Sore little vixen cub

Hello there everyone, it is Motoko blogging for you all tonight! First of all I am so sorry for the lack of a blog, but I and Jenny have been so busy at work trying to get treks leaving on time and arriving back safe and well. You know it’s hard work making sure everything runs well, but rewarding when customers say that they had fun.

This is just a short little blog just to update on what we vixens have been getting up to, and well not much is what I must report on. We as I have said been very busy now that the weather is improving and now we have customers showing up again!

Also this month our Playstation3 blew up and as a result we had no Playstation3 for ages and ages, and now we have worked out that we last did a Playstation3 back up just before Christmas 2011 or New Year 2012. So we have lost a lot of our game saves from such games like Elder Scrolls Oblivion and The Elder Scrolls Skyrim.

Well now the topic of this blog is very true, and our little vixen cub Amanda is a very sore and tender little vixen cub indeed. You see now she had a riding accident while she was helping lead an afternoon long trek.

-=-=-
Jenny typed this out on 17th May 2012

That was until our little vixen Amanda had a rather bad accident on a trek. She was riding alone and became unseated, she was bucked off, went over a small bridge’s wall that crossed a ford and landed in the river. She was helping Tesia lead an afternoons trek and I can tell you that Tesia was shaken up as well.

Our daughter had got up after she came off but stated to feel giddy and found it hard to breath then stand. Tesia had to get an air ambulance out sharpish, and Amanda was flown to where she could get help.

Amanda has not been that far from us since she came to us and she was panicked, scared and in a right old state. Once she was checked over she was told she had 2 dislocated ribs and had torn something in-between another rib which was also slightly out of place!

We didn’t even know any of this had taken place until she had been loaded in to the chopper and had been air-lifted away to the hospital.

Poor little vixen is now very sore and still in shock (not clinical shock) and has a few bumps scrapes and burses but she is home safe and sound. She is also putting on a might brave face but she is in a great deal of discomfort. But nothing that can’t be fixed thank god! she didn’t have her exo body protector on she would have broken ribs and been badly messed up.

Body protector save lives. Ride safe.

-=-=-

Amanda is doing well and smiling and happy, but she is very shore and is still slightly recovering for the shock of what had happened to her. I am just so glad that she is going to be oke you know. It was a great shock to hear what had happened and we rushed out right way to be at her side.

Right now this weekend Sam Mia and Moria spent the weekend here, and they helped with such things as house work, washing out, washing and other tasks so I and Jenny could be with Amanda and making sure that she is ok. I would like to thank Sam Mia and Moria for being such fantastic friends and helping out this weekend.

Also I and Jenny are leading a trek from Tomorrow till Wedsnday evening, and Moria and Sam Mia are going to live in our own home for the days we are away and they are going to take it in turns to Stay with Amanda while the other one works.

Well that is all I am blogging for today, sorry it is short!

That is all about it for the blog this evening but We shall blog again real soon, so take care!

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Autumn Is In Full Swing

A very good evening to you all and I hope that you are well very well indeed, this evening it is Motoko blogging. Now then let’s start as ever with our blogs weather forecast for Cumbria for the week ahead, forecast I must is from the Met Office.

Cumbria is well known for is wet weather and indeed Cumbria is the wettest place in England, and this blogs forecast proves it. Well autumn is in full swing now here in our wonderful part of Cumbria, the wind and rain has arrived more than ever now. Which will soon give way to the icy winds of winter and the snow was pure as Mother Nature herself. But for now we are still in autumn and Mother Nature is gripping the leaves and caressing them, turning them in to a splendid spectacle of rich gold, red and amber colours. The winds here are strong and blow though the valley and into the natural basin we live in, the wind swirls around, ripping the magnificent leaves from the trees, robbing them of their golden splendour. The nights are drawing closer with each passing day this month, finishing work in the fading daylight shall soon give in to the natural course of our planet and we shall soon be finishing work by floodlights as apposed to Mother Nature’s warm embracing sunlight. The days of wearing summer clothing, straw hats and BBQs outside in the garden are over for this year. But I’m not depressed as each season we must endure always has it’s ups and downs and each has a charm that is different from that last. I really love nature.

