A bag of chocolate limes

Cliff called in this morning and gave me a bag of chocolate limes. I'd been eating my way through his Mintoes on the way back from Thirsk in the lorry on Saturday and subtly let slip that chocolate limes were my favourite. Hint well taken. Thanks Cliff, always so kind.

I used to annoy my grandmother by calling her Florence. As the eldest grandchild I had special dispensation to do so even though she hated her name, Florence Annie, and was always known as Nancy. She died a year ago when I was 37 and, even at that age, she always bought me a bag of chocolate limes and gave me pocket money every time I saw her. When I pointed out that I'd been working for about 15 years and didn't really need pocket money any more she reasoned that my younger sisters and cousins all still had pocket money so it was only fair that I did. And she was someone you didn't argue with.

So Cliff's chocolate limes are the first I've received in more than a year now and they made me happy and sad at the same time. Apart from the lack of sweets, another consequence of Florence's departure was that I was able to have Desiree covered by Sulamani with the money she left me. I'm not sure what she would think of me frittering away a portion of her life-savings on horses. Actually, I know exactly what she'd think. She would say that if it was something that I really wanted then I should do it. And I have and Oscar (Bernadotte) is the result (pictured several times here).

Desiree will be covered by Kayf Tara this year but realistically my breeding aspirations will have to stop there as it's a mighty expensive business. But I've achieved something I've always wanted to do and that is to breed a thoroughbred. Whether or not I've bred a racehorse remains to be seen. He has rather high hopes resting on his very slender shoulders at present.

If he can give me anywhere near as much fun as Jack Dawson gave his owners I'll be very lucky indeed. The most recent missive arrived from Margaret Donnelly this morning with a link to Jack's first dressage test. Click on and a have a look. It's great viewing and, while he's taken great steps forward in his new role, good old Jack still puts in the occasional reminder that he was bred to be a racehorse and he remains one at heart. What an absolute little star he is. Let's hope Oscar Bernadotte can be another one.