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Dairy, Sights and Fairy Lights

‘What just happened?’ asks a stunned Rose. I’m speechless. If I had a paper bag, I’d be breathing into it. Rose and baby Joy are staying with us whilst Si and the team are working on their house. Today’s plan is to wander up to the local goat farm, show Joy the goats and maybe buy some Christmas presents in the shop. As it turns out we’re wildly off the mark; it’s true the goats look adorable in their setting of breathtaking scenery, but this isn’t a petting farm. As we discover when we blunder into the office looking for a shop, it’s a serious business selling serious products. In an effort to save face I ask if it’s possible to buy some milk and in ‘lost in a translation’ moment find myself lashing out on the goat equivalent of Dom Perignon White Gold.

Back home, I discover that what I’ve bought is a course of Chuckling Goat kefir, a very powerful probiotic designed to restore gut health and repair all the damage caused by sugar, stress, environmental toxins and antibiotics. This immediately makes me feel a whole lot better and even the cost - less than the price of small cappuccino per day - seems reasonable for something that promises so much. Rose isn’t keen on the sharp, fizzy taste, but I’m an instant convert. Time will tell if my gut agrees!

It’s a sheer delight to have Rose and Joy staying; to see Joy’s beaming early morning smiles, to share cuddles and, yes, even change nappies.


It’s also a powerful reminder of how long it takes to get anything done when the universe revolves around someone so tiny. One afternoon we find ourselves at Aberaeron as dusk is falling and shops are closing. Joy’s getting hungry, but thankfully, we can sit down and have a pot of tea at The Hive. We’re more accustomed to queuing for honey ice cream here in the summer, so it’s an unexpected pleasure to see it in this quiet, cosy, winter mode. Joy, who has seen beaches, boats, goats and cats during her visit, is entranced by the fairy lights on the ceiling. I watch her getting to know her world. She’ll never be this small again, I think to myself. Make the most of every moment.


Comments

Lins' lleisio said…
Will have to try a pot of tea at The Hive, looks delightful. Seems eons ago that G was that small, happy memories and precious times.
Flowerpot said…
oh yes, make the most of every moment ! x
Pondside said…
What a lovely afternoon that must have been. I may have given the goat's milk a pass.....but it DOES sound full of benefits for one's health! I love the photo with the fairy lights.
Clare Chase said…
I can totally see why Joy was entranced by the lights! How lovely! x
Chris Stovell said…
We got there just at at the right time, Lins - staff friendly and welcoming, woodturning stoves, comfy chairs and lush cakes. Ooh and fairy lights! Perfect. I know, I look at my 'baby' and wonder how she's sitting there holding a baby of her own! x

Time flies, Sue... even more so these days! xx

Lovely to see you, Pondside. It's been special sharing precious time this week. I expect I'll be running and jumping over buses by the time I've finished this course. I actually really like the taste - I still can't say the same about matcha which is deeply unpleasant to me! x

I think we all were, Clare but Joy kept looking up at the lights! xx
Sounds perfect. And as so often our lives run in parallel. We have just had the delight of sharing daughter number ones new baby in her first week. A real privilege. But also yes, everything takes for ever! Lovely picture of you and yours and do tell me if the goats milk works. I could do with all of that! Xx
Chris Stovell said…
Hello Elizabeth, I did wonder when I saw the photo of your daughter's new baby if we were mirroring each other's lives again! It is a special time and I felt very fortunate... but also relieved that I could hand my granddaughter back and have a rest. Tom and I agreed that there's a good reason why we don't have babies at our age. I will report back on the goats milk! xx
Flowerpot said…
And what a fabulous picture, I meant to say!

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