With the nights drawing in, heavy rain and mist and fog arrive it’s even more important to be seen be it; riding horse, walking, push biking out on the lanes at the time of the year. A rule which has always been Paramount at work, and a rule I and Jenny take very seriously indeed is the use of high viability when hacking out and leading treks off into the heart of Cumbria. Looking after our staff and making sure they are safe and happy has always been important to I and Jenny, as well as making sure the customers are also safe and well while engaging in equine activates. To this end as part of the work uniform I and Jenny provide to each staff member two hi-viz tabards to wear when ever they go out on a hack and leading treks. Secondly we provide for our staff a full 66N hi-viz rainwear suit which you can ride in, 66N is very hi-viz and very waterproof so that is perfect for our line of work. Jenny and I got the idea to use 66N hi-viz rainwear when we wore them while having a horse riding holiday in Iceland, a holiday which we need to do again sometime as it was great. For normal work on the yard we also provide ocean rainwear which is strong and tough. So remember this autumn and winter to stay seen and stay safe, hi-viz may not be the height of fashion but its practical and makes sure you and your horse seen. All of our horses have high visibly sheets and boots as well to make sure we really do stand out.

Museic time now and yes I mean Museic and not music, as I and Jenny are very big Muse fans and always have been. At the moment Jenny’s arm is still sore but she is now working Mondays now which is good and her Physio is going very well. This means that Jenny will be working normal hours very soon, as long as she takes things easy. This also means that she will be back to drumming along to Muse and a-ha in no time at all, that means that I, Jenny, Amanda, Ritsuko and Sam Mia and Moria can play along to muse! Muse brings people together no matter what their differences ore views or beliefs are, it’s a universal language and should be embraced by everyone. It brings all of our friends together; we set up our instruments and just have an all day jam session. Playing muse is an amazing experience and great fun, if you have everyone playing life parts and no pre-recorded sounds it’s an even better experience. Muse also helps you bond and with Amanda that is very true, playing music together really helps I and Jenny bond with Amanda and that reinforces our relationship with Amanda. She is such a wonderful young women and the best daughter a family could ever wish for, and part of bonding with her is to play music together, she is a good keyboard and drum player. I used to run a jpop band with a sound very similar Tsukiko Amano, I was ever so lucky to meant Tsukiko Amano and it was a time I shall never forget. My jpop band did a few gigs around Kyoto for a few years but slowly my band slowed down and did fewer gigs and then at last the band fully came to and end when I left Kyoto to live in England. Once in England I started a band with Jenny and my younger sister Bex and Bex’s friend, but we have not produced much music this year.

November shall be a fantastic month for video games, and I am of course talking about Uncharted3: Drake’s Deception and the Elder Scrolls Skyrim. Let’s start with Uncharted first shall we, now the first thing I though as I brought Uncharted: Drake’s fortune was “Oh another 3rd person shoot em up game”. I brought it and took it home and well I couldn’t have been more wrong, it was more than a game. It was a full blown story driven action packed adventure full of plot twists, amazing characters and stunning visual effects. Nathan Drake isn’t like an everyday action hero, he is a human being and a normal one at that, sometimes when he jumps and lands it’s not perfect every time and he can stumble and so on as an example. He doesn’t hide pain and he doesn’t act like a tough guy the whole time. The Second Uncharted game called Uncharted2: Among Thieves took the game to a whole new level and I and Jenny really did fall in love with the game and this time the game had even more action packed moments such as dangling from a train suspended over a cliff edge and amazing moving sets. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves also has an online mode as well, and is our daughter’s favourite uncharted game. With what me and Jenny has seen of Uncharted3: Drake’s Deception looks to be the most action filled game of all the uncharted games to date, and Me and Jenny have pre-ordered the UK Exploration Collectors Edition of the game.

The Elder Scrolls have always been my favoured RPG games. I have always been a great fan of The Elder Scrolls since I played Arena many years ago, and since then I have enjoyed plaything The Elder Scrolls. My friend Moria is such a fan of The Elder Scrolls that she knows the Lore off by heart and can name many, many, many names, towns and locations in all of the games. I and Jenny can’t do that but we do enjoy the games, and The Elder Scrolls Skyrim looks to be the best yet. Not only can you get married in this new game and that can be same-sex-marriage, you can duel cast spell, have double swords, dragon shouts, better graphics, new game engine. Everything has been reprogrammed to make this game the best yet, and watching videos from the home website of The Elder Scrolls Skyrim I can tell that all their hard work has been worth it. Jenny and I have pre-ordered the collectors edition of this as well, and our daughter has also. It’s nice that Amanda has the same likes in games as well do, means we can play them together as a family.

