How could I have thought that having builders in the autumn was a good idea – it looks like a battleground in front of the house. Hopefully things will crack on more speedily soon – we had the time consuming problem of discovering a well when the builders were digging the footings for the new walls, necessitating both extra Building Regs visits and the handing over of more money 🙁 The new room is starting to take shape though, and the re-located office has fresh paint on the walls and no longer sports a shocking artex ceiling!
Work is blissfully containable – Little Downham was my last report of the year for Horse & Hound and it was good to catch up with Piggy French, Tom and baby Max there. I’m sure Piggy will be a force to be reckoned with again when she returns to competing next year. Oliver Townend has finished the season a remarkable 1000+ points ahead in the British Eventing Rankings, while also nipping out to Australia and winning a CIC3* on a horse he had only sat on three times before the competition started – I’m not convinced he’s human.
Closer to home we found out that Sam is leaving Musketeer, her husband having taken a job in Australia – exciting for her but gutting for us. She’s going to leave very big shoes to fill.
This is the time of year where I tend to hunker down, catch up on the things that fell off my To Do list, 
and make plans for next year – I’m still seeking that elusive light bulb moment as to how to revolutionise the lives of all my clients, but I’m sure it will come.
Growler braved the builders and came to stay for a few days of beach walks, chat and good food, and I have even ventured down to London which is a rare event for me these days. I was thoroughly spoilt with one friend taking me to tea at The Wallace Collection and another to see Michael Morpurgo and Joanna Lumley read the story of War Horse at the Royal Albert Hall.
How things change on the turn of a card though. Louise, who I went to the RAH with, parted company with her horse out hacking two days later and now has a broken back. Fortunately she will recover, but what a reminder that we don’t know what’s around the corner. I’ve been holding extra tight when riding a newly-clipped George recently; strong winds and a plentitude of pheasants in the hedges is proving exciting.