My finger has been hovering over the 'publish' button for what seems an age ... but Thriftwood is about me, how I feel, and what is happening in my life ... a journal for me to delve back into, and to remember ....
The 'About Me' on my sidebar tells you that I am a mother of five wonderful children, but perhaps you may have noticed that only four of them are ever mentioned?
Today is our darling girl's 18th birthday ... a bittersweet day - there will be no champagne, no pink birthday cake, no new dress or party ... there will be no excitement, no friends and family dropping in with cards and presents ... no celebrations.
Our first daughter was born 18 years ago ... after a textbook pregnancy, she arrived quickly, 2 days past her due date, weighing 9lbs 2oz, with a head of dark curls and rosebud lips... perfect in every way, but she had already left us.
Although with us for such a short time, she taught me so much ... we already had three gorgeous boys, and although I know that everyone thought I was hoping for a girl, I really didn't mind. I had always wanted four children, and it didn't matter one bit whether they were pink or blue. I didn't know I was having a girl, that part just wasn't important. She taught me to never take anything for granted again, she taught me for a while to be patient, the little trivialities in life just weren't important any more, and she taught me to be so thankful for what I have, as all too quickly it can disappear.
The following year my beautiful second daughter Millie was born.
So today, there will be no champagne, no pink birthday cake, no new dress or party ... there will be no excitement, no friends and family dropping in with cards and presents, but in my heart I will be celebrating that my precious Annabel was once a part of me ...
Love, Claire xxx
Friday 25 April 2014
Monday 14 April 2014
The Tale of the Little Red Hen
A heartwarming parable of triumph over adversity, a happy story with a sad ending ...
Once upon a time, long long ago, the little red hen awoke in her shed, along with several thousand other birds ... it was survival of the fittest and she wasn't really the fittest, but today was her lucky day. It was mid-afternoon (it was really hard to tell as night and day weren't apparent in the shed, where lights shone brightly day in and day out) and the little red hen was plucked unceremoniously from the nesting box which she had escaped to, for a bit of peace and quiet ...
The farmer took her and 2 other inmates (carried by their feet, upside down, in a most undignified manner) through the doors, where a small crowd of people were gathered, waiting anxiously. The 3 little hens, dazed and traumatised were put into a large dog cage (oh, the shame!) and placed into the back of a car, while money exchanged hands. Their new life was beginning ...
They were driven over bumpy roads, and from the confines of their new prison, could see rooftops, trees and blue, blue skies. Eventually they came to a stop and they were carried in the cage into a garden where their new home was awaiting them.
The cage door was opened, and the little red hens stayed huddled in one corner for quite a long while ... then one ventured out, closely followed by the next and eventually Florence (the little red hen who this story is all about) tentatively emerged and surveyed her surroundings. She had only ever walked on hard concrete, and the feeling of warm, soft earth beneath her feet was a strange sensation. There was so much space, no jostling, no noise, except the sweet sound of birdsong coming from the trees.
Florence was a very sorry sight ... she was by far the worse of the 3 birds. She was thin and scrawny, her comb flopped sadly, her behind was red and bald from being pecked by the other chickens in the shed. The colour red attracts chickens, and it wasn't long before her new housemates, Maudie (Attilla the Hen) and her sidekick, Mabel made poor Florence's life a misery by pecking the red areas and making her bleed, creating a cycle of torment. Florence was confined to a separate area of the henhouse, and gradually, with good food and fresh air, she flourished and filled out and rejoined her friends, but I'm sure you know the saying, two's company, three's a crowd ... this certainly applied in the case of this little gang.
The rescuers were richly rewarded every day with beautiful brown eggs, the yolks the colour of sunflowers, and much tastier than those bought in supermarkets! The girls laid so many eggs, they had to be given away ... there was just no stopping them ... Except there was ... about a year after their rescue the egg supply dwindled, and more or less stopped altogether, because, Dear Reader. battery hens are regarded as machines for the first 12 to 18 months of their lives, and this constant production takes its toll.
A brand new henhouse was bought and placed in the sunny back garden, an area familiar to the girls and they moved into their new retirement home, but still liked to visit their old home on a daily basis, just to check it was still there. One day, during their checking out process, they saw to their horror that 3 shiny sleek young hussies had decided to squat in their old home ... oh the horror was unspeakable! They ran to the kitchen door, banging on it with their beaks to alert the rescuers and tell them of this terrible event ... this went on for some time.
One sad morning, poor Maudie passed away, it was very sudden, she was Top Hen and leader of the little pack ... Mabel mourned her best friend, but Florence (who was secretly relieved) took her under her wing and they became bosom buddies, until Mabel joined Maudie, under Grandad's peony.
The rescuers had to make a decision now, integrate Florence with the 'squatters' or let her live her days out quietly and probably very lonely ...
Florence was having none of it, and flew onto the gate, in no-man's land, beyond which was her old home, and thought to herself "if you can't beat them, join them" ... and so she did! Well my Dear reader, the change in Florence was remarkable, as the oldest and most venerable of this Hen Party, she became Top Hen and her leadership was legendary. Always first out of the run in the morning, the others following her lead and instruction. No-one dared touch food before Florence, they had to await her permission ...
And then there were three ... Florence had outlived her 2 counterparts, and one of the flighty young birds! By now she was about six years old, which is a good age for a rescue bird, considering the hard life she had had before.
