What Do You Do All Day?

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?

37 comments:

  1. Nice looking bird. If you know a good painter, the house in Lexington needs some work.

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  2. you 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.

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  3. Sweeping the chimney is not a job I enjoy, but it always takes less time than I think!

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  4. Anonymous10:02 am

    Laura Ashley....wow, so many years ago.

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  5. You've been playing with the soot again haven't you? Love the musical notes on the fence.

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  6. In 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.

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  7. Soot 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.

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  8. it looks lovely, it will perk the Prof up no end after The Frustrating fridge episode!

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  9. You hardly have a moment to yourself caring for the needs of others - that's what!

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  10. the 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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  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    Replies
    1. Housekeeping is a necessary evil...but how good it feels to have it all clean and dusted!

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  12. I rather like your Gaudy Welsh Jugs. They look good en masse.

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  13. I was here for the last great wash and paint job. God, we're getting old.

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  14. I 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 ..

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  15. When you're done with all of that, can you please come do it all at my house?
    Lovely 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.

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  16. 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!

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  17. You are a busy lad John...lots of variety in your day as well. I feel quite slothful compared with you.

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  18. Today 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...
    nothing 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?

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  19. Yeah, that's a busy day! Those are definitely the biggest budgies I ever saw. Love the jugs! (So many double entendres...)

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  20. I 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

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  21. Pretty new rooster. You're a magnet ...
    Enjoy the cleaning!

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  22. You are so compassionate, John. This really struck me, quite beautiful.
    "A shy Sussex cockerel unwanted and disliked.......now has a chance to have his face in the sun for the remainder of the summer"

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    1. I totally agree ! There is so much compassion in those words.

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    2. Anonymous9:07 am

      Suckers, he makes all this sweet nature up

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  23. You're getting quite a collection of cockerels .... you won't be needing to get a turkey this Christmas 😉

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  24. Your picture of you with sooty face put me in mind of Adam Ant. " Stand and deliver" showing my age

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  25. Reminds 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."

    Keeping 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.

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  26. 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

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  27. You were, as always very, very busy.
    Voluntary work for me, and a little domestic duty.

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  28. From the pattern of soot on you, I'm wondering if you inhaled all that soot!! No black lungs please!!

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    Replies
    1. I did have a big lungfull, black snot!

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  29. What! No Royal Doulton with hand-painted periwinkle to clean?!

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  30. Anonymous9:04 am

    She said Fuck all Dickhead.

    You 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

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  31. Whats with all the painting and decorating.... are you selling up and moving house????

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