High drama at the Barn, plucky feathered survivor joins the Woodland Eggery
Chums from a neighbouring village joined us for a little supper recently and during the conversation mentioned a moonlit raid on their chicken coop. The suspect, possibly something stoatish, left but one survivor, "Dead Hen Squawking" amid a scene of poultry carnage.
Well, one bottle led to another, and another and another and before I knew it I'd offered to bring the bereft hen into our little flock. Before the hangover had faded "Chocolate Thunder" was introduced to Jessie, Cassie and Dollie, cultural mismatch seemed inevitable.
Our three hens, already proven to be very stupid now showed their very unkind side making the bereaved newcomer as welcome as a Mexican pig in outpatients.
Matters wer
en't improved, for me at least, when, displaying many of the attributes of a feathery Steve McQueen, the new girl made a break for it and engaged me in a forty minute game of hide and beak as she avoided capture. Luckily carnivore cunning won out and a momentary lapse of attention allowed the supreme hunter gatherer to grab her scrawny neck (not the approved method of chicken wrangling). It was very nearly a "one for the pot" moment but she's obviously tougher than she appears and surviving involuntary throttling, was restored to the run and the (frankly brutal) ministrations of her sisters-in-lay.
Hopefully she'll make peace with the other inmates and settle in, I hope so but I've a suspicion that one more attempted escape might result in her being, as the poultry mafiosa so quaintly term it "being left to play wid de foxes".
London to Brighton - A heartfelt thank you
Thank you to all those who sponsored me in the London to Brighton Bike Ride on Sunday. It was a lovely day, a super ride and between us Graham and I raised over £1,500 for the British Heart Foundation.
It took me a mere 5 hours of blood, sweat and cursing to cover the 54 miles, stopping for nothing but the 4 or 5 places where sheer weight of cyclists made trudging inescapable, my moving average was nigh on 15 mph so I was pretty chuffed with that.
It should be noted that Graham had time for a sandwich, a drink, a full body massage and a quick flick through the Sunday papers before I Hove :) into view in Brighton.
Special thanks to Graham, for talking me into it, to Vicky and Craig for transport and to Jim and Richard for their invaluable coaching and encouragement.
It was a great way to spend Fathers Day and I really appreciate all those of you who put your hands in your pockets to make a difference.
Heart and circulatory disease is the number one killer in the UK and whilst trying very, very hard to get up Ditchling Beacon under pedal power I felt very close to the cause.
If you'd still like to contribute, please feel free to click here
Thanks again
Movie Review - The Hangover........................ yes, of course there's a haiku !!!
There are, oh my gentle readers, some films where, having seen the trailer, you find yourself thinking, "th
at's probably all the good bits mashed together to entice us to part with our hard earned pennies".
I confess I had The Hangover pegged as one of those films, superficial laddish toilet humour with a couple of good gags, telegraphed remorselessly in the ads and the trailers. However, encouraged by an enthusiastic review in the FT (ooh get him! film reviews in the Financial Times forsooth!) Mrs Stuffy and I gave it a chance, and I'm so glad we did.
A very funny, constantly surprising movie, great acting from a largely unknown but ever-so-well-casted cast, good writing and a cleverly directed story.
Despite appearances and marketing it's not just a boy's flick, Mrs Stuffy laughed out loud, the first time in a cinema, she assures me, since Life of Brian.
Me? I chuckled, quite a lot.
As Basho might have said...
Unexpected fun
This film is one, long, chuckle...
surprises abound
A request for your support ...
I've just been emailed by the British Heart foundation to tell me that I'v
e picked up a late place for the London to Brighton Charity ride in two weeks, apparently someone came to their senses and wimped out so I get to take their place.
The more folk who sponsor me the harder it will be for me to make excuses so I'd appreciate it if you could find it in your hearts to ...
Click here ---> to Sponsor me
Thanks a million (or however much you can afford)
Movie Review - A 3D walk in a very odd world - Coraline
I've long been a fan of Neil Gaiman (@Neilhimself for the twitterers amongst you) who wrote Coraline and of Henry Selick (who directed the Nightmare before Christmas) so it was with a joyful spring in my step that I, Mrs Stuffy, ChaCHa and Tatty toddled off on the hottest day of the year to sit in the air conditioned dark and enjoy Coraline 3D.
Bowing (as always) to Mr's Stuffy's bullying I'd not only taken the hit of a couple of quid extra per ticket for the 3D experience but she also cajoled me into an extra six of your English pounds to sit in the "superior seating" (colloquially, fat folk seats). This was a pointless expense in my humble opinion, skinny as they are Tatty and ChaCha could fit comfortably into one of the standard seats in the Vue at Camberley and still have room for all their popcorn, drinks,sweets and probably Mrs Stuffy as well. Hey ho, £48 out of pocket before they'd even hit the pic'n'mix like a swarm of sugar seeking locusts, but enough of my parsimony, on with the show.
Opinion, as so often, was divided, I loved the look and feel, the colours and action, the delightful details, the jumping mice, the constant need to shift gear, finding yourself accepting the weird and wondrous world on the screen and adjusting to it's rules.
Mrs Stuffy, (to select another opinion at random) found it visually attractive and very clever but not one to rush to see again. The girls found themselves, (I was going to say very,very scared but I've been corrected) "seriously disturbed and weirded out". either way, not one for the teeny weenies.
There were a few strong messages that came through, notably, parenting is tough,
if it looks too good to be true it probably is,
kids have lives too and
cats are the very best thing to have on your side when it gets seriously weird.
a tricksy one to haiku but ...
Henry, Neil create
spindly, spooky, spiky state
a web of beauty
en't improved, for me at least, when, displaying many of the attributes of a feathery Steve McQueen, the new girl made a break for it and engaged me in a forty minute game of hide and beak as she avoided capture. Luckily carnivore cunning won out and a momentary lapse of attention allowed the supreme hunter gatherer to grab her scrawny neck (not the approved method of chicken wrangling). It was very nearly a "one for the pot" moment but she's obviously tougher than she appears and surviving involuntary throttling, was restored to the run and the (frankly brutal) ministrations of her sisters-in-lay.
