Lisa, Author at Conversations through the middle

Well stroppy!

February 1, 2010

My eight year old knows it all. At her tender age she is sure she is right about everything, I can’t possibly understand her world and I’m an embarrassment to her, especially when I sing.

Her attitude, which isn’t helped by her love of Hannah Montana and Sonny With A Chance, oh and the Wizards of Waverley Place, has come to a head in the past couple of days when it’s time to go to school.

Tantrum is hardly the right word for her behaviour. The slightest thing sets her off and I’m starting to wonder if she’s hormonal. Could that be possible at her age?

What all of the above mentioned TV shows have in common is a rather precocious teenager who is loud and cheeky – and she is taking it on board. I think I will have to ban these programmes from our television.

While it is comical watching her wagging her finger and moving her head from side to side in that particular American-teenage-TV-star-way (I can’t do it, I’ve tried), enough is enough.

She is going to have to be satisfied with CBeebies from now on.

Another cold day today…

February 1, 2010

I’m getting a bit fed up with the weather now, it’s so cold it’s beyond a joke. I lunged John yesterday afternoon – I thought the school had defrosted enough and the sand seemed quite soft. But he fell and I feel terrible about it. He went down on both front knees.

I have rested him today but he seems out of sorts, he looks a little depressed. I can tell when he’s not feeling right – I know my horse well. There doesn’t seem to be excess heat in his legs, no more than normal anyway (he often feels warm in his front legs, I think it’s his age). I’ll keep a careful eye on him over the next few days.

I hope he’s better tomorrow…

After school

January 30, 2010

I picked my little horror up from school yesterday and she brought her friend Chelsea home with her. If ever there was a child meant to have brothers and sisters it’s mine. When I was little my friends who had no siblings swore they liked it that way, but I can see my little girl is lonely being the only one. It really pulls at my heart strings that she doesn’t have a sister to play with but that’s the way it has turned out, sadly. On a happier note the two girls had a great time and rushed around the house like two little whirlwinds and as far as I can tell, there were no arguments. Result.

Outlook sunny

January 30, 2010

Why am I now so interested in the weather? I can’t go to bed at night without first watching the weather report after the news. Darren tells me I’m obsessed! He doesn’t get it but other horse owners will understand I know. Since having a horse what it’s like outside has taken on a whole new importance. Is it going to be sunny – yay, great for riding; windy – not good as he spooks if it’s gusty; rainy – oh not so bad, I can cope with that, though torrential is miserable; icy or snowy – well, we have to stay at home if it’s too slippy. You see, the weather forecast is crucial.

Then there’s the question of rugs. How many and what ones depend on the temperature – one, two, stable rug, sheet, blanket or both?

If the taps freeze there’s no water, poo picking the field is easier though when the temperature is below zero, snow means it’s harder to get to the grass, while too much rain makes for a quagmire.

Yes, the weather forecast has definitely taken on a new significance since I became horsey.