Greetings from the UK contingent, visiting the Pacific North West, more specifically The Gentle Giants Meadow Ranch– Maureen has asked me Annie, (the better twin !!) to do the blog today. Well, never having done any sort of a blog before here goes.

Today has so far been a beautiful day and unexpectedly I ended up down on the farm ( that doesn’t really sound right ) as Greg took Maureen to the Doctors’ – she’s fine by the way, just making sure that she is doing OK after her big op on Tuesday. Amazing that girl – she is coping really well after what was a big operation.  Anyway I digress, I was happy tiddling about here in the house and then I wasn’t – I was sent down to the farm to help out Super Quatre the Wwoofer and it was like coming home . Always at my happiest shovelling you know what !!

Since my last visit in Feb/Mar time (incidentally Maureen was at that time recovering from the first back op) a lot of the sheep have appeared, Holley was a figment of the imagination and there have been changes in the horse community, oh !! and Macho still smells haha !!

John and Mal have been hard at it since their arrival – Greg is making the most of the fellahs whilst there are here and yesterday they were digging out the ditch – see photo. They also managed to get covered in the mud they were digging out and it was a “ you’re not coming in here like that “ situation – off with the clothes at the back door.  NOT a pretty sight I can tell you !! I think I actually should have hosed them down like  Bran has to be…….He really enjoys his milk once Molly the cute little Dexter (Holleys’ Mum) has given it to us…

Anyway gotto go – Maureen has got jobs for me to do in the house.  Bossy that girl altho’ she says it in  such a nice way you gotta do it…..we have a new wwoofer coming tonight !!! her room needs doing – hi Ginger !!

So until we meet again – Annie (the better – or maybe just the older) twin !! signing off.  Tatty bye !! (old English saying meaning See y’all later )

Good morning and happy Sunday! The (re) invasion has officially started, Greg and Quatre are completely overwhelmed and out numbered by the British, the Hudsons are here !!!

Yesterday was a great day for family, new friends and re finding a friend I thought I had lost. My twin sister Annie, big bro, John and Annie’s better half, Malc’ arrived from England…so Greg can downsize the big black stress cloud he has (unknowingly!) hauled around for several weeks and, because I CANT work..( shock horror !!) I can spend all day (if I can pin one of them down!) visiting.

Little Hol-ley, the calf, has  graduated to Grade school…and our little prima donna is letting the whole world know that she is less than happy with her all  grown up(nearly) status !! In fact, she is VERY not happy and she is making it very clear to every one who cares to listen..and also those who choose not to, that she does not want to be a big cow and she REALLY wouldn’t mind being”un”graduated and back on 2 big bottles of momma cow Molly’s really creamy, frothy, warm, sweet milk. At the other end of the milk chain, Molly really ( despite what the “people for the liberation of cows front” think) seems to quite enjoy having her udder massaged, she has no objection to Greg sweet talking her as she munches on her dairy cow sized portion of molassed grain and she certainly has no problem with the milking machine relieving the pressure from her swollen teats.

Quest would, if he had two legs instead of four, be considered a rebellious teenager. Because he does have 4 legs, a head, a tail and Shire sized attitude, he is having a bad day and excuses are found.Mmmmmm, maybe teenagers and horses with attitude aren’t too different after all ! Quest and Lady were turned out into their allocated portion of a cross fenced  field. Initially, both horses were content, the grass was growing and all four sections were lush and green…but as the weeks have progressed, their pasture compared to the other sections of the sub division has started to resemble a hot dog whilst the other 3 sections must look like a juicy fillet mignon steak ! Quest tried to let Greg know that the situation was not looking good from where he was looking, he paced the fence, he charged the fence and ultimately he jumped it ! With all the style and grace of a Grand Prix Champion he had an oversized tantrum and let Greg know that there is very little he can do. Clearly the naughty corner is not an option !!!
Well, I’m going to have to go, I have over extended my “time”. Take care, keep safe, M

It’s Soooooooo good to be back !!! Yesterday I had a few moments of indecisiveness, a few minutes where I was questioning myself, a short time of self doubt. I asked myself whether it really was worth continuing with the daily diary, why did I think that it would really matter to anyone if I discontinued with my almost daily “brain drain” and then I had an ethereal kick up my butt and a reminder that there are a lot of people that use my diary as their proverbial crutch. There are some people that rely on my diary as a light hearted peep hole into another life style and there is my / our family who use my diary as a connection with family on the other side of the country and indeed, the world.

