The Sweet Smell of Success

What I've been thinking about this week:

1. Immunity
2. Persil

Lambing is well underway at The Spittal. I'm told there are around 40 ewes left to lamb but that they'll probably string it out until the end of the month. I'm looking forward to the end of the month because a. I'll be 49 (the nerdy bit of my brain likes that it's 7x7) and b. we're having a wee trip away to Peggyslea Clydesdales (more in a future blog, I'm sure). 

Ivie is on nightshift duty, which means he dozes on the sofa in between reruns of Death in Paradise (the music is the only good bit if you ask me) and comes to bed between 2am and 3am after swearing at some ewes. 

The other thing that happens at this time of year is that Ivie needs more reminders to change his working clothes. (Usually, Ivie changes his working clothes every week, which is a compromise since I'd prefer him to change them every day and he wouldn't.)

During lambing, the frequency of wash cycles increases slightly since Ivie is in his working clothes for around 18 hours a day, wrestling ewes to the ground (not for fun, you understand) and helping lambs make their way into the world. 

Looking back at the blog I've just linked to about wash cycles, it seems that not much has changed in three years. I'm not sure whether to be depressed that we're still having the same conversation about the washing machine or relieved that we haven't any major disagreements to sort out (other than, "I won't be long," being the biggest fib ever). 

Off down the mine to the lambing shed

I thought my immunity to farm smells was at full strength but apparently not. This morning I had to insist Ivie lower his arm in case I passed out before I'd even got out of bed. And then remind him that he'd promised to change his clothes yesterday. His immunity is obviously far more advanced than mine. 

Luckily we went out for lunch today, which I've discovered is motivation for Ivie to wash, shave and put on clean clothes. I like to think that it's a general sense of pride, rather than an attempt to pull at the Brigend Pantry. 

It could end up quite an expensive way of having a fresh smelling boyfriend but it might just be worth it.