Basildon Bites Back

Cries of foul after my comments yesterday on New Holland. Even Farmer Franz took revenge, calling this morning to say he would take care of our muck heap.

However he must have got cold feet and didn't turn up with his Basildon, UK built big New Holland but with the small version built somewhere on the European mainland. Before the referendum, the mother company CNH said that in the event of a Brexit, they would move production away from their only UK plant where they employ 1000.

Remains to be seen (no pun intended) how things turn out, there are so many complicated factors and the fall in the GBP is of course making the UK attractive and most of the FTSE100 with their main interests outside the UK, are doing very well. I know German agriculture has had a 3 billion Euro surplus with the UK and even before the referendum, was urgently looking around for new markets should it happen.

A cool day and by evening decided it was time to start the central heating for the first time this heating season. Oh was the floor heating lovely walking around barefoot.

Not only did we enjoy the foot heating but Eddie the kitten loved it. He (she? and will become an "it" in due course) is growing and getting more lively by the day. He and the other four cats have all had a cold, luckily not a serious flu type. Strange never had it before. The vet says there is a bout of dog cold doing the rounds in Ottobeuren and a few days ago Luna seemed under the weather. Difficult to tell with Flash as he seems all of a sudden to be very weak and going downhill. We are now at the stage of watching the situation on an hourly basis. Very difficult to judge as he has his good moments, no sign of any internal difficulties - he is simply weak and has problems getting up and walking about but still insists on getting in the car twice a day and doing a walk. Eddie simply adores him and his back or tail are the favourite sleeping places. Even Luna is starting to get to play with Eddie but cautiously - the claws are still very sharp.

By the way, Franz did a satisfactory job - normally son Markus does the loading (excellently) and Franz the muck spreading but Markus now has a full time job in Memmingen and can only help out in the evenings and at the weekend.