Why ? What happened ? What could possibly have caused me to consider termination of the diary?

Well,..I guess my current physical condition plays a big part in my thought process… ultimately it was something someone I had felt close to that momentarily broke my trust and faith in mankind….But it is back, I am back  and I will try to maintain the diary with some kind of consistency !!! As some kind of closure, I would very much appreciate a call from a stranger turned friend on Vashon Island. Please KF call me.

So, what has been happening in our world ?

Well, I am currently wearing a very fetching shade of black/gray/purple and a re-designed  eye brow with a very noticeable new bump!. When I got home from the hospital a wonderful walk aid was delivered to the house, it helps ( surprisingly !!!!) me to walk and it helps me to extricate me from the toilet ( always a useful tool !!) So, not having done what I had struggled to get there to do ( not good!) I tried to stand using my all singing all dancing (not!) walking frame. Unfortunately, it would seem that either the spirit of Halloween had taken over the very innocent looking walking frame or there was some operator error but somehow the walker took itself off for a walk without me, I somehow tried to follow, somehow the wall stopped the progress of the “possessed ??” walking frame and somehow I finished up being unwrapped from the frame by a shocked Greg…(who didn’t think there was anything left in this Universe that could shock him !!) wearing  my newly acquired facial re-arrangements and wondering what else I could possibly do to upset my back surgeon!

I’m sorry, I am going to have to go and try to undo what the narcotics have so successfully done.. currently my computer is on a tray, balanced on two pillows, supported by a roll of (Costco’s best) kitchen towels and once I unwrap my broken body from all this “stuff”, I can’t get it back without help…namely Greg, who is currently taking care of lots of poo down at the barn.

 Quick ( but VERY important) note, THANK YOU everyone for your comments on the diary..ESPECIALLY to my 2 beautiful little grand daughters Katie and Carly. I just know those comments will make me get well MUCH faster and they gave granny the biggest granny smile that you will ever see !! Thank you. Also, special virtual mum hugs to Dean, one of my sons for all the love that came through his multiple comments.Thank you son, I really appreciate your support. Got to go…right NOW. Take care, M

Quick note to all Maureen's followers. I just got off the phone and Maureen will be home later this AM. I will get animals out to pasture and then get on my way. YEAAAH!!!

Hi All. Maureen had her surgery today and is feeling miserable but in better spirits. She is now able to move about more without the screaming agony of the past few weeks. Now begins  the hard work. Those of you that know Maureen personally will know that she is not going to be the easiest person to keep down. 3 months of NO lifting. About another 3 months of reduced work. I think this part is going to be the biggest challenge for both of us. But we both know that the final result will warrant the effort. Stay tuned for updates from Maureen. I am sure she will be back on the keyboard in the next few days. In the meantime, thanks for all the wishes and thoughts. Maureen is a very special lady and sends her love to you all. Also a BIG thanks to Mom S and Quatre for holding down the ranch today. I was able to focus on Maureen and not worry about all the other members of the GGMR family.
Take care and stay safe. G

