EVEN FURTHER OUT IN THE COUNTRY

We're off for the weekend! We're going to spend a couple of days at the farm in the Emmental Valley that we've been to several times. I don't know how much we'll be able to do in the way of work, because there are no fields to contend with in the winter. But there are the animals and riding and there's always work to do in the barn, whether it's feeding the cows and pigs, milking the goats (there are a couple of two-week-old baby goats for me to fawn over and bottle feed), mucking out the horses, gathering the eggs, playing with the guinea pigs, playing up in the hay loft, taking the milk to the dairy place by horse and cart...I'm sure we'll find something to do! And it will be so nice to get away from every day life for awhile. It's such a different way of life on a farm and we all enjoy it.

We're all really looking forward to it. I should have some pictures up on Flickr by Monday!

Have a great weekend everybody!

YOU KNOW YOU LIVE IN THE COUNTRY WHEN: CHAPTER 3

You know you live in the country when there are 251 inhabitants in your village.

DON'T MESS WITH MY HUSBAND!

Andy has been snivelling around with his tail between his legs today. I guess that's what you get for breaking a friend's rib. And a female friend at that!

We were out for a Sunday afternoon walk yesterday with our good friends Kurt and Gaby and their two girls. As usual when we're all together, there was a certain amount of fooling around going on. At one point, I don't know exactly why, Gaby decided to charge Andy. Andy, who is nearly 6'4" and weighs 200 lbs, stood his ground while Gaby ran into him. And broke a rib. It wasn't Andy's fault, he didn't actually do anything, but you can imagine how guilty he feels nonetheless.

Gaby is going to milk this for what it's worth!

THOUGHTS FOR A FRIDAY

I'm not a big fan of Anna Nicole Smith, but I have to admit that I was saddened by the news of her death. It seems that for months now, she has been in the news for one reason or another. She was like a Paris Hilton, just always there. Anna Nicole Smith has not had an easy life. Whether it's by her own doing or not, I'm not going to judge her. But having recently lost a son and since then being caught in the middle of two men as to the paternity of her 5-month-old daughter, all under the public eye, it can't have been pleasant. For her to have just died suddenly amid all these events, I'm reminded of the lyrics to an Elton John song: "It seems to me you lived your life like a candle in the wind." Her sudden death somehow seems fitting. Perhaps now she will have some peace.

I can't quite put down in words what I mean. But those are my thoughts for today.