Sam's Day.

Looking at her feet as she walked Sam could only think of one thing, getting home to her flat and out of her soaking wet clothes, if she had known what the day had in store when she left that morning she would have definitely dressed differently. It was 7.00 am when the alarm went off as usual, Sam reached for the snooze button and sank her head face down in the pillow pretending that it hadn't happened but was resigned to the inevitable repeat in five minutes. She had been on her own for 3 years now and was getting a little frustrated with her daily routine and constant reminders by her friends that being single was not her style, though at times like this having someone to cuddle up to would sure as hell make getting up that much easier. Sam beat the second snooze alert, she reached out for the old LED alarm clock she had owned since childhood and turned the alarm off, the pale off white clock had some of its numbers missing and had seen better days but it still kept good time, Sam had a sentimental attachment to it and for her needs it was quite fine thank you.

 She walked to the bathroom with her shoulders slumped and her long mousy brown hair partly covering her face, her pink teddy bear nightie had also seen better days but again it had sentimental value, her dad had bought it for her so many years ago now and it held such precious memories, even more so since his untimely death from cancer of the stomach just 18 months ago. Reaching for the taps Sam cupped both her hands underneath the flowing water and put her head over the sink as she splashed the soul reviving water into her face, she stood there for just a second or two taking in that wonderful feeling of freshness only cold water can manage at such an early hour, it brought her senses alive and she immediately reached for the soft towel and buried her head in that as she had done in the pillow earlier, she put the towel back on the rail and then reached up to the bathroom cupboard for her toothpaste and brush, the routine she always followed, but today was going to be a day that was anything but routine, though as yet she didn't know it.
Downstairs and dressed, make-up on and hair tied back in a pony tail Sam was ready to face the day, she fed Asterix her 5 year old cat before she sat down for her cereal as she did every morning, Asterix was her one true friend and soul mate, they doted on one another, Sam had rescued Asterix as a kitten from a cat sanctuary, he would always be playful and seemed to understand Sam when she was feeling down and knew it was enough just him being there, a friend to be counted on no matter how she felt, that was so important to Sam.
Asterix ate his breakfast then disappeared through the cat flap in the door as Sam grabbed her coat from the hallway and her car keys from the sideboard, her shoes clonked and echoed across the partly tiled, partly wood panelled floor of the flat and as she reached the front door the post slipped on to the mat in front of her, so Sam picked it up and bundled it into her handbag as she raced across the large parking area outside the flats to where her old Vauxhall Corsa was parked. Yet again Sam was a creature of habit with this relic of the motoring world, her father had bought it brand new for her on her 21st birthday and though it was showing its age and cost Sam a fortune to keep maintained, wild horses could not part her from it. She unlocked the door and jumped in putting her handbag and flat keys on the passenger seat as she pushed the key into the ignition and turned it, the car burst into life and then, without warning just stopped again, Sam wasn't unduly worried as this had happened before, so she turned the key again and again, but this time her old faithful was not responding to her gentle coaxing and slowly but surely the engine turned over slower and slower as the life oozed away from the battery... Sam was going nowhere, or at least the little Vauxhall wasn't.
"Oh great" she muttered to herself, just what i needed.