Happy Sunday morning from a very grey and drizzly Washington state. Preparations for the day were a little different this morning, Ranch Cook/ Ranch Hand /Super Mom was very obviously not here ! Greg and Ursula are clearly going to miss her…..very possibly much more than she is missing the barn, smile. Mom left yesterday afternoon to spend the weekend with her grandson and his little family , I’m sure she will miss us,… just a whisker,…though, sometimes after an afternoon with our grandsons it is easy to draw a connection between the rambunctious boys and the squabbling roosters in the chicken pen or the busy, chaotic, attention seeking goats.
Yesterday Macho the smelly buck and his hopefully pregnant partner in crime Alyssia the doeling taught poor Ursula a memorable lesson in gate security. All was normal ( or as normal as things get in the goat pen !!!!) Macho and Alyssia had, without incident returned from their pasture, had eaten their respective grain ( Macho’s affection for Alyssia does NOT extend to sharing his food !! ) and licked the rubber buckets surgically clean. Having safely (NOT) tucked the honeymooning couple up in their stall, Ursula’s attention turned to feeding the chicken and collecting the days egg production. Two full buckets of chicken layer pellets were carefully placed whilst Ursula  opened the Chicken shack door… simultaneously the crafty buck and his accomplice just as carefully released themselves and covertly tucked into the conveniently placed chicken food buckets. Poor Ursula, extracting Macho and Alyssia from their unexpected second helping of grain before the buckets were cleaned was more than our frantic WOOFER could cope with, fortunately Greg was close at hand and egg basket and food bucket were retrieved before further damage could be done. I guess Macho and Alyssia need double or triple checking before we can be satisfied that they have been safely locked up for the night.

Well, I believe I have about 10 pints of water to drink before the back police is satisfied that I am adequately hydrated today… which means that I can possibly schedule about 20 very painful trips to the bathroom !! I know…it’s for my own good..but I don’t do water !!!!
Take care, keep safe, M

Good morning from a VERY wet Pacific North West. It has come down by the bucket load this morning and from my vantage point ( stuck here in bed !!!) I can see little riverlets flowing down Home Field to the road. This is where we find out if Greg’s ditch project was successful or if I will be watching feverish activity as mud and grit fly with the construction of a new revised plan B.
Yesterday was NOT a good day and the hour long trip home from St. Francis hospital in Federal Way lying in the truck bed on the dog blanket could I think be the definition of “ THE trip from hell”. Our “day out” had started at 9.30am with an appointment in Tacoma.The worse than excruciating road trip was continued on to Federal way where a hellish experience was made almost bearable by the wonderful staff that had the unfortunate task of prodding poking and jabbing me for the next few hours. Clearly the hospital issue, XXL size wheelchair which Greg VERY unprofessionally banged me from doorway to doorway ( In Greg’s defence I do have to admit that either the wheelchairs are too big or the half inch spare is sadly inadequate !!!!) Our return trip was made even more memorable by the fact that it was raining ( duh,this is Seattle !!!) it was Friday AND it was rush hour, by the time we got home I had completely lost my sense of humour and quite proud of myself ! I have never sworn, obviously am familiar with all the “choicest” profanities BUT I never used  even one….( I did think them though !!!!)
Today is another day, Greg and Super Mom are down there in the rain and WOOFER Ursula is currently working on some wardrobe issue,…some rain gear that will prevent our little worker from getting soaked..if not pneumonia. It is Ursula’s last week with us, we can hardly believe that she has been with us 8 weeks and we and the whole barnyard will miss her!     

Well, the cuckoo has cuckood, it’s well past clocking on time at the barn but I am with them in spirit ! Time I put the computer to bed and try to get this broken body out of bed! Take care, keep safe, M

It’s pouring down outside and Greg and his trusty ranch hands are already hard at work down at the barn. We have an early start this morning, the whole game plan has changed and we are heading out for pre surgery tests and blood work. I will try and update later but yesterday evening we got the call from the surgeon and he has brought forward the surgery to Tuesday at 2pm (I think!).Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers, I don’t believe I have EVER had pain like this nerve pain BUT I know there are lots of people out there without the love, family, friend and WOOFER  support….and insurance. I have become so much more aware of the blessings I / we have, thank you all, we will get through this, I have so much to fight for and I will fight.

I will update as and when…take care, keep safe and thank you…..M

I guess I had never really thought about it but WOOFER intern Ursula voiced her thoughts this morning. …..Ursula slept in, she overslept…quite unheard of but, as she gulped her breakfast down, she said, “It is so tranquil here, so peaceful, it is so easy to lose a sense of time”. Days blend into weeks and weeks into months, I hope that the Ranch will always be a place where people can heal if they need to heal but always feel at ease and leave feeling good that they have spent time with us.

