Fellow author and blogger Adele Marie Park hosted Sally Cronin as she promotes her latest collection of short stories, Odd Jobs and Characters.  Sally consistently promotes other authors in various ways on her blog, and Adele is an avid reblogger. I’m delighted to reciprocate, especially with this amusing story. If you’re not familiar with SALLY and ADELE, please visit their blogs, follow and share ❤

I am thrilled to be hosting Sally today as she tells us another of her great life stories, this one is particularly loved by me as I grew up on a farm and have helped in rounding up sheep, cows and…

Thank you so much, Adele, for hosting one of my stories from this series and I hope your readers enjoy.

Odd Jobs and Characters – The Sheep Farm – Indignant Rams and Black Sheep by Sally Cronin.

When my husband and I were first married, we had to stay in Wales for another six months, whilst he completed a research project in the mountains. We needed somewhere to live and being November and out of season, he managed to find us a flat to move into on the hillside above Dolgellau. The flat was part of an old farmhouse owned by a couple who I knew as regular dinner guests to the hotel, and it was a great arrangement.

After a few weeks of idleness and enjoying being a new wife, I decided that perhaps there might be a way to pay our rent and get some exercise. The rent we saved would be put towards a deposit of our own home; very high on our priority list. I approached my friend and landlady, asking if I might help out on their hill farm, where they kept a flock of several hundred sheep. She was more accustomed to seeing me in long dresses and heels, showing guests to their tables in the hotel, than walking up Cader Idris, but after she stopped laughing, she agreed to give me a trial run.

I went out and bought suitable clothing, which bearing in mind the time of year, involved waterproof boots and fleeced wet weather gear. It was early December and snow was not unexpected, and you did not want to be caught up at altitude inadequately dressed. I will admit that the first two or three days left me breathless, resulting in me giving up cigarettes (no bad thing). It also served to remind me how unfit I was. However, by the second week, I was hitting my stride.

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