Sam jumped out of the Corsa and locked it up and grabbed her mobile as she made her way out of the car park and on to the streets of the city, it was still quite dark for that time in the morning and the streets were full of delivery vans carrying the newspapers and bread etc, everyone seemed to be totally occupied with their respective jobs, Sam walked around and past the vans and delivery drivers as she made her way down the street to the bus stop just 200 metres away. There was already quite a few people stood waiting for the bus, mostly well suited types and young students, many had their head buried in a newspaper or were busy explaining to the rest of their mates just what a "great night" last night was. Sam stood awkwardly at the side of the bus stop not mingling too closely as she had no wish to become embroiled in the "night before" conversation or have to make small talk with a suit. As she stood there looking down seemingly engrossed in her about turned clenched fist as if looking at her nails a soft deep voice behind her quipped  "has your car broken again?"  Sam spun round at the sound of a familiar voice, it was Daniel from across the street from Sam's flat, he always spoke and waved or smiled at Sam, this morning however his wonderful smile seemed a little jaded and subdued, "I am afraid so," said Sam rather croaky, "are you OK?, you look a little stressed out" Sam said without thinking.. then suddenly realised that she may have no right to even ask, "Oh well, to be fair I am a little down this morning, I have to go and identify my wife, she was killed by a hit and run driver last night" "oh i am so sorry!" Sam blurted out, "I didn't realise you were married even, what a terrible thing!",
"we were separated" Daniel said softly,
"Oh i see, I didn't think i had seen you with anyone said Sam, n-n-not that I am keeping tabs on you or anything, I -I -just see you most days so I would have noticed"
Danny chuckled and Sam saw that warm smile try and make an appearance for the first time that morning,
"That's OK we have been apart for a good 3 years, we kept in touch, but she wanted her freedom and I wanted to settle down, I guess we grew apart and then she ran off with the bouncer from "Christies Club" on the old Peckham road, "Oh I know the one" said Sam still trying to seem interested as she was not the most talkative person first thing in the mornings anyway, even more so when you are talking about your neighbours dead wife.
"where was she hit ?" Sam said still trying not to pry but finding it increasingly difficult to choose the right words,
"Just outside the night club apparently, the car never stopped, it was only a small car but she apparently she didn't stand a chance as it was speeding"
"Oh dear, sounds awful" Sam said softly, "when is this damn bus due!" she said quickly changing the subject and seemingly rather annoyed at how her day was already developing,
"It will be another 10 minutes yet" said Danny, "would you like a lift to work in my car?"
"Oh...would you mind ?" Sam said in an instant "That would be brilliant, I work at...." "you work at Delaneys the accountants, I know" Danny said once more using that wonderful smile to great effect, "But..but how did you know that? Sam exclaimed, "It's easy" said Danny " I own a company that you do the accounts for, my assistant Rachel deals with you, I am Managing director for two other companies so I don't get to see who does my paperwork but i recognised you on the company Xmas card they send over every year",
Sam seemed quite flattered and for once was lost for words that Daniel had actually taken the time to notice her even, let alone talk to her at a bus stop.
"Come on" he said, "I have to go by your place on the way to the morgue, I will drop you off as i pass through".
Sam jumped in Danny's warm car and placed her handbag on her lap, as she reached behind her for the seat belt Danny grabbed her bag and placed it on the back seat of the car as he got in, "save you nursing that all the way to work, it will be OK in the back" he quipped, Sam now felt a little uncomfortable with no bag on her bare knees, her short tight pencil skirt was not designed for sitting in cars next to hunky neighbours, her heels made her legs uncomfortably high in the seat and she was acutely aware of her knees sticking up and way too much of her thighs on view, though she had to admit to herself she felt excited at the same time as a little embarrassed.

