''It's
a Rum Life''
Northcote
Diary Volume One 1984 to 1994
THE
STRAW BALE STORY
This
must have been about 1993....it was a bad time all round!
It
was during the time that we had no helpers. We had no money either !
The
National Lottery had begun and drained all the spare cash that
families used to go out on day trips. Over a hundred and fourty
million pounds every week had been taken out of the National Economy
and put into gambling.
Small
animal sanctuaries up and down the Country were feeling the draft.
We
were told by our accountant that we were insolvent after our income
had dropped by £18,000 in the last year. Our previously paid staff
had to go virtually overnight and Ruth and I were left on our own
with over fifteen really big horses including old Goliath and his pal
who needed really special care.
We
owed our vets over £10,000 and they were being marvelous. They had
real confidence in us and kept coming, at that time several times a
week. Our total debt grew to £38,000 and eventually Ruth began to
pay this back bit buy bit from her own nursing income. In the
meantime she helped me clean out several horses before beginning her
own work at 8.30 each morning.
The
morning of this particular incident, we had no straw for bedding and
I contacted a farmer friend down on the fens to see if I could call
and collect some that same morning just as soon as my stable tasks
were finished.
A
MESSAGE
At
this point I must mention that I remember quite clearly receiving a
message in my head saying, something like 'leave
it for today'.
In another story you will
have read about my 'Easter experiences' and my introduction to
Christian faith.
Sufficient to say that I
did not pay heed to that message. All I could see in my thoughts was
that the horses would have no bedding for that night. I had to do
something about it. So I coupled the old Land Rover up to my even
older single axle straw trailer and began the journey.
Admittedly, due to the
fact that the Land Rover had no road tax disc or current MOT
certificate and the trailer brake controls had been broken for
several weeks I did decide to take the more minor roads.
THE
CONFRONTATION
Duly loaded with a full
compliment of 10 large round bales of straw, I started my return
journey. Just before approaching the turn off for the minor roads
I had to make another
decision. Did I take the quieter roads that were very uneven and
undulating and run the risk of loosing a bale or two or did I take
the smoother route along the main A16 trunk road.
The A16 won and there
began the next problem. Just approaching Keal Hill
where the fens joined the
Lincolnshire wolds there are two lay- byes, as I approached the
first, a policeman suddenly appeared, as they do and waved me into
the lay-by.
'Pull in here for a few
moments please sir, ' he said. 'Just to let that long line of traffic
behind you get past.'
'Oh and while you are
here we will just take a look at your vehicle.'
The tax disc, or rather
lack of it was the first thing to be noticed. This prompted me to
say,' well you might as well know the truck has no current MOT
either!'
Everything they checked
on the vehicle worked perfectly.
The load was secure, but
the trailer brake cable that was in two pieces was tied up with
string. This caused a raised eyebrow or two, but the fact that the
landrover is a strange beast and falls between two catagories in the
Department of Transport Contruction and Use regulations got me off
that problem.
The horse centre name was
plastered all over the doors of the truck cab and the officers duly
cautioned me that they would be reporting the fact that the vehicle
had no tax disc or MOT.
'BUT' after I had gone to
great lengths to explain all the circumstances, they did say that if
I could buy the Tax disc within 12 hours they would not report that
particular problem, which would just leave the MOT.
With that I continued
back to the centre where on unloading the trailer, the picture you
now see was taken. There was some chance for a laugh despite all the
drama of the day!
But you do see the
question remains......the message I received earlier that very
morning had been proved to be quite correct. This only helped to
increase the strength of my Faith!
Ends copyright RKS
