"Too Much for One Heart" ~~ Lea Salonga

I remember seeing Lea Salonga in Miss Saigon when it opened in London years ago, This song was cut from the production in favour of a duet with Peter Polycarpou.
Salonga seems to be a bit of a hard lurvie but she certainly belts out this version

Good Friday

It has been a case of musical coops today as out of necessity I have had to move some of the hen population around. Blanche has suddenly become "unbroody" so she has joined the other hens and Mildred Pierce and one of the Andrews sisters (below) have been transferred into the maternity house. Both hens have been victims of a feather pecker and are looking a little ropey to say the least. Time out with some good food and rest should restore them to a more acceptable condition
The lame Bunny has been a victim of bullying also (this time by Roger and Pirrie the bantams) so she and coop mate Nonnie have been moved as well into their own little run (above)

This afternoon I have planted a strawberry bed, and several rows of cabbage seedlings.(below) Ralph the gentleman farmer has lent me some more chicken wire to keep the rabbits off the young plants. I am filthy and unkempt yet again, but have enjoyed the afternoon's activities.

Typical of a childhood bank holiday, we watched Ben Hur on tv whilst eating fish for tea!

Thanks Nige

Nige sent me this photo from today's meet

He said I looked as though I was enjoying an expresso on Paris' left bank

ps.What's happened to my hair??? I've gone all 1980's

Duplicity

Chris and I went to the Scala this afternoon for a 6pm showing of the corporate caper thriller Duplicity . There was only four of us in the cinema (just how I like it), and the movie was Ok in a forgettable, convoluted sort of way.
Julia Roberts looked her age and Clive Owen looked slightly weird (with his new Americanised teeth)....but the whole thing was fairly entertaining in an Ocean 11 sort of way.
I gave it a passable 7/10

Catch up

This morning I took a break from rural scruffiness, I washed my face and donned some clean clothes and went to Chester to meet my friend Nige.
We didn't do a great deal. We had coffee by the river, ate ice cream, mooched around the shops, had lunch in a proper cafe and talked solid for 4 hours. It was a nice and welcomed break.
Meeting up with a friend that you know well is an easy pastime.You dovetail together with a paced and relaxed type of conversation. You feel comfortable with silences and laugh often and with feeling.
I always have the resolve that I leave it too long between meetings.

Pan's labyrinth lullaby

I forgot just how atmospheric this music is........

Boot safety & Hen teaching

Sometimes you can have a sixth sense that something is "off" or not quite right.This was exactly the feeling I had at 5.30 this morning when I was half asleep in bed. It was blowing a gale, so I suddenly thought the door of the shed had blown open, and I dragged myself out of bed, got dressed and went into the kitchen.

The kitchen floor was covered in debris of some strange kind, and right in the middle of the lino was the wet, cold body of one of white ducklings. William was sat under the table, ever slightly cowed. Albert sat defiantly on top of the duckling cage. I couldn't work out what exactly was covering the floor but checked the ducklings immediately. There were only four sat very quietly under their lamp, two had been taken!

I scoured the floor, under the table and in William's bed and could see nothing. I could hear no pipping either, so I presumed that Albert has finally "hooked" himself two ducklings and he and William had finished them off between themselves.

Frantically I checked the debris which was scattered all around, and I was surprised to find that it was in fact ripped rubber! William had literally demolished half of one of my wellington boots, which I had left on the mat by the door.

I picked the boot up and inserted my hand into it. Hiding in the toes was the missing duckling, cold and a bit battered but very much alive. Despite the hiding William had given the duckling's sanctuary, the little chap had survived the night (The valiant duckling is second from the rightin the below photograph...I have christened him Welly)

This morning Sam,a little chap from nearby Meliden came up to learn some basic hen care. As most 11 year old boys, he had already researched his favourite subject at great length, and was a little expert himself in poultry care.

The only thing Sam lacked (before his own hens were to be delivered),was some hands on experience, so this morning he had de-loused, wormed,inspected and medicated a score of the hybrids. Even though the buffs didn't need their feathers trimmed to stop them flying over the fencing, Sam enjoyed catching each one and with only a little hesitation tucked the fat girls under his arm andcut their flight feathers with my kitchen scissors. (Below is a photo of him and Kate Winslett)

By the time his dad picked him up, he had helped clean four of the hen houses,fed and watered the whole field population (including the pigs) and helped move the remaining ducklings into the shed.

He also made a few salient notes about specific health care tips ( he had brought sandwiches, gloves and a notepad and pen with him!) and asked a score of intelligent and appropriate questions during his morning. I found him delightful company.

An Ideal day for cloud watching

It has been an ideal day for cloud watching, blustery and bright. Tomorrow the young lad who wanted to buy some hens is coming around to learn some of the basics. He has made his own run and hen house, and has chosen the hens he wants from my laying girls. The only problem is that he poor little chap will have to wait 3 weeks for them to hatch and another 8 at least before they can safely be re homed, so suggested a reputable breeder to his dad on the phone this morning. It would be nice to get some valuable ready cash for a perfect 6 pullets, but If I was ten, I doubt I could actually wait nearly three months for them to arrive.

Boris interrupted my brief episode of relaxation