Sheepskin Jacket!

Went to visit my old friend in the nursing home today. I find it hard to go and see her, she is so different from what she used to be like and I hate having to go and leave her there. Today she was brighter than she's been for weeks, and is plotting to try and get the family to let her go home. I've been wracking my brains, trying to think of ways she could manage at home, but as she needs 24hr care it would be almost impossible. To see her sitting in a row of armchairs in front of day time TV, in a room full of other old folk, is so distressing. They really are waiting to die.

She wants to be back in her house, sitting at her window, watching the comings and goings along the road, the farm traffic and the boys who work on the farm waving as they go past, watching the snow, the bulbs coming up. Able to read when she wants to, to have peace and quiet when she wants, to be able to choose where to sit and for how long. She does enjoy the food - the porridge and the soup are her favourites and are excellent, but she is well enough now to be bored and know that she has had enough of it. I hope a way can be found to get her home, she has always been a strong and determined lady and so I hope she manages to persuade them!

After my visit I knew I had to get out and make the most of the day. It was lovely and bright and sunny, the snow melting and an icy wind. Ollie and I headed off round the fields and come across this chap. He's all on his own and always comes to the fence for a bit of a chat. He's a Texel - not the bonniest looking breed of sheep, but good for meat and they do well up here so there are a fair few of them about. This chap is a show champion, so much so that the farmer sells a percentage of his male lambs for breeding rather than meat - a much better way to end up, I'm sure they would agree!