Jenny and I used to play Final Fantasy XI Online for years and years and then we just stopped playing and then closed our accounts and then once Final Fantasy XIV Online was for sale we brought it and we have never looked back, till now that is. We love FF XIV but at the moment there not a lot of players to form parties with and that kind of thing, and FF XI has many players since it has been on the market for a lot longer. So I have re-installed FF XI Online and some time this week let it all update, then I and Jenny can make new characters to play online with, it’s a shame we have to start again from scratch but it will be fun to start all over again. Amanda has a FF XIV and a FF XI account which we found out only this week, we I, Jenny and Amanda can run around the online world together casting spells and hitting stuff.

Now that the yard has been built up, improved and open again this year I and Jenny are going to hold a small staff party on Halloween of this year. It shall be full of music and lots of homemade cake, snacks and meals for everyone to enjoy. Plan to hold it in the indoor school where it shall be warmer and good lighting. That also means that there will be plenty of room for tables and so on. I and Jenny plan to go in one our catsuits each, and be great if staff dressed up for it a little was well. Jenny and Amanda has already planned what food and drink shall be there, and all I have to do it seemed is to help them cook it all and then set everything up ready on the day part is being held. Talking of staff parties I am also planning a Christmas staff party as well!

That is all about it for the blog this evening but We shall blog again real soon, so take care!

Click the banner to learn about our wonderful paradise in England, which Is Cumbria.

As always we are supporting the RNLI, click the banner below to find out what the RNLI is all about and what do can do to help and support them.

Motoko & Jenny Carterr

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All Photographs Unless Otherwise Stated Are Taken And Owned By Us, And Are Not For Public Use.

Autumn Arrives In Cumbria

A very good evening to you all, its Jenny once again blogging tonight. It’s taking me a while as I am typing a lot of this with one hand as my bad arm in a sling tonight. Right then before we get down to the main blog, it’s time for the local Cumbrian weather forecast for our local area. What would our blog be without it!

Well then now that the weather forecast is over and done with, now we can get on with the matter at hand or rather get on with the rest of the blog. Cumbria always has very defined seasons and if I may say so, I would go as far as to say that we have proper seasons unlike a lot of other parts of the country. Autumn has now really arrived in Cumbria with lashing heavy rain and gale force winds playing with leaves that are turning a golden spectacle. This has to be one of my favourite seasons, or I my go as far to say that it is my very favourite season. It produces stunning colours and the scenery changes in a dramatic fashion, its fantastic to watch and be part of it.

My arm is getting much better and recovering from the operation very well indeed, and I am starting to have physio done on my arm. I must admit that it is my fault that it came to this, this being having my arm re-pinned again! Last time it was re-pinned it was because I didn’t follow the recovery advice and then I went back to work far too soon. This made my arm weaker than it should have been and that is why I had to have another operation to my arm again. But this shall be the last operation I have to have on it as I am following the recovery advice to the letter. Motoko and I now have a daughter and I am no good to her as a mother if I can’t look after her and support her if I have crippled my arm due to lack of care. Another thing is that after buying the yard and becoming its new owners, I would be no use to anyone on the yard if my arm wasn’t up to all the hard work. Working Mondays at the moment and that is office work, such as making orders and phoning people and so on. Rest of the time I am doing small amount of physio and curled up on sofa with my cuddly rabbit and reading a good book and playing music or playing a game.

Motoko got me a small surprise present in the form of a new rubber catsuit from Libidex which put a massive smile on my face and really cheered me up. The catsuit is from there Princess Style and has built in feet and a three-way back-zip. Zip matches the same colour as the catsuit colour, and that colour is bright red. So the colour really matches the colours of autumn.

Its custom fitted to my measurements which my wife knows off by heart, and fits exactly which is fantastic. I have never owned a red catsuit before a catsuit with built in feet so it’s a nice new experience.

One more thing my awesome wife Motoko has been doing is building a new computer for our daughter. I just took a few bits and bobs to photograph for the blog just to have a picture to go with this part of the blog. But Motoko has the case and all the parts ready to go. She finished building it after we had dinner. It’s a really very nice rig and was built for gaming, as she said “It will play Elder Scrolls Skyrim on max no prob” we shall see if she right there. But she is fantastic at building computers.

