The Callin' Birds are in good voice........

Despite the Twelve Days of Christmas now being over, with no evidence in these parts of Partridges in Pear Trees, Leaping Lords, and neither Swimmin’ nor skatin’ Swans............... but the Callin’ Birds are a different matter – a very different matter altogether.


Listen in to our Eena, Meena, Mina and Moe this mornin’ – wot a bloomin’ racket...............


(Meena - fairly quietly) “Awwk........mornin’.......anyone else awake yet ?........I SAID – ANYONE ELSE AWAKE YET ? – oh – you are, eh Meena ? Well, why didn’t you say? What about the others – are they still asleep ? Well, I don’t know. They say young things sleep more than their elders – BUT ! ..........this is RIDICULOUS! – oh – you guys awake too, eh ?.............

(Eena ) ........................do you think there’s anyone out there ? ............. do you think they know we’re here?

(Meena – a bit louder) “Hello.............helloooooooooo!”..............

(Eena – rather insistently) “Hey you guys – we’re awake – let us out”..........
(aside) “Do you think they’re awake yet ?”

(Myna – LOUDLY) ”HEEEELP!”.... “Save us!”........”Let us OUT!”......”We’re STAAAAAARVING TO DEATH in here!”.......HEEEEEEEELP...........we’re LOCKED IN ! .......... “NOBODY loves us!”...........NOBODY feeds us!........... IS THERE ANYBODY THEEEEEEEEEEEEERE?................

(Meena – aside) “They’ve forgotten all about us!”.............maybe they’re dead............ do you think they’re dead?

(Moe – in anguish) ”HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!”.........


If you know hens, especially spoiled hens that get shut up late at night to keep them warm, you’ll maybe be familiar with this tirade that drags you out of bed hoping desperately that the neighbours are still asleep and out of earshot................


But, to be fair, it HAS been a bit chilly these past few nights. It was -10 degrees C when TH left for work this morning at about 8am. And when we got home tonight we found the chooks’ initially warm porridge had frozen solid before they got to eat it (and they do so love their porridge! Usually gone in seconds)


We got home from work at about 5pm tonight. The temperature was already down to -5 degrees C.


This morning we had to find a new water bucket for the hens – their usual plastic bucket had frozen solid and the bottom had fallen out of it, so we’ve brought the galvanized replacement bucket indoors tonight. TH has heard that this will be the coldest night yet.


The chooks were well away to their bed when we got home – they now have their door shut already to keep some cold out – and tonight they have a well wrapped hot water bottle in with them for a bit of cosiness...........I can see them being into the conservatory (with underfloor heating) before the weekend is over !

Let me share this fabulous find........

I am indebted to TH for finding this (on Flickr)- I hope you enjoy it too !

I wish I was a glow worm
A glow worm’s never glum
‘Cos how can you be grumpy
When the sun shines out your bum ?

With thanks and every acknowledgement to Frigate RN

2010....... Wot a larf........

Welcome to another New Year – and merriment abounds. It must be related to the season – these Twelve Days of Christmas an’ a’ that, Partridges in Pear Trees and Leaping Lords, Swimmin’ Swans an’ Callin’ Birds – especially the Callin’ Birds........... I’d not be surprised if YOU heard our Eena, Meena, Mina and Moe this mornin’ – wot a bloomin’ racket

One of the blogs I really enjoy paying a visit to is The Cottage Smallholder. If you enjoy anything related to cooking, kitchens, gardens, dogs, hens – well, Life The World And Everything, really - then you might like to meet Fiona and Danny too. They are currently hosting a competition which will end on the Twelfth Day of Christmas, seeking latecomers to The Chefs’ and Gardeners’ Ball – do pay them a visit and see who you can introduce !

Meantime, despite The Lurgies of 2009 which moved in and took up residence here with TH and ChickPea through the last few weeks (or was it months ? – certainly felt like it), causing change to our plans to be away for the New Year Festivities, and even now still sapping our energy levels and abolishing any concepts of stamina – despite all, here’s us, sailing hopefully forwards into the dawn of 2010........

Now, approximately 20 years since first meeting......... 14 years post-wedding............. yet, ASTONISHINGLY, somehow still together, despite the everyday Turmoils, Trials And Tribulations Of Life which have crept in, evolved or erupted along our way through sunshine, dark corridors, good times, dashed hopes, joys, disappointments, happy times, sadnesses and fleeting moments of fulfilment.........

And STILL not a clue about what it’s all about........... Marriage, Life, Blog or ANYTHING...... really.............

Except................

Except that it is always good to meet people, in Real Life or Virtual Reality – or WHEREVER, really...... Good to meet and share a little........... moments, thoughts........... a bit of kindness..............a hand along the way............

Here’s hoping 2010 will hold good times for all of us, and kind company when we need it.

With all very best wishes..........

Season’s Greetings

Kerumbs.......

Has it really been so long since I blethered on The Blog..... must be. Apologies – I’d not intended to neglect you. I guess the energy has been directed into new job, developing some sort of working relationship with approx 80 working colleagues plus surviving several consecutive infecting Lurgies.......

