Thoughts on having children

Linda, a bouncy Irish Staff nurse from work called up to the allotment this morning with her son James in tow. I know she wanted to buy a sack of potatoes and some eggs, but I suspect the real reason for her visit was to let James have a play with the hens and for him to have a chance to collect warm eggs from under a clucking pile of feathers.
Now as readers to this blog may remember, I don't really do kids. I love well adjusted, polite children, like Mike and Bev's Maisie, but I'll admit that after an hour or so, it is time for them to be given back quick sticks.
But I must say, James was quite delightful to show around. Bouncy, fascinated in each bird he came across, he soaked up the experience in a way that was quite touching to watch, and long after they had gone I found myself thinking what it would be like to actually HAVE a child.

Fantasy or not:-I know I could not cope with the constant "pull" a child would exert on our life, 63 feathered and furry surrogate kids fit my needs just fine and can exist quite healthily without your unwavering attention 24/7.
I guess the Buff chicks, a bald headed duck and a set of sweet. natured dogs amongst other "babies" tick my paternal box quite nicely in my needy middle age and I know that I am a little too selfish for the work a child would and does entail.

I called into the post office to post our complaint to the council at the proposed bungalow build this morning to be faced with a rather glum postmistress. The day before Jenny had planted out the set of rather battered window boxes of the shop, with flowers and plants from her garden. In a matter of hours some scummy kid had vandalised her work by ripping out daisies and geraniums, and I thought that this mindless but all-too-common destruction was such a sad sign of the times. I popped up to Jacksons and bought a couple of cheap boxes of bedding plants to supplement the damage, hoping that a bit of neighbourly support was the order of the day.


Nell and Maude have been moved to join the almost full grown ducklings ( the hysteria soared to an all time high for a hour or so) Their old triangular ark has been set up with the old duckling run all ready for the 5 buff chicks to be transferred into next week. The Prestatyn Horticultural society Will be visiting the allotment in the week of the 3rd of August, so at least I have some time to make the place presentable. Friends will be conscripted in preparing cakes for the big evening.

Chris has been working in London all day today and will be working away tomorrow I am working all day Saturday and all day Sunday, so this week has been a bit of a bust.....hey ho at least I have strimmed the whole field again today and planted more beetroot,salad crops, lavender and cut flowers