Would anyone like to hear about ME and MY New World?

[Anna Mason]

A bit Cheeky Really but would anyone like me to write about the changes in my world that arent KC related although of course KC always chugs away in the background?

[Andrew MacLean]

Moved this to non-KC area!

My daughter started a new job on Monday of last week and she loves it. the job involves enabling young people and communities to develop strategies for conflict resolution without violence.

Andrew

[Anna Mason]

Thanks Andrew I couldnt spot this but then I have got one eye shut!!

[Anna Mason]

The old me worked in an Insurance Company in IT for nearly 30 years. Mostly it was ok but like others I had battles with screen definition,Air Conditioning,Stress, Overcrowded Offices and those with 20/20 vision producing reports and spreadsheets in Stupid Font Sizes just to make it fit on the page.
I kept a magnifying glass on my desk and had a Humidifier and grew tired of the witticisms about the head of steam near my desk and people asking me to read things I couldn’t.

The new me started on October 12th 2007 and I will be honest it has taken me until now to accept relax and enjoy what I have and stop feeling guilty about all those of you out there who haven’t had Anna’s luck.

I got the chance of redundancy and with Anna’s luck hit that point in my life where I could have redundancy and a reduced pension. I still needed some income as I am a keen horse rider and would rather give up chocolate than my horse (ooh hang on I may be overdoing that comparison!).
So I volunteered and was quite insulted at the speed they said yes and 4 weeks after asking I was out the door with a pension and a pile of money – unfortunately this has to last a long time.

Discussing my options over a holiday my OH suggested that we build me an Art Studio Whoo Hoo!
I sold my beloved greenhouse and we built my log cabin (Its only a small garden not a country estate I hasten to add). Until the good old Credit Crunch hit us I beavered away and sold a lot of paintings.

My old horse had to retire and I found him a home as a companion through an internet forum and took the next brave step. (Sorry if you aren’t horsey!!) I used some of my payout to treat myself to a 16.3hh 5 year old Irish Sports Horse – I must be bonkers but in the words of the kids at the yard he is Lush!!

Then I started to panic about money as paintings stopped selling. My other passion is gardening and I registered with the local Care and Repair team as a contract gardener. I dig Borders and clear weeds for OAPs and the disabled just a few hours a week in a couple of gardens. Word has got around and I now also have two gardens to work on literally 10 minutes from my front door so even on bad contact lens days I can earn money without worrying about getting the car out.

So here I am from Stressed out Middle Aged Woman in IT to ‘The Gardening Artist’ in 20 months.

I have even designed and printed a T-shirt with my strap line ‘The Gardening Artist’ and a couple of ,my paintings on so I can be my own walking advertisment.
So currently the old lenses are being a bit naughty and my parents in their late 80’s are falling apart but I have my Horse my OH has just taken Early Retirement I have my studio and I get paid to love and care for other peoples gardens.

[Andrew MacLean]

Anna

that's a lovely story! "The Gardening Artist" ought to be your sig line for the forum!

All the best

Andrew

[rosemary johnson]

Anna - great story!
Well done and good luck.
WIsh you lived a bit closer and could come and work some magic on my garden.
Do tell us more about the horse. (Have you found the 4-footed friends thread?)
Rosemary

[Anna Mason]

Ooh Rosemary how good of you to ask.
I have just typed a long gushing reply and lost it so can I just say b@@@@er and start again.

My new horse is :-

Drifter posh name Sunview Ten Percent.
Irish Sport Horse Sire Jacksons Drift Dam Tentore Flight (her sire was Carrolls Flight)
He is only just 6 (may 16th) and measures 16.3hh and is still growing here are photos of him from where I boxed him to a friends farm to go and play Galloping in 15 acre fields the others are from the day I bought him with my friends Daughter Lizzie doing the honours and holding him for his photo.
http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll25 ... e/Drifter/

He has hunted in Ireland and done a couple of Pre Novice in march 2008 as a 4 year old.

I have only been bucked off 3 times since I bought him on August 16th last year. I was posting this on the four footed thread but lost it and the will to live so have typed it i again with less stuff.

[rosemary johnson]

What a lovely chappie!
I can just imagine he?@d love the game of galloping round a 15 acre field.

You may have heard I now have my own baby - 6 weeks and two days old and nearly two foot high. I'm still trying to get some photos 0of him I can post! He's called Ollie and is ever so cute, and into everything, mostly mischief! He's currently changing colour from the light brown on top, beige belly and inner legs he was born with to go black like his mum (and dad, DNA has now established, is dark bay-brown). He looks like he's been down a pit and got all smudged in coal dust - and his little face looks like he's been in a punch-up.

DO let us know how you and drifter get on.
Rosemary

[Anna Mason]

Ooh Rosemary I would love to see your "Baby Photos".

I have had a "turbulent Time" with the lad over the last few weeks and was close to packing it in.

What on earth made someone of my age go out and buy this great lump of youngster. The final straw was two weeks ago when I went on a Fun Ride - Big Mistake with a young friend spookily enough the Lizzie holding him in the picture. Her Pony Bolted and my great lump blitzed after her and bucked me off big time. I had one of those flippin hec what day is it moments. My long suffering man had to get a friend to drive him over drop the horse off and take me to A & E for X-Rays.

They found nothing - no brains at all!!

I went home swearing to sell him and then my best friend in the whole world got involved. She has Macula degeneration and doesnt know how much longer she will have her eyesight for and has a black hole in one eye but.... she dragged me out to her place and took me on a hack. then last Wednesday she brought all her horses in (4 of them) so that she could accompany me on a proper hack down the main road and into the woods without her other horses galloping along the hedgeline to wind him up.

I was gobsmacked to discover my great big gangling lump of youngster can cope with decent volumes of heavy traffic - motorbikes ambulances police cars juggernauts and now I feel much better and more positive.

This morning I had a lesson on him at 8:30 am so I went down early to feed him and took my breakfast in a cereal bowl with cling film and a container of milk and a spoon and sat on an upturned bucket in the sunshine a 7 am and ate my breakfast next to him.

One day I will grow up ...... but not yet!!

[Anna Mason]

Oh Gosh I have started both replies with ooh Rosemary. I think it must be a keyboard problem I'll have to getit fixed!!