Anyway......

Here we are, nearing Christmas. Printing problems have made us revert to the ‘D-I-Y Christmas Card’ approach again this year, emailing most of our regular Christmas Contacts.......the postals will have to accept what we could get around the corner........when I eventually get them written and posted............

Yesterday was full of wow factor yesterday. The transformation of the cathedral from the sombre tones of Advent into the pzaz decor for the carol service is visually quite a remarkable feat. However, I’m not sure if I’d ever fully appreciated the integral humour within the transformation process........ but hey – see for yourself by visiting Kelvin’s blog ! (oh, and by the way, there’s a soundtrack too !)

Faith. Fully.

I’m not sure I often wave the flag when I peek over the top of my parapet to gaze askance at the world around me.

I guess I tend to think that my faith is so integral to who I am that I don’t actually NEED to wave the flag about it very often. On the other hand, being a fully fledged cathedral chorister for rather more years than I care to add up, and wardrobe manager to boot, is perhaps a thinly disguised alternative flag that I wave very regularly indeed without noticing........

Tonight’s service at St M’s was a place apart. Faure’s Requiem was the music on offer for All Souls’ Day, and another ‘first’ for our treble choir who joined the regular adult choir for the occasion. And the trebles stepped up to the mark and conjured up a most spectacular ‘Pie Jesu’ for us all. Competently. Spectacularly. Our Director of Music deserved accolades from On High.

But, tho notable, that was far from all we shared this evening. The serving team had paid attention to all the necessary details that most of us are completely unaware of when a good job is accomplished, and the visual gloom that results from too few light bulbs remaining fully operative provided the sort of atmospheric lighting that we generally yearn for at this time of year but rarely quite achieve......

Most seats were occupied in the cathedral, and methinks the shadows were far from empty......

Once again our Chief Pastor demonstrated his liturgical ability by planning and facilitating the whole, and his priestly expertise by dealing quietly, most gently and sensitively with each and every demand of the evening.

This service was undoubtedly One Of Those Times when the step between Here and There was a remarkably small one.....

Intending to Pull The Leg......... but Treading On Toes....

I was out for a little light refreshment after Evensong on Sunday. As One does. If’n you get half a chance.

Anyhow. There we were, chewin’ the fat, watching ‘Countryfile’ (on the inevitable TV screen, thankfully behind me), and generally bletherin’ (as you do in these parts of Northern Britain)........

............and then I became aware of them sittin’ opposite me becoming totally and utterly entranced - had I suddenly gained that tantalising ‘X’ factor for which I’d searched all my life ? .......cor.........how amazin’ ...... how my life will change ! ..................or ........er..............had the programme changed ? - was it maybe – just perhaps - the slinky young things in leather choreographically cavorting around the screen behind me........ ah well, you wins some an’ you loses some, eh.......... an’ – here’s thinking positively – wouldn’t THEY make Evensong a bit different, eh ?

Ah me..........

Anyway, the conversation turned to Young Furryface Bart Catlet, and his Encountering The Hens that very afternoon. “That must have been rather frightening for him” quoth the man in black opposite, “A hen must be an awfully big scary thing when you’re as small as Young Bart.” (Or words to that effect, anyhow).

And, of course, he was absolutely right – but as I thought he knew me fairly well, I confess I thought I’d wind him up a bit. Pull The Leg. Gently. Bit of a joke, an’ a’ tha’........

“Oh, no” sez I blithely – “he’s a BOY – Monster Hens are no problem to BOYS”...........

Now, from my starting point when watching the kitten, that statement was reasonably accurate – young Bart was TOTALLY entranced by these Bossy Birds who were fluffing themselves up to look twice as big as ever they could be, and whereas my ole girlie PoppyCat at the same age would have run a mile, Young Bart, tho certainly a wee trifle wary, was Absolutely All Eyes And Ears And Curiosity..............

OK. I was being a bit naughty......... playing such A High Stake Gender Card quite so ruthlessly after a long Sunday.

I thought he’d rise to the bait all the same. Implying gender issues are – or could ever be - so clear cut is actually so very completely contrary to my understanding and approach to life........... I was so sure such a ridiculously cocky stance would be challenged. Safe bet even. Banter would ensue. A little gentle swordplay.

But I had totally miscalculated .......... well, I probably hadn’t calculated at all, really.

End of conversation. I was sorry for that.

But over these days since, it HAS made me think. About things with which I thought I was not only fairly comfortable, but suitably sensitive. And considerate. I think I was wrong about that too.

For some of us these issues may seem fairly unimportant, magnified by Certain Others out of all proportion, and therefore ripe to bring into play for a bit of a laugh...... but for ‘those others’ these same issues are so very VERY real, and personal, so very relevant and integral to their whole being, that these selfsame issues carry a much MUCH greater importance than may be realised............. I know I have sometimes thought of gender orientation as being like having blue eyes rather than brown, or being tall rather than short (and either of those can be hard enough to come to terms with, trust me) ...... but it’s all rather more personal even than that, isn’t it.............