The next generation

This is a place I'm very fond of - the cowshed at the farm I've been part of since I was 12 years old. I asked the farmer's wife, Jean, if I could come up to watch them milking as she was bringing the cows in along the lane past the house we'd just moved into and spent ever spare moment there ever since!

A couple of years later Jean became pregnant with her first daughter, but true to good farming stock, carried on working right up until Rachel ( pictured ) was born. The same with Louise, my god daughter, who's about to take over a farm in Sixpenny Handley, and Emma, who has her own day job but helps her boyfriend out at the lovely pub he's taken on at night too. I'm SO proud of all of them.

Now here we are, 31 years later, Rachel's pregnant with her first baby, due in about a months time, but still doing her turn helping out dad, as they all still do. Graham's going to be a bit short handed with Lou moving away and Rachel having her hands full with a new baby! Still, I'm sure being a Grandad will be adequate compensation!