...and I think it may have started to dawn on the shepherd that very soon we will be suffering from the empty nest syndrome. He looked at me totally aghast on Saturday 'What are we going to DO?' he asked.
Now just rewind back to April when due to the precarious status of farming in the economy he decided and 'we' agreed that it may be time to call it a day with our little sheep enterprise. What was once a nice little sideline has now become a rather expensive hobby. University expenses had started to appear on the horizon and a mild sense of 'Oh sh*t where is the money coming from?' was starting to accumulate. So it was with a heavy heart a couple of weeks ago that we saw the old ladies off on a trailer, never having been off the holding before, I didn't dare catch the look in their bewildered eyes, especially as they were leaving their lambs behind - ( they go next week!) The shepherdess was on the verge of hanging up her crook, no lambing to look forward to, no early mornings or late nights - gosh!
Hang on a minute though, dont get too excited at the thought of all that relaxation- the shepherd was rapidly going into a decline - loosing the baby of the family to Aberystwyth university and all the sheep was in fact too much to cope with. Last Saturday we went to Wales and yes - he bought more sheep! I just give up!
Meanwhile the next generation in the family are starting to get interesting, our grandson T at all of two and a half is the eldest for both families. He has been quickly followed by two little cousins on his mother's side and they are growing up together spending a lot of time with Nana and Gramps and their collection of horses and dogs. They have started talking in their own little language which requires expert translation. Grandad is 'Lum' - dont ask. Anyway Nana was happily busy in the kitchen when in rushed two little people 'Nana Nana quick quick Lum Guffed!'
'GUFFED' thought bewildered Nana, wondering whether to call the paramedics or the police 'What the hell is 'Guffed'?? Of she went at speed down to the paddock with two little helpers leading the way shrieking all the way 'Lum GUFFED', Lum Guffed!'
When she found Grandad he was indeed 'Guffed' he had been trying to repair the climbing frame and was STUCK underneath it. His predicament was to last a few minutes longer as Nana just went into complete hysterics and was totally incapable of releasing him......
Nana however doesnt esccape scot free, since T gave birth 7 weeks ago she has had a craving for lemon drizzle cake. No problem - I dont mind making lemon drizzle cakes for a new mum so she can get up in the middle of the night and under the pretext of feeding the baby attack the cake tin. Anyway confessing her sins to her mother she promised to take her a slice and duly did only for Nana to say.'I dont think I've had lemon dribble cake before!'
It's stuck! After the little family moved house my mobile twittered with a text message ' A house isn't a home until there is a lemon dribble cake in it!!!!'
Barking - all of us - lemon dribble cake anyone?
14 comments:
Nothing says crazy better than that very British word 'barking'!! Life at your place is worth a book. I loved 'Lum guffed'. I predict that this phrase will go far down in family lore.
Wonderful.. lemon dribble goes down well here and as for family words.. well we look forward to more in due course.
Hmmmmm lemon drizzle cake....one of my favourites. Twiglet spoils me with one sometimes but I have to say she hasn't lately [hint hint....I'm sure she will read this at some point]. Empty nest....know where you're coming from there and yes I do struggle at times 'cos this house has always buzzed with young people. You just have to fill the empty/quiet moments with hobbies/interests and I'm sure your new sheep will help that.
Terrific SBS. I loved this - a fabulous post.
Bad Nana. Fancy laughing at a guffed Lum. (Actually I've heard 'guff' mean pass wind, so when they ran in and yelled that 'Lum guffed', I just assumed...!) Lemon dribble cake is wonderfully descriptive. I love the way things like that stick! Good luck to your youngest. Lucky boy going to Aber. I hope he loves being there as much as I did!
I love the new language and am thinking of trying to persuade grandson to call my husband Lum, it is just perfect! sorry he got guffed though.
Love the dribble cake SBS. Isabella is playing with words now and has introduced blackfairies and sausters (sausages) into our foodstuffs. x
Just wait until you go down to the shops and ask for a packet of omberblobs.
I'm with Mags, thought Lum had guffed, possible after one two many slices of Lemon Dribble Cake.
Hang on - why on earth are you sending the sheep to Aberystwith Uni? And are they all going to be coming out with a BA(a)? Sorry, couldn't resist.
Yes, I got a craving for lemon dribble cake when I was pregnant. That was 11 years ago and it still hasn't worn off yet.
Yes - life wouldn't be the same without sheep. You might actually get time to sit down and watch a bit of telly (mind you, there's never anything very much on...)
Sheep? More sheep? Cake yes, give me more but sheep.....
How many? What are they?
I know the look in the sheep's eyes, I try not to be around when the farmer takes lambs to the mart..
CJ xx
Guffed, that's a good one. Sorry I missed this. When does Son go off to Aber?
Wonderful story, made me laugh out loud. Poor Grandad guffed, and Lemon dribble cake, what more can you ask for!
Thanks for popping in to read my blog. We think baby likely to be a girl, or so the ultrasound woman told us after much deliberation and hours of waiting!
Sorry I don't get to read many blogs these days, hardly ever the time.
Good luck to you son at Uni, empty nests not empty for long, we went from 5 to 3 and now there are 6 of us, Emma back from Uni and BB's Mic lives with us too! Think i'd rather have sheep!
What a wonderful post! I missed this first time round so thanks to Pondie who linked to it. Hilarious!
CKx
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