What a day.

Woke up to summer. Not only in date but in weather. A peach of a day was awaiting us. Like a shot we were out the door as Dave was keen to challenge my lead in the walking stakes. This time it was over near where I ride, Stanton, and as I had a jump lesson there later in the day, it worked in well.

Yvonne - 1
Dave -1

Yes, he made it round without getting us lost. The only thing I will say is that it would have been very hard to get lost as the path was well worn. But rules are rules so he gets the score.

He also wins the award of the "eagle eye". Not far into our walk he spotted a rustle in the bushes and seconds later out popped a stoat with a rabbit, considerably larger than it, in it's jaws. As luck would have it we were downwind of it so were able to follow it up the track. To our great surprise and joy she hopped into a small patch of nettles and 3 baby stoats came out. We were no more than a metre away and spent a little time watching the babies run around and play before they headed in for their rabbit lunch.

What a treat. Someone was feeling very smug in himself. The picture doesn't do it justice sadly.

5 miles later, Dave timed his arrival into The Mount Inn in Stanton, two minutes before afternoon closing, with military precision. Like a man possessed, he had left me sometime earlier, trailing behind looking at horseys, and had taken off with only one thing on his mind. Cider.

Luckily I had a fair idea where he was off to. Not much comes between that man and his pint.

You can imagine the smirk on his face when I eventually arrived and he was sipping an ice cold cider on a hot sunny day. First the stoats and then the success on the drinks front. Christ........

And that was only halfway through the day. Jump lesson went well and then off we raced to the Olympicks. The excitement levels were high.

Sadly our digital camera ran out of juice at the start of the games so we have very few pictures. All I can say is that if you ever get the chance to come and see the Olympick Games in Chipping Campden you should do it. The sound of bone on bone in the Shin Kicking is incredible. Yet again Dave was in tears.

The whole thing ended with a bonfire, the best fireworks display I've seen for years and a torch lit procession by all the punters from the Games at Dover Hill down the roads into the Campden village. Incredible sight and feeling walking along the roads with thousands of people in the dark and only the torches to light the way.

A great day. So good in fact that neither of us can pick our favourite thing for the day. All in all a good week for Dave before he headed off again today down the wiggly road to London.

Racehorse Central.

When all around continues to be damp, wet and weary, there is only one thing for it.

Go to the Big Smoke.

Cheltenham was the town of choice. Regency architecture, leafy lanes, good shopping, esp. in Montpellier. Made it into one shop before being frog-marched out of it, back to the car and off to the racecourse for a look. Nothing to be seen except rather strangely, Teepee's, inside the track.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent hurtling around country lanes in search of new pubs to drink in. Our other "thing" for the summer, apart from keeping tally of how many times Dave gets us lost out walking, is that we're not allowed to drink in the same pub twice. Our local, The Horse and Groom, doesn't count. Have to have one regular for emergencies and the like.

Sadly, yet again we failed miserably. With increasing desperation Dave wrenched the car door open, engine left running, in the vain hope of an open establishment. The bastards leave all their boards out between 3pm and 6pm, thus leading us to believe they are in fact, open. When they are in fact, shut.

We did go with camera in hand to Old Farm this morning, prior to jaunt, with the special mission of taking a picture of Fally's healed leg. A week ago she had been sent up the road to Batsford Estate for some "lovin" with a piebald Squire up there but we figured she would be back.

Wwweeeellllllll, it would seem she is having such a nice time she is refusing to come home. Word came back from the estate that her "first" time came as quite a surprise to her, judging by the look on her face.......... That and the grooms had to build up a bank of shavings for the little Squire to be able to reach her............

Easy day.

Not much going on today. Weather is miserable.

Had planned a couple of miles walk across to a pub but the ground will be too heavy going. Indulging in a spot of drink driving instead..........

Lovely, lovely potatoes..........

Yvonne -1
Dave - 0

For those of you who will remember from last year, Dave had a shocker with navigation on our walks. This year we are keeping tally.

My turn today started off with a slightly shaky start until we realised new fencing had been put in altering the route somewhat. Nice walk. Some lovely horseys and spuds were spotted..........

Back to Chipping Camden for a spot of lunch on the green. The village will be hosting it's "Olympick Games" on Friday night.
Shin Kicking is one of the sports. Oh, Dave is a happy man.

Heading out again this evening as Dave was protesting to his lack of fox spotting. Out we went but all he got was some cow licking.........

"Watch the cheese"

I've seen a few crazy things in my time but this takes the biscuit.

For years I've seen it on the news and was always fascinated. Another lifelong dream fulfilled to finally see it in action for myself.

The Cheese Rolling at Cooper's Hill, Brockworth. No finer a sight will you see than able bodied men and women chasing down a near vertical drop after an 8 pound cheese. For no apparent reason it would seem as no-one knows, even the organisers, why they do it.

As you would expect a lot of antipodeans were present both in the chasing of the cheese and watching of the chasing of it. And also, as you expect, a large number of ambulances were at the bottom to pick up the shattered bodies.

Some fabulous style was seen, from running down forwards, backwards, rolling, tumbling and my favourite, the swan dive. The swan dive was spectacular esp. as the bloke temporarily seemed to knock himself out at the bottom.

Dave was in tears.

The Krugers were with us after another night on the piss Chez Ellis's and yes, I did manage to serve dinner before midnight this time.