Typically I would say 'how can I remember what I did today, I can't even remember what I ate for breakfast,' but the answer to that question is always oatmeal, so at least I can remember one thing about the day. I *think* this is roughly what happened today:

• Woke up at 6, worked for 45 minutes, got up C, went to the cows.
• T accidentally flicked shit onto my forehead when I was cleaning a cow.
• I asked her why one of the cows wears a harness-like thing for milking and she said "well it kicks when you milk, but if you tie her up like the others [there are a couple that get bailing-twine ankle restraints while milking] she goes crazy and bucks, so she needs to wear the rope. She's a very boring cow." I'm pretty sure boring wasn't quite the word she was looking for!
• We went to our new favourite neighbour's farm for pony rides. It was the two youngest's kindergarten so everyone knew everyone.
• B, who is 6'+ and 200" + got on 14.2 hh Emil, in his capri-length jeans, and tolted around the field.
• We ate lunch with all the kids at the farm and then C and I had a lovely tolt home ponying Osk with us so that T could drive home.
• We cleaned house. OMG. Excavation city. At LEAST 20 loads of laundry was collected from ALL OVER THE PLACE. Including under the cat, who likes to sleep disguised in clothing, which is why C stepped on it a couple of days ago and got bitten in return.
• I separated a ridiculous number of toys into five categories: "dolls, animals, blocks, cars, guns."
• Second-youngest (six) and I had a bit of a wrestling match over the crystal I was trying to dust. He's a bit of a terror and managed to steal a commemorative flute from 2000 and abscond with it to a bunk bed. I had to send his mother after him to collect it.
• We discovered T, who is an absolute force, is only 29.
• Many, many extra people showed up, some of whom seem to be staying here. There is a mum and three girls and maybe a boy? Who knows. This place is so chaotic it's easy to lose people. BUT they are here for a gymnastics meet! And we get to watch!
• Cow chores were ridiculous: we had forgotten to turn on the milk cleaning system this morning, B half-flooded the milk room by not opening a valve, T had forgotten to give the cows hay this morning so they were all moan-y about that, B broke a milking machine, C got a serious electric shock on the bulls and got peed on...
• starting to build a fence at 8:30pm when you've been going for 13 hours and are freezing is a recipe for meltdown.
• some days, meltdowns mean days off the next day.
• we get to watch gymnastics and Icelandic pony shows and Eurovision tomorrow. We only have to do night chores!!!
• B made amazing pizza
• B and T went out, but the random adult who seems to be staying here is babysitting :)
• we get to sleep in tomorrow
• we get to sleep in tomorrow
• did I mention we get to sleep in tomorrow????
• it's midnight and it's only just now starting to get somewhere close to dark. The sun will rise again in around 2 hours.
• I will be asleep at 7:01 tomorrow. And then I will be in town. Near gymnastics. And maybe coffee. And veggies and fruit and bubbly drinks.
xx
D