I bought Anthony's 10 yr old niece, Lizzy, a beautiful showjump for Christmas. My plan was to deliver it on Christmas morning, so it would be on her lawn when she opened her curtains, I guessed about 6 am would be perfect.
However I was so worked up about my job as Santa's Little Helper that at 2 am I was wide awake worrying about oversleeping etc etc.
So I decided to do the deed there and then at 2 am. Her house is only a mile from us and the jump was already loaded in my car so off I went. She lives in a little Cul De Sac with about 50 houses side by side with open plan front lawns.
I parked outside and oh so carefully closed the car door and crept about unloading onto the lawn. It was pitch black and I worked by feel, guessing where to step over the prickly rose garden as I carried the poles and wings. All the surrounding houses were in darkness, it was scary what if they woke up and looked out the window. My knees were shaking, I felt a bit sick and my heart seemed to be beating faster than in any Eventing start box.
As I was silently putting the last but one cup in, suddenly a siren screamed and about 20 orange lights starting flashing on a car parked opposite. I almost had a heart attack, I rammed the final cup in place, put the poles on wonky and ran to my car, before I was arrested for being a thief in reverse!
It was odd because the siren was a house alarm on the main road about 200 yards from the car that had started flashing! Also the flashing car belonged to house no 4, the exact same house where I was born!!!
When I got home I was in such a state I still couldn't sleep, I told Ant my story and he laughed lots! As I lay awake worrying, I began to wonder if I had put the jump on the correct lawn, my friend Kat Jones lives right next door, she also has a horse. What if I had put it on her lawn by mistake!!!!
Phew. Next morning all was well, Lizzy was the envy of her street with her new Show Jump.
I felt a bit silly as the Rose Garden I had carefully stepped over about ten times had been removed over 5 years ago!!!!
No idea about all the alarms, a minor earth tremor or perhaps the real Santa.......
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