We hope to get in to inspect the property with our architect in the next week or two. We won't need planning permission as all the alterations are internal but we will need a building warrant. We also need to firm up on the list of other work to be done so that our builder can start costing it.

We're asking the Energy Saving Trust for advice on insulation and heating. The windows need replaced, the loft insulation upgraded and, since the solum needs sealed and new heating pipes put in, we'll insulate under the floor too. On heating, we're quite keen on using a wood pellet boiler for heating and hot water. There's no mains gas so we need an alternative and LPG or oil won't do. That will leave us with electricity, so we're thinking about installing PV cells, but perhaps not immediately.

We're just looking to get on as quickly as possible with the house, so that we can get on with the "real" stuff on the smallholding.

We've both had colds but Dan has been taking a cold and flu remedy which was quite horrid - very chemically and fluorescent green. Anyway, he's invented his own remedy - juice of one lemon, large teaspoon of honey, three capfuls of green ginger wine topped up with hot water. That plus a couple of paracetamol makes him feel a whole lot better.

I didn't realise green ginger wine was alcoholic - I suppose the clue is in the name- so we're going to buy or make some ginger cordial, so we don't get into trouble. In fact, I know the very thing to warm me up after doing the outside jobs...

"Spring" Lambs from asmallholder on Vimeo.

They are back in the small paddock overnight but will be released again tomorrow. Lucy Lamb is big girl - I hope she has some high energy lick tonight or she won't be able to throw her weight around with the same abandon as she did today.

Last week we also had a demonstration of how to light a smoker. It all looks very simple in the hands of an expert. Dan flicked through the catalogues and asked if we needed one of evrything - I said no, we needed two of somethings and none of others! I'm not sure if this made him feel better or not.

We're going to have National hives. I'm planning to get two, although we'll only get one colony - the spare will be for, well, spare! I'm also getting a bee suit - in stone (colour not material!), I think. White's a bit conspicuous and looks like there's been a chemical incident.

The beekeepers - the proper ones who are delivering the course - are just wonderful. They are so generous - with their time, their enthusaism and their expertise. This year, for the first time, they are running a queen breeding programme to develop nuclei that new beekeepers will be able to buy at a very competitive price. They hope to make importing bees from other areas unnecessary, thus preventing the spread of disease. They were meeting today to build the nuc boxes and hope to have nucs ready in May, June and July.

The Association gets a discount from one of the major suppliers of beekeeping equipment, so I have to get my list done and in for the mentors to check before the end of the month. That's my next job!

I've bought Vivaldi and Mimi as earlies to go in pots; Red Duke of York as a second early and Druid as the maincrop. We grew Druid last year and they were very good indeed.

This is the Druid "blurb" - "Very similar to Red Cara but a slightly later maturity. Short oval pink/red skinned with no white splashes, shallow eyes. Huge yields. Firm flesh does not disintegrate on cooking. Resistance to foliage blight, common scab and golden eelworm so ideal for the organic gardener." Also ideal for the "not very good gardener".

I've bought two garlic bulbs (Wight Cristo), which will be plenty, and 3 bags of "Picasso" shallots. We grew these last year, and they did well. We never have much luck with onions, so I've bought two mixed bags of white, brown and red onions - Red Baron, Snowball and ABS 101. In the two bags, there should be 100 - 150 sets, so that should yield, oh, about 20 onions.

Other then these, I'll just use up last year's seeds and start again next year in the new vegetable garden.

First week was and introduction and a bit about bee biology, covering taxonomy and physiology. Much of it was introductory and future sessions will look at things like equipment and swarming in more detail. Swarming seems to be a major issue.

I think DSBA may be very good and welcoming, because there were folk from further afield whose local beekeepers had been less than welcoming. I think most of us beginners joined the Association, which means we get hands-on training and, hopefully, access to a nucleas later in the year. I'm not buying anything until I've been close to the bees, just in case I freak.

It's been lovely here last few days - cold, but dry and sunny. I actually managed to get two loads of washing pegged out and almost dry. It was lovely to smell the fresh washing for a change.

Yesterday, Dan and I did a bit of tidying up outside. It's a bit strange to think we won't be here next year. Our seed potatoes, onion and shallot sets and garlic bulbs arrived last week. I think we'll just plant them anyway, and we'll split the yield with the new tenants. Dan pruned the apple and pear trees and burned the prunings, so we and the cats all smelled smoky. It was such a nice day that even Felix came out and had a wander round in the sun - first time he's been out for ages.

We designed a new sign for our new house tonight; John (Dan's dad) is going to make it. He did the one for Longcarse and it's very good. We're doing so much planning, but we really need to get access to the house to firm up on measurements and so on. Hopefully, the sale will conclude this week and we'll be able to get in. Then it will be full steam ahead!

Before moving, the tups got the once over - feet trimmed, wormed / fluked and bums tidied up. Dickie also got the wool trimmed round his eyes - I'm sure he couldn't see properly. They look a bit lost in a 6 acre field.