Our friends Sam Mia and her good wife Moria came around to our home Saturday morning and we had a fantastic morning walk and then a very nice home cooked lunch and then an even better evening meal. Moria is a great fan of the old TV show called “Dad’s Army” and indeed so is I, so Moria brought her Dad’s Army DVDs down here as well and we watched them long into the night. Motoko has ordered the box set of Dad’s Army now for ourselves since we enjoyed them so much. It was fantastic to watch a classic and very funny show with great food; great drink our daughter beside us and sharing the evening with very great friends. Sam Mia and Moria have not brought our old boat off us now, so it is all theirs to do with as they please. I and Motoko feel a little sad but it must be done as we really want a new one, which is why we are going to the Southampton boat show this year to get a new one! Thank you to Moria for allowing me to photo the Dad’s Army box set before she packed it up!

Kendo always comes up in our lives, as Motoko is a master at it. She and her friend we call “Neko” (which is Japanese for the word cat) who is in fact named Ritsuko has been Kendoing (That probably isn’t a work but I am using it) each evening in a corner of our indoor school. The indoor school is brand new and stands on the site of our old one, and so because of this they are playing Kendo in it. They say they are crimsoning it, but I think it’s because its indoors and arm and nice soft surface It is how ever amazing to watch them as they are so great at Kendo, and Motoko is also teaching Amanda Kendo. Amanda I must say is getting on really well in Kendo and is really enjoying it, Motoko also teacher her younger sister Becky as well in the skills of Kendo. Motoko’s older sister is very good at it as well and when she up against Motoko you can be sure of a massive match, and an impressive one at that. Esumi is lethal at Kendo and is stunning to watch her, she is on the same level / grade as Motoko but she is the only one Motoko finds a full on challenge.

That is all about it for the blog tonight but We shall blog again real soon, so take care!

Click the banner to learn about our wonderful paradise in England, which Is Cumbria.

As always we are supporting the RNLI, click the banner below to find out what the RNLI is all about and what do can do to help and support them.

Motoko & Jenny Carterr

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All Photographs Unless Otherwise Stated Are Taken And Owned By Us, And Are Not For Public Use.

A Blog About Horsey Things *Swishes Tail And Eats Apple*

Heya one and all it’s me Jenny blogging today, that’s right me Jenny. It’s been a rather long time I have been blogging isn’t it. Fact it Motoko has been bugging me to do a blog and I really wanted to then she goes and starts typing a blog and so I let her. But today I am blogging and it’s a blog about fun horsey stuff as me and Motoko haven’t blogged about horsey stuff really before have we!

But like always in our blogs it’s a custom to post a little Cumbrian weather forecast for the next few days and so here it is, you can see it below.

So as you can see from the weather forecast it’s going to be nice tomorrow (Friday) and then Cumbria reverts back to its famous weather we all know and love, that famous Cumbrain weather being rain. But we are not put off by rain and life carries on as normal, just have to grab our waterproofs and wellies and we are all set for the working day or a relaxing dog walk.

Now then horsey stuff time *has a nice rolls and shakes* sorry about that people I had an itch! Our yard at this time last year was busy with our own little events for children and adults a like, horse trailers and lorries rolling in and out. But alas at the moment with all the building work going on we have not held any small events this year or indeed this summer as of yet. For one there are a few builders’ porter cabins in the car park and not to mention a trench in our cross country field, trench is there for new water pipes and so on to go down, which I am glad to say is almost finished.

This didn’t mean that me and Motoko didn’t get out there and event, no far from it, this year me and Motoko despite being busy have done a few day events around England this year. There is nothing like loading up the horses and getting to the vent feeling full of energy and enthusiastic. For both of us we take part not for the winning or to show off like some of the equine world, we take part as we enjoy it and we both find it great fun. After all we don’t call ourselves team vixen for nothing you know!

When it comes to dressing we always have a cream pair of jodhpurs and a pair of white jodhpurs as you can never go wrong with them. We don’t really have a favourite brand and indeed we tend to go for something that looks semi casual and not to costly. Brand names on the lower end of the well known scale can be fantastic and fairly good price as well, but the more well known brands charge you full price for something that may not be as good.

