This service was at the church at Aymestrey near Leominster and it was lovely, and I thought the new Vicar was very good. Sharon knew no one and I only knew Kate’ partner, Heather, so after the service we left, it was starting to rain which was appropriate. Kate was then taken to be cremated, which always seems so much more final than being buried. That makes three people that I know who have died in the last week, and that is the problem with getting older, you get to go to more funerals than weddings. Of course I can’t possibly die for at least another 40 years as it will take me that long to pay off all my debts. I don’t think I want to be cremated though, although being buried has that problem of being buried and not dead. I wonder if my mobile phone would work six feet underground, I guess there is only one way to find out. I did think about one of those panic buttons that my mother had, but that would not work as they relay to a company who then phone you, imagine a phone going off in the coffin during the service, not good. And then there is the hearse, I have already put in my Will that the damn thing is not to go below 70mph, or I will be banging on the lid to tell them to get a move on. So much to think about, still hopefully I will have more time than poor Kate did, she was only 52 which is a crying shame. Its that old story, I had been going to write to her about autumn crocuses, but had not got round to it and now it is too late.

When father died, a ton of people emailed or wrote or phoned and said how much he had done for them and helped them, and made a difference and I told them it was a shame they had not thanked him while he was still alive and when he could have felt appreciated, because once they die, it makes no difference. So Kate, this is to tell you that I will miss you.

I have bought a Land Rover!! At least I will have by the end of next week and it arrives the following weekend - hooray!! Its very nice, and only done 55000 miles and is blue, which is good. I now have to get the trailer matched and painted and the signage done. When I got back I had to run Nettle to the vets, she was not well yesterday and I am glad I did - poor girl she had a temperature of 106 and was most definitely not having a good time. So couple of shots, one to bring down the temperature and a good dose of antibiotics, and pills for a week. This morning she was looking a bit brighter and now is looking much more cheerful, thank goodness.

I have only managed to go riding a couple of times, this week, its been one of those frustrating weeks where I don't seemed to have achieved anywhere near what I would have liked to. However Mark started on Tuesday, and that is already making a difference, which is great. Holly was off for two days on the records course, which I am still not convinced about, the design and the whole ethos, including the damn price for the software is all aimed at very large zoos, not at small places like us. Its overkill, over priced and I suspect not what we need at all. You can see I am not convinced!!!

I have a new computer, to do the records we needed one for Holly and so she gets mine, which will be fine for staff needs, and I get the new faster one. BUT when you buy a new computer nowadays you get Windows 7, and that means no outlook express. I really do not understand software writers, don't they know the old tried and tested and truthful saying, if it aint broke, don't fix it!! I liked Outlook Express, I really liked it and now I have to use Windows Live Mail, and I don't like it half as much. Plus everything is far more complicated that it was, aagggggggggggghhh!! And then there is the usual problem of when you change computers, there are a ton of things that don't work until you (or in my case Adam!!) fixes it. Thanks a million Adam Bloch, its much appreciated (I think!)

And where the hell was the 22 degrees and warmest day in October that we were promised, it did not happen!!