[Hilarysmum]

My best friend from Paris originally came to visit because she had heard I had a pig in the house!

[ellisr]

I have friends coming today that keep chickens and a dog so I thought I better clean up it has taken 3 days didn't realise I had so much haylage left mostly in the bathroom where I get changed. I still have the drive to sweep and hose down, stable to clean out after messy lambs and feed bags to collect from the feed store and dispose of. It is a given that they will want to feed the lambs and sheep and go gaga over the horse and pigs so I better clear a safer path to the feed and put all the shears, hoof trimmers and knives away safely so the little one doesn't get hurt or cut.
I have even washed my mucking out clothes to try and look a bit more presentable, don't get me wrong I work in an office 5 days a week where hair, makeup and suits are required (even though the wellies are in the car as heels just don't get me on and off the holding) but at home I look more like worzel gummidge on a daily basic and smell just like the holding and animals.
I had to go to the supermarket yesterday to buy yes some processed food as my friends are not used to my fresh food and try to be polite and eat some but not enough to actually sustain themselves. Didn't realise how expensive food had become I normally just get flour, butter etc for baking I don't normally buy pre packed foods at the checkout I nearly had heart failure.

[Beewyched]

 

All this looks so familiar - it's just that there is so little time for housework, especially at this time of year - the only time it gets done now is when it's raining 
I just pre-warn visitors that wellies are mandatory (& that's for INSIDE  ) & that they'll have to wipe their feet on the way out 

[Skirza]

Oh dear - this thread is making farmers/smallholders sound more like 'dirty, smelly, can't be bothered to clean up' types. Many of us are not, honest.

  

I certainly am NOT a 'dirty smelly, cant be bothered to clean up' type, but..I get up at 5.30 am and this morning, before I had even had a cup of coffee I had fed the chickens and turkeys, milked the goats, fed them and cleaned them out, made a batch of cheese, made bread and an egg custard and walked the dogs...all before most 'non dirty,smelly and let's live in a sparkling sterile home' types have even got out of bed. It's not that I 'can't be bothered' but just that I really dont have time to dust and polish. I also don't see the point of changing into stockings and heals to go to the feed merchant, and if I happen to need to pop into tesco at the same time, well...so be it

And to be honest...I wouldn't swap a single piece of straw on my floor for a life without my stinking dogs and wellies with poo on

[Beewyched]

Oh dear - this thread is making farmers/smallholders sound more like 'dirty, smelly, can't be bothered to clean up' types. Many of us are not, honest.

  

I certainly am NOT a 'dirty smelly, cant be bothered to clean up' type, but..I get up at 5.30 am and this morning, before I had even had a cup of coffee I had fed the chickens and turkeys, milked the goats, fed them and cleaned them out, made a batch of cheese, made bread and an egg custard and walked the dogs...all before most 'non dirty,smelly and let's live in a sparkling sterile home' types have even got out of bed. It's not that I 'can't be bothered' but just that I really dont have time to dust and polish. I also don't see the point of changing into stockings and heals to go to the feed merchant, and if I happen to need to pop into tesco at the same time, well...so be it

And to be honest...I wouldn't swap a single piece of straw on my floor for a life without my stinking dogs and wellies with poo on

Totally agree - with the exception that you wouldn't catch me with or without wellies on  in T****s

[Skirza]

LOL...totally agree with you Beewyched but unfortunately we don't have a choice. The nearest (big) supermarket apart from the dreaded T****s is 120 miles away 

[Beewyched]

I bet you had lovely, local village stores/post office etc before they turned-up - like parasites - they get everywhere & kill the local, native (wild    ) life   

[SallyintNorth]

I just pre-warn visitors that wellies are mandatory (& that's for INSIDE  ) & that they'll have to wipe their feet on the way out 

A friend of mine says, "In some houses you take off your shoes to protect the carpets.  In some, you keep your shoes on to protect your socks.  Sally's house is of the latter type."     That's the thing about friends - they love you for who you are.

[clydesdaleclopper]

You also need to include:

Your study is full of incuabtors and brooder cages full of slightly whiffy chicks.
It's easier to find some baler twine than your makeup
Your 3 yo announces to the in laws "I love chicken poo"

[shearling]

Having just had our first lambs and me needing to cuddle one to get it dry and warm followed by further cuddling to get it to feed I stank of sheep. However, I have to say I have developed a liking for it. Although I appreciate it is not to everyones taste. I also like the smell of well-rotted manure and warm soil. Much better than the chemical sprays and sanitisers used in some houses. Still slightly stinky and proud!

[SallyintNorth]

You know you're a farmer when ...

... the ewes start to nicker at you, as you now smell as much like a newborn lamb as you do like a human

[Blinkers]

I've only just seen this  and I've just read out the initial post to hubby who said "that's just a bit too near to the truth"   whilst we were both in hysterics.   Brilliant.

[katie]

It's nice to know it's not just us! What with lambing and trying to pot on millions of plants, keeping the house tidy is low on the list of priorities at this time of year.

[Llandovery Lass]

This weekend we have had, sister in law to feed the lambs and sit the dog, my sister who came to an Aunties 90th birthday party with us and then on Sunday my daughter and granddaughter turned up. The vacuum cleaner is full of hay, I really do not understand just how much gets everywhere even upstairs. I mix the Lamlac in the kitchen sink, only place to do it and have strict hygiene rules, these can never apply when someone is helping. I did attempt to dust the most obvious places and did wash the floors but may as well not have bothered after a few hours it looks just the same. I am beginning to believe that it doesn't really matter as long as it's not too dirty. I really don't like the fact that I do occasionly shop at T......  it is rare as it is a long way from us.
Have got into the habit of wearing a boiler suit for dirty jobs, lamb feeding, mucking out but still seem to drag debris into the house.

[shearling]

Since we moved in I found a thick layer of brown 'dust' everywhere. Never had an AGA before and had it checked, but its all ok, but the man said thats the reason for the amount if dust. Now who should I be to argue . I cannot argue with the professional surely and the AGA is most needed as the only form of hot water heating and food heating supply in the house. So I now 'let it go'. If anyone visiting such as in-laws those with white gloves and anal fixation for cleaning I just explain its not me its the AGA