Living the High Life

Why is it that there are often no plans for the evenings, then suddenly you have no nights in all week? Such has been the social reverie here in the valley. Between us D and I have out every night this week culminating in a bangers and mash fund raising event at our village hall with entertainment from a local one-man band – Alan Herbert. How things have changed since Don Maclean sang ‘Rosie’. For him it was all his instruments were strapped about his person – drum on his back, cymbals between the knees, kazoo and mouth organ on a frame around his neck. Now it seems like live music meets karaoke meets disco. Mr Herbert had a laptop with songs and pre-recorded backing tracks whilst he strummed along on an electric guitar. He was good though, evident by the numbers on the dance floor - a real hip place to be. The ‘punters’ were mostly senior in years, and no hip replacement failures. They are quite a resilient bunch as many were up and about early this morning.
On the farm, the cows are now in day and night and because they are very dirty, it is difficult to read the brand numbers. We have clipped the tails and numbers of the low yielding group. It’s not a pleasant job at the sharp end or should I say the blunt end.
Our Herefords are still out at present but we are getting the sheds ready should the weather ‘go pear shaped’. Unfortunately we aren’t able to use the winter housing on the Long Mountain as it’s just in Wales. Annoying, as all the winter fodder is there ready so it will have to be moved to another location as and when required. As we turn down the lane to the buildings up there it is possible to catch a glimpse of Mountainear Towers – nestling in a little hollow on the eastern side of a small ridge. In the days of threshing, it was necessary to have a team of eight horses to get the threshing box back up to the road. The farm was one described as lowland farm in the uplands.
For our next piece of musical entertainment we are going to a reunion ‘gig’ by a local band (D’s cousin is in it) to raise money for the Air Ambulance. They do cover versions of well-known songs of the 70’s and 80’s including an all time favourite – All right Now by Free. I’ve still got the hairstyle but not the flares. It seems to be the ‘thing’ to reform – if it’s good enough for Take That, enough said!