Disaster on the Smallholding 7 months on

[@Beaguins]

Good ol' Hugh! He really saved the day! I'm happy to see that you're almost back to full mobility. Your advice is very important; people need to connect with their neighbors and make a plan for emergencies (or even vacations) before they happen.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@Beaguins Yes indeed, our neighbours are fantastic & we should have got more mutually imvolved

[@thepreparedqueen]

Omgoodness Fiona! On December 1st, I had to go in for open heart surgery. I did that, and my husband did my farm chores. On the fourth day of him doing my chores, he slipped and fell and broke his tibia and fibia. He's had 4 surgeries, and I've had further complications. Mine is a genetic issue. My friends and neighbors stepped up to the plate to help!!!! Thank God for my friends and neighbors! As is well enough now, but when I say I know how you feel.....I totally know how you feel!!!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Oh my! You have had it much worse than us! I do hope you're on the mend and your husband too. Thank goodness for great friends!

[@Susie_Floozie]

What a precious, doughty girl! You and Hugh make every turn, whether good or disastrous, a learning experience of it for others. Such a serious turn is something that we should plan for. I so wish I could help you in a tangible way, but I struggle alone on Social Security and can only send kind words of love. I'm so sorry. I wish I were there to clean your coops and tend your birds with joy.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@Susie_Floozie Thank you Suzie, we are coping but it would have been easier if we prepared better!

[@monkeypuzzlefarm]

I am so glad to see you up and about! I hope that you continue to heal without any complications.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@monkeypuzzlefarm Thanks so much.

[@barbsdee3831]

So glad to see you back on your feet Fiona 😘🥳

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@barbsdee3831 Thanks Barb

[@valparry4648]

So good to see you standing unaided now. I haven't been on X at all just lately & have missed seeing your progress. Delighted you've made such a great recovery, even though you probably still have some way to go. X

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@valparry4648 Thanks Val - hope all is okay your end?

[@valparry4648]

All good, thanks Fiona

[@janarmo2920]

Hello Fiona, I'm so glad to see you getting around a little bit, and you're right, all of us need to think about this - it's not about a smallholding for me, not any more, but my sister and I have a sort of alliance, where we're each other's sounding board and first port of call to help out. But yes, maybe it could be more specific - cooking traybakes and making freezer portions, taking them over and doing the cleaning in the meantime, even the healthiest person can be down for the count, and your injuries sounded awful. Great to see you on the mend!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks so much! It's a long journey back

[@WayneDavis-rf4ps]

You still have a thumbs up,because of the last comments of helping each other,as we all have different skills.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you

[@cheshirebowman4465]

Been there with the same leg break. Definitely not fun. Mine was bike crash. Wow he wasn't kidding about beautiful wife. Keep up the great work. Excellent info.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@cheshirebowman4465 Thank you!

[@CricketsBay]

That's genius to use the Garden Life Direct Walk-In Chicken Run for that 1st fruit cage.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@CricketsBay It has been awesome!

[@paulwarrilow3427]

So glad to see you up and about and getting back to normal. This is something that should be discussed as things can change in an instant. My wife had an accident several months ago. Whilst the vet was giving her horse an injection it reared up, knocked her over and came down on her knee. It looked really bad but she was really lucky that it only turned out to be soft tissue damage. Even so it took a couple of months to get back to "normal" but still affects her even now. Luckily between me and friends we managed to keep everything going, not that we have as much to do as you two. My wife is also her mum's full time carer, life is never simple. Keep taking it easy and don't push yourself too hard, these things take time to heal fully and I know that is not what any of us want to hear but it is true. Take care, say hi to Hugh and I hope your mum is o.k.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@paulwarrilow3427 Thanks Paul, as you say, life can change in a moment

[@kennethclark-qm6vo]

Glad you are getting better!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you!

[@oldmomma]

Wow didn't know it was that bad. Congrats on keeping your small holding going in such conditions. Living on a farm is definitely all hands on deck and I have my daughter and her small family living on her portion and we farm the other kids shares. You have a Beautiful place and I hope you recover and best wishes to your parents. Ive told my daughter she will probably end up taking the caregiver role but while in the US past two years she was diagnosed with spinal and hip issues which may put her in a wheelchair one day. So that is where we look at who can be there if this happens as my husband is already with a long term disability. So being careful is a big issue for all of us. But as with all things in life we just take it one day at a time. We have zero bills here and this yr we have started a few test crops which will help us be self sustaining plus help others.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It's great that you're making plans and having those conversations with your family to look at the "What if" scenarios that accidents and disabilities bring. That's what I was hoping would happen for anyone who hasn't yet had those conversations that you have. I do hope your family keep in the best of health.

[@donnamarshall8349]

So good to see you looking so fabulous! ❤️❤️

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Oh, thank you. That's so kind of you

[@rubygray7749]

Oh no!! How did i miss this? I was wondering where you had been.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

That's so funny! I'm getting better so hopefully will be appearing more

[@Andrew.Croft.]

Glad your doing ok now, it never rains it always pours, could you mention in one of your videos about the upcoming DEFRA rules on the 1st October just incase people don't know about it, begrudgingly registered my chucks.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Andrew, thanks for the kind words. We are discussing what to do about the rule change.

[@Andrew.Croft.]

NP your welcome, hope stuff goes OK.

[@nannon4189]

What are the consequences if you have a case next to where you live and your registered birds?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@nannon4189 I think that's best answered by DEFRA

[@Andrew.Croft.]

@@nannon4189 I think it's just to keep people in the loop and try and stop the spread of Avian flu by keeping people updated if there is an outbreak in your area, Gov.UK doesn't really carry much info on the subject, hopefully they won't be coming round to cull everyones flocks.

[@sgmarr]

My leg just broke again, and put me in bed. I get this every few years. I have no one TO Do for me. I have to Walk on mine. Drive with it. Shop with it. And i can take Zero Pain Meds. So Herbal is my direction i use. Thankfully i have only 2 little dogs. My daughter handles them and sleeps with them. My daughter runs the snowblower, but does not run the lawn mower, nor does gardening. But i can get a little food and drinks by her hands. The rest is upbto me! Including getting myself downstairs to the Loo. 😊 This is where "Prepper" comes into play! I Have food and work supplies for about 6-12 months ahead. Some items go forr years! And i keep adding more meals i freeze and can, FOR those broken leg times! I simply reheat! Voila! Something yummy to eat!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm lucky enough that with Hugh, I'm able to follow the surgeon's advice so I can only imagine how difficult it must be not to be able to do this.