.....Part two and the conclusion to be continued ...

Thoughts for today.

Blue sky thinking grey sky mind
Lost dimensions hard to find
Daytime dreams nightmare nights
Silent prayers and noisy fights

Outside box and inside dealing
Pure of thought or simply stealing
Fast lane sprint or slow lane creeping
Lie awake or waste time sleeping

Life see's changes death see's sorrow
Raise you daylight see's tomorrow
Thoughts surrounded mind let wander
Food for thought with time to ponder

All entrenched in thoughts of all
Strong, the weak, the short, the tall.
No escape but death can alter
From such paths should you so falter.

Timewise.

I have a mind to sit a while
let life wash over me
Sip coffee that will bring a smile
A takeaway for tea ?

Some time to watch the daylight end
And night to have its way
The thoughts to which I must attend
All swiftly blown away

For space to think and hear myself
Are seldom in the plan
This elevation into wealth
The curse of every man

So here and now as i embrace
Our world in different ways
The broadest smile upon my face
Is how I'd spend my days.

.









 

A wet Wednesday..

Sitting at my office desk here in Craven Arms I am drawn to just how tired I am feeling just dealing with the day to day issues of a tyre company and service workshop. There is little time to gather your thoughts and appreciate what you have around you, let alone sit and write about it, but here i am leaning back on my carousel chair typing away, just for the hell of it. It's been a very hard week so far, lot's of things going pear-shaped and a few customers with 'b's in their bonnets because of things not doing what they should be doing. The overall consensus from where i am sitting is that people have less time than ever and indeed less money more than ever..which all comes to the surface when you inform them that it will cost over £250 to get their beloved motor repaired.  It's a definite case of devil if you do, devil if you don't.
My answer to most things is to sit back, weigh up the situation and act on it, though this in itself is not the complete answer as customers will throw you a curve you never saw coming just as you start to feel comfortable with your day !.  The things we have to deal with on a day to day basis are as wide ranging as they can be funny, anything from a convertible hood that won't lift to a trolley with 4 flat tyres, it's always varied and never disappointing but extremely tiring.
This week our youngest apprentice Danny passed his driving test, he rang me full of the joys of spring as you can imagine, but then dropped the bombshell that the car he had bought almost 12 months earlier at the age of 16 had been badly damaged the night before in an "accident" with a hedgerow while his Dad was giving him a driving lesson....mmmm a bitter sweet day for young Danny as "the boss" was very unsympathetic to his request for a "loan vehicle" while his is repaired (no harm in asking though i guess!). Of course, being a busy workshop the rumour of Dan and his mishap soon spread and some serious mickey taking has ensued since, it's all about that big learning curve again !
It's about 5pm now and the rain is beating against the office window as outside darkness also descends, these winter nights are very depressing and the lack of some decent sunshine of late is taking it's toll on people and their sense of humour.
 I am not sure about the clocks going back, it seems to me that they would be best left on British Summertime so that the kids can have some daylight when they get out of school, but who am i to say?.  It gets harder day by day to separate the writing which I love with the running of a very busy and now thriving business, the two are very demanding and I find myself being pulled more and more to my artistic values than my garage owner ambitions, it's a tough time for me as my mind is in two places at once and as a result not committed to any one side which is extremely alien for a seasoned businessman.  If I am asked for an honest reply then my heart is with writing which I am thoroughly enjoying at the moment, but i realise i have a duty to the staff i employ and my family as i have to earn a living while i am writing.
So there we have it, if you call in one day as you glide through our Town don't be surprised if you see a tall guy sat on a pile of truck tyres with a pen in one hand and a pad on his lap into which he is pouring his life story...you won't be seeing things I promise !.

"Best foot forward son..."

Jake lay awake that night longer than usual, he left his curtains open so that he could see the huge flakes of snow that were dropping out of the sky bounce off his window and land on the ledge, it built up on the ledge until it's weight became too much then fell in chunks only to do the same repeatedly, the flakes caught the flickering candle light now and then and made it look like it was snowing twice as heavily, it looked so beautiful from where Jake was watching, all tucked up in a warm bed, tomorrow however it would serve as a timely reminder as to the harshness of Mother Nature when her full force is unleashed.
Morning came all too soon and with it the previous day's wonderful sunshine, Jake raced to the window to see how much snow had fallen last night, he tore back the curtains with all the excitement of a young lad about to be let loose in the most fantastic playground of all time, only to stand there open mouthed at the level the snow had reached overnight. It was above the kitchen window below Jakes bedroom and only 4 feet away from his own window, Jakes excitement turned to immediate fear,
"Dad!" he bellowed out,
"Dad!" once again he cried,
"Jake..what's the matter boy?" came the rather terse reply from downstairs,
"Th..th..the snow, it's almost up to my window!" Jake stuttered,
"Ya munna worry about that boy, I've sin it all afore, get thee down 'ere and eat your breakfast"  came Dad's reply, his unfazed attitude immediately putting Jake somehow at ease,
"How will we get out Dad?" said Jake looking rather worried,
"Same bloody way we dost every morning lad, through the back door!"
"But Dad" said Jake somewhat confused, "It's under the snow!"
"Well Jake me boy," said Charlie matter of factly "The way i sees it we can sit on our backsides and do nowt or we can get stuck in and dig our way out, either way those sheep won't feed themselves"
Jake sat down at the table and ate his toast and marmalade with little more said between father and son, the spitting logs of the fire and the slurping of piping hot tea became the background noise to their thoughts as both secretly contemplated the near impossible task that was to face them outside that morning.

