Days Like This

Virginia Rabet

I had totally forgotten the rusty old tractor situated at the side of our house. My husband Peter and I had been on holiday in France for two weeks. Two days before we left Peter and our son-in-law Martin had gone to the local sale and had bought back a David Brown tractor with a built in cab. It was rusty and had more holes in the cab than my kitchen sieve.

They had been given a photograph of it as it used to be, and it looked nothing like the one now standing at the side of our garden. I did not want to dissolution the men but I thought they were living in cloud cuckoo land if they thought they could make the tractor look anything like the one in the photo again, but everyone must have a dream. I had just finished unpacking when I received a text from our daughter Dawn saying that they were coming off the Portsmouth to Jersey boat and were heading straight for us.

I knew their journey would only take about half an hour from St. Helier so I put tea bags in the tea pot and coffee in the percolator ready.

Martin and Dawn had acquired a hundred sheep and two large rams a month ago. It was a new venture for both of them, although Martin was a born farmer through generations of farmers, like my husbands family.

Dawn had taken me to see their new flock of sheep after they had fenced them in on their land. Unfortunately when I approached them they all scampered to the other end of the field and as far away from me as they could get, with no chance of me taking a photo of them. I had always though sheep were friendly little things.

Dawn seemed to think that because I was a retired nurse that I would be an asset during spring lambing time. I did not know where she got that idea from because I knows nothing about ewes and lambs.

Kettle boiled and cups and mugs out and here they both were.

Oh, goodness, 'what's that attached to their pickup?' I mumbled to myself while looking through the kitchen window.

Glancing to the side I saw my husband and Martin pulling and pushing a great big steel thing into our drive.

My daughter walked into the kitchen, her eyes glowing and quit proudly she announced, 'How do you like that mom?'

To be honest word failed me.' What is it,' I asked, looking at the huge metal box which had just come to a standstill in my front drive. At least it's not rusty I thought. 'Oh mom, it's a sheep trailer and it has two layers.' she added cheerfully. 'We have inside, water feeders; vitamin blocks, electric fencing and we managed to buy then for half the price in England,' she said quite proudly.

'Come and see mom,' and taking me by the hand enthusiastically lead me towards the big box. Standing by it and looking up this metal monstrosity dwarfed me. I now know the meaning of looking sheepishly as I looked at my son-in-law Martin. 'I hope it will be alright for a few weeks. You neighbours can't see it through your tall hedges and when we have managed to rent more land I will remove it.

'Of course I told you Martin, it is fine there for a while,' Peter said. Subject closed.

Everyone congregated in my kitchen. They told us about the three sheep shows they had attended. After looking at the Scottish highland sheep they had come to the conclusion that with the land being flatter in Jersey that the Blue Leister sheep would mix better with the flock they had already bought.

My daughter jumped up from the table. 'I have a present for you both,' and she disappeared outside.

My mind was in turmoil as I prayed silently that it was not livestock of some kind. Dawn must have seen the look of relief on my face as she placed a lovely large tin of Scottish shortbread biscuits on the table. I opened them and everyone dived in and ate them with relish.

Casually my daughter asked me if during the lambing season I would like to help by taking in a few lambs. She suggested that I could keep a couple and bottle feed them as our walled in garden would be ideal for them until reared. Also it would help financially if a surrogate mother could be found for the lambs that had been rejected. I had to decline. I explained that I really didn't think our neighbours would like the constant noise of bleating Lambs waking then first thing in the morning. Who knows what the spring lambing season will bring though.

As I never thought that I would see the day that I had a large sheep trailer in my drive and on my borders. Let alone a rusty tractor amongst my trees. I am waiting in anticipation to see what tomorrow brings.