Our Half Term

Sometimes time-off just does not live up to all that you hoped. The children took it in turns to be hit by the lergy, this half term. Everyone fit and well again now. We’re a pretty healthy lot in the normal way. We sat out those days. Then it hit me. Giving into the inevitable, I cancelled our visit to friends. I had no wish to pass it on to them.

Within moments of putting down the phone on my friend, a rather shaken neighbour turned up on our doorstep. Did I have another neighbours mobile number? No……..Now, in a parallel universe I’m sure that I said goodbye and went back to feeling sorry for myself…….but in this universe I said Why?

Turns out that the gate of the neighbour, whose mobile number I did not know, had burst open and their less than friendly dogs were out in the lane. Sigh. I couldn’t leave them like that. Being a brave dog person, I headed for the lane and called the dogs back. I knew their names but little else. They came running back. All teeth and foaming at the mouth, ready to bite me. There are two of them and they are big dogs. I had no intention of being bitten. So in my best Barbara Woodhouse voice, I yelled No and calmly retreated to behind my gate.

I was safe, but I knew anyone going along the lane would be attacked. We have horse riders, cyclists and walkers that use the lane, as well as cars.  We are also surrounded with fields full of livestock. So I needed a plan. With a scoop of dog biscuits I lured the dogs into yet another neighbour’s garden, but unfortunately, I couldn’t reach the gate to shut them in. As soon as anyone tried to open our gate, the dogs swung round and headed for them. So we were trapped. Fortunately, our brave local farmer crept up and shut the gate. Dogs contained. Phew!

Next problem was that the dogs were now in the garden of a house for sale. Owners not in, but potential buyers might visit at any time. Also the wall was low enough that, if sufficiently motivated, the dogs might jump. There was no way that I was going to lead these dogs back to their garden. Belief me, that was most definitely out of the question. So I stood in my garden, rewarding them over the fence for sitting or down when I commanded them. They are very well trained and, surprisingly, they accepted it from me. This kept them entertained, until the dog warden turned up and took over. I was actually starting to like them.

All this time, other neighbours had been trying to track down the owners, to no avail. After a few hours, one of the owners came home and rescued us all from the dogs. I now have all the contact details for my neighbours. I am also so impressed by the number of neighbours that helped. When we moved in, one neighbour said that we (our block of houses) don’t live in each others pockets, but were there when we were needed. That day really lived up to her description. I did retire to a comfy chair, with a cup of tea, and finish reading The Help, afterwards. Not allowed to take too much time off to feel sorry for myself.

Other half term activities have included a firework evening and also going on our annual pumpkin shop in my home area. The photo, at the top, is of a thatched church, where I used to go as a child, just occasionally. I loved going there, as it was novel. So small that not too many parishioners could fit in! The village is made up of mostly thatched cottages. We lived in the next village, where only a few houses were/are thatched. The vicar was shared between a number of neighbouring villages.

Also been getting ready for a birthday party. Testing out some new craft activities to keep ten 6 to 7 year old girls entertained for 2 and a half hours. I’m informed, by my soon to be seven year old, that booming “sit” and throwing biscuits at the party goers is not going to work. Shucks, there goes that idea! I’d had a bit of practise on that one.