one Blog out of thousands....

Ok, there is going to be an overload of blogs documenting the snowy conditions...so I might as well join in!
I was up before dawn walking a confused bunch of dogs in the drifts up the lane, then had to organise shelter for each of the enclosure hen flocks before letting the birds out.
The buffs took a brief look at the snow like old ladies watching a road traffic accident, and remained in their houses sulking and quiet!, true to form the runners galloped around in untidy circles screaming their stupid heads off in the cold.
It took me 2 hours to sort everyone out; the final job was to clean out the duck house and install Boris and Gloria for the day (the duck house is bigger than the tiny turkey house) and now I am drinking a huge cafetiere of hot coffee to warm up
Karen from the feed centre has just rung asking if I would be interested in taking two pot bellied pigs (for nothing).......I 'm thinking about it.
Cancelled Aunt Judy's visit this evening because of the snow.....we have rescheduled dinner for Sunday
(above) The main hen flock looking a little confused at 7.30am this morning

It's only bloody snow!

As usual Britain has come to a complete halt because of a bit of snow! I find it hard to understand that scores of schools have closed early (why?--- they never did when I was a kid), people have left for home at lunchtime (why again? can't people cope with a slightly extended journey?), London buses are no longer running (they did in the war!) and the media is screaming "Disaster!" as if it was a little girl trapped in a lift!...the whole thing smacks of a touch of hysteria!
I got home after work without a problem, had a brief sleep then took Chris to the station to catch a train to Derby before taking the dogs for a very chilly walk on the beach (bottom pic).

I lit the fire early, (Albert was happy) and gave the birds extra warmed mash and some cheap Aldi pasta to keep their spirits up. The field population copes well with cold, but I did take care to fill Bunny's rabbit hutch with extra wood shavings to keep her warm. (She sleeps alone in the hutch as she cannot climb up into the A frame coop with her deformed leg)

I called into the Scala today and asked a rather old but chatty security guard for a programme. He gave me 50 (I have taken them to Jenny in the post office here in Trelawnyd) and I was a tiny bit disappointed to see that the films on show a are all mainstream flicks....having said that most ( with the exception of a few kiddie features) seem to be from the more "intelligent" end of the market......Milk,The Young Victoria, Slumdog Millionaire, etc

hey ho

postscript: 19.58pm.....the snow is very heavy...the lane is now blocked to traffic......we are cut off.........

ohhhhh errrrrrr................................................

Dawn chorus

I was up at 6am to walk the dogs (as a favour to Chris so that he could have a lie in) Only George was ready to go out into the black cold and boy was it extremely chilly and very still down the lane near the Church.
The only thing that was stirring were the three cockerels each in their individual hen houses. As we ambled past each one answered and re answered each other with their individual styles of call.
Clover, the fat buff has a baritone bellow, whereas Rogo remains loud but a bit reedy ( a bit like a 13 year old boy's breaking voice), Stanley always sounds a little half hearted- almost as though he is still half asleep)
Despite the cold I stood and listened to them banter away in the dark...thankful that the neighbours all have gotten used to the noise...........
I sorted out the animals at 8am, gave Chris his breakfast in bed, then walked the dogs again on the beach....which was bitter! When I got home at 11am the Church bell was ringing.......Chris had been given the honour of pulling the bell rope!
I am working tonight, so will have a gentle potter about for the rest of the day. We are expecting snow later

I am too old for all this

I am too old to cope with a ward night out.! I know I am a bit of a snob....but you know what? I don't bloody care..........I am too long in the tooth to put up with bad service, crap food and a clientele dragged up from tv's shameless........

However I was glad I could have gone to Mel's and Shelley's leaving do. Me, Hazel and the good natured Marie, did distance ourselves from the general banal banter........but you couldn't get away from the fact that the plough was a village pub with a local redneck clientele......

sometimes I do miss Sheffield.....

Almost there

The scala Cinema is almost completed. In two weeks time it is due to open its doors to the general public and still the official website is not up and running properly and no one seems to know what type of films and scheduling it proposes to present.
We had a look into the almost completed foyer today, and very nice (if not overly orange) it is too!

I worry just a little that the films may be just a little too mainstream for my liking, as the new manager may be more of a businessman than an "artistic director".

No matter! Just having a comfortable and potentially intelligent venue 11 MINUTES from the village is enough to make me feel excited, today I have put my name down for some volunteer work........being an usher.....potentially means free viewing!!!!

I am throwing caution to the wind this evening and am going to a colleague's leaving do at a local restaurant!......Chris is picking me up later.......

Trelawnyd Male Voice Choir - The Rose

The most recent addition to the village choir's videos.....I am still very nervous at auditioning

Pastures new

The white cockerel (Rogo's brother) has been finally picked up by a very nice lady called Paula from Bodfari who wanted a young buck to protect her four young black hens. Interestingly, her other main reason for wanting a cockerel was to stimulate and interest her son , who has severe autism, into animal care. She explained that the crowing of cockerel delighted her son and "involved" him importantly with something other than his own internal world.
I have promised Paula (whose friend works with autistic clients) that the next spare cockerel I have will be donated to The local training school for people with learning difficulties who potentially will react in a similar positive way to the roosters' call.

Anyhow as I caught the cockerel, Rogo (above with Belle) reacted quite spectacularly to his distress calls and launched a prolonged and rather painful attack on me. He slashed at my hands and arms with his claws and pulled my woolly hat off with his beak. If it was happening to a fox or dog I would have been rather touched by his show of protection!

I was showing off a little in front of Paula and her three children, so had to pretend it didn't hurt!! serve me right.

Starting the garden again and 13 happier ducks

Our cottage garden was a real picture last year (above pic), and typical of most herbaceous borders looks absolutely terrible in winter. In actual fact it looks rather like a small square of brown nothing at the moment,so I have braved the icy wind and have started the long process of clearing the weeds, dead wood and leaves.

The hysteria amid the runner ducks seems to have settled down somewhat. Five of the males are now gone (and are living quite happily with a poultry enthusiast in nearby Kinmel Bay.So the last two remaining drakes now have 11 females to mate with,,,,which by anyone's estimate is pretty good odds for any male.
Subsequently the females are not harassed by continual sexual advances and are more relaxed and settled than they have been of late! Of course If I wear different clothing than usual or put a hat on they haven't seen before we have to steel ourselves with the screaming add-dabs.


The night is cold and windy, so I am glad I have not gone out with Hazel. With the fire on, the cottage is cosy and warm, just right for a night in with every animal asleep ( pic: Albert nesting nicely with William) I caught up with friend Nige on the phone (only we can have a half hours conversation on the merits of the disaster film Deep Impact), will have a long bath with Patricia Cornwell's latest then will settle down with a good dvd!