Sarah Todd: Fighting to keep the sanctuary of my very own shed

BATTLE lines have been drawn up at The Shed. First in line for a rocket was the poor daughter, who seems hell-bent on filling it with hens and their chicks. "You'll have to spend some of your egg money and buy another hen hut," she was told. Next in line is The Husband who already has a shed. A shed that he grabbed the day we came here, filling it with old cars and all sorts of junk that "might come in useful one day…"

He's now talking about moving his tractor into my shed.

"Your father says it would be better under cover," he says, using the old family trick to try to get me to back down. Well, this girl isn't for turning. There's something about a shed. Forget health spas or beauty parlours, there's nothing to beat the sanctuary of your own shed. Sometimes, I dream about going up there to read the newspaper – leaving them all in the house to get on with it.

Several correspondents to this newspaper would like me to go up there and not come out again. Last week's tale of our daughter's honesty box from her egg stall being stolen – yet again – has angered many. More specifically, my presumption that the culprit would be some young yob (in need of a belt to hold his trousers up). Many have, quite correctly, pointed out that thieves come in all kinds of guises. Whoever it was, it has spoilt a nine year-old's little business and nobody will make me apologise for being angry about it.

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I suppose we'll never know, unless we follow some of the advice given and set up a secret camera. But, knowing our luck, that would probably be stolen as well. People's assertions that the thieves "could be anyone" have left me rather neurotic about strangers. There was a poor old chap just the other day who got 20 questions at our

lane end.

Some light relief from the whole sorry saga was found at a party to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Naburn Grange Riding Centre, near York. It brought back many happy childhood memories. Learning to ride three decades ago was so much simpler. It's all credit to owner Della Horn that she's still going strong.

The Association of British Riding Schools say hundreds of riding schools have closed in the last few years because of our burgeoning compensation culture bumping up insurance premiums. Then there's health and safety, Defra regulations…

An auction raised a fair few thousand pounds for the Equine Grass Sickness Fund. My friend had a bottle of wine (she's usually the driver so she made hay...) and had to be distracted from bidding for every lot. Mind you, the party was in a shed. No wonder we felt in fine fettle.

Equine Grass Sickness Fund. www.grasssickness.org.uk, 0131 4456257

CW 9/10/10

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