I'd like to be more 'up together' with my blogging, but life usually intervenes and it's a hit and miss affair again.
So, obviously it's been busy since last posting (1st December). The end of a school term is always frantic, and then there's the subterfuge of buying, hiding, wrapping and hiding the Christmas gifts. We've an advantage this year as Tom's staying with his grandparents for a week, which makes the wrapping and hiding much easier without prying eyes.... Our children's schools break up a week before the state schools, so the usual childcare option isn't available. Thank goodness for Grandma and Grandad - in so many ways.... :)
So far as Christmas goes, as of today I'm fairly 'up together'. The presents are, for the most part, wrapped and hidden. The ironing's done. Full-stop. The kitchen floor is mopped, although why I bother at this time of the year is a constant frustration - there seems very little point in mopping the kitchen floor only for it to be muddied immediately by dog paws. It's not the dog's fault, it's the weather. When we get the kitchen re-done I'll replace the 50cm cream tiles that are there presently with traditional country kitchen quarry tiles, thank you very much. I'm practical first and foremost.
On a practicalities front there was an unwelcome development when I got home from work this evening. One of the hens had died. I half expected it, but not as quickly as that. The remaining speckeldy must have been 4 years old, and after her sister had died in August I'd been keeeping an eye on her. She'd had a mucky back end for a while, but seemed OK, and with some worming stuff in the water she seemed to rally, and her back end had appeared much cleaner, drier and her feathers nice and fluffy after the moult.
I was slightly concerned this morning to see her isolating herself from the other two, and had noticed her hunched stance, but in my experience with other birds this is usually a signal to observe. There's no easy way to decide when the right time is to despatch a hen, but I'll do it if I have to, and have done so in the past. Not this time. She wasn't in 'bed' with the other two, so I had a quick search round of their enclosure (in the dark, in this evening's pelting rain, with my head torch on) and spotted her on her side, legs sticking out stiffly.
I've yet to dispose of the body. I'm still in my work gear, and it's still raining. It seems a little disrespectful to leave her outside all night, and I'm not sure what I'll find in the morning if I do leave her, so will probably get changed and sort it out after this.
On a lighter note, I've good news to share. I've got a new job, starting 20th January. I'll still be in the Library Service, but will be working Tuesday morning, Wednesday afternoon and all day Friday at Witney Library on a permanent contract. It'll be very different to the last two years at Grove, but I've learned a lot, and my contract was due to end end of April. I'm looking forward to the challenge.
We chose the pantomime 'Aladdin' for our festive display in the library this year. Note the pointy shoes and turban in front of the genie/jinni. I made them. 'Junk modelling' and papier-mache! Not bad, if I say so myself.... My boss's son did the artwork for the characters on the wall - we're really pleased with the effect. We had to move the treasure box of chocolate coins further along the shelves as they were being melted by the wall-heater.
Right ho. The mince pies won't make themselves. I'll knock up some pastry, and then I've two jars of last year's home-made mincemeat, so they should be good.
Night y'all.
Kat :)
So, obviously it's been busy since last posting (1st December). The end of a school term is always frantic, and then there's the subterfuge of buying, hiding, wrapping and hiding the Christmas gifts. We've an advantage this year as Tom's staying with his grandparents for a week, which makes the wrapping and hiding much easier without prying eyes.... Our children's schools break up a week before the state schools, so the usual childcare option isn't available. Thank goodness for Grandma and Grandad - in so many ways.... :)
So far as Christmas goes, as of today I'm fairly 'up together'. The presents are, for the most part, wrapped and hidden. The ironing's done. Full-stop. The kitchen floor is mopped, although why I bother at this time of the year is a constant frustration - there seems very little point in mopping the kitchen floor only for it to be muddied immediately by dog paws. It's not the dog's fault, it's the weather. When we get the kitchen re-done I'll replace the 50cm cream tiles that are there presently with traditional country kitchen quarry tiles, thank you very much. I'm practical first and foremost.
On a practicalities front there was an unwelcome development when I got home from work this evening. One of the hens had died. I half expected it, but not as quickly as that. The remaining speckeldy must have been 4 years old, and after her sister had died in August I'd been keeeping an eye on her. She'd had a mucky back end for a while, but seemed OK, and with some worming stuff in the water she seemed to rally, and her back end had appeared much cleaner, drier and her feathers nice and fluffy after the moult.
I was slightly concerned this morning to see her isolating herself from the other two, and had noticed her hunched stance, but in my experience with other birds this is usually a signal to observe. There's no easy way to decide when the right time is to despatch a hen, but I'll do it if I have to, and have done so in the past. Not this time. She wasn't in 'bed' with the other two, so I had a quick search round of their enclosure (in the dark, in this evening's pelting rain, with my head torch on) and spotted her on her side, legs sticking out stiffly.
I've yet to dispose of the body. I'm still in my work gear, and it's still raining. It seems a little disrespectful to leave her outside all night, and I'm not sure what I'll find in the morning if I do leave her, so will probably get changed and sort it out after this.
On a lighter note, I've good news to share. I've got a new job, starting 20th January. I'll still be in the Library Service, but will be working Tuesday morning, Wednesday afternoon and all day Friday at Witney Library on a permanent contract. It'll be very different to the last two years at Grove, but I've learned a lot, and my contract was due to end end of April. I'm looking forward to the challenge.
We chose the pantomime 'Aladdin' for our festive display in the library this year. Note the pointy shoes and turban in front of the genie/jinni. I made them. 'Junk modelling' and papier-mache! Not bad, if I say so myself.... My boss's son did the artwork for the characters on the wall - we're really pleased with the effect. We had to move the treasure box of chocolate coins further along the shelves as they were being melted by the wall-heater.
Right ho. The mince pies won't make themselves. I'll knock up some pastry, and then I've two jars of last year's home-made mincemeat, so they should be good.
Night y'all.
Kat :)
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