Sick birds

The Buff pullet chick that was sick last night, still looked a little rough this morning when I got home after a long night shift. In addition another female chick looked hunched and miserable, so with the thought that one sick bird is "acceptable" and two "definitely careless".I wavered a brief sleep in order to take the little girls to the vet.
It took absolutely ages for the waiting room to empty before our turn ( I actually nodded off once with the buffs in the box on my knee)
This time I had a vet, who was obviously very, VERY new in post, and who didn't really know chickens that well. After several three way conversations with the rather harassed well established vet who was in another examination room, I bought some antibiotic powder (just use a pinch in some water........I was told) and some wormer for the rest of the girls.The vet didn't actually look at the buffs that closely, which bothered me somewhat, but I gave the medication a go, after setting up the poorlies in their original cage in the shed.
To be honest the two buffs still look a little subdued but they are eating and drinking, which is always a good sign, but I am worried as young birds like children, deteriorate suddenly when unwell.
I scrubbed out the ark and treated it all for red mite, just to make sure that there was no potential risks to the other three birds. Then I collected the vegetables from the veg shop for the rest of the hens & ducks , bought more feed and wood chippings, sorted out the dogs, organised tea and the house work, and bingo the next time I looked at the time, it was 6.30pm!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am buggered........................

Mooch & a poorly Buff

Moochy day today, as I am working nights. Got some weeding done in the garden and organised a scrappy sort of invite on the pc for the "allotment open evening"so that Chris can print it out at work.Chris went to Church this morning, and said that the parishioners are looking forward to the evening ( they definitely can't get out very much)
so I have decided to "officially" invite some of the villagers to attend.
I have done a quick list and have come up with around 25 names...........message to self..........organise more cakes

One of the female buffs is not well today. She is sat hunched over in the ark, and has allowed me to pick her up to check what the matter could be.. I could not see anything overtly wrong so I put her back with some more chick crumbs and water. Perhaps a trip to the vets is in order tomorrow

Stanley and egg production

I have decided to try to hatch out a final bunch of chicks of the season. Duncan has fathered the 5 hybrid chicks with Broody Nolan, so it seems only fair to give the underdog Stanley a go. I have collected 5 eggs from his girls Scarlett,Melanie,Eve,Margo and Karen today, and with some more tomorrow I shall set up the incubator again.
In general egg production has been a little low recently, so to boost out put, I have given the girls extra rations of pasta and corn and have added poultry spice and vitamins to their water and pellets. 24 eggs today as a result, not bad for 28 laying hens.

Beach, Carnivals and cafes

We took the dogs down to the beach today, a thing I have not done for ages (well, since the spring car park charges went up) I love the photo of all four of them galloping into the distance (below) although my IT skills couldn't quite work out how to get rid of the oval picture frame border.

Today the Prestatyn carnival took place, and what a lacklustre, shabby event it has sadly become. As a child I always remember the big parade (always organised on a Thursday afternoon) and recall it as a huge celebration within the community. There was always a score of large bands, multiple comic floats, and dozens of thigh slapping drum majorettes all weaving their way down the high street watched by a three deep crowd of locals and holidaymakers. (Right pic 1950's Rose queens )

Highly coloured bunting was strung back and forth across the high street, and from our advantage point with the family (on the roof of Dad's shop) we were always pleased that the parade seemed to take hours to pass on by.

Today, the whole thing is perhaps a reflection of the times in which we live in, as there seems to be little support from and affection by the town's population for this slightly old fashioned celebration.
Health and safety rules has meant that the bunting can now not be hung across the road.(sad short pieces of plastic bunting can be seen in short bursts parallel to the road), and only one lorry sponsored by a local social club was filled with a an aging set of cowboys and Indians, who actually looked as though they were enjoying themselves.

Today the majorettes were there (bored,glum and still accompanied by obese parents in shell suits), and a few bands livened the proceedings, but I did have the feeling that the whole thing was well past its sell by date and was in need of some strong leadership to kick the whole thing either into the 21th century or perhaps back into the 1950's where it perhaps belongs.