It took over an hour for Jake and his father working non stop before they got to the end of the garden gate and a level of snowfall that they could actually see over and around. The sight that beheld him was completely alien to Jake, he recognised nothing of his home from this baron landscape that he surveyed, everywhere he looked the snow swept across fields and tree tops like an imaginary white ocean that went on forever, not a hedgerow was anywhere in sight, not a gate, nothing,  just wave after wave of white powdery snow. Charlie headed for the roof of the barn that could be seen jutting out of the snowy landscape and Jake immediately followed, without a word said they both got stuck in digging their way towards the stack of hay they needed for the days animal feed more importantly now than ever, for somewhere out there both of them knew the sheep would be huddled and their need for food would be critical. At last Jake and Charlie reached the hay and Charlie pulled some of the old pig iron off the side of the barn and bent the front over in a lip, he then tied some twine to the end to make a rein and they both loaded the iron up with hay and to Jakes surprise Charlie threw on an old black pot with a cast handle, immediately the two men set off across the fields to the most likely place the sheep would be huddled, the snow was soft and Charlie and Jake's feet slipped deep into it as they both worked hard pulling the make-shift sled across the fields, it was very tough work and Jake was soon out of breath so cold was the air he was continually gasping for, "come on boy, pull yer finger out" said Charlie "I am trying Dad, it's just i cant get any grip on this snow" said Jake almost apologetically, "well put yer best foot forward son and hop to it" came the reply, no less than Jake would have expected.

Charlie's hunch was about spot on, sure enough the sheep were huddled in a high corner of the field against a huge Oak that had acted like a buffer in the strong wind and snowfall during the night, on one side of the tree the snow was almost up to the lower branches, a good ten feet in the air, but on the side the sheep were huddled, the ground was but a few inches away from the highest level of snow, animals have a knack of knowing where to go when mother nature loses her temper, like an inbuilt survival mode that is inspired by pure instinct. They were more than pleased to see the two farmers and their usual wariness of humans was overwhelmed by a pure animal instinct to survive as they clambered through the remaining drifts in front of them to get to the succulent hay they were presented with. Jake counted the sheep and fortunately they were all here, although tired from all the digging and sled pulling the sight of the animals being fed was indeed a comfort and reminded both men just why they enjoy farming so much.
"With a bit of luck they will stay under this tree while theses damned storms are about" said Charlie,
"At least they had the sense to stay put on higher ground, let's just hope they don't try and move away from here" Charlie mumbled, though secretly he knew sheep had an awful habit of being unbelievably stupid.
As the sheep ate the hay like their lives depended on it, which it did, Charlie set about lighting a small fire and putting the old black pot on top of the ashes, he and Jake then filled it with snow so that the sheep had something to drink from, amazingly sheep would get dehydrated quickly without fresh water to drink despite the snow being everywhere, they filled the pot and sat it in the field and watched as tentatively one after another they lapped at the steaming pot, Jake topping it up with snow as they drank. "We had best leave them to it," Charlie said, "we can't get them to the barn even if we did want them inside, you cant round them up in 6ft of snow" and with that the two set off  for the farm buildings with makeshift sled in tow as the cattle needed hay in the big barn.
The cows were inside already as it was winter and Jake positively enjoyed feeding them in the relative warmth of the barn, the steam off the cattle rose into the rafters of the old wooden beamed roof, the cattle were always in a playful mood when there was snow outside, it seemed like they knew just how well off they were in the warm building with soft straw to lie down on and enjoyed celebrating that fact by kicking their legs in the air and bunting and pushing each other around, they always made Jake laugh as they seemed to have a character of their own, unlike the sheep who Jake thought were just plain stupid.

