IS THE END IN SIGHT?

I am sorry this weeks blog is late, blame the weather!!

We have finally finished lambing! The sheep have been replaced by TP spares, they are quieter and don't need food and water, but still take up as much space and time. The definite plus is we don't have to get up to them in the middle of the night. Now we just wake up thinking was that a so and so part? We no sooner feel we are beginning to get the crates identified to put away and guess what? Another waggon is booked in. It's that wonderful scenario of climbing a mountain and you think when you get to the next rise you are there, but the top is still not in sight.

On Thursday we had a torrential downpour. Water levels rose quickly and there was too much for the drains to deal with. Water was flowing where it wasn't meant to. It was coming in the back of the shed as quickly as we were desperately trying to sweep it out the front. Thank goodness a lot of the stock was on pallets, so if we could keep the water moving we could stop it reaching the stock. After what seemed like hours we were down to a trickle. The relief was palpable. By night there were some tired aching bodies.

Till next time, have a good week, Julie.

A UNIQUE REQUEST!

Our first day of TP spares and so far so good. We have finished building shelves and are about to start filling them with the various parts. Bobby is rapidly coming to terms with the many trampolines as he puts them away, but he can't believe there have been so many!!

I thought I would share with you one of our more unusual requests for Little Tikes spare parts.

Please can you help with my despair

before I pull out ALL my hair.

The doorbell on my Grandson's 'house'

has gone as quiet as a mouse.

Despite new batteries and a clean

it makes no sounds, not a bean

And now when friends come to call

they get no answer, none at all.

'Is he out again' they say

and find another place to play.

To save the tears and save the day

the doorbell has been thrown away.

A 'knock' sign hangs above the door

but friends can't read, they're only four!

So I ask with all my heart

can you replace the missing part?

With your help I'm pretty sure

friends will return to the 'Magic Door'

How could we refuse such a fantastic request for a doorbell for the Magic Doorbell Playhouse that made us all smile and brightened up our day?

I hope it made you smile too. Till next week, Julie

TP, READY OR NOT!

I hope you all had a good Easter and chocolate passed your lips in one form or another. Since we are no longer in Lent, fasting has ceased and there are no spare chocolate biscuits. Don't get the wrong idea, we are not totally preoccupied by the brown stuff!

As from the middle of next week we will be sending out spare parts on behalf of TP. It feels like we are receiving deliveries daily from TP as they send us all the nuts, bolts and pieces of timber and metal we will need to fulfill the task. These will have to be clearly identified, as I'm afraid one nut looks very much like another.

The office is being rearranged to cater for the avalanche of paper that will ensue in the form of orders, manuals and labels that will be needed. A new office is being created for the spares team so hopefully by next week they will have electricity. Hey, they won't have time to sit down. At the moment the spares are still coming and we have not got the ones we have sorted and found homes for. It is a good job we are well on with lambing. Will we make it by next week............... but of course, but there may be a national shortage of chocolate!! Keep your fingers crossed for us and I'll let you know what happens!! Julie

MISCHIEF AND MAYHEM

What a week it has been!!!

We have had a fantastic response to our Easter competition, with hundreds of imaginative suggestions. The staff had great fun choosing the winning names. A big thank you and congratulations to Evie Grace.

Meet Mischief and Mayhem two angelic lambs!

The rapid change in the weather on Tuesday night caught us all on the hop. The sheep and lambs bore the brunt of it. Wednesday had us battling the elements. After a night of bitter temperatures, harsh winds and driving snow and rain, we weren't home and dry. The amount of rain saw the rivers rising dramatically to burst their banks and sheep having to be move out of danger. Young lambs were frozen through and had to be thawed. The kitchen became an improvised lamb hospital!! Looking at the sun today you would not believe that the weather could have been as severe as it was, or cause as much havoc.

Maundy Thursday and Easter is just a day or two away. We are open Good Friday from 10.00am till 4.00pm and Saturday as normal. Sunday and Monday we will be closed. Have a good Easter. I hope there will be eggs to be rolled and hot cross buns to be devoured, until next week, Julie.