Honeybuns Animals
Hello,
I’m sorry for the lack of photos recently. I’m on the case but I’m quite neanderthal with techy things. I keep getting an error message which I have no idea how to cope with, but I know a man who does-so things should improve soon.
I guess the onus is on me to write sth relatively interesting instead-.gumpf-.I’m feeling the pressure already!
This morning is following my winter routine. 1st Blog- 2nd animal care-3rd run.The order is dictated by how soon the morning gets light.I have mucked out in pitch black before but it does tend to get messy. The equines all now need to come in at night & their rugs have just come back from the dry cleaners (I kid you not) so they are all warm & snugly.They require an am muck out, breakfast, a rug reshuffle- they tend to slip out of place during the night. If it’s dryish they can go out in the field. If its grim & greasy they are turned into the yard.For those of you who do not know they all have sth just a little bit special about them:
Sammy is a retired hunter (we are not into that- his previous owners were). He is 25 yrs old & has had quite a hard life- lots of scars & nicks. He now is inseperable from Joan.
Joan is 36 YRS old! & a very cute & strong minded donkey.
She needs to watch her calorific intake as she can put too much weight on but gets sooooo cross if her portions look small.
Billy is a retired race horse & the apple of my eye. I just love him, even though he does tank me up and down dale without showing any signs of flagging (or even being aware that I’m there at all) Ridden by Dettori, Eddery & co in his heyday he now chills out, eats nice food & gets cuddles.His racing name was-Deadcalm & he can be checked on the Wetherby’s website.
Billy hangs out with Rosie & Bee who are 2 rescue ponies with attitude. Bee has a badly deformed face ( still a cutey) & Rosie is vintage at 27 yrs old.
Margot & Hilary are the 2 goats (from Dorset & Somerset animal rescue) who live with all of the aforementioned.
So, aside from the bakery we have our hands full. Possibly why I often feel a bit like I’m losing control of eveything-
Yesterday was the first day of Dorset Food Weeks where we opened our cafe doors to the great British Public & what a mixed & magnificent cross section we welcomed-
A gorgeous couple from Windsor who totally ‘got’ the Honeybuns thing- anti flashy, anti snobby,anti nasty, little bit hippy & most defo. into tea & cake.
Then we had quite a bossy, hard to please lady, who didn’t seem to like our shabby chic converted cafe-from- a-chicken- shed idea at all. Followed by 3 stoner looking teenagers who rocked back on our pretty little chairs declaring ‘it’s quite cool in ere innit’. We most liked the ‘really bad spy’ character who came in mid morning. She patently was after: recipes, methods, how we started, what our annual turnover is (errrr by looking at my car you can work this out- not a lot) etc etc & most defo was not interested in sitting down with a cuppa & talking about piffle- she was on a v. serious mission!
I wonder who we’ll get today-Mr Kipling peut etre?
We’re also trying to sort out a bit of a staff problem at the moment. Can’t say too much but it gets really quite depressing when occassionally you give somebody the benefit of the doubt & again & again & it proves to be my judgment error. Not my favourite aspect of the job but a bit of pruning is sometimes necessary to ensure the health & happiness of the whole figurative rose bush is kept OK-.It’s one of those things which I feel is unfair to completely delegate so this issue is going to keep me awake for a few more nights yet.It’s also the cause of my mouth ulcers at the mo. I’m sure the person in question is also unhappy & ill at ease & I just hope we can work through to a sensible resolution.
We have a lovely new member of the team joining us for a trial today. She is a talented baker & madly, deeply adores horses so she looks like fitting in really well. She already knows a couple of our team which should make her feel at ease-first days are always a bit scary.
More audit work today-it’s just that little bit mind bendingly boring but we’re getting there. D- Day is an audit we’re having done on Dec 11th so at the moment we’re reviewing all of our practices, policies etc to ensure we’re best prepared.
Fun bits today include designing some more cakeboards- I love doing that. I think I might pop this blog on & see if I can attract more than my 11precious readers!!
Rest of the day will be taken up ordering L plates & edible thongs for 30 hen night goody bags for this Friday. We (Trish, Char & I) from H’Buns are going to Guildford for ex hunny bunny girl Em’s hen night. Should be most excellent fun but I need to get ganized & buy lots of flirty dirty tat online for all the hens
Speak soon, Em x