Dinner time came and Jake followed his dad into the kitchen. The warm air hit Jake like a cannon ball as he walked through the kitchen door, his cheeks went the colour of a tomato in it's prime as the big fire raged with the ever present black kettle hissing away on it's hanger pitched above the flames, Jake hated that damned kettle, it looked and sounded like it would explode more than ever today so he slid along the bench at the table until he was as far away from it as he could get, just to be on the safe side. Bread and cheese was the order of the day, with some pickled onions and beetroot, all produce from that years garden that was indeed, now very welcome. The large loaf had a huge orange brown crust on it that crumbled away as it was sliced, Jake loved the taste of the crust, he loved the way it crumbled as he bit into it and that oven cooked taste that only fresh bread can give you, Jake ate until his belly ached, it was a good ache though.
 Little was said for the duration of that dinner, but secretly the household was hoping against hope that the snow from last night was the last for a while, but like the day before it was a gorgeous sunny afternoon and yet again clouds could be seen in the distance, that was indeed an ominous sign and it made Jake a little frightened for what he would find the following morning, if Charlie was being honest with himself he too was a little worried that a weather pattern was starting to form...

Tribute to one of our own RIP John Searle Age 59.

Gone but not forgotten..John Searle age 59 killed while riding his beloved bike to school during Oct 2012. A more gentle caring person you would struggle to meet, a true gentleman in every sense of the word... this scarcely does him justice, but I needed to write something. To John.  


This morning you were late,
We knew something was wrong.
You are never late,
Your smiling face and warmest smile
They were never late.
The watches set as you rode by
They were never late.
You won our hearts yet scarcely knew,
We told you far too late.
We should have said just what we thought
Surely it can't be too late?

That morning part of us died too,
It will never be too late.
To say just what we thought of you.
We thought that you were great.
We will miss that cheery wave,
That smile that warmed the coldest day
Those apples that you gave away,
The children you just made their day
So many things we wish to say
But now the silence deafens too,
Shropshire owes a debt to you.
We do.
We will miss you John.
We do.

A problem thought about.

There are times, times in all our lives when we reach the very dark shadows that make up the less enjoyable side of life, mark my words you will get to that point on more than one occasion. For some, it is enough to send them into a spiral of depression and anxiety with the added feeling of little self worth stabbing you in the back on your way down, for others it is but a challenge that presents itself and must be taken on at face value with all the gusto of a soldier on the battlefield.  Whichever way you react, if you continue to suffer it will begin to wear you down, like a drill that hasn't the singular power to sink a battleship but left for a few weeks to make enough holes can be as paralyzing as the mightiest torpedo.
How we handle the tough times we get in a lifetime determine who we are and what we do with what we are presented with. Someone who would throw the towel in the moment a black cloud appears would clearly be a risk in management, as tough decisions have to be made sometimes and shying away from them is a crime in itself, on the other hand if that same manager has no idea of the depth of trouble or problem he faces then he can be a loose cannon and almost as big a liability as the person who immediately quits.
I myself always look at problems as a challenge with a twinge of mindful sadness that something has yet again cropped up in my life that needs my full undivided attention, sometimes it's an immediate fix and sometimes only a measured response over a longer period will do the trick, the only sure thing i have learned during my time on this earth is that worry will cloud your judgement and sap energy that you can put to better use elsewhere, so you are better off dealing with the issue head on, attack is the best form of defence.
That said, when you are in the middle of a firefight it's difficult to focus on anything other than the issue you have been presented with. Problems tend to have a habit of consuming your every working and playing thought and sometimes even your sleeping thoughts. If it affects your sleep then you are far more likely to be worn down quicker than if you can take it to the bedroom door and then forget about it, the last thing you need when faced with issues is less sleep. In my own case I have usually been able to sleep quite well when under pressure, more to do with the fact that i have been there so many times before and am now quite used to it, than anything wise or special about me. I tend to categorise issues into seriousness, if the problem can be solved the next day then there is no point in worrying about it overnight, if its something that will take a few days to put right then I will put it to the back of my mind, not forget it, perhaps even mull it over on the odd occasion, but on the whole I will monitor the situation and give a measured response.
The third grade of problem is the nagging one that won't go away, you can't easily fix and these, by their very nature are the one's that will lead you down a long dark path along which there may be very little light and precious few exits. These are the one's that test you.
 I view these problems in several ways, firstly, you are more than likely NOT the only one to have ever been in that position and secondly no matter how bad the situation there is ALWAYS someone worse off than you in life at that very moment and thirdly there is nothing more IMPORTANT to you than simply breathing...yes, I said, simply breathing, think about it for a second or two. If you now look at all the words in capitol letters on the page they spell out a sentence which I use to help me through the tougher times.  You will meet bullies, idiots, nasty people, clueless people, heartless people, all sorts with their own insecurities and issues, but you must focus on you, you are the most important thing in your life and never forget it.
If I was to offer one other piece of advice about the pitfalls of depression it would be that when you feel there is nothing but dark clouds ahead, take sollas out of the smallest piece of good news and magnify it as many times as you like, keep that positive thought with you for when the pressure is at it's worst for you, keep that one single thought and use it as your pressure release valve..bring it to the front of your thoughts and concentrate on it when the pressure is at it's worst, you will be amazed at the calming effect it has..
As you can tell, i am no Dr and even less a teacher, I am simply penning my thoughts about an issue that has been in my life's playground many times. If I have helped you get through your next major issue by only the smallest amount then it's been worth putting keyboard to screen, if it's been no use at all well, I thank you for taking the time out to at least read the article, as you know from the above, I will have no problem with handling that problem at all !.

