27th March 2013

I went out for 2 hours this morning - legs still tired from the weekend's race but I plodded on through the ice.  What a pleasant surprise to see the sun having a go at shining through the bank of grey clouds that has sat on our weather for a few days now.  Not that it made any difference to the temperature; it was still gloves and hat weather.  Through Tyntesfield estate, across Watercress farm and over to Barrow Court; a complex Ghormenghast of a country pile that is almost visible from our house.  I reflected rather joyfully that most of the traffic I could hear from the main road was heading for work, whereas having the week off I could noodle around the countryside knowing that all I had to come home to was a cup of tea and some leisurely stretching.  And a wife with a hangover. (She had gone into town when I got back, to write more of our retirement plan - see the link to her blog, so I guess the hangover wasn't so bad.

 So, here is Barrow Court - well, a bit of it anyway.  Notice the blue sky - about time.

Now, this little chap has chased me on a number of occasions.  When he hears me running across the field opposite Barrow Court he rockets out of the farm barking furiously.  The field is really large and his legs are really small so I have a good while to get out of the field; I believe he is called Alfie and he often brings along a pal who lacks Alfie's aggression - perhaps he is the apprentice.  Notice the sharp teeth, whitened on the ankles of passing runners.

We all get chased by dogs, although it is rare that I get scared nowadays.  I feel that they are better controlled and usually accompanied by an apology, 'sorry, he doesn't normally do this...'.  Having said that 30 mins before meeting Alfie this morning I met a Sheltie, the owners of which were calling rather nervously 'don't bite, don't bite'.  Clearly this was a real possibility, although I am pleased to say he didn't.

Staggered back through the fields, rather appalled by two crows eating a dead lamb ( circle of life and all that), and home to the afore-mentioned cup of tea and a very nice hot cross bun.