Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

I have now come to the conclusion that I am one of those people for whom life will never be straightforward or simple.

Instance 1. I’ve just got a document through from MSA, the agricultural assurance people whom I trying to get my health insurance through. As I said in a previous post, I can be a member but until I start cultivating my vegetables I don’t have enough land to qualify for health insurance. As it’s a new year, the new subs are due but when I looked at the document, they got my name wrong. I have a given name, two middle names and a double-barrelled surname. Somewhere along the line they have added a middle name to my surname giving me a triple-barrelled surname. I’m going to try just crossing the extra bit out and hope they change it to match my bank details, which I have to send them. If not it will be another trip to Villeneuve.

Instance 2. I’m still looking for tile for my kitchen, both for the worktop and the walls. I’m not doing to well on finding those I like at a price I’m willing to pay. I’m considering ivory for the worktops with ivory and some blue accent tiles on the wall. At present the ivory ones I like are in a shop 25 miles to the south of me, while the blue ones are in a shop 25 miles to the north of me. I now need to do a trip to both with one of the draw fronts (that I now have) to see if they go with the finish on the kitchen units. Then it’s order them, see if the both of the places can get them and find out how long I’ll have to wait for delivery from each shop. I was thinking of incorporating a border tile but I don’t like any of the border tiles in either of the two shops and I really can’t be bothered to deal with a third shop.

On a far more positive front, Regis called round tonight and had a look at the plough. As far as he can see there is nothing wrong with it. I think the problem I was having was twofold, threefold if you count the fact that I have no idea at all what I’m doing, I need to pull the release lever a bit harder to ensure it fully withdraws the locking pin and I must also raise the plough to the highest point I can to get it to flip. So I will be out sometime this weekend to try. I don’t think I’ll actually need to rotate the plough as Regis also advised me to plough down the slope only as it is much easier to do that. Once I’ve got the hang of ploughing then I can start being clever. I think the plough is already turning the furrow in the direction I need so it should be all systems go.

The alpacas were happy again today, I managed another shape with the hurdles and they were able to spend another 4 hours munching grass. I think I’ll skip tomorrow so they don’t get used to it and it will also help the grass recover.