I wish for.

That silence that i crave is here
That pin drop moment ever sought
That tick tock hear the clock moment
That hum of background hush

That silence that i crave is here
The TV light is glowing red
The phone though on is silent, dead
Just flickering lights and I

That silence that I crave is here,
That sky so dark yet witness still
Partner in my crime of hushed perfection
Stand on guard we face my insurrection

The silence that I crave is here
Be gone the thoughts of daylight shrill
Attacked from every angle still
When moments thought engulfed..

The silence that i crave is here
No money funded e'er a place
That spawned such words in loving grace
The silence that I craved is here.

The snow arrives.

A beautiful blue clear sky greeted Jake and his father Charlie as they fought their way out through the back door of the old farmhouse. The snow was so bright it made them both squint heavily until their eyes had adjusted to the bright light. The snow was around 3 feet deep all over and was very hard to walk in, it came over the top of  Jake's wellington boots and made his feet cold almost instantly. The snow was very powdery and soft, it managed to get into Jake's clothes, down inside his collar and up his sleeves and when the breeze blew it flew up into Jake's face which soon started to sting, it would be a very hard morning for young Jake and his father.
At the first field they came to Jake untied the old twine that always kept the gate firmly shut so that he and Charlie could carry the bundles of hay through to the by now very hungry sheep, but having untied the twine Jake found the gate almost impossible to move, he pushed hard against it but just slipped on the snow that compacted under his feet, Charlie came over at once and they both lent into the gate and eventually opened it pushing the snow up into a line behind the gate as they pushed, the sheep were waiting very impatiently by now and they almost knocked Jake over as they ran up to him to get their fill of the dry dusty hay that they had brought from the barn. Jake stood and looked around the flock as his father counted them, they both checked that the animals were walking OK and that they were all present, Jake also took this brief respite to glance around and look at the rest of the fields and the old farm, everywhere he looked it was white over, even the hedgerows had disappeared in some places, but he could make them out mostly, like crazy paving across the countryside dotted with small holdings that could be seen for miles in this clear weather aided by the long wisp's of chimney smoke floating upwards from the cottages and farmhouses, for a brief moment Jake thought about that huge warm fire at home and how wonderful it would be if he could just sit by it even for a minute or two, but sadly it was not to be just yet, "better give me a hand shutting this gate young Jake" said Charlie in a matter of fact voice, Charlie was a man of few words but when he spoke it was usually worth listening to, in fact advisable, so Jake immediately ran over and helped Charlie push the gate until it clanged against the old oak post and Jake proceeded to re-tie the old "bindertwine" around the gate and the post. "Bindertwine" was so called as it was a multi-twined string that actually looked like grass itself, indeed at one point in time it was made up of reed grass or "bents" the long straight yellowing grasses you sometimes see in a green field. They were intertwined and used to tie up the sheaf's of hay that were cut and processed by an old static machine called a "binder" hence the name "bindertwine".
As they walked to the next field to feed the sheep Jake asked "Dad, will it snow again tomorrow?"
Charlie replied "the sky is very blue Jake, i would have thought it's more likely to freeze" the sight of clouds building up in the distance said that Charlie may not have all the answers but Jake was happy to go with what his dad had told him so they set about feeding the rest of the sheep.

