Growing up, I never had a full appreciation for how akin my adult life would be to some of the Henry Brewis novels – I’m mainly thinking of Clarts and Calamities.

Brewis comically captures the ridiculous situations in which he finds himself on a daily basis while trying to turn a pound on his Northumberland farm.

This morning, I couldn’t help but sympathise with him as I took a batch of ewes into the tank for a footbath.

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Firstly, I had left the back gate open and only realised once the ewes had run straight through the pens and back to the field they came from without stopping.

Secondly, I had half of the sheep through the formalin and water solution when the heavens opened. Any good the footbath may have done was instantly cancelled, as their feet were then covered in fresh muck.

Persist

All the same, I gallantly persisted in running them through the footbath twice while the rain ran down my neck and soaked through all of my so-called waterproof clothing, despite knowing I was only continuing to try to make my time feel less wasted.

It wasn’t until I went to return the sheep to their field, by which time the sun was beating down once again, I realised my four-legged companion was missing from his normal post on the quad bike.

I was close to sending out a search party when I realised the wise little dog had taken himself home and was curled up in his bed, perfectly sheltered from the elements. At least one of us has some sense!

We have a big week of dressing sheep for upcoming sales in the pipeline, so watch this space - 'Pouring Rain and Profanities' by Lucy Christie may be coming to a book store near you before too long.