We're having an entertaining week transport-wise, here in our little village. Last week the council, all of a sudden and without much warning (merely a sign announcing dates) decided to close the road and give us a nice new surface.
Terrific! It needs it! So the road has been scraped clean of the grass down the middle, the iron works have been raised, it's been scrubbed clean, bits have been eaten off by one of those road-eating machines and we now await a shiny new surface.
Getting to and fro our farm is the problematical part. The road is long and narrow with high banked sides, twisty bends and no junctions for means of escape. The detour is fine but tiresome if you attempt the road, find it blocked and then have to turn around. I've taken to dashing out early on the school run, taking the long way round to minimise the risk of meeting the road gang and after the first week of term (see Yesterday) I've abandoned the afternoon school run in favour of the bus anyway.
You see every cloud has a silver lining! The surprise coming home on the bus thing (because idiot mother left her lights on and flattened her car battery) was a huge hit with all concerned and is now part of the a daily routine.
My afternoon low-carbon school run now looks like this:
The dogs' enthusiasm for the new arrangements is such that they start howling at about 2.45pm just in case I change my mind and don't take them. They caught on straight away to the fact that the Big Walk involves a nice circuit - up along the footpath through our fields, down the road to the village to meet H10 and R8 from a minibus and then back along the road, up our driveway and back home.
It's about a mile and the dogs are inclined to tackle it at full pelt, towing me along. (I'm training them NOT to do this!) I carry a rucksack with the girls' wellies in it (so as not to wreck their nice new Startrite shoes) and it's lovely in the autumn sunshine and not too bad even when it's raining. I suspect enthusiasm may wane during the snowy, icy months though, but I'm sure even that can be conquered with the right clothing (there's no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothing.)
The road gang members are (mostly) friendly and inclined to wave as we stomp past in our wellies. On Monday we met a very tall, very African chap with a big smile (with tooth missing in the middle) who was kind enough to escort the bus through (he paraded magnificently along in front of it) and stopped the circular saw (which they were using to cut out a drain) while the children were there.
Couldn't you get a sled? If I didn't know better I'd say you were in one when you took the picture of the dogs. :)
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the kitchen door sled that Jon made would be just perfect when it snows! ;)
DeleteThanks!
ReplyDeleteI loved your description of meeting your girls from the school bus and all of you, including the dogs, enjoying the walk home.
ReplyDeleteI expect the "new" road will be very welcome once the surface is finished. Our New Forest lane is pitted with pot holes so you can send the road mending team down here when they have finished yours!
My husband broke his car suspension on our road (huge bill), so we're glad to see the new surface too. I'll send them to you when they're finished!
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ReplyDeleteI'm tickled by the dogs' enthusiasm for the new arrangements, Mags. You'll never be late to meet the girls with your canine alarm clocks!
ReplyDeleteShw mae.
ReplyDeleteSo, you've overcome an adversity, started a new tradition, and got a re-covered road. Not bad for a week's work! And I can entirely understand the dog's enthusiasm. Well done Maggie!
Sounds better all round really - sometimes us it takes something that we see as a problem to get us to change what we do and then we are surprised by the benefits. A mile isnt far? Well not until it snows anyway!
ReplyDeleteps WV = derlays ... Freudian or what!
When you have found out how to train your dogs not to pull at speed please let me know the method. I need the info.
ReplyDeleteMy Dad used to pull my sister and I to school on a sled in the winter of 1947. It was cool!
What a lovely picture you paint with your words Mags, love the dogs racing along, towing you to the school, I have tried for years to train every dog I have ever owned not to pull me along....let me know the secret if you succeed in your training!!
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