This weeks Blog contains the following -
  1. Working from home  with COVID 19 and managing the children 
  2. Weekend news 
  1. Working from home with COVID 19 and managing the children 
Oh my gosh, reality is setting in just how hard it is to work from home, managing  home schooling  being a wife and a  mummy to our boys.  It is not easy balancing work and home life but how well you manage this can  make  a significant difference to your relationship with your family.

My role as a Global Payroll Manager covering 4 countries is extremely  demanding and I am constantly on conference calls or having Webex meetings and managing my teams across the globe. 


If your a parent working from home during the Covid 19 lockdown here are my tips on survival - 

  • Get dressed - not necessary in your smart work  suit  - casual clothes are fine - do not though slum around in your PJ'S or joggers. Getting dressed can help with your daily productively and for ensuring your mind is in work mode.  

  • Workspace -  If like me you normally go the the office each day - the separation between home and work is physical. Your workspace doesn't need to be a separate  room but you should feel separated from the rest of the home if you can. Ensure you take breaks.
  • Time Management  - You need to hold yourself accountable and know when enough is enough. Release when its time to switch off the computer and re start in the morning - that work will still still be there!   

  • Limit distractions  - This is so hard with children being at home. My boys are constantly wanting to show me their work, or their activities. I have now blocked time in my working calendar and we use this time for them to share with me what they have been doing throughout the day.  This way they have my full undivided attention.





        2. Weekend News 

Saturday 


So our gorgeous  Pumpkin Pie's  belly is like a full size pumpkin - he only needs to look at hay or grass and and pounds pile on. As he is on loan to us we have been advised "don't  let him put on weight  - he lives on fresh air" -  Well I don't get it at all - in all my research ponies are meant to graze and not be without food for more than 3 hours.


I have used the services of a friend Helen Jones who is excellent  ad very well experienced in the equine field to show me how to lunge Pie. We need to keep his  weight down! It looks fairly easy.....keep following to see how I get on.





 Our two acre Winter paddock at the back of the house  is now completely bare.  It is ready for rolling, seeding and harrowing so we have tasty grass  for the end of the year and into the start of next year.  Our four acres for summer was sprayed on Friday for ragwort so these fields can't be used for 2 weeks to allow the weed to die down. We then have the pleasure of using the fork and collecting the weed before we allow the ponies to graze.   

All three ponies are currently on a small section of land opposite the house  - we have changed their routine and are turning  them out at night and they are being stabled during the day - this keeps them in the shade and also keeps the flies at bay.   

Saturday the boys rode around the yard - still getting used to the lead rein  - hopefully when lockdown ends we might just get to riding down the lane.  We spent the rest of the afternoon  doing general tiding up jobs around the fields  and spending time with each pony, grooming, picking out their feet and generally bonding sessions with them the all. I don't quite know how I  achieved 17280 steps! All helps toward my weight loss to eventually ride Queenbee


 






Sunday
    
Well this was meant to be a chill out day - do they exist in farming life  - Gary decided to spend the day sanding down and re painting our main gate......perfectionist that he is  - took all day - but is does look amazing, if I say so myself. 












All is fair in love and war - I drew the short straw and was left with mucking out the stables - not that I am complaining,  I thoroughly love our new life in the countryside along with all the trials and tribulations it entails. and we are only 3 months in! 



The children spent time in the woods - building dens and generally enjoying our outdoor space.








Our eldest son is really getting into  his cooking and baking  -  so my afternoon was spent ensuring I  had a kitchen at the end of the day and washing up! He made delicious walnut brownies and frosted carrot cake. The recipes are here for you to try out.




Walnut Brownies  - 

·         6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
·         225g butter
·         200g caster sugar
·         2 eggs
·         125g plain flour
·         1/2 teaspoon baking powder
·         1/4 teaspoon salt
·         4 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract


1.     Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Transfer to mixing bowl, cream together. Add sugar gradually. Blend in eggs one at a time.
2.     Sieve together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into chocolate mixture. Mix in walnuts. Spread batter into a greased 20cm square tin.

3.     Bake at 180 C / Gas 4 for 20 to 25 minutes.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Frosted Carrot Cake

            450ml  vegetable oil
·          400g plain flour 
·          2 tsp bicarbonate soda 
·          550g  sugar
·          5 free-range eggs 
·          ½ tsp salt 
·          2½ tsp ground  cinnamon 
·          525g grated carrots
·          150g shelled chopped walnuts 


         Frosting   

·         200g cream cheese
·         150g castor sugar 
·         100g softened butter 


1.      For the carrot cake, preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line a 26cm/10in spring form cake tin.

2.      Mix all of the ingredients for the carrot cake, except the carrots and walnuts, together in a bowl until well combined. Stir in the carrots and walnuts.
3.      Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the cake from the tin and set aside to cool completely on a cooling rack.

4.      Meanwhile, for the icing, beat the cream cheese, caster sugar and butter together in a bowl until fluffy. Spread the icing over the top of the cake with a palette knife.


                                                              ENJOY 


-
I can't believe how big Jett has grown in the past few weeks,  he is going to be huge.  We have also been doing our research for  Jett to train to become  a gun dog. We have  found a local kennels with over 30 years experience in gun dogs. We have our name down to visit when lock down ends. 



In the meantime as we can't use the fields for training  at the moment  - he is coming along nicely with our little practice sessions in the yard.




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