By dinnertime the feeding had all been done and the ice all knocked off the drinking tanks for all the animals on the farm and the two weary farm workers headed for the warmth of the farm house and a welcome break,but as usual Jake had one more chore to do before dinner and that was to collect the eggs off the chickens, Jake went in to the chicken hut and there he found the majority of birds sat in the warmth of their stalls, preferring that to going outside, chickens find snow very irritating as they are a bird that likes to scratch the ground and ferret for bugs and spare corn hulls both of which were a good 3 feet underground so the inside of the hut was a firm favourite for today. Jake moved the birds gently to one side and felt underneath them for the warm eggs they had delivered during the night, the bird's seldom bothered making too much fuss as it was a daily occurrence seeing Jake but an odd peck on the hand every now and then was quite regular  and sometimes the peck was even hard enough to draw blood, but being a smart lad with all animals Jake knew which ones were liable to peck and hurt so he would shoo them out of the stall before grabbing the eggs, it wasn't the best way to gather the eggs though as the chickens would kick and break them as they scrambled (excuse the pun) to leave their stalls, all this was a very far cry from today's mass egg farming methods, but effective none the less.
With a basket full of fresh laid eggs and an empty belly Jake headed for the farmhouse, he opened the door and immediately the warmth of the old fire hit him as he walked in, Jake kicked off his wellington boots and his wet feet made footstep marks across the cold concrete floor of the hallway, "get those wet socks off Jake!" mum cried "You will catch your death with feet as wet as that!" she scolded, "sorry mum" Jake said apologetically, the snow keeps going over the top of my wellies, "well tie the tops with some bindertwine when you go out again" said Mum..."cool" thought Jake, that was a great idea!
"How hungry are you?" his mum cried out as Jake was tugging as hard as he could at his soaking wet socks, trying to peel them off his feet, "my belly thinks my throat has been cut Mum" Jake cried out, "well get in here and have some of this bread and cheese with some of my home made chutney, we can soon alter that" she smiled knowingly at Charlie and winked her eye. Jake sat down at the table and as always, a small prayer was said before they all tucked in heartily, little brother Sam who was too young as yet to be any help on the farm sat next to Jake with a bottle of milk and some rusks that had been soaked in milk and broken up by his mum Janet, he was a bit spoilt compared to Jake's harder upbringing but Jake loved his little brother all the same.
After dinner Jake was allowed to play for a while, of course with the weather conditions like they were then snowmen and snowballs were the order of the day, the sheepdog going crazy as Jake threw snowballs at him that disintegrated the moment he caught them, then he spent a few seconds trying to find what Jake had thrown before Jake had rolled up another one to do the same thing again, the poor dog was worn out in minutes!. Jakes other love was for horses and the old mare that Charlie used in the fields was always cared for and ridden by Jake, he strolled over to the stable and checked her water trough was not frozen over and unravelled some of the sweeter dust free hay for his favourite animal on the farm, He rubbed her down as she chomped on the hay, pausing now and then to shake her head and main in appreciation, Jake had a passion for all animals but he was very good with horses in particular, he had been riding from a very early age, Charlie sitting him up on the mare's back when he was barely a toddler, Jake was at home with horses and this would be a passion he would keep throughout his life. On finishing tending the old mares needs Jake stepped out of the stable and noticed something had changed, the bright sunlight had disappeared and in place of the previous blue sky there were clouds gathering, they looked familiar clouds to Jake who had seen snow clouds gathering many times on this remote hillside location. Jake knew snow would once again be coming and it would promise to make the following day even more of a task for himself, Charlie and the animals scattered around the small holding.
  

