Z gives the News. Lots of news

Scrabble’s chicks have hatched. I think she has six, but I’m not investigating too far at present. I went to feed the cats this morning and peeped through a gap in the coop where a plank has slipped, and could see some babies. So I went to fetch a box and ask Tim for help, then set up food, water and grit in the run and we went back to the coop (which is under cover in the Dutch barn, very safe and comfortable but not suitable long term) to fetch the family. Scrabble was sitting, all her brood beneath her. I’d seen four chicks, I thought, but perhaps there were more still hatching and moving them now could be a mistake. So I replenished food for Scrabble and chicks as well as water for all and we left them.

It was chill and windy later, so I decided another day or two under cover would do no harm. Scrabble looks devoted to her babies and it’s not cold and they are safe.

Wince works so hard, it’s unbelievable. He’s weeded the entire bed on the kitchen garden side of The Wall – it’s incredibly dry. Sedums were wilting. Rain was forecast as a possibility and it must have rained somewhere, because it was in the air – putting me off painting – but it remained dry apart from a few desultory drops in the early evening. Wince also found time to cut back weeds on the path to the back door, so we don’t have to fight our way past any more.

None of this is the news. The bad news will have to come before the good, because that’s the order in which things will happen. Rose has decided it’s time to branch out and leave the Zedery annexe. She’s a decisive woman and it’s all happened quite quickly, once lettings were allowed by our astonishing government, and she moves on Monday. Her Boy and his Girl have already moved out – peculiarly, since he’s enjoyed my hospitality for several years at no charge, he didn’t come to say goodbye, but there’s the young for you. Rose and I, on the other hand, had an illicit hug, with averted faces. We couldn’t not.

So this is the end of a lovely time. For nearly six years, we’ve supported each other and it’s a wonderful friendship that I treasure. We will still be friends, of course, there’s no change there.

The annexe would be empty, however. We didn’t want to rent it out to anyone as it’s part of our home. But we don’t really want to leave it empty, which seems wrong. I suggested that perhaps my sister Wink would like to have it as a holiday home? And then things fell into place. Maybe she would like to move here. At once, this felt right and happy. Tim felt so too and, if he hadn’t, the suggestion would not have progressed. But we wholeheartedly agreed and, when I phoned Wink to ask, she said yes as well. We are so excited.

Her original intention had been to move to Norwich once she retired, but we all feel this is better. The whole family is looking forward to her coming back to us. She is visiting later this month, which will also give her the chance to meet baby Perdita for the first time and we hope to make arrangements then.

6 comments on “Z gives the News. Lots of news

  1. Madeleine 🦢

    What a lovely solution to an empty property, family, near but a separate household, company for each other when needed. Does Wink write a blog? It would be interesting to hear her views on life after paid employment.

    Reply
    1. Z Post author

      Yes, it’ll be ideal. She has never blogged – much of her working life was spent at a computer, so she wasn’t inclined to use it in the evening too. She has gradually wound down from work over the last few years, having carried on for more than a decade after receiving her pension but, though she is officially furloughed now, she would have been unlikely to do more than the odd day here and there in future if she hadn’t moved here.

      Reply
        1. Z Post author

          Exactly, Rose, and Rose isn’t far away. I’ve visited her already and she’s been back here a couple of times.

          Reply
  2. Zed

    I’m sorry to have missed this – that’s wretched Facebook for you and then blogs and then books which all take up so much time. I’m glad that you will be closer together and that it was Rose’s idea to move out. But we’ll see her next year, won’t we? And won’t we be introduced to your darling Wink?

    Reply
  3. Z Post author

    Rose only lives a few miles away, between here and Norwich. She still has a view of fields and no neighbours within sight – they’re there but she can’t see them – so it’s not a dreadful culture shock. And yes, I’m sure they’ll all be at the blog party or whenever we all get together again.
    I use a feed reader, so at least I can keep up with who has written on their blog, but I agree with you that it’s much harder to do so nowadays.

    Reply

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