We all have feet and feet need boots when riding, we all know this, so me and Motoko wear leather riding boots for when ever we got to an event. They are just more supple and stronger if they are polished and conditioned with leather feeder. Rubber riding boots can really look smart and are great for people who are starting out or not wanting to pay much for boots. But leather ones can last you years and years if you treat them with respect. For normal riding I really got into loving rubber riding boots because I can wear them on the yard for work as well. Motoko wears rubber riding boots but not keen on them. Riding in hunter wellies also something we do rather a lot of, as like rubber riding boots you can wear them for yard work too.

Motoko and I take personal protection when riding in events, riding in the school or even just for a hack around the local lanes. Horses can always catch you off guard and can get you off, remember now matter how well you know your horse it can be sometimes unpredictable. This is why we have brought the best body protector on the market, we use Woof Wear Exo Body Protector. It has an Exo cage to help you roll when you fall off and helps protect you if the horse may happen to roll on top of you. It is hinged and once in it you close a clasp on either side of the body protector, and once in you get a great feeling that you really are protected. I and Motoko like it so much we have brought our staff members one each for when they will lead treks out when we start back up again. We always use this for when we are doing jumping of any kind and we fully recommend it. Please remember that you need to tell the event runners that you are using this body protector and give them one of the allen keys to get you out of the body protector should they need to remove it from you if you fall off. Remember body protectors are at their best when they are level three, you can tell this by a purple label on the body protector and it has printed that it is level three. A very good friend of ours also has this body protector and he recommends it too.

Hats are good things, keep your head from being knocked, bumped and cracked. I have never owned a costly hat and nor has my good wife Motoko and they are not something to ride out without. I can’t understand when you see people riding on a hack or even in the school without a hat, its madness. Events will not let you ride without a hat so make sure you got one that fits and is really snug. A loose hat is no good to anyone. Again cheaper lesser brands are just as good as top price ranged brands. When you put your hat on clip it up you know your time is close to the event, that is when you start to get the adrenaline rush and then you get excitable.

We wear coveralls and hunter wellies and rubber riding boots a lot. Our wardrobe is really full of work uniform and one dress each, if that. Mostly old t-shirts and jeans I must admit, and I and Motoko are not one to really shop for clothing. We live in the deep Cumbrain wilderness so we dress practically! But horsey events *whinnies* is an exception to the rule. We love riding out into the dressage arena or show jumping arena and looking super smart, freshly washed jacket, and jodhpurs. Boots polished so bright you can see the clouds in them. Buttons on jacket sparkling in the sun and the horses tack looking just as fantastic. It’s the only time that we both love looking smart. I know that I am looking my best for the event in question when I come out of horse lorry wearing my smart showing kit and Motoko says “you look stunning”.

You and your horse are charging around the course, you both see the jump and you and the horses mind become one. Yu focused on the last jump and you know it’s going to decide the outcome whether you win the round or you lose it! The jump is upon and your trusted horse takes the jump, the horse and you in perfect balance. As you land you know you have done it and you give a cry of happiness. We all get moments like this, and as with all these things we all win and lose some. But As I said it’s the taking part that counts, whether it’s first, second or third placing or just happy with what you have done. It’s the riding that is important. But lets face it, winning is a good feeling as well as the joy of taking part.

Coming to the end of the blog, as I started this before our take-away arrived and resumed after I had ate it all up! So now I shall end the blog as I have a warm mug of tea and a muffin that I want to enjoy while watching a DVD of MacGyver with my wife, daughter and our friend Esumi.

So we shall blog again very soon, so take care everyone.

Click the banner to learn about our wonderful paradise in England, which Is Cumbria.

As always we are supporting the RNLI, click the banner below to find out what the RNLI is all about and what do can do to help and support them.

Motoko & Jenny Carterr

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Spontaneous plans always the best!

A very good morning to you everyone, I hope that you are all well.

Today its Motoko blogging as Jenny is dog walking with our daughter Amanda. So it’s down to me to up date you all on the things that have been going on of late since we last posted a blog, but as normal let’s check out the Cumbria weather forecast for the week ahead.

Up next is the weather forecast for the week ahead in Kyoto, Japan. Why I hear you ask? Well keep reading and you will find out!

Well then first of all, all the yard building work has come to a dramatic stop. Seems that the builders and workmen who are doing all of the work here have said they can’t do a lot of the needed tasks in this current weather. This current weather I may add has been a lot of heavy rain and wind. So this means that the predicted finish date will be dramatically changed in the on coming weeks.

