Back to Normality

Winter has hit home with a vengeance today. By rights I should have curled up next to the fire with a book, but it was so nice for me to be able to be outside, I managed to fight the hail, rain and freezing temperatures.
With my trusty plastic pants tucked into my wellies and a scarf and woolly hat on, I cleaned every hen house out, moved the ducks to fresh grazing and carried one of the Nolan sisters who is fading somewhat (she is getting old) into the shed for some TLC. I sorted and delivered some eggs,walked the dogs and collected the veg shop out-of-date lettuces' before taking Albert down to the animal sanctuary for his inoculations.. The vet couldn't quite believe how fat and just how confident Albert had become in the few weeks he has been with us. Having 4 larger dog brothers and sisters must have something to do with it.
At lunchtime I tucked into a bagel whist sitting inside the duck house (well it was the only warm place on the field!!!!!) and was joined by the lugubrious Boris (above), who shared most of it.The rain by this time was non stop, and I had to forgo pulling up my leeks, as the allotment had become practically waterlogged, which is a rarity as we are 700 feet above sea level.
Chris working late today, so I am off to the Pub quiz in the village later.

I couldn't be bothered

Couldn't get myself going to write a blog tonight
So I have contented myself with looking at old Jakey boy

Energy

I have not got much energy for a full blog this evening. Did my four hour shift yesterday, which comprised of a great deal of running around An all day shift today was much of the same, (as will be my 12 hour shift tomorrow), but at least we have an extra hour in bed tonight. I feel tired and ever so grubby......

I have, however, just eaten a very passable corned beef hash in front of the fire as Albert streaks his way around the cottage pursued by the hyperventilating William and Meg. Don't ring the R.S.P.C.A just yet..........Albert is having a real blast teasing the dogs and even at 3 months, is out smarting the collective four dog brains quite easily

Chris has coped with all of the animals quite well today, I am impressed

The All Bar One Club

Today has been a bit of a rush, as I have driven back from Sheffield early, sorted all at home out, then am just about to go to work for a soddin 4 hour shift (don't ask)

The animals were happy to see me as usual, and I must admit it was hilarious to watch William chase Albert up and down the stairs in a playtime I suspect is quite rare between cat and dog!

Yesterday was great fun, as usual! Caught up with Katherine for tea,sandwiches (with the crusts cut off) and cakes in a very acceptable Derbyshire pub. Then coffee and chats with Jonney H( who had great news) in Sheffield before meeting up with the other members of the "All Bar One Club" Mike and Jane for a bitch and gossip about life and the universe.

Jane is taking her girls "Chicken sitting" for a friend when they are on holiday, so I had the idea that Mike, Bev and Maisie could do the same when we are away next year in San Fransisco. The animal contact would be great for Maisie, but I wonder if mike could cope wrestling the turkeys into their house at night they will be almost as big as he is by next May.......I do hope they could do it

Anyhow the evening shot by a little too quickly, and as usual too many wines were downed . Flying visits are tiring but oh so necessary. Keeping in touch is important, and well worth the effort, muzzy head and accident puddles on the kitchen floor when you return

Sheffield Thursday

City break day today!!!!!! A little later I am off to Sheffield to meet up with my old urban family members!! So I have organised lunch with Katherine, tea time with Jonney H- to be followed by drinks with Mike and Jane............
I haven't been to Sheffield since the summer, it feels too long a time, without touching base with the old Steel city

Burn after Reading

Burn After Reading (2008), is another black comedy from the off beat Coen Brothers.Like my fav Fargo (1996), this latest, complicated tale of fate and greed is filled to the gunnels with actors playing against type. Nearly everyone is unlikable, shallow and selfish; from George Clooney 's childish serial shagger, to Tilda Swinton's vile, snobbish doctor, all the characters exhibit all those negative human frailties that the Coens' love so very much to capture in their films.
The film surprised me, as did Brad Pitt (one of my least favourite actors)- he was wonderfully funny as a thick as pig-shit gym bunny, a standout performance in one of the Coen Brothers best films (with the exception of No Country for Old Men (2007)

Albert finds his feet

Home is a mad house this evening. Albert has chosen today to flex his muscles against the pack of dogs and assert himself in the cottage proper. With the confidence of a kitten who doesn't really know better, he has spent an exhausting day on the couch then off the couch. behind the couch then on the window ledge, on the sideboard then up the stairs.William, Meg and even George have all picked up the gauntlet and have shadowed every move, desperate for the odd bottom lick and other "toilet parts" sniff .By mid afternoon Chris' knitting basket, the 1920's art deco lampshade and several small ornaments had gone for a Burton and by 8.30 pm (when Chris was in the middle of an hour long supervision telephone call with a Phd student) Albert was swinging quite Merrily from the lampshade proper, at this the dogs became quietly hysterical and all three had to be banished to the kitchen for some rest, relaxation and a cold flannel compress. (Only Maddie was allowed to sit rather unconcerned on the couch with me- she has been suffering from diarrhoea all day and looks a little washed out (as does our soddin' carpets- I have shampooed them all twice today)
The day has been cold but sunny......I have sat with Boris planning my winter veg planting this afternoon eating raspberries straight from my fruit bushes:- it was case of one for me and two for you.....

In Loving Memory

Believe it or not there are over 9000 benches in New York's Central Park. At least 2000 of these have been "adopted"- ie have been bought for between 7,500 and 25,000 dollars each, "in memory" of a loved one. For your payment, you get a bog standard bench (above) or a handmade rustic top-of-the-range model and a small ,neat inscription plate, upon which you can write a short "in memory of" phrase and dedication.
Chris and I loved walking around the tree lined boulevards, reading the moving,pithy and varied inscriptions. I remember many of the more recent dedications were tributes from 9/11, which added a certain poignancy to the whole experience.

I got to thinking of all this when I was walking the dogs up the Gop this afternoon. The weather was extremely blustery and rather cold, but the view from the top of the hill was, as usual lovely and well worth the battle.

A bench has been recently erected at the most spectacular viewing position facing West towards the Clwydian Hills and the Irish Sea in memory of a local man.I have not heard of.

The time and obvious effort it must have taken the family and friends of this chap to organise and carry out this undertaking would have been considerable, and so I thought it reasonable that they must of loved Craig Thomas very much.
As I walked away, I remembered one of the inscriptions from a particular bench in the park....

"In memory of Minnie, Dora and Stella-----the ladies that liked to lunch...and to talk...."....funny what you remember isn't it?