Pork trotter

A big clue that a big pig was loose on return from work was a big bale of straw in the centre of the yard instead of where it should have been under the eaves of the stable. So as we settled Hazel, Pamela the monster porkpie factory trotted into view, grunting her hellos and full of apology for having abandoned her all mod cons hot and cold running straw pen, where she was booked in to give birth. There followed a comedy of errors as yours truly tried to get a very happy to see me pig (imagine a 200kg puppy) to stay in one place long enough while barricades were constructed to keep her there. Much to the amazement of the goats the lumbering monster walked through their enclosure and plonked herself in what s left of the old dog kennel. Here, protected from the torrential rain (it is summer after all) she keeled over and fell asleep. The whole process only took 2 hours, two changes of clothes, half a ton of straw, a steel gate, several screws, some shouting and some counselling for the goats who wanted an ASBO on their new neighbour.  

Just because you can.......

 The current down time for the DBMD website has made me revisit the technogeekery that is intrinsic to this virtual world and finally I have got round to adding a few friends blogs what I read in my tea break. So have a look in the margin for new ones, and as soon as I can work out how I will put on the awards the website have been er...awarded by Jessie J USA. 
Andy's life with a bike has had an impact on the goings on here, he manages almost everything transport wise on a bike, this is an example to follow for lots of reasons and Vic has been semi retired while I do as many miles as I can on one of two and  a half bikes. Andy recently asked how the cycling was going, this is how.
 For reasons far to complex to explain yesterday I was in the right place at the right time with the right amount of loose change and motivation to buy a replacement inner tube for the R200 (above) who had suffered the only puncture so far in many miles but was pressed back into service by the use of the wheel from the R100. (I know the small gods of punctures will now be out to get me)
 Hence 2.5 bikes.
 As soon as I was home, the inner tube would be replaced, R200 would have the right wheels, R100 would be whole again and I would have 3 bikes ready to roll. (Bring it on puncture gods)
 Now yours truly being me did not know what to buy when faced with racks of bike inner tubes at the bike emporium but a yoof in the company polo shirt managed to stop playing with his PSP3 and told me that tube XYZ was probably it.
Was he sure I enquired, my wheels on my steed are the narrow ones, racing speed slick types, 100psi, was he sure tube XYZ was right?
Sure he was sure, as sure as he could be dealing with a moron who did not know his bike tyre size, and anyway these are tested to 120psi.
Really?
120psi yes so they will cope with your bike wheels.
 Sold.
120psi, this almost resembled a challenge!
 Back at the ranch I changed the inner tube in double quick time. So easy with the new tyre levers, memories of the trouble I got into as a child for bending all mum's best cutlery prompted the purchase of the levers.
Pump applied and inflation begins.
Quick check 100psi is well within the capability of the pump, the guage on it goes up to 130.
117. Press.
118.Press.
119. Press.
12BANG!
Dogs dived for cover, horses bolted, goats feinted, I tried to staunch the blood flow from my ruptured ear drums while my beautiful and oh so patient wife came to the door to make sure I wasn't carrying out my threat to shoot the cats.

The devastated inner tube above would suggest that 120psi was a tad too much, the tyre wall (checked in retrospect) clearly says 101psi max. Lesson of the day. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should!

Sayonara Santorini

Yet another winner at Rock HQ.

Mice!

I had one of those oh how we laughed moments today when I picked up the penultimate sack of feed. Having already cut the top off to pour it into the magic blue bucket (the one with allure) it took a second or two to work out what was happening and by the time I had it was too late, but basically I was holding an empty polythene tube as the bottom of the plastic sack was missing, and so 20 kg of pig nuts went everywhere except where intended, the bucket. Rodents had gnawed the bottom out, not a small hole but a large bucket sized hole. We get large mice here thanks to the easy pickings and sloth like cats. Thankfully Nero and Trevor were keen to help clear up the mess.

System Restored

Fiveways got its view back late this evening, this pic from almost the same spot as yesterdays posting below. The Dolyhir Bernese Mountain Dog website will be off line for a week or so as the technogimps who ran it firstly forgot the expiry date was near and then after failing to remind yours truly that this was the case upped the fees x3 annually to host it. Given the lack of customer service this seemed a bit steep. I, in a fit of pique rehosted the site elsewhere for a tenner for two years, then as I basked in the glory of my most triumphant achievement realised as I sipped a celebratory brew that I had in fact spelt the domain name wrong. Argh! Money down the toilet. So a revamped spelt correctly website will be up shortly, meantime the dog blog is still a goer.

Summer bouquet

 As its summer I thought I had better enjoy the sunshine, the life outdoors beckoned after a day in the office.

 Can't say the sun shone at any point, in fact it was more like October than July. I took three of the Clan as company and we met the Ryelands on the dark side of the Bonsai Mountain.

 The top was lost in cloud,

 fiveways lost its view

 the rain hammered down but it was good to be out and about foraging.

 By the end of the circuit a tasty summer bouquet of willow, hawthorn, bramble tips, rose tips, pear, apple, plum, hazel, thistle flowers and wild mint was gathered together for the goats.

Meanwhile lurking in the pig pen a very big pig was making her bed.

A big thank you to all of you who have sent such nice emails and messages about the loss of our dogs. It means a lot to us that you take the time to care.

Pips ray of sunshine

 It was perhaps fitting that Pippin our collie cross was buried in torrential rain. The Clan sat around while yours truly dug the second hole in 24 hours to bury a much loved pet. It was a lifetime ago that I rescued Pip, so small she could sit in the palm of my hand, so flea infested she was aneamic and on the point of death, from a bedroom of a council house where she was shut in with 7 other dogs. Another bedroom had three naked starving children but thats a different tale, and I didnt bring any of them home, they went elsewhere. Pip survived not having a mum and became a very hyperactive superfast collie who was befriended by the beagles and became a permanent feature in our lives. She came second at puppy training class, and once you forgave her strange facination with eating other animals doings she was a lovely dog.

 So on the slopes of the Bonsai Mountain in the shade of a hawthorn Pippin was laid to rest with the Dolyhir Clan ignoring the rain to say goodbye.

 Across the valley they could see Montana.

 Pippin was covered in rocks from the old cottage to stop any inquisitive wild animal. And just when it couldnt be more wet and miserable this happened.

 Pippin's last sunbeam, a proper ray of sunshine to say goodbye.

It raised a smile.
Just like Pip.

The loss of the magnificent seventh

 We knew the end was near when late last night I helped Aunt Montana's owner get her back in the house after she lay down and refused to move(thats Montana refusing to move not her owner). Mont perked up a bit and was put to bed but was very very ill.

 We called in first thing, Montana was not moving much but a happy dog. As ever.

 The vet came to see Montana and it was decided that she should go to sleep, her heart was struggling, there was no hope. So Aunt Montana has left up forever but she left so many memories. So all these pics are from the day we found out she (top) was ill until today when I buried her.

 She was a lovely big bear of a Berner, soft in the head, big heart, loved to be with the animals,

excellent with kids, especially if they have food,

happy to be one of the clan, one of the magnificent 7,

a champion sleeper (anywhere)

a big fan of Reuben,

and pigs (almost the same)

in all a lovely girl who in her 6 years of life raised a lot of smiles and will be dearly missed by the Dolyhir Clan.