Yesterday, I also called on Farmer G, though I didn’t see him and left a message with his wife. And his son, Farmer J, phoned this morning to check I’d be in and ready for a stroll around the demesne.
Although brought up in town, where I lived for over thirty years, I’m a country girl by nature – heh – and I’m quite practical. So we soon found we were in agreement. In short, the whole of the field known as Humpy’s Meadow will have its fencing replaced. Various hawthorns and willows need cutting back – there is nowhere for birds to nest, they aren’t bushy enough for that and they haven’t started sprouting yet – and brambles will be cut down and burned. Fallen and dead wood will be cleared. The old stable (Humpy was the donkey) has fallen down and its remains will be removed. Wood that can be used for the fire will be saved and the rest will go on the bonfire. And it’ll be done before Easter. The new gate that I had made will be installed at the same time, but we’ve agreed that another gate won’t be needed.
We talked about the Ups and Downs, the other field, and agreed that the fence alongside the road has never given trouble, so can probably be left. The one along the drive could do with some attention but that isn’t urgent. I mentioned that LT had pointed out that the three brick pillars only go to the curve in the drive and a fourth one would be better than the concrete post that’s there now. Farmer J agreed and suggested that a fifth, by the gate into the field, would make an even better job. I need to talk to our good friend Dave about this, we like bricklaying together, if he has time and energy. Then, the angle irons that are the fence posts could be taken up, the paint stripped, rustproofed, repainted and replaced, and new wire put up.
LT and I haven’t decided yet whether we’re staying here long-term or selling and moving – we have had quite enough change in the past year and a half and are happy to be together for now and see where life takes us. But whether we stay or leave, we’d like the place to be lovely. Dear Russell rather liked it being scruffy and rather liked a mess. Careful neatness wouldn’t suit the place, which is old, relaxed and not a bit posh, but a sense of order and comfort does.
In other news, I moved the furniture in the drawing room while Tim was away. Since he now has the revolving bookcase right by the place he normally sits on the sofa, this went down quite well. Although I’ve moved another bookcase into the room (which used to be in here actually, I can’t remember why it was taken out, a decade or so ago), I’ve assured him they aren’t his’n’hers bookcases. They’re both ours. Obvs.
Right now, we’re drinking champagne.