The yard at the moment due to digging and building has become a mass of muddy gray and building rubble and looks rather unsightly at the moment. I have spent every working hour dressed up in waterproofs as it the rain really has been non stop.

Because of all the wet weather I have also been wearing wellies for the whole duration of the working week. Though I must add I wear wellies and rubber riding boots a lot anyway so this isn’t really a big change for me. But need them more than ever with all this mud and clay thanks to all the building work.

As the blog title suggests we have made some fantastic spontaneous plans this morning, we have booked a holiday. For years and years at work we have always put the job before ourselves to make it work. Now that was good for the stables but not so good for ourselves, and some very good friends we known for ages made us realise that we can’t carry on like that forever. So this year when we brought the yard from its original owners we have been taking mini weekends away and so on just to unwind and relax. But talking to these very good friends of ours (Steve and Jess) online last night about holidays it dawned on me that This month till middle of next month is the only time that we as a family will be able to have a proper long holiday. So this morning I have booked a flight to go to Kyoto with my good wife Jenny and our fantastic daughter Amanda. We are going on the 23rd of May 2011 and flying home on the 13th June, we are flying first class as a treat to Amanda as she never been on a plane before. So I thought she should go in style! Our flight is listed below. While we are away I have my younger sister in charge of the yard, she is a bright young women and I have every confidence in her. I also have my good friend Sam Mia to keep an eye on my younger sister as well as make sure the building work is done correctly and do help my younger sister keep things running smoothly.

We are going to stay in what was my father’s home, but when he passed away he left it to me. The home is fantastic and very, very stylish in traditional Japanese building work. The house has a massive living area with open kitchen as a central room, and then a master bedroom which is home to my queen size bed which is really love. The master bedroom has a grand en-suite bathroom. The guest bedroom also of a good size and has an en-suite bathroom as well. I also have a live-in maid in the house looking after the cleaning and the bills, and sorting the mail out and so on. She is friendly and polite and that’s all you can ask for from a domestic isn’t it, oh and she does work hard and has to put up with me so she needs a medal for that! Below is a picture of the area where we shall be living for the holiday, which is the area where I have my house in Kyoto. It’s in an old district, and it’s so beautiful and wonderful. It really is a great place to live, can wake up an open front door to be greeted with a fantastic view of the old streets with their wooden fronts and cheery blossom trees. I am sure that Amanda shall love it, as it’s not like the city as this area is very old and traditional.

But I was not born here; I was born in Kyoto Fushimi. Below is a picture of that area. It’s another great area of Kyoto and is home to Fushimi Inari shrine, which I think is the best shrine in the whole of Japan.

Things that we will need to pack is a good map of Kyoto and a Kyoto guide for jogging my memory, also for Amanda who as not been here before. Also packing a full Japanese dictionary for her and a full Japan guide book, all of which she can read on the plane when we are flying there.

I think the holiday will be a mixture of walking around some great parts of Kyoto while showing Amanda all the best bits to see, as well as taking her to see Fushimi Inari shrine. We shall be going to a really nice spa with plenty hot spring type pools and saunas. Eating out shall also be a part of the holiday and the most important part of the holiday is to be with my amazing wife and our great daughter and just relax. Best part of having a live-in maid is that you can relax fully knowing you don’t have to do all the small housework jobs and so on. But I shall be cooking for everyone at some point and yes that include cooking for the maid as well.

You can’t do Japan unless you fit in some Kendo right? Well I plan to take my family to a nice dojo for a round or so of Kendo in proper Japanese surroundings. This is really for Amanda as she is really keen on Kendo now where better to teach her a little bit more than in Kyoto?!

Catching up with an old friend Esumi and her wife while we are out there at some point as well and we shall all be going to Dark Cherry for a nice cup of green tea and to relax. Also doing a small Shibari shoot for them as well, that is always fun and gives me a little extra cash. But as I said before this holiday is all about relaxing and recharging ourselves in time for the yard we now own to re-open for the summer season. It’s also a very special holiday as it’s the first holiday that we have had as a family.

But now it’s time to end the blog as I have I have typed a lot and how no wish to bore you with it. So take care everyone and we shall blog again real soon.

Click the banner to learn about our wonderful paradise in England, which Is Cumbria.

As always we are supporting the RNLI, click the banner below to find out what the RNLI is all about and what do can do to help and support them.

Motoko & Jenny Carterr

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We are both alive and well honest!

