Country Darkness
Posted: Thu 8 November, 2007 Filed under: Animals, Domestic, Getting Organised 1 Comment »One thing that I don’t think either of us had really thought about when we moved to the new house was night-time (and, by extension, winter – when it’s night for a lot longer!) and how to deal with it. Over the last seven years, we’d both been in large towns or cities, and had got used to that perma-glow of street lighting. Out here, well, there’s just not as much illumination.
I should say at this point that this post is not a complaint – I’m much happier with nights that are actually black, and where you can see many many more stars than you ever could in Manchester or Bracknell. It’s good to have nights like this, and be able to sleep in darkness without needing super-thick blackout curtains.
Anyway, we really hadn’t thought about it all that much. The road we live on has no streetlights at all, and nor do most of the roads in the village. So in the last couple of weeks there’s been a bit of a splurge on torches and reflective gubbins – particularly for me, as I’m the main one to take Hound for walks when I get home from work, by which time it’s now pitch-black. I now have a Maglite that takes three “D”-cell batteries, and appears to be able to illuminate the moon, (Yeah, I exaggerate – but I can still see Hound across two fields with it) and a couple of reflective strips to go on my arms in order to increase my own visibility on those dark roads. Hound also has a reflective collar for similar reasons – and because it’ll stand out when the torchlight hits it.
For home-use (well, garden-use while putting away chickens, etc.) I’m probably going to end up buying some type of lantern thing, or possibly just a big spotlight thing that’ll illuminate the whole area. Over time, we’ll quite possibly also get some solar-powered lighting for the far end of the garden (and the greenhouse) although that probably won’t be ’til next year.
KFC
Posted: Tue 6 November, 2007 Filed under: Animals, Domestic 4 Comments »Well, so far the chickens seem to be settling in OK. It took a while for them to come out and explore the new run, but they’ve now done so, so I’m actually a lot happier. Yes, I’m sad like that (among many many other ways as well, of course)
Because of their reluctance to come out, I didn’t get the chance to get any photos of them yesterday, so that’ll have to wait a few days now, which is the downside of leaving before sun-up and not being home ’til sun’s gone down in the evening. The weekend’s looking pretty busy at the moment too, but I’m sure I’ll get the opportunity to take a couple of photos. That’s the plan, anyway.
So yes, new additions to the household, and so far all’s looking good. We’ll see how things work out.
Collecting Birds
Posted: Mon 5 November, 2007 Filed under: Animals, Domestic, Travel Leave a comment »Well, we now have three chickens, as well as the coop, food and so on.
We kept them in the coop overnight, so we’ll be letting them out properly for the first time this morning, introducing them to their new home. Oh, and introducing Hound (and perhaps Psycho Cat) to them to see how they all react. That should be amusing, if nothing else.
Collecting the birds went fine – I’d rented a long wheel-base Ford Transit for the day, so we went over, got everything in, and came home. Pulling into our own drive, I managed to put a scratch down the side of the van, so we’ll see how much that’s going to cost me when I talk to the rental company today. Ah well.
All the same though, driving the van was fun, and (other than that one minor interaction with the gatepost) no real problem at all. The change in driving position was weird to start off with, as was the difference in the gearshift – seriously long throw with it still being floor-mounted, rather than the dashboard-mounted shift you see on most transit-type vans now. (Turns out that it’s on the new ones, just not the one I was driving, which was an ’04 plate) Still, it was fun to drive.
So there we are. I’ve turned thirty-six today, and we’ve got new chickens. Funny the way things work out.
New Birds
Posted: Sun 4 November, 2007 Filed under: Animals, Domestic, Getting Organised Leave a comment »Today, we’re off to pick up our new chicken coop, and three chickens.
It’s really very domestic, and all part of our general plan for the house – we’ll be using the chickens to fertilise (i.e. shit on) the veg patch, as well as (of course) for the eggs.
We’ve had to hire a van in order to collect the coop as it’s some ridiculous size that won’t fit in a bloody Mondeo estate, so the van-driving bit will be another first for me, but I’m looking forward to doing that too.
I’ll probably post up some photos of the chickens tomorrow, or sometime this week. Well, it’s better than ‘cute’ kittens, anyway.
Peace and Quiet
Posted: Sat 3 November, 2007 Filed under: Animals, Domestic Leave a comment »Yes, we can finally say that the house we bought was the right decision.
There’s been one or two firework displays that were audible, but nothing close by, and it’s been lovely. Hound’s been quiet, non-stressed, and hasn’t needed her usual (for Bonfire Night) tranquilisers at all. First time in five years that she hasn’t needed them, and that’s worthy of note in itself.
We’ve been out to Holkham beach today, which was lovely as well, but we haven’t needed to do the full Hound-exhaustion programme of previous years, which is another bonus.
Instead, she’s just laid around the house, asleep, and hardly reacting at all to fireworks. I think we had one or two barky fits, but that was it. And really, that makes this place ideal for us. Happy Day.
Drawing In
Posted: Fri 2 November, 2007 Filed under: Animals, Domestic, Thoughts Leave a comment »It’s been quite surprising just how quickly the days have got shorter this week.
On Monday I got home at 5.30 and the light was fading when I took Hound out for a walk, although I could still (just about) see.
By last night, it was pitch dark at 5.30, and I needed to take a torch with me in order to see my way round the field.
It looks to me like the daylight has shortened by a good 45 minutes or so in just four days, which is pretty impressive really.
And visitors had they none
Posted: Thu 1 November, 2007 Filed under: Animals, Cynicism, Domestic 1 Comment »For the first time in years, last night was blissfully quiet. No trick-or-treaters at all darkened our door.
Now, I may be a grumpy old bastard (to paraphrase Gordon) but that’s fine with me. Last year at Hallowe’en we had about fifteen knocks on the door, each of which sends Hound crackers, barking all over the place.
This year? Nothing. Not a sausage.
And we still haven’t heard even one firework.
This living in the country lark is shaping up nicely…