Bottoms Up

The girls were let out yesterday for the first time since the snow arrived in the first week of January. In fact, it may be the first time this year. I can't remember exactly when we finally gave in to the increasing attacks from birds of prey.

I had some leftover rice which they love and called loudly for them to come which they ordinarily hear very well and come fluttering to get the treat. However today they were far more interested in checking out the fields and garden. So the photo show just over half of them.

The "tax" or better said "fee" for the obligatory state animal pest annual insurance arrived. I had to send in an online count as at 1st January and had admitted to 30 which is about right. We may have one or two less. I have lost count. The annual fee of €0.045c per chicken won't break the bank. The two horses cost €1.20 each.

The "insurance"  covers one in the case of pest such as bird pest or foot and mouth and compensates you if you have to slaughter your animals. Naturally, it is meant for farmers and I suspect most hobby animal holders don't complete the formalities. As our property was and still is officially "agricultural" land, we were automatically written to.

In fact, no sooner had the purchase of the property gone through did we get a letter from the again obligatory state employers liability insurance body who wanted hundreds for the annual cover. And it wasn't in the first instance a topic of discussion - pay first, questions later. We did manage to get them to agree we weren't a farming unit under the control of the body that would have come to check all our equipment, machines and tractors complied with Health & Safety laws and also provide a helper to milk the cows if you fall sick. However, we were told we were in the forest and vehicle section ... or something similar as we had horses. Eventually, they agreed to refund the money as we didn't have a business and had no income from our old Nags. BUT they insisted we remained on the register and must notify them of any change. So I guess if we took on a boarder horse we would have to start paying up.

All these dreadful regulations & red tape. If I was in the UK, I could blame it all on the European Union without anyone questioning my liealternative facts.

Although not much happening on Brexit as there is plenty of time and although they cancelled Parliament's half term weeks holiday, most of them have cleared off anyway. The country is, like the Titanic, going bottoms up.