Home

 

Fifteen years ago to the minute, I would be opening the field gate for the last time in the day . 

In small groups of threes and fours the hens would already be  making their way to the eight hen houses that made up the Ukrainian village, the fat bottoms of the buff Orpington’s swinging like the hips of buxom Italian field workers.

The runner ducks stood in a large almost hysterical group by the duckhouse, all drumming their feet on the ground in nervous excitement. Two steps forward and a quick raise of an arm , and they would chunner loudly and dive into their house in a blind panic 

The Geese knew then it was their time for bed, and would extend their necks and unfold their wings  at me in feigned protest but that protest was never too marked , for minutes later they were seeking the softest part of the goose house floor in which to nest for the night.

Boris and Gloria follow. Boris puffing and blowing like a freight train and galleon in full sail, Gloria limping like the fat old lady she is

They have to be escorted more slowly as, rushing a turkey always makes them fall over

They don’t roost quickly, but watch me carefully as I walk away to sort the last of the birds 

With the latch on the turkey house firmly locked the last of the long lines of hens weaved their way homewards, most overseen by a protective cockerel with his head raised high and weaving in between them but moving towards the graveyard came the rugby ball shaped guinea fowl, all running low to the ground . They were off to roost in the Elm trees and they called to each other in clicks and tuts, like humorous clockwork toys as they fled to bed.

The pigs snort loudly and sigh in their straw beds, as the light finally changes to a colourless grey and finally the last of the hens tiptoe to bed. I lock each hen house door in turn, and smile to myself as the birds bicker and squabble for the best perches inside. 

Left outside on the field is Albert ,and perhaps George who is tottering behind , quite happily. 

The three of us amble for home as the sheep kneel then lie in the grass border under the hawthorn and the lights from the cottage suddenly fall across the lane , leaving a path for us to follow, 

As night falls at last…….

Durme Durme/lisgor ma'agal

 I couldn’t sleep after nights, so played this Spanish / Jewish lullaby on a loop until Weaver joined me on my hip, and we both dozed until just after midday.

Blog Reader Lee had been taken ill on her beloved bar stool, I found out yesterday 

I thought that this was quite fitting and had some of the theatre about the woman who always seemed to sit in it. 

Her cousin told me that the Hebrew Language had a saying Lisgor ma’ahal which fitted her place of death, as its means the closing of a circle so to speak or the resolving of a life chapter 🍸

I miss her already

Fish Finger Butty

 A fishfinger bap, smothered in tartar sauce and coffee for lunch. I met one of my friends from my old counselling course today. She hurled herself into part time counselling from her social worker career and has stuck to it like the majority of our group. 

A wisecracking Glaswegian , I needed her straight talking, fresh approach to problem 

working tonight

Hey ho 

Lee😞

 

Late News

It is with much sadness that I share with you the awful news that veteran blog commentator “ Lee” died very suddenly on Monday afternoon ( New York time) 

Her cousin emailed me this afternoon with the news and I am honoured to be included in the list of “to be told” people , listed on Lee’s desk in her 5th Avenue apartment

Lee wasn’t her real name , and so I have been asked by her relatives not to disclose any further personal information about her, a fact I will honour but lee was the name of her long term partner who died back in 2005, and whom she missed every day of her life.

I shared with Lee’s cousin her constant need to fight my blog battles for me , and they immediately wrote back that a “battling nature” was  a constant in Lee‘s life. 

They told me, that once Lee had witnessed an Asian shopkeeper being racially abused in a store off 2nd avenue , at 71 she had hurled cans of coke and beer at the abuser until they backed off, waiting as a bodyguard until the police arrived.

I remember her championing every troll attacked blog , with a potty mouth and acid humour. She was loyal and sweet and we emailed each other regularly, with silly stories and mutual support amid periods of loneliness and bouts of ill health. 

I so wanted to share a dirty martini with her at Docks on Third Avenue

But alas I never have

Her family has requesting anonymity but have agreed to send me a photo of her as long as I don’t publish it. 

I will treasure it when it arrives 

Lee was a supporter of many New York charities including the mental health charity The Jewish Board which is a leading social services agency charity for the city

She will be missed for sure 

Hey ho 😥🌈

Don’t Get Me Started!

 Sometimes I do a stream on a gay discussion website 

I think I may have been too opinionated on my last effort to be an internet sensation 

A gay friend who watched me rant about , of all things , how bad the Lord Of The Rings Movies were

Sent me this 

I think he was trying to tell me something

Sky Watching

 After twenty years I need a new sky box and dish, and so kept my counselling paperwork, emails and expenses to work on when I waited for the sky guy to arrive.

He arrived at 8 am and stayed two minutes, apparently he needed a colleague to help him and would come again in a couple of weeks time. The workman also saw my Jurassic Park T shirt and said it was his favourite movie he also apologised for the delay and promised me some compensation.

I made coffee and sat down to my paperwork .

Having a desk with a lovely view allows your mind to wander 

It has wandered all day

Phone Home

You don’t know what you don’t know ! 

And I and know very little about my mobile phone. 

Today I joined 8 others from the village in a four week course of “ Getting the best out of your mobile phone” 

The simple realisation of I know fuck all about my came as a little bit of a shock, but that little Samsung bundle of joy has been an anathema to me since the day I bought it .

And I’m not the only one. 

The eight of us were all pretty clueless, eight including Pippa from the Rectory, Farmer Gwyn and Anne H. From the friendship group, dim wits all…..

“ I used to be able to work an intensive care ventilator but this phone has me beaten” I moaned during the introductions

And I meant it

Sunday

 I’ve had three weeks holiday in the past month

I’ve needed it. 

I haven’t done a great deal these past few days though.

I met my family for coffee and delighted in the story that my dear sister in law got locked inside a Chester Garden Centre after hours and had to be rescued by the police.

I enjoyed the theatre. 

A cinema trip to see a so so thriller ( not worth a review) and breakfast today in Colwyn Bay with a friend who was not up to talking, so we  sat with our coffees looking out at the blue sea in silence

I bought pulled pork laden chips which Mary and Roger shared

And lit the fire late tonight after my Spanish lesson 

Lo siento, olvidé hailer en español

I cooked prawns and garlic like the Book Club Host did tonight 

And ate them with garlic bread which made my gums numb

 I love this film ….