18.50 GMT Apologies for the lack of posts but flu has somewhat taken it’s toll and we have all been under the weather with Dorothy suffering most. January saw 42mm of rain and much of this being snow melt but looking at the pond water levels look to be healthy and at last it is full to normal Winter levels. More muckspredaing today but the spreader is currently stranded on the cow drive with a collapsed wheel bearing. We have had our first calf of 2010 a Black and White female and mother and daughter are both doing well. This week’s aim ( apart from spreader repairs) is to move some stock around to free up all the calving pens as we have another seven cows and heifers to calve over the next few weeks. Bookings are now coming in for visits and roadshows so book early to avoid disappointment. 23/02/10 Saturday night was Emma’s 21st birthday party and we all had a very nice time and returned at about 12.45am. I went to bed at 1.30 having checked the fresh calved heifer and it was dry and frosty. 6.15 next morning 15cm (6″) snow had fallen. I’m normally expecting it but this had slipped in un-noticed. Back to the muckspreading and we have nearly got 1/4 of the Humpety back spread and the ceiling in the shed is nearly all boarded so yesterday was spent moving the lights as it had turned the kitchen into a black hole. Three of the previously mentioned cows and heifers have calved ( heifers 2 cows 1) and we now have one Black and White heifer calf and two B/W bulls all doing well at present. This afternoon is fitting a stair landing as access to the ceiling storage so I hope Anthony and I can start emptying the old dairy out ready for restoration. More soon PHIL.