How is it that Christmas takes me by surprise every year? Every year I vow to have all my presents bought and wrapped by the end of November (wise advise from a friend who used to work in retail), and yet every year somehow it's December, and there's only three weeks to go. This year we weren't helped by a poorly chicken who has needed a spell in the Chicken Hospital Wing (also known as our ex-kitchen). We're still not entirely sure what was wrong with Beaky, but we noticed over a few days that she was slower than the others, standing apart from them fluffed up and sometimes with her head under her wing. She seemed to be getting worse rather than better, so we brought her inside, and after a bit of observation, took her to the vets, who gave her a very undignified examination and injections of calcium and antibiotics, and sent her home to either get better or die. Fortunately, after eleven days of living in our house, with an epsom salts bath and a massage every day, and plenty of rest and treats, she has (fingers crossed) made a miraculous recovery. Needless to say, DIY was put on hold as we can't have drilling disturbing a poorly chicken. We did let the others in every day though to make sure Beaky kept in vague touch with the flock, and they took great delight in inspecting the building works. Mildred made herself right at home in the middle of the living room carpet. So I'm blaming the chickens for my festive incompetence this year. Their house, of course, is fully cleaned out with a layer of fresh hay. Our house, of course, is full of chicken bedding, and most of our crockery has been used to feed the chickens and is in high need of a thorough scrubbing. Still, I'm off work now until the 6th, so plenty of time for scrubbing and tidying and hanging around, and my favourite over-Christmas activity of plotting and scheming what adventures will happen next year. I' hoping we'll manage to get away on holiday, which requires rather more planning now we have the feathery ones to see to. I'm also planning to get back into the habit of writing on here. With one thing and another it's rather fallen off the list this year, and I've missed it. There's the usual exercise-related goals of course, and house-tidying goals, and of course major DIY to do and field walls to fix, and I'm hoping to grow at least some of our own food this year - something I failed at spectacularly last year.
But there I go again, making far more plans than I have time for, as usual. I hope I'm not the only one who does that. But what to miss out? More pondering to come I think.
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Hello!Sit down and make yourself comfortable. I'm Jenni, and I write here about our new foray into country living, which includes growing food, knitting, baking, wandering around the fields, and seeing which local cafe serves the best cake. Categories
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