A SPECIAL INVITE!

Well here we are again with Halloween banging on the door, it is time to start thinking about those Christmas orders. Kiri is beavering away making chocolate santas and snowmen for those special stocking fillers, and her new boxes of chocolates are to die for. You see we just have to try them before they can go for sale!!! Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!


November is nearly here and I am starting to get quite nervous. You see I have received a very special invite. I have been invited to a reception this month at Windsor Castle to meet the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, along with other people who work within Rural Communities!


Well the first thing is what on earth am I going to wear? The invite says dress/lounge suit. I don't have to wear hat or gloves apparently - shame I have a great wooly hat that keeps me warm during kidding time, not the prettiest of things but very practical. And then I love my fingerless gloves for markets. And well, I rarely go anywhere without my wellies and it is for "work within rural communities" - what do you think?? Kiri reckons I need to get more 'into the groove' or modern, but I'm not sure. I looked in my wardrobe the other day and it seems I could probably offer most of it to the costume department for some 70/80's revival shows! I've always thought my clothes were classics but unfortunately they haven't kept up with my growing years - in more ways than one. Well when you can't get a dress up over the knees or passed the shoulders there is definately something amiss! This is where the chocolate tasting has really taken its toll and who else is qualified to check the fudge before we pack it!


So what do you reckon? Any suggestions as to what I should wear? Come on guys I really need some help here.


I await your thoughts and will let you know how I get on.


Loraine

Busy Busy Busy

Its that time of year when down on the farm here in Talley we have to all wear many hats! With kiddings coming left, right and centre, produce to make, young stock going into parlour for first time and trade shows each week during March, there are not enough hours in the day. We also have March as our end of year, so in the office we have accounts to finalise and chasing to get everything sorted for the new tax year! Oh well no time to get bored then!

What a glorious day it is today though. Having stopped for five to have my late lunch - quick ham sandwich and cup of black coffee - I took a few seconds to glimpse out across the field where the boys (our male goats) are strolling around without a care in the world, the sun is just glistening on the hill tops, wonderful!

Down in the unit the girls are busily making our new soft cheese, absolutely delicious - even if I do say it myself - the Sundried Tomato and herb is particularly good. If you are around Roath or Mermaid Quay in Cardiff at the weekend or Kidwelly on Sunday then do come and try it, you'll know then that I do not exaggerate. I am hoping that next week we will have our new labels for them and then they will be able to go out to the deli's and farm shops.

Yesterday I escaped onto an e-commerce seminar - had a fantastic day and met some interesting people, especially a lady called Rhiain who I teamed up with for the day. Hi Rhiain if you are reading this, do keep in touch, you were great company yesterday. Of all the speakers we had there were three gentlemen who really were brilliant - Mark Shaw who talked on twitter, Mike Southon who spoke about entrepreneurs and Alan Stevens who had a wealth of knowledge on PR. All of you SME's out there like us do google them, well worthwhile!

Oh dear the clock is ticking, the baby alarm is screaming (or rather the goat inside the barn that's about to give birth) must dash. Speak soon.

HAPPY 2010 ALBEIT A WHITE ONE SO FAR!

Well what a shock for the system! We have spent the last three weeks bucketing water from the house to the goat shed and stables. Along with many other farmers out there the past three weeks has been hard work and gutty!! Carrying many 20 litre buckets in a relay system with six of us across the yard, twice a day has been unbelievable but at least we have managed to keep our sense of humours and have a laugh. My mum has been baking non stop and I think we are all getting to the point of being "souped" and "caked" out - although there was a particular carrot cake recipe which was a particular favourite, it was gone before the end of the day! (Actually most of the cakes were gone before the end of the day if truth be known but I know I thought I'd sneak an extra bit of this particular cake only to find someone else must have got there first!!!).

Anyway the thaw seems to have started today so much so that I have found three burst pipes so far so we will have our friendly plumber visiting tomorrow no doubt. But at least there is water now in the barn with the goats.

We must not complain, what is a little bad weather when you see the tragedy that is Haiti today. My thoughts and prayers go out to the people there.

I will write again to let you know how we get on with our water situation.