Hello you lot, its Jenny blogging this morning.

Me and Motoko have been ever so busy of late (I know we always say that don’t we) been doing so many things at once and putting so many eggs in one basket (that’s not an Easter pun I assure you) that we have found it hard to find the time to just chill out and relax. But this week we have found the time as we have booked a week off and we don’t care if work falls into ruin we really need time off so we gave ourselves some.

Before the blog starts in its entirety lets have that all important Cumbrian weather forecast for the next few days. We do this as a matter of habit now I think, but someone out there may find it handy so we keep on doing it.

So then why have we been really busy? I shall tell you why. After Motoko flew out to Japan, Kyoto to sort out and attend her fathers funeral I had just started proceedings to buy out the yard from the current owner. I and Motoko have been playing with this idea for a while as we could see that the owner of the yard we worked at had simply lost interest in it. So as you can guess I had a lot of work to do, paperwork to sort out and attend solicitor meetings and all sorts, and they owner of the yards farther made it a rocky ride. Without Motoko t support me I felt very much alone and lost at all the meetings but each night me and Motoko had webcam chats so that cheered me up and set me up for each day to come.

After New Year the yard was ours and we have been working very hard to transform the yard from a riding school to a horse trekking centre. We have sold a lot of the horses and brought in tough native breeds that can handle that kind of work. While all that is going on we have the builders in taking down some old log cabins and putting up some new ones to replace them, newer modern ones in which guests can stay. The yard will still offer livery although it will be reduced and we shall still be offering lessons but that will also be reduced. Motoko and I know this is a massive gamble but we are determined to make this project work, and we have a lot of responsibility now that we are the new owners.

So then now onto other news, as you know we have fostered a young person before which ended happily by Motoko’s older sister adopting the young girl we fostered. Well early this year despite the entire goings on at work, we decide to foster again and this time we got a seventeen year old girl to foster called Amanda. I and Motoko have a really good life, we have a 24/7 alternative lifestyle which we would never give up, we have our own home, a good job and we really enjoy our lives together. But something was always making us feel that there was one part of us that needs to be filled in to make our lives complete. That part was to have a child or adopt one, Amanda is a really bright, energetic young women and very loyal and had no problems with mine and Motoko’s alternative lifestyle or our work commitments. She also didn’t mind living in the middle of know where in Cumbria! So one evening me and Motoko had a long talk which went long into the night and then spoke to Amanda in the morning about the conversation me and Motoko had the night before. We asked her would she like to become our daughter and for us to adopt her rather than just foster her. She got very tearful and gave us a big long hug. Rest is personal and a long story but she said yes! After much paperwork and visits and all sorts of red tape things she is now Amanda Carter, our daughter.

Well that is really it for now, sorry it wasn’t that interesting and it was rather short I know but we shall be blogging more very soon.

Take care, everyone.

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Jenny and Motoko Carter

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Flying Off!

Good evening everyone, it’s Motoko typing away here tonight! Well since last blog a lot of things have happened. But before I go into what has happened here is our Cumbria forecast for the next few days! Warm clothing weather I think, don’t you?

Well now down to the topic at hand, on 17-09-2010 my father passed away which came as great shock as the night before I was on the phone to him. Me and Jenny where going to Kyoto to see his new home. As we haven’t been to Kyoto since he had brought it and moved him. We meant to be going out there on 20th November and coming back on the 30th November. Due to what has happened I am flying out on Monday the 11th October to Osaka and then going to Kyoto to sort out funeral and all the paperwork and legal side of things. Jenny will be flying out to Osaka on Sunday 21st November and I shall pick her up and drive back to Kyoto. Then we will be flying home together on Tuesday 30th November! The good news is that I and Jenny are on the same flight home and sitting next to each other. Below are the flight times.

I wish that Jenny could be with me for the whole of my duration but sadly due to work she can’t, it’s a disadvantage being co-owners sometimes I fear. Esumi and her wife will be popping in to keep my company, as I will be staying in my father’s new home. I am also keeping on my fathers maid so at lest I shall have company now and then. My old Kendo sensei said he will also drop by to pay respects and check up on me. Sarah by big sister can’t make it as she not allowed any more time off for the moment form her work. But I shall phone her up and chat I am sure. Webcams are good things I think when it comes to this sort of thing. I and Jenny shall be webcam chatting loads I hope.