Sense of Duty

 The open fire crackled and spat in the living room, the smell of the burning logs filled the air as Jakes mother laid the crockery out on the kitchen table as she always did, it was always the very best china for tea, there was never any question of that, it was finely painted white china with a blue swirled pattern that was so light to the touch it seemed that it would break in your very fingertips. Jake sat at the table and held his hands together as his mother said grace, as usual a huge lump of cheese was the order of the day with home-made farmhouse loaf and fresh butter which had been churned that day by his mum Janet, she was a hard worker, always wiping her chapped dried and sore hands on her apron and constantly wiping her brow of the sweat from the heat of the old stove and the sheer amount of hard work she was always asked to do, but she would not have it any other way, in those days everyone had a sense of duty.

 Just then, at the back of the kitchen the pantry door swung open and Charlie walked in with some milk freshly taken from the cows that morning and placed in an old chipped white enamel jug. Charlie sat at the table, he was always first to eat as head of the household, it was never in question, his big thick strong fingers reached out for the butter dish, a white porcelain dish with a small lid on it, it seemed a very strange place for such a pretty ornate dish in such labour worn hands but Charlie would soon take two or three huge cuts of the butter to spread on his thickly cut farmhouse loaf and then hand it to Jake who would spread it really thickly on his fresh bread also, he loved the taste and throughout his life that simple pleasure of "bread'n'cheese would never leave him. On the odd occasion when they could manage it Jake and his father would go out and shoot some rabbits for tea, they would be loath to eat them as it was additional income and really was a treat indeed, for the shot rabbits were mostly sold for market so that some money for clothes and rent could be found. On this night though it was bread and cheese washed down with tea courtesy of the old black kettle hung on a frame over the log fire that Jake thought was always ready to explode, and he was never comfortable getting too close to it, especially when it came to the boil and started to hiss loudly. It was always on the boil, there was always a cup of tea available at the farm, always.

Jake played with his little brother Sam awhile after tea, teasing him incessantly with a ball that he would pretend to throw and hold on to at the last minute, to which end Sam would scream out in protest thus earning poor Jake a scolding from his mother.
 Jake soon grew tired of playing with his whining little brother and knowing there would be stock to feed early next morning he climbed the stairs to his bed, it was just after eight ‘o’clock and as he was passing his bedroom window he peeped through the curtains and his eyes lit up as he did...for there, caught in the reflection of the glass against his small candle he could see it was just starting to snow !.  Indeed, by the time Jake had washed his face in the cold water bowl on his dressing table and towel dried his face a quick peep through the curtains once more revealed the extent to which it really was snowing, Jake stood there for what seemed ages just watching the ground disappear under a white blanket, he then slowly turned and tip-toed to his bed and blew his candle out and curled up under the blankets for the night, as his head hit the pillow he could smell the mixture of sulphur and wax reaching his nose from the extinguished candle and it made him feel good, Jake pulled the blankets around him tightly and muzzled his pillow, he felt safe here, this was home.

The next morning at around 6 am Jake opened his eyes and yawned and stretched, he slid his bare foot out of one side of the bed and shivered as it felt very cold outside. Jake suddenly remembered the snow he had seen the night before and raced to the bedroom window to look outside. Indeed it had snowed and oh my it had snowed, very heavily, there was at least 3 feet of snow on the ground and though it looked beautiful Jake also knew that it would make today’s chores that much harder...