This morning’s achievement was an unlooked-for one, but was reasonably satisfying (and certainly necessary) all the same.  I’d left a pan to soak overnight and, this morning, I emptied the cooled water into the sink, where it stayed.  So I trotted outside to look at the drain, which was overflowing.  And I got a plunger and poked about a bit, without much effect, boiled a kettle of water and poured it, with some washing soda in, and the water moved down a bit but it was still blocked.  So then, being a sensible Z, I lifted the drain cover, a few yards away, and was very relieved that it was completely clear.  Evidently, it was a job within my scope, then.

After that, it only took about another ten minutes.  I managed to get the drain rod into place and waggled it sufficiently to clear the blockage, put down the rest of the washing soda, let the hot tap run until I could see the water in the drain ran clear, put back the cover, reboiled the kettle and had a cup of tea and sat down for a bit.  And reflected that Tim has found a Treasure.

I’ve started to put the bantams’ treats in their greenhouse run – it’s general food leftovers, soaked bread, greens and so on – and this morning (as I do it before letting them through) I didn’t shut the door behind me.  One of the black barn cats followed me and was very alarmed to find he couldn’t get out again, missing panes having been filled in by netting.  I opened the door wide but he was too anxious to realise (cats aren’t very bright, I’ve found), so I went to open up the chicken run, hoping he might go in there through the tunnel and then out.  But, unsurprisingly, once chickens started to come through, he retreated.  In the end, I had to ward them off with a broom, leaving the door wide open and, luckily, he found it.  Zain tried to come in, but he’s tame enough to pick up briefly and I shooed him out.  And a couple of chickens stood at the open door, but they aren’t used to going out now and hesitated long enough to be chivvied away too.

Another sit-down ensued. I haven’t got much else done this morning.  I’m going out now to stock up on food for the barn cats.  They like GoKat or dry food from the pet shop.  They won’t eat Co-op own brand.  When feral cats won’t eat something (they’ve been known to pinch some of the chickens’ soaked bread), it must be poor stuff.