Does anybody just do one thing any more? Even the man with the green brush was on the telephone though you can't see it at this angle. I know the composition is a bit rubbish - I was really just taking the man cleaning but when I realised both girls were on the phone I thought they made a more interesting shot. I'm a bit behind as the day was manic - starting with the National Grid men arriving at 8 am to give us new pipes. There was so much rust in the old one they couldn't understand how we'd actually been functioning. They asked me if the dog bites and I said, 'Not unless you sever our broadband cable'. So far so good though it's rather precarious. So then I went on to do reading at school and had a chat with the head, not quite malingering long enough for Rachel to abandon our latest run which included this street 'Castle Hill' - you may have spotted the uncharacteristic incline. Then out to walk the dog, a trip to Waitrose and throw some dinner in the oven while discovering that the iPad couldn't download the Governor papers I needed in half an hour. That would have been OK if Nigel hadn't come in and asked me if I'd seen Frankie the hen. 'Yes she's broody.' 'She's more than broody she's dead.' So a dash down to the hen house to retrieve poor old Frankie (sudden, 2 years old - any ideas?) and clean it all out before letting the others in for the night.
Three good things:
1. Made is to Govs with papers downloaded 10 min late.
2. Trip to the pub after Govs.
3. The other two hens seem fine.
Oh blimey what a day. Sorry about Frankie. No idea how long hens should live but that seems young. Yes in general life is too complicated and everyone is doing too much!
Multitasking, dare I say that I am surprised that the chap is doing two things at once (sorry chaps). This is a really great shot. I have a broody hen on eggs at the moment. Are you interested in some chicks should they hatch?? Poor Frankie. I had a chicken foxy and the very same thing happened. She was one in a million and I was so upset.
@judithg a complete mosh mash black rocks mixed with Indian game bird and legbars mixed with bantam. They are not posh but they lay green/blue eggs and they are hardy
Bad news about the hen but have to agree with Humphrey. The more than broody comment is pure Monty Python. However, I prefered the comment about the broadband cable. Comic genius! Btw, love the symmetry of this image :)
Really sorry to hear about the hen.This sounds like a bit of a cop-out I know, but hens are renowned for just dying for no apparent reason. I would check them for red mite, because they can go a bit nuclear at this time of year, but to be honest if they are bad enough to kill the hen then it would have been looking a bit ropy for a while. Are the exams over in your household yet? Angus finishes on Friday - hooray!!!
@jantan Yes today (Weds)!!! Ten weeks of freedom. Don't know when we'll see Adam again - I told him to have a great time but not so great that he's sick! Quite a few of his friends have Latin on Friday and Class Civ is next week I think - poor things - such a long haul.
Mmm I know what you mean, Angus has his last maths paper on Friday and then is staying at a friend's overnight and then the after prom party, which is actually before the prom, on Saturday. Of course all of these things are miles away and he doesn't know what is 'required' of us pick-up/sleepover - wise. It's the vom that I worry about too. It's not happened before, but I know that there will be a first time.
A classic that ..''more than broody, she's dead'' !! Hens can drop dead any time , we had one do that last week , a lovely Welsummer that we had reared from an egg...sad but very common.
Your day is far too busy, good job for holidays next week! Everyone is multitasking even in your photo!
The after party is a week before the prom by the way. My best friend lives in Cambridge and her kids are now at university, but I must admit I did envy her when hers were at this stage because they could always get a taxi home and showed no desire to learn to drive. Living here with not public transport and most friends living at least 15 miles away Angus will almost certainly learn at 17 - something else to worry about - I'm getting in early - he's not even 16 yet!
@jantan I still remember the party after my O'levels and it wasn't teetotal! I've just told him to take it slowly a he's staying at a VERY nice house with several grand pianos.... Thanks for the hen advice - I've ordered some worming stuff as I never do that - I do treat them for mites though. I've cut down the corn ration in case it's a liver thing but it's reassuring to know that sometimes it's random @happypat. Rachel disappointed I wouldn't put her in a pot...
@judithg Oh no Rachel I wouldn't advise that...yuk! Jack has two more exams & then party time...he would be very envious of the grand pianos!! Lydia has been told today at school that speech therapy has been so over subscribed that it's harder to get into than medicine! Asked what her back up was she said podiatry & the teacher has put her down for helping with the Chernobyl children & lots of other extras!!
Going to try local deaf school tomorrow!!
@happypat That's what I said - she could have died of anything! Oh how disheartening for Lydia - but somebody has to get in. Did I tell you Rachel's friend is doing speech therapy in Norwich - I can see if she's got any tips... She doesn't fancy audiology? I think that may require physics though.
@jantan Oh yes - and the trouble is that if they don't learn their friends do. Rachel is learning over the summer but she's nearly 19 and Adam is 17 in October but isn't in any rush - would rather stick to his bus pass but he has friends a long way out who will learn :0/
@jenrobcarr Pub's still there (I was in it last night!). Bike shop down on Bridge Street but that's quite new. Got engaged on the top of the proper castle hill - Awwww!
@jantan Fair enough - Adam isn't going to his either but it's not really a prom - the boys all get invited to the girls' schools proms but now the school's mixed the girls miss out so they are having a dinner - but we're going to Florence....
Sorry to hear about Frankie, Judith - always sad to lose a chook. Love this shot of modern day living! My sister has just been to stay - 6 years my junior (so not exactly in the first flush of youth) but she was on her phone, texting mainly, all the time - I began to feel quite ratty . . .
@tishpics I took Rachel round Waitrose to buy her food for while we're away and she was on her phone the whole time - drove me mad and I never have a signal in there so I don't know what she was doing.
I really enjoy your Cambridge pictures, we used to live in Milton and I worked at Heffers in Trinity Street (20+ years ago). Got married at the register office on Castle Hill; shame it's one of the least beautiful public buildings in Cambridge.
Like the balance here of the two women walking into the picture with the chap in the middle, the colours work as well. Great picture of a moment.
@ruthhill75 I got engaged on top of a drizzly dark Castle Mound (dragged there slightly grumpily!) - Nigel decided he needed altitude. They are talking about selling the Shire Hall offices so maybe we'll get a larger, more scenic registry office.
Your day is far too busy, good job for holidays next week! Everyone is multitasking even in your photo!
Going to try local deaf school tomorrow!!
Like the balance here of the two women walking into the picture with the chap in the middle, the colours work as well. Great picture of a moment.