one evening. Incidentally, I just had a phone call from our neighbours who own said paddock, telling me he seemed to have escaped into the next door field. My fault.....I forgot to close the gate properly last night....oops.

One day in the week, I can't remember which, we had a sunny walk with no rain whatsoever. Miraculous. The paths were still like streams though:

Very strong winds visible only through the medium of Snippet's fur:

Someone was lost and making a lot of noise about it:

The kitchen window has been streaming with water most of the time, so only a few bird pics:

As I've got out of the habit of taking the camera this week, I have forgotten it on a couple of occasions and suddenly remembered the smart phone (which has been a godsend in the absence of other means of communication) and its camera. Because it runs on Android, I can access them on the laptop in a way I've never been able to with previous phones. I think they're a bit weird but see what you think:

Hmmm - not for me. I've done nothing to them and I think they need quit a lot doing to them, particularly that first one - the colour reminds me of an old Polaroid.

We've had power cuts, another plumbing emergency involving a valve under the kitchen sink and LOTS of snow, but I still feel lucky and very excited to have the internet back. I'm off to search for yet another new phone as the lightning fried our nice cordless one.....AGAIN. So, until next time, lovely to be back, happy valentines if you celebrate such things, thanks for your comments while I was out of action and here are those boys trotting down a fairly dry looking path.

NOT TAKING IT EASY

Yes,  we have snow and not even that is deterring Jack and what is now the cone of athleticism. I gave up trying to keep him from running on day two and, after today's check up, it seems it's doing him no harm. The vet just shrugged when I told him. Snippet seems to think they can still fight and has to be told off for doing so. Who, me?

OB hiding behind the wall as Jack streaks past, stretching that wound:

Sticks can still be fought over:

There's no holding him back:

Snippet pretended to set a good example....

Hmmmm........

We had this lovely sky over the weekend:

And lots of grey.

And significant snowfall yesterday:

I noticed this Cladonia lichen with orange rather than red 'flowers'. I've never seen it like this and since it's on one of my regular routes, I must keep checking it to see if it stays orange or reverts to red.

One of those lone escapees from Fernworthy Forest:

A little snow settled in the distance: 

Trigger still seems to be finding grass in the little paddock here but is at last eating some hay at night. It's been a cheap winter for me in that respect; only one bale so far.

Ponies sheltering from the wind that blew the snow from all but the most sheltered bits of the moor:

I have recently taken possession of my first smart phone. I've been resisting it but, after the two weeks we spent without a land line with me relying on a mobile that doesn't work in the house and standing out in the rain on the compost heap to make calls, I found my old phone was wanting in many areas. The most serious of these is the fact that, if you have to press keys during a call as you get given infuriating options, the virtual keyboard doesn't work and you are left unable to contact any of the companies responsible for the lack of phone line. The point of telling you this, is that I decided to do the RSPB garden bird survey on it on Sunday and it worked so well and was so easy. I'm a convert, having said to the woman on the phone a week ago that I would probably never use the internet. I feel like an idiotic teenager as I stand in the kitchen checking my email. I even wrote the first paragraph of this post with it but the lack of apostrophe and other punctuation was irritating me too much to go on. I usually do the survey and then forget to look at any results so I must try and remember this year. I had the camera out too.....

On Saturday, we got the Polo back after nearly four weeks in the garage. That afternoon, we were filling it up with diesel when a hearse pulled up next to it, opened the immense driver's side door, which caught the wind and smashed into the Polo's front wing, leaving a large dent. This car is jinxed I swear. I have spent over three hours over the last few days on the phone to the insurance company and many other people who thought it would be a good idea for two people to come and pick the Polo up and drive it back to Exeter, 25 miles away. Then a strange man from a hire company would come and pick me up, drive me to Newton Abbot, 20 miles away to sign the paperwork for the hire car which I would then drive home. A complete waste of time and fuel to be repeated when the car is mended. Luckily I spoke to a sensible woman at the hire place who said they have a depot 200 yards from the garage in Exeter. I can drive the Polo to the garage and walk up the road to the hire place. Simple.....I hope. We'll see on Thursday. I can't believe we're losing the Polo AGAIN. Incidentally, the hearse was empty of coffins at the time of the incident!

Rant over - sorry. Welcome to two more followers as we edge further towards 100. I think I should do some sort of giveaway when and, more importantly, if it happens. I'll have a think. So until next time, here are the boys looking at Kestor. Only six more days with the cone.....