Back to the bottle

I've been a right misery guts all week, although I imagine most people won't have noticed the difference. My back trouble that I thought was all behind me (ha) has resurfaced with a vengeance and I've spent the last nine days shuffling around in pathetic fashion.

We did manage a nice weekend in Paris (with John having to put up with my whining in the car to and fro) but fortunately there was enough white wine, good racing, Ed Prosser's hilarious impersonations and red wine to distract me from my moaning.

So poor old Panto has been neglected, not that he seems to mind. Having settled back into his routine at BHS after six weeks of bliss at Kerry's, he's the same old dear little person. An attack of pretend colic in his first few days back was enough to cut short a visit to Somerset but thankfully it was a false alarm. Anna came in to ride him today as I'm off games. The dogs and I accompanied them on a little saunter to the heath, which was a really lovely way to spend a lunch hour.

Big excitement of next week will be Desiree's planned return at Newmarket in the Bollinger Gentleman Riders' Series with Olly on Friday 25th. It's bad timing as we had planned to spend the evening eating lumps of cheese as big as our heads at Anna's and Tim's house but sadly that will have to wait.

Olly's been on a crash diet and I've been on a crash course of nail-biting but Des is taking it all in her stride. If she actually makes the cut, we're not too confident that she'll trouble the judge but hopefully it will be an enjoyable experience for both horse and rider. If she does win, I was most put out to read in the race conditions that the winning rider receives a magnum from Bollinger while the owner receives a 'memento'. That memento had better bloody well be a methuselah of Bolly or I'll be asking for my entry fee back. Still, she has to get in the race first, never mind win it, so let's not get carried away.

If any owners or friends of the yard would like to come along to cheer her on next week (Brief Goodbye will be running the same day), I will have a few spare owners' badges so please do get in touch.

Before that we hope to be cheering Lady Suffragette home, either on the flat at Lingfield or over hurdles back at Towcester. Let's hope she can follow fellow Mull Jill Dawson's fine example.

Well, it's back to the G&T for me. Ibuprofen does not agree with my stomach at all but I've found gin, and lots of it, is the most marvellous cure for back pain. Hic.