I'm hiding in the shed. It is just after lunch and I am sleepy. Really sleepy. I am tempted to curl up like a cat and fall into a deep nap full of sweet dreams. Sometimes, I convince myself that I have some mild form of narcolepsy but then I remind myself that having children who wake you before six is more likely the reason. And you can't go back to sleep when you know that there are six hungry lambs desperately awaiting your arrival at the shed with warm bottles of milk.
This morning, I made a stupid decision and didn't put on waterproofs and wellies to see to the lambs. Within seconds, they had jumped all over me with muddy little hooves. They bit at me and slobbered all over my clothes. Which I wouldn't mind but a few of them are suffering from orf - or Contagious Pustular Dermatitis to give it it's proper name. This virus causes scabby lesions to form around the lambs’ mouths and feet. It can make them sore around the mouth and they stop eating which is not good for a ruminants digestive system. It also leaves them vulnerable to secondary infections. We often get cases of it around the fields at home - probably due to lambs nibbling at gorse and thistles - and we treat them successfully with antibiotics. It is highly contagious to humans but touchwood, I've never had it (although my son has. We taught the GP something new that week). Needless to say, by the time I returned from the lamb shed, a shower and change of clothes was in order.
Then it was straight into breakfasts and a packed lunch for my husband who is contracting today. When he isn't working with our own flock, he works with other folks' flocks. Today, he is over the hill, helping with shearing. His job will be to keep the sheep coming for the shearers so that they can get the job done as quickly as possible. For me, it means that his clothes will be laden with the musky scent of sheep and thick with lanolin. I'll say some kind, apologetic words to my washing machine before he comes home.
After he left this morning, with excited collies in tow, time seemed to speed up. There were dishes, hoovering, laundry and field checks. My youngest begged to do a complicated jigsaw for about an hour, then walked away disinterested after five minutes. My son asked for help finding a picture of a very specific jetski online (Yamaha Waverunner if you are a Need-to-Know type person). My daughter complained that only her dad can hang her new picture up and could I please tell her exactly when he will be home. My eldest made chocolate mousse which required more of my input than I anticipated.
So now, while everyone is content and busy after lunch, I'm hiding in the big shed. This is my husband's domain but I can see why he likes it here. It is peaceful. There is the creaking of the wood but that is all. No electrical hum. No chatter. Just peace. The sun shines in from the window, it's light dappled and dancing as it streams past the trees outside.
There are all sorts of treasures in here. Old ice cream tubs full of screws, nuts and bolts. Vintage tools and scrap wood. Paint tins which instantly evoke memories from years ago - sitting in our newly built home staining the door frames and skirtings. And there is the tin of expensive Farrow & Ball paint that I insisted on buying in order to get the exact shade of cream to match the expensive Farrow & Ball wallpaper. A very out of character episode but it mattered to me at the time.
I started to count the spanners hanging on the wall but there are too many. I've made a mental note to bring up the spanners next time the size of my knitting needle collection is mentioned.
Yes, it's a lovely haven in which to hide for ten minutes with a cup of tea. But I can hear whisperings from the house now.
The laundry is asking to be folded and put away. The cooker sits in anticipation of dinner. The bathroom would quite like to be cleaned but it might have to wait it's turn.
Love these tea-break musings!!