Zombie Gnome Jinx

Sometimes I have really good ideas and then sometimes I don't...
This is my Christmas present from a very good friend, the challenge was to buy each other a truly awful gift that had to be displayed for a year til it could be replaced with the next truly awful gift. well I had cunningly "displayed" mine in the caravan but 2 weeks ago I felt a pang of guilt at twisting the rules and put him on the doorstep for all to see. I think I must have caused some sort of massive Feng Shui negative energy vortex. One hour later I tripped up and fell over at the door right beside it and hurt my foot and the following week turned into such a disaster that it was verging on the worst kind of farce that the script writers for Fawlty Towers would have paid good money for. That same day I waved my daughter off on holiday for two lovely sun filled weeks in Greece with her friends, a much anticipated 21st birthday present from us. The next day (Sunday) her horse, who I agreed to look after and should have known better from a past experience that left me vowing never to look after anyone else's animals, not even a tank of stick insects with no identifying features and an ability to reproduce and replace themselves at the drop of a hat, any the horse was brewing a nasty cough and the Vet had to be called out and diagnosed a very bad lung infection. Issued two types of meds and basically prescribed me an overdraft and double trips to the yard every day.
Tuesday night the old dog died, and Wednesday morning as we were planning his disposal with only mild hysteria, daughter phones to say someone broke into their room last night and stole money a phone and an ipod.
On Friday evening I popped in to see my inlaws and found faither nae weel so while waiting til 3 am for GDocs to attend Rach phoned to say she and her two friends had been ill since Wednesday with a really bad stomach bug and as she put it, having to share one sink and one toilet had put their friendship on a whole new level!
By Sunday the horse was no better and all 3 were in hospital on drips and by Monday they were on an early flight home.... and sorry Julie but Zombie Gnome was put in the bin and I will pay whatever forfeit for failing the task that you dream up so long as it does not involve a public appearance in a wetsuit.
Horse and Daughter are now on the mend I have stayed vertical and we have a lovely hydrangea flourishing in a certain spot in the garden.
RIP Brandy Boo.