So, what’s been going on down at the barn (while I’m popping pills and trying to stay on the right side of misery)  up here at the house? It’s a bit like watching a soap opera and something is happening all the time! This morning Ursula took Lamb Chop for his morning walk from his stall out to the pasture and his pasture pal, little Hol-ley. Lamb Chop walks on the lead better than Bran the Border Collie, he walks to heel, he stops and he stands. This morning, Ursula allowed him to graze the lush grass and I held my breath as he inched towards my Japanese Maple ! Not too long ago Lamb Chop and his partner in crime, Macho the buck, made an escape bid and, of all the trees  Lamb Chop could have munched on, he chose a tree that had been a gift, an expensive gift and clearly a very tasty gift ! Lamb Chop pruned my prized Japanese maple almost to extinction and I helplessly watched him munching his way towards the tragic remains  whilst Ursula was unknowingly his accomplice !!!

Poor Ursula had quite the day, feeding little Hol-ley is a routine repeated every day but today the calf was not prepared to wait and before the feeding bucket could make it through the gate, Hol-ley was heading for freedom. Fortunately the call of the grain bucket was stronger than the call of freedom and Ursula didn’t have to chase the calf up the ranch road

Well, I guess it’s time to wish you a safe and happy day, take care, M

Good Morning..Big news for today….I’m dressed, I say “I’m
  dressed” because it wouldn’t be quite the truth to say “I got dressed”, the
  whole procedure was quite the event ! having been almost confined to bed for
  the past week, last night I had a business conference with myself ( that way I
  knew no one would argue with me, smart eh ?) The Insurance Company have got
  back to the surgeons office and have denied cover for the surgery at that
  location…which means that it has been scheduled for December 3 at the
hospital…..which was a bit of a shock as currently standing up is an issue,
walking is excruciating, it could/will be a fun (?) month. Last night after the
call I had my conference (of 1 ) and asked myself some serious questions, (1)
was I a Brit ?…..(2) Where had my British get up and go gone ? The answers were
(1) yes and (2)….?. There and then ( with no abstentions or arguments) the
motion was passed that I can’t just lie down and wait for Dec 3, there are
things I need to do, so, today I got dressed ( with a little help…but he didn’t
mind ) and put my face on…so I look human again, the rest of the day will be a
challenge.. but I’m a Brit, right ?
So, what happened down at the Ranch
yesterday? Well, our ranch hand extraordinaire, Mom was given the day off. I
have to say, she was less than impressed..infact she was quite vocal, but when I
suggested that some of moms extra yummie cooking would REALLY be appreciated she
graciously capitulated..thank goodness. Mom really enjoys being a ranch hand and
being confined to the house involuntarily did not sit well with her !!!

Ursula our extra enthusiastic WOOFER was as usual ready before Greg and spent
  her waiting time (as usual) making sure the automatic waterer in the chicken
  nursery was spotlessly clean and weeding the house garden to give the nursery
  chickens a tasty treat, I swear those chickens are THE best cared for chickens
  in America, if not the world !!!

Greg took some time off the ranch to
make a grain run, meanwhile Ursula ( who doesn’t do “time off”) occupied herself
de-pooping the pasture currently occupied by a very personable Lamb Chop and a
very cute and getting cuter, Hol-ley this years calf. Having confirmed that
there wasn’t a speck of lamb or calf poop in sight Ursula decided to have some
quality time with Hol-ley. Ursula has been “mom” in the evenings and been
responsible for bottle feeding the insatiable calf so Hol-Ley was more than
happy to fraternise ( clearly hoping that a bottle would appear !) but is
appears Lamb Chop was less than impressed at Hol-ley being the center (centre)
of attention and head butted his pasture pal out of the picture to ensure all
attention goes in his direction. Clearly Lamb Chop considers himself THE
personality and is not willing to lose his title to the usurping calf.
The
chickens have apparently decided to take industrial action and eggs are becoming
increasingly scarce this is an annual event and usually lasts a few weeks before
production is resumed, hopefully our customers will be patient.
We have no
control over the chickens and threatening them with chicken soup or chicken and
dumplings has little effect so we have learnt to be tolerant.
Well, the
cuckoo cuckood 7.30 a long time ago but I’m not on Greg’s schedule now so I’ll
say Take care, keep safe ( watch your back or you will land up like me!) xxx
M