Anyhow, Like two old ladies Chris and I enjoy "doing" the good British Cafe, and to be honest, we have experienced some shockers around the North Wales area. The old Forties cafe on the High street has had a bit of a revamp (my mother worked there in 1942 by the way) and now looks suitably flash. I do like the fact that all the original art deco Lloyd loom furniture has been retained,but surprise surprise the service didn't quite measure up with the standards of a bygone age.Hope it is just teethiing problems..

Local Colour

The one thing about selling eggs and potatoes is that local people have to come to you. Like any small community there always seems a surfeit of characters popping in and out of the cottage and field.
Most of the visitors are very Welsh and many elderly, so they always seem to have time for a chat about all sorts.
Today Mrs A popped in with a rather upsetting story of gum disease and tooth decay.( she always has a dozen eggs and 2 lbs of spuds ). Mrs Jones (almost totally deaf and the spit of Geraldine McEwan, from tv's Marple) tottered down for eggs, spuds and some thrown in lettuce. She is my favourite customer and is always eager and terribly interested in any news that we both may have. Auntie Gladys brought some more scones down to tie on the cottage door handle (with a small note reminding me to pick her entry up for the Prestatyn flower show next Friday) her excitement in entering a show other than the historic Trelawnyd show is almost palpable, and very infectious. After all this trouble I bloody hope she wins.
Pippa the doctors wife,dropped in with a huge bucket of alfalfa and lettuce for the ducks,we always have a jolly-hockysticks kind of chat over the garden wall, which always reminds me of middle aged wartime characters in Mrs Miniver.She being Lady Beldon and me definitely playing Mr. Ballard.
Geoff, my affable Liverpudlian apprentice called down at teatime with daughter Helen,to play with the hybrid chicks,and neighbours Mandy, John, Steve and Carole always seem around with a friendly conversation, wave and gossip about something in the village........
and I wonder that some days I never seem to get anything done

Mamma Mia Clip - The Winner Takes It All

okok last of the lazy blogging

another Streep belter

Full Dancing Queen Scene - Mamma Mia! The Movie

Can you believe that Streep will be 60 next year....

Mamma Mia

Mamma Mia! (2008) , I feel signals the return to Hollywood of the sweet,daft-as--brush, thin-as-a-piece-of-paper,feel good musical. My friend, film critic Jonney H summed it up , by saying Mamma Mia was the best, bad film he had seen in ages, and for once I actually agree with him.
Forget the dubious morals within the plot (promiscuity, unwed mother etc etc) ,the merging of the songs of ABBA, with a likable cast and beautiful settings was always going to be a surefire hit, just like the plastic yahoo trade stage musical had been.
What raises Mamma Mia above the norm is the cast. Meryl Streep has never been better. She looks absolutely fabulous in the leading role of Donna, a touch heavier and slightly hippy-ish than we are used to seeing her, she oozes mischief and fun, and obviously had a real blast making the movie.This is her best performance since Sophie's Choice and should bring her an academy award nomination. (the woman can actually sing too!)
Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth (what happened to colin's teeth by the way?) try their best in awkward singing and occasionally dancing roles; Christine Baranski and lumpy,likable Julie Walters satisfy the Sex and the city 40 somethings.with the comedy turns and the rest of the young, attractive cast bounce around like the kids from fame to songs that will never go out of favour.
I loved the tour de force Dancing Queen scene with Streep,Baranski and Walters leading a crowd of Greek villagers in synchronized singing and dancing on the harbour wall..............(.very Onna White's Oliver! ish choreography). and director Phyllida Lloyd made sure that all the Abba songs turned up in some guise or another, thus pleasing everyone.
The huge audience (for a 6pm showing) loved it all, and I must admit it was a joy to hear an audience clapping and laughing when the credits went up

The whole thing is rubbish of course, but wonderfully toe tapping escapist rubbish.......I loved it