The ewes have scanned exactly the same as last year - Juno has twins and Jinx and Jura have one lamb each. I'm a wee bit disappointed but I didn't flush them. I hope to do better next year, when the small paddocks will come into their own for restricting the ewes intake. They've also had their feet done and had wormer / flukicide; the ewe lambs just have to have their feet trimmed. That's tomorrow's job.

Actually must go and do my medicine book while I remember. It's nice to have them back, though.

Hmm, just as well I used to watch "Animal Hospital" (thanks, Rolf). I threw my jacket over it and caught it up under one arm. It's not very big - I've tried to identify it using my trusty "Reader's Digest Book of British Birds" without success - and I think it's a goose, rather than a duck because it hisses rather than quacks.

Anyway, having caught it, I had to get back into my jacket - it was pretty cold - drape the dogs' leads round my neck and stop Tess from nipping it's bum, before walking back. I didn't think we'd walked far, but it seemed a long way home.

Goosey is now in the garage, in the cat basket, with a straw bed, water and some mixed corn, awaiting the SSPCA tomorrow. Its foot is badly damaged and I suspect that humane dispatch will be the outcome, but maybe not, because other than that it looks OK.

It is rather lovely, although it doesn't like me much. Or Bertie, for that matter. He had to be removed from the garage and locked out. That's gratitude for you!

Paddock Paradise is a system of natural horse boarding developed by American hoofcare expert, Jaime Jackson. Basically, it's trying to replicate the conditions in which wild horses live. Now, horses evolved in dry tundra - so that's not wet Scotland, but I'm going to give it a go.

The start point is that, in the wild, horses walk a lot of the time in search of food, water, minerals and this keeps them fit and their unshod feet in good condition. To recreate this, we create a track by putting an electric fence 10-15 feet inside the perimeter fence. On the track, we have shelter (trees or a field shelter), waterhole (or trough), feeding stations for hay, mineral licks, dust bath - and the horse walk from one to the other.

I hope to do this in the 5 acre field. As soon as we get access, I will work out how long the perimeter is and get the electric fence ordered. I'm going to use wooden posts and two strands of tape, so that it's pretty permanent. There is already a field shelter on the long side; I'm not sure where the water is.

Ideally, I'd like to dig a waterhole rather than have a trough. Jaime makes it sound quite simple - dig a hole 1-3ft deep and line with a tough tarpaulin; run a trickle feed into it. Surround with river rocks and a sand area for rolling. Easy!

I'd also like to put a couple of gravel areas on the track for the horses to walk over. This helps to condition their feet. A friend of a friend has done this and says her horses stand and rock on it, as if having a foot massage.

The track should be scraped clear of grass or mown very short. Keeping it in reasonable condition in our climate might be a challenge. Hay is fed all year, so it's a good system for laminitis prone horses.

Anyway, I'll let you see it once we have access. If you are interested, the book "Paddock Paradise - A Guide to Natural Horse Boarding" by Jaime Jackson, is worth a read.

My neck'sa bit sore but other than that, I'm OK, although I might be stiff in the morning. I checked the weather forecast and I was happy to see rain forecast - can you believe that?

The sheep are off grazing instead of hanging round the hayrack and the birds are chirping like mad. The horses were all excited this morning too, so maybe they know a change is in the air.

It was a really easy recipe from Delia's big " learn to cook everything" book and it didn't need to be kneaded. I used half white and half wholemeal flour and it turned out rather nice with a lovely crust. I don't think it will keep (fat chance), though.

Next time, I'll use less salt - two teaspoons seems like a lot to me although it didn't taste salty. I reckon it cost about 60p plus electricity for the oven, but it wasn't very big, at elast not as big as a shop bought loaf, but it's more substantial and doesn't have the added flour improvers and stuff.

I intent for bread making to become part of my routine, certainly after we move.

DANGER MANIFLU !!!!!!!!!

Of course it isn’t “Just a cold”
I’ll have to call the Doc,
I looked up “Swine Flu" symptoms
It gave me quite a shock.

I’ll have to go to bed now,
While you get “Tamiflu”
But just before you leave the house
I have a list for you.

I’ll need some magazines to read,
And maybe you could try,
To find me some on fishing,
Doesn’t matter Coarse or Fly

I’ll need a box of tissues,
The softest ones with balm,
My nose is sure to get quite sore
A while you’re out… some ham.

I feel a little peckish.
They do say feed a cold.
And something like this Swine-Flu
Is sure to take a hold.

Perhaps you’d make a jelly.
My throat is getting worse.
And jelly would just slide down
This Swine Flu is a curse.

If you should see some lemons
You could make me a drink
With honey and some whiskey
It might just help , I think.

I think I’ll go to bed now
Just switch the telly on.
And see if there’s some sport for me
To watch while you are gone.

And maybe get two cream cakes
Brew up when you get back
I’ll let you get your coat on
While I just hit the sack.

If this was only just a cold
I wouldn’t go to bed
But I’m so hot I think I need
A cold cloth for my head.

YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO THROW IT

I COULD HAVE CAUGHT A CHILL

YOU NEVER SEEM TO SYMPATHIZE

WHEN I AM REALLY ILL.!!!!!!