On December 26, 2012 by Sarah Lewis

When hunting was frosted off I took Homer to Royal Leisure as well, he just tapped off the last fence in the jump-off of the Discovery and the 1.05. However, he was very good given that it was the first time he has ever been in a indoor school. Once the rain started again I had a day with the Mid-Surrey Farmers Draghounds with Homer. He was just fantastic in spite of the terribly deep ground and a very long day.The clipping marathon has been completed and 5 sets of blades and a new pair of clippers later everybody is looking beautiful. Ferro has been to her first show at Royal Leisure, where she was thrilled to be out and showed off by jumping fabulously, albeit only in the 1.15. Biscuit and Emma have both had a couple of jumping sessions in the school, and feel very good and are ready for a show soon.

Gingerbread HouseOld Lodge were lucky enough to have Lord of Arabia competing at Olympia so Carolyn Murdoch and I went to watch on the Sunday, managing to see a fantastic 14.2 final and also the Grand Prix which was very exciting. A little bit of retail therapy and a catch up with Lynn Hindley who maintains the Old Lodge website and her daughter Kristen who are keen riders made for a lovely evening, luckily lovely enough to sustain us through the three hour journey home curtesy of Southern Rail (it only took 1 hour to get there).

The next day was Christmas Eve, both the girls had been home since Friday and had got the Christmas tree and decorations up. Sophie decided to fill in the time before Midnight Mass by making a gingerbread house – a little bit mad – but it turned out really well and there was enough dough left over for about 90 gingerbread men which we took with us for Christmas lunch with my youngest brother David.

We had the most perfect Christmas Day – quickly mucking out the horses before opening our stockings, and then off to David for lunch. He is the most fantastic cook, and it was lovely to have a Christmas Day with lots of little children and hear what amazing stuff Father Christmas can get hold of in the 21st Century. It was certainly the first time I have have ever had Christmas lunch with a perfectly turned out Disney character – Meredith from Brave – complete with bow and quiver of arrows. The presence of three grannies led to some confusion over which presents were intended for who, but fortified by wonderful company and a quick dog walk in the pouring rain, we were back in Sussex in time for Call the Midwife which was infinitely less disappointing than Downton Abbey.

This morning Sophie and I have ridden some very fresh horses before celebrating Boxing Day with Mark’s parents. Hopefully a quiet day tomorrow before teaching the Old Surrey & Burstow Pony Club on Friday and then my sister Polly and her little girls are coming to stay for New Year.

Merry Christmas