Like Musical Notes on a stave, the three bantam cockerels spend some of their morning perched happily on the field gate watching the world as it goes by.
I photographed them after I heard one of the village schoolchildren laughing at them as he passed with his mother.
" Are they budgies ?" He asked
I didn't hear her reply for I was busy washing the cream painted beams in the living room, which over the years have become peppered with soot and smoke from the log burner.
I am preparing the living room for repainting and it's a thankless dirty job
Yesterday I swept the chimney ( a job I quite enjoy) then took down the wall paintings and the grimy Gaudy Welsh Jugs from their display shelf to clean.
It's amazing just how much soot and dust dampens a room and has the ability to suck the life colour from it.
Today I will wash the walls as well as the ceiling. Then our Laura Ashley green curtains with the sweet cornflower pattern will be washed for the first time in a decade
Oh and I have just treated a new field resident for lice, which is another rather unsavoury job. It's the latest sob story, another " can you just? " request........a shy Sussex cockerel unwanted and disliked.......now has a chance to have his face in the sun for the remainder of the summer
And a colleague at work recently asked me what I did all day?
I photographed them after I heard one of the village schoolchildren laughing at them as he passed with his mother.
" Are they budgies ?" He asked
I didn't hear her reply for I was busy washing the cream painted beams in the living room, which over the years have become peppered with soot and smoke from the log burner.
I am preparing the living room for repainting and it's a thankless dirty job
Yesterday I swept the chimney ( a job I quite enjoy) then took down the wall paintings and the grimy Gaudy Welsh Jugs from their display shelf to clean.
It's amazing just how much soot and dust dampens a room and has the ability to suck the life colour from it.
Today I will wash the walls as well as the ceiling. Then our Laura Ashley green curtains with the sweet cornflower pattern will be washed for the first time in a decade
Oh and I have just treated a new field resident for lice, which is another rather unsavoury job. It's the latest sob story, another " can you just? " request........a shy Sussex cockerel unwanted and disliked.......now has a chance to have his face in the sun for the remainder of the summer
And a colleague at work recently asked me what I did all day?
Nice looking bird. If you know a good painter, the house in Lexington needs some work.
ReplyDeleteyou certainly do a lot more than I do, although the first weekend of the month is coming up, the day when I take down all the mugs etc hanging on the rails (there's no room in the cupboard) and wash the dust off them. And if it stays sunny, there'll be curtain washing too, but that's about all.
ReplyDeleteSweeping the chimney is not a job I enjoy, but it always takes less time than I think!
ReplyDeleteLaura Ashley....wow, so many years ago.
ReplyDeleteYou've been playing with the soot again haven't you? Love the musical notes on the fence.
ReplyDeleteIn the second picture were you auditioning for "The Black and White Minstrel Show"? I hope you realise that blacking up is no longer politically correct.
ReplyDeleteSoot is vile stuff. We had a chimney removed because of a persistent roof leak, and the soot that came down the chimney got absolutely everywhere. No fun at all cleaning it all up.
ReplyDeleteit looks lovely, it will perk the Prof up no end after The Frustrating fridge episode!
ReplyDeleteYou hardly have a moment to yourself caring for the needs of others - that's what!
ReplyDeletethe prof goes back to work and you get busy! you certainly don't sit on your arse all day, that's for sure!
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ReplyDeleteHousekeeping is a necessary evil...but how good it feels to have it all clean and dusted!
DeleteI rather like your Gaudy Welsh Jugs. They look good en masse.
ReplyDeleteI was here for the last great wash and paint job. God, we're getting old.
ReplyDeleteI would much rather do the housekeeping in your house than mine .. even though there are just 2 , whoops, 3 cats here now, there is just cat hair to sweep up .. it is so boring here. Although there is a rumor going around that a Hurricane is coming today ..
ReplyDeleteWhen you're done with all of that, can you please come do it all at my house?
ReplyDeleteLovely rooster.
I suppose I should start preparing for the hurricane we're supposed to get tonight. Jesus. Nothing like living in a 150 year old house surrounded by trees that are far older than that during a hurricane.
I'm a little concerned.
Oh no decorating! - 99 percent preparation, and 1 percent rollering. Oh and then the hours of putting everything back. Having said that, I do love it when a room has had a fresh coat!
ReplyDeleteYou are a busy lad John...lots of variety in your day as well. I feel quite slothful compared with you.
ReplyDeleteToday in a job interview I was asked what I would do with my time if I didnt have to work. The thing is I would probably do just what I do now: a little volunteering, looking after my household, picking up my nieces and nephews from school when their parents can't, making cups of tea for the oldies at church...
ReplyDeletenothing outstanding but all useful.
Somehow I dont think that would have been the answer they were looking for.
Why does everyone think that people like you and me do nothing?
Yeah, that's a busy day! Those are definitely the biggest budgies I ever saw. Love the jugs! (So many double entendres...)
ReplyDeleteI think it is easier to be 'busy doing nothing, working the whole day through' in the country than the town somehow John. Like you, when I take down china, or wipe skirting bosrds or picture rails I am always ashamed of how dirty they were - but not sure anyone else notices - but anyhow it makes you feel better doesn't it
ReplyDeletePretty new rooster. You're a magnet ...
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the cleaning!
I beg your pardon?
ReplyDeleteYou are so compassionate, John. This really struck me, quite beautiful.
ReplyDelete"A shy Sussex cockerel unwanted and disliked.......now has a chance to have his face in the sun for the remainder of the summer"
I totally agree ! There is so much compassion in those words.
DeleteSuckers, he makes all this sweet nature up
DeleteYou're getting quite a collection of cockerels .... you won't be needing to get a turkey this Christmas 😉
ReplyDeleteYour picture of you with sooty face put me in mind of Adam Ant. " Stand and deliver" showing my age
ReplyDeleteReminds me of a story I heard a few years back that, incidentally, made me feel better about the "nothing" I do all day: Whenever a fellow asked his wife and the mother of his children what she did all day, she said "oh, nothing much." Then one day she wasn't feeling well and took to her bed for the day. When the man arrived home from work the house was a shambles. He asked her what happened. She said, "You know the "nothing" that I do every day? Well, today I didn't do it."
ReplyDeleteKeeping up with the mess and the dirt is a huge something, and keeping up with the painting and heavy cleaning is deserving of a medal.
That's a full on spring clean like our neighbours in Spain did - everything outside out to whitewash all interior walls. I like your war paint x
ReplyDeleteYou were, as always very, very busy.
ReplyDeleteVoluntary work for me, and a little domestic duty.
From the pattern of soot on you, I'm wondering if you inhaled all that soot!! No black lungs please!!
ReplyDeleteI did have a big lungfull, black snot!
DeleteWhat! No Royal Doulton with hand-painted periwinkle to clean?!
ReplyDeleteHa ha Mrs Bucket
DeleteShe said Fuck all Dickhead.
ReplyDeleteYou really love yourself don't you?
that is pefectly evident with all this bigging up of your life and just how wonderful you think you are.
Saviour of animal kind.
Saviour of strange non existent small town characters
Saviour of fucking dogs treated like children
Saviour
Saviour
Boring and self congratulating pap
Whats with all the painting and decorating.... are you selling up and moving house????
ReplyDelete