Shingle bells! - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Monday 11 December, 2023

by Rosemary at 7:14pm in Smallholding No comments Add your own

Monday 4^th December

Woke to heavy rain. The snow is now all but gone; it’s windy, cold and wet.

Well, that'll be the snow gone.

Dan and I had a walk up the orchard and pig pen as was. A friend of his is semi-retired so he’s offered to work for Dan for maybe a day a week (I hope he has good waterproofs) so their joint project is to take down the internal fences in the orchard and the pig pen, and replant with native trees where there are gaps. We’re also putting in 100m of native hedging along the far end of Home, for wildlife but also to screen the builder’s yard next door, so that strip needs to be fenced.

Tuesday 5th December

Don’t know what I’ve done, but I have a terrible pain in my ribs under my left arm. Resorted to codeine/ paracetamol at 5am this morning after a sleepless night. Managed to get a doctor’s appointment and she was lovely. I felt a bit of a fraud because the painkillers had kicked in by then. Heart, lungs, lymph nodes all normal; no swelling or bruising; she thinks it’s probably a trapped nerve, so just keep on the painkillers for a few days. It’s bloody sore, so I sure will.

Smokey incurred Dan's wrath for pushing over a full barrow - then eating the hay in it. Not like there's a lovely big bale of hay open for them.

Smokey and the snack.

It's been a lovely day, what I’ve seen of it; Duncan, the tree man, came and finished the beech tree felling. Dan’s pal came round and we didn’t scare him away, so he’s coming on Fridays to work with Dan on the fencing – taking down and putting up.

Festive decorations almost complete. Still got wreaths to make.

Wednesday 6^th December

Cold and sunny, no wind at all. But heavy rain forecast for tonight and tomorrow.

Still on the painkillers but spent some time outside cutting back the raspberries. Took the dogs for a wee daunder – they were tearing about the garden, terrorising passing dogs but they feel a bit cheated if they don’t get off the property. We met Mabel, Monty and Max – so it was a good trip out.

Autumn fruiting raspberries cut back.

Thursday 7^th December

Pain much worse; spoke to the emergency GP and have been prescribed stronger painkillers.

Friday 8^th December

Dan off to Edinburgh for a Christmas lunch with some colleagues; I was off to Arbroath for my Covid and flu jags. I thought I should mention to the nurse about the pains and the rash that appeared on my back overnight. She asked if she could have a look; she did and said I have shingles. Bugger. Straight to GP for anti-virals. Funnily enough, the pain has reduced a lot. But so sleepy.

Saturday 9^th December and Sunday 10^th December

Pretty much slept for two days. Good news is very few spots and not itchy at all; pain almost gone. Diesel has been my almost constat companion.

My best buddy.

Dan was busy outside while I was sleeping – clearing gutters, now all the leaves are off the trees, splitting wood plus doing all my jobs. He's cleaned out about half the bird boxes - another once a year job.

Hopefully, I’ll be back to full strength tomorrow.