Cabinets at the V&A

Kim Bailey came up to me at our recent fundraising race meeting, pressed a note into my hand and suggested that I follow it up. With all the various things that you have to do following a fundraising event...(lots of thank you's!)...It took a few days for me to step up to the mark. Following a very interesting 'phone call, Michael and I were invited for lunch with the most generous couple, who had inherited a couple of cabinets which were currently being stored at the V&A. Their wish was to donate the proceeds of the sale of the cabinets to Greatwood and to Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.
Following a delicious lunch we were shown the photographs of the cabinets. They are beautiful Spanish HUGE pieces, inlaid with ebony, ivory and tortoiseshell. We met Jonty over lunch (incidentally, Jonty told me that he was the auctioneer when John and Jenny McCririck raised money for us in Celebrity Cash in the Attic), and he told us that the cabinets were valuable and collectable and that they will be offered up for sale in November. I'll try and post some pictures of them because they are stunning, and I'll let you know how the sale goes on. It is with great thanks that we acknowledge this extraordinary piece of generosity and are grateful to Kim for the introduction.
The small animals have a number of additions, a couple of chicks which two hens are squabbling and squawking over and to date a couple of goslings.
We waited until the weather became a little more settled and then turned out the rescued 2 year old colt (Whiskey, or more appropriately Windy because he is scared of his own shadow). We had stabled George next to him, George had been really kind to the colt when they were in but I wasn't quite expecting what happened when we turned them out together. I have ever seen anything like it.
Marshall, George and Windy went out into the strip next to the old boys. We were prepared for Windy to panic in a large strange area. George circled around Windy, flatly refusing for Windy to have anything to do with the old boys who wanted to sniff and squeal at the newcomers. George behaved exactly like a mare with a foal......Windy was a little nervous when the marauding crowd of old boys came over and he actually looked under George's belly as if there might be a miraculous supply of comfort milk on tap. George continues to 'mother' Windy, moves him along if he gets too near to the fence, and trots after him if Windy strays too far away.
George has become Georgina.