At Last.... photos

http://gallery.me.com/gavinb/100204

We have our Planning Permission!!

As last we have our planning permission to convert the farm from agricultural to a livery yard. Having applied for the permission back in August, our application was referred to the district planning committee for approval in October. Since then we have been to the committee hearing, and subsequently further meetings and finally today received the signed consent granting us our permissions. Wow what a long and tortuous road!

So now the really hard work starts, not that we have been sitting around for the intervening months. My recuperation program has been to bite off small lumps from the endless list of jobs the the farm throws up, and not over-do it, sometimes a bit hard. With a lot of help from many friends we have upgraded all the fencing, hacked back eons of hedge growth, constructed the temporary stables and generally cleared everything that could be cleared.

As the winter set in, the wonderful cabin, although well insulated, proved no match for the miserable British climate. The solution was to install a funky antique Norweagen log burning stove. We may have slightly overdone this one as we now seem to have the windows and door open to keep cool, at least we a plentiful supply of recycled horse muck logs to keep us going. It's just so nice to look out from the kitchen window and see the horses ploughing their way through the acres of grass.

Construction of the new stables will forge ahead this week and the new Manège is due to be installed straight after the new year. Anyone who fancies a bit of giant Meccano is welcome to turn their hand to stable erection over the Christmas break!

So although we haven't wanted to tempt fate by posting blog entries about the farm, we have got there end. There will be updates a-plenty on the way, oh and I've been given the 6 month all clear!! Wow what a year. Thanks you to everyone who has helped Boo and I along the way

What a week (edit!!)

(This was the text that should have been posted with the photo)

So we finally managed to complete our grand move. The horses arrived on the farm on Monday, so nice to have them settling in and keeping the grass down. Now they have to get used to the menagerie next door, llamas wallabies, reas, donkies.....

Then on Tuesday we went off to finally see the consultant for the scan results - complete remission. It doesn't get any better than that. Check ups every 3 months from now on, but is basically get on with life. So here goes.....

We are moving

We are off again... It's time to leave the Duke of Wellington's fine estate and set up camp just down the road from the stables that we are (hopefully) about to build. It is what you might call compact, but it has a footpath out the back that leads directly to the farm, just over a kilometre away.

So as from the 15th Aug 2009 we will be located at:
1 Butts Cottage
Kings Street
Odiham
Hants
RG29 1NF
Tel: mobiles at present, land line to be confirmed....


All guest welcome but overnight staying could be.....fun!

The Tour de France in Annecy

On Tuesday evening we jetted out to Annecy for a quick rest from all the recent trials and tribulations. The Tour de France caravan was coming to town for Stage 18 - the 40km individual time trial round the lake.

Having checked the availability of space on the local campsites, we had bought flights, hired cars, etc then found that the campsites were fully booked! So we found a lovely little hotel for our first night in the medieval center of town, great apart from the 30mins spent trying to get through the tiny streets of the old one way system.

Having finally found a campsite with space on Wednesday morning, we set up camp and returned to a bar in Annecy to watch the action of Contador win Stage 17.

So with all the roads closed on Thursday morning, we took the early ferry boat up to Annecy, to get into the middle of the action. The sponsors caravan can only be described as nutts, after which, the time trial could commence. We spent the day moving between the Start, finish and the "paddock" where you really can get up close to the riders; Thor, Contador, Van Develde, Hincapie, Sastre, Millar etc. The only rider that we couldn't get close enough to see the colour of his eyes was Lance Armstrong. Only by standing on an official car could I get to see the Big Texan dressed in Livestrong colours warming up on his time trial machine. Bradley Wiggins proved elusive and hadn't shown for his warm-up by the time we left to follow them down the lake. Our ferry back down the lake set off as Bradley started, and we paced him for the first 5 minutes on the lake side road. A little further down the lake, there on the adjacent stretch of road was Lance on his fantastic Livstrong time trial bike. Bubbles, bread and cheese outside the tent was then perfect end to a great day in the mountains.

May I apologize to anyone on our campsite as we left at 4 o'clock this morning. I hope you managed to get back to sleep!

Stratfield Saye sponsored ride

The first stratfield saye sponsored was held today and what a turnout,
over 200 riders! Boo and I took Hugo and Bea for a nice day out, 10
miles and loads of cross country jumps. So much fun, an to think that
only 4 weeks ago I was having my last chemotherapy session!

Final scan...

Tick tock, tick tock. I suppose I should be used to waiting by now! 5 more weeks until I can have my PET scan - 28th July. That seems so far away, but hay, I'm going to be so well and fit by then!