Be odd to spent so much time in Kyoto again, I grew up there when I was small. It’s a part of me but also something I can live with out. Cumbria will always be my home now; I really love Cumbria so much! City life is something I will have to adjust to again, will drop into Dark Cherry I think. Also have a few hours in the Dojo with my old Kendo sensei and Esumi. I will also have to pack a few things, like my floppy horse cuddly and some a-ha and muse CDs and music I know that are not out there.

Well that’s about it for now people. Sorry it is not much of a blog tonight. Blog soon!

Click the banner to learn about our wonderful paradise in England, which Is Cumbria.

As always we are supporting the RNLI, click the banner below to find out what the RNLI is all about and what do can do to help and support them.

Jenny and Motoko Carter

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It’s Bank Holiday Monday, and Yes We Are Working!

It’s Bank Holiday Monday, and Yes We Are Working!

Hello bloggers it’s Jenny here, I finished work half an hour early to do some paperwork but thought I would type up a short blog too! Well as normal on a Bank Holiday me and Motoko are working, I can’t remember when we have given ourselves a bank holiday off. Best not think about it as it may depress us if we remember how long ago really actually did give ourselves a Bank Holiday off. Today was very lacking in customers, which is normal for a Bank Holiday in August, we did have a children’s group lesson this evening but that was basically the sum total of customers apart from people who keep their horses or ponies here on D.I.Y Livery.

Before we set off with the main blog, here is the Cumbrian forecast!

To keep Motoko happy, here is the Kyoto forecast as well.

Well had a feed delivery today and some of the feed inside the sacks where gone off, musty and mouldy. This is a real pain as we will have to wait for them to be collected and swapped with good sacks of feed. This will not happen until this Friday, so Motoko had to get some feed else where to tie us over until Friday! Picture below is how shocking the feed was.

Saber my new horse decided he would go and trash his new rug today as well, naughty horsey. Yes, I am talking to you Saber! While he was busy ripping his nice rug open he also ripped himself apart as well. *sighs*. Luck we could sort it out without the need of our local equine vet.

Chilly today and was raining on and off, so the ground is really very soggy again. But not very flooded now at the moment so we are all hoping that the ground will not so water logged to a point where we will have very little turn out. One reason we have Ocean Crewman© waterproofs and Dickies coveralls is that Cumbria can be harsh to work outside in and was glad to have warm coveralls today.

Motoko brought some fly wipes that keep flies away from horses, you can use them around areas of the horse that the horse my not like to be sprayed with repellent for insects. They are great for doing around the horse’s eyes and face, so we highly recommend them.

I am not a great fan of rubber riding boots but I decided to give them ago since the ground been so mucky of late and although I don’t mind riding in hunters I prefer not to. So got some toggi rubber riding boots to wear when it’s muddy and when I have to ride and I have to say that although they are not as good as leather ones they are good. Was surprised that they were fairly comfortable as well, and fairly hard wearing and a reasonable price.

Me and Motoko spent the weekend at our friends Sam Mia and Moira fields home, which was a nice welcome break. We have a few good lay-ins which we really needed and the company was great. Sunday we watched F1 which was one of the best F1 races of 2010. So Sunday morning me and Motoko got up, after spending the night in a single bed together, we could have spent in the two singles but Motoko climbed in with me. Had a epic full English breakfast cooked by Sam Mia and then me and Motoko went back to bed, but used Sam Mia’s and Moria’s bed (as it’s a double) for two more hours sleep where we were not cramped into a single bed. Then got up, had shower and then settled down to watch the F1, while having the lap data flowing on laptop screen next to us. After the race we had post race chat as we always did. Had a game of monopoly afterwards and then Motoko in the evening cooked a fantastic ramen dish for us all and then we left after we finished the game of monopoly.

Going to be my turn to cook tonight, and me and Motoko want an early night so going to do a cheat meal and put two twelve inch oven pizzas into our Rayburn for dinner tonight. May wash it down with a bottle of ruddles county, which our favourite ale at the moment.

So I shall finish blogging for today and change out of work gear and have a cuppa and relax for a while with Motoko who has just arrived in from work. Take care all.

Click the banner to learn about our wonderful paradise in England, which Is Cumbria.

As always we are supporting the RNLI, click the banner below to find out what the RNLI is all about and what do can do to help and support them.

Jenny and Motoko Carter

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