Batten down the hatches

From the sound of things we're in for a rough ride over the coming few days.  Trees heavy with wet leaves, sodden ground and high winds are not a good mix.  Some of the trees, most notably the horse chestnuts, have already shed their leaves whilst many others, such as the sycamores, are still green.  Where the leaves have fallen they're already proving a driving hazard, over the past few days all the Team have slid sideways on the wet greasy leaves - even HB's wagon driver husband has had a spot of bother, no damage.  The rowan berries have been eaten, the hawthorns are beginning to look less red but the elders are still purple.
Over the last week the weather has been strange, very warm and wet,

but thanks to the aga my boots are just about managing to dry out between walks - you can see how far down my waterproofs go!  Poor Dido only has to set out on her walk and the heavens open, she's developed an interesting pace, pace, shake, pace routine!  Hebe goes regardless but Hester is reluctant to leave the dry, even for quick trips down the yard to do  the necessaries and sometimes will only go out if a person accompanies her with a large golfing umbrella - she really is a pretty pink princess!  Maia belts out, does and comes back, she's not really up for walks these days and is enjoying her retired, grand duchess status.
So as it's been so foul out we're been quite happy to be in the office busy with CJS things, the surveys are entering their last week which means that time is running out to enter the draws for the 'rewards'; we're working on some developments for the website (that's not going well); and of course put together the latest edition of CJS Weekly which contains an announcement on subscription fees - more on Monday - this week there are 19 pages including the work days for November plus 48 ads for paid posts (29 direct to CJS) and a further 14 for volunteers.