Florence went to the big henhouse in the sky on Saturday after a short illness ... I am writing this story looking out of the window at my Dad's peony, which is just beginning to bud, the final resting place of a very fine hen ... she is sadly mourned by Audrey and Marilyn, who are finding it difficult to make a decision of their own and life has lost a little bit of colour as our hen flock of two is now monochrome. I am missing my little redhead who always ran to me in her mad fashion, at the slightest rustle of a bread bag.
Goodbye, sweet Florence ... Leader of Hens!
The moral of this story is that the underdog may one day reign supreme ...
Lots of Love, Claire xxx
Once upon a time, long long ago, the little red hen awoke in her shed, along with several thousand other birds ... it was survival of the fittest and she wasn't really the fittest, but today was her lucky day. It was mid-afternoon (it was really hard to tell as night and day weren't apparent in the shed, where lights shone brightly day in and day out) and the little red hen was plucked unceremoniously from the nesting box which she had escaped to, for a bit of peace and quiet ...
 |
| Thank you Daily Mail |
The farmer took her and 2 other inmates (carried by their feet, upside down, in a most undignified manner) through the doors, where a small crowd of people were gathered, waiting anxiously. The 3 little hens, dazed and traumatised were put into a large dog cage (oh, the shame!) and placed into the back of a car, while money exchanged hands. Their new life was beginning ...
They were driven over bumpy roads, and from the confines of their new prison, could see rooftops, trees and blue, blue skies. Eventually they came to a stop and they were carried in the cage into a garden where their new home was awaiting them.
The cage door was opened, and the little red hens stayed huddled in one corner for quite a long while ... then one ventured out, closely followed by the next and eventually Florence (the little red hen who this story is all about) tentatively emerged and surveyed her surroundings. She had only ever walked on hard concrete, and the feeling of warm, soft earth beneath her feet was a strange sensation. There was so much space, no jostling, no noise, except the sweet sound of birdsong coming from the trees.
Florence was a very sorry sight ... she was by far the worse of the 3 birds. She was thin and scrawny, her comb flopped sadly, her behind was red and bald from being pecked by the other chickens in the shed. The colour red attracts chickens, and it wasn't long before her new housemates, Maudie (Attilla the Hen) and her sidekick, Mabel made poor Florence's life a misery by pecking the red areas and making her bleed, creating a cycle of torment. Florence was confined to a separate area of the henhouse, and gradually, with good food and fresh air, she flourished and filled out and rejoined her friends, but I'm sure you know the saying, two's company, three's a crowd ... this certainly applied in the case of this little gang.
 |
| Florence, at rear, Mabel and then Maudie, Top Hen |
The rescuers were richly rewarded every day with beautiful brown eggs, the yolks the colour of sunflowers, and much tastier than those bought in supermarkets! The girls laid so many eggs, they had to be given away ... there was just no stopping them ... Except there was ... about a year after their rescue the egg supply dwindled, and more or less stopped altogether, because, Dear Reader. battery hens are regarded as machines for the first 12 to 18 months of their lives, and this constant production takes its toll.
A brand new henhouse was bought and placed in the sunny back garden, an area familiar to the girls and they moved into their new retirement home, but still liked to visit their old home on a daily basis, just to check it was still there. One day, during their checking out process, they saw to their horror that 3 shiny sleek young hussies had decided to squat in their old home ... oh the horror was unspeakable! They ran to the kitchen door, banging on it with their beaks to alert the rescuers and tell them of this terrible event ... this went on for some time.
One sad morning, poor Maudie passed away, it was very sudden, she was Top Hen and leader of the little pack ... Mabel mourned her best friend, but Florence (who was secretly relieved) took her under her wing and they became bosom buddies, until Mabel joined Maudie, under Grandad's peony.
The rescuers had to make a decision now, integrate Florence with the 'squatters' or let her live her days out quietly and probably very lonely ...
Florence was having none of it, and flew onto the gate, in no-man's land, beyond which was her old home, and thought to herself "if you can't beat them, join them" ... and so she did! Well my Dear reader, the change in Florence was remarkable, as the oldest and most venerable of this Hen Party, she became Top Hen and her leadership was legendary. Always first out of the run in the morning, the others following her lead and instruction. No-one dared touch food before Florence, they had to await her permission ...
Florence went to the big henhouse in the sky on Saturday after a short illness ... I am writing this story looking out of the window at my Dad's peony, which is just beginning to bud, the final resting place of a very fine hen ... she is sadly mourned by Audrey and Marilyn, who are finding it difficult to make a decision of their own and life has lost a little bit of colour as our hen flock of two is now monochrome. I am missing my little redhead who always ran to me in her mad fashion, at the slightest rustle of a bread bag.
Goodbye, sweet Florence ... Leader of Hens!
The moral of this story is that the underdog may one day reign supreme ...
Lots of Love, Claire xxx
Wednesday 9 April 2014
Picture Day
Hello my lovelies, hope you're all having a Wonderful Wednesday? Ever since my working hours reduced quite drastically, I don't seem to have enough hours in the day to get things done! I'm a childminder, and now I'm not as tied to the school run as much as I was, I still get up at the same time and try to get chores out of the way by 9am, then I have the day to do what I like ... if only! I'd just like to take you through my day ... in pictures.
When Steve has gone to work, and Millie to college, I make the beds, run round tidying up ... picking things up and putting them where they belong; collect washing and crockery that has been deposited around the house, and put into the corresponding machines. If I know what we're having for tea I'll prepare this or put something into the slow cooker.
The time this frees up later in the day is invaluable ... I don't have to worry about getting a meal on the table on time because it's done. If I haven't already done so, I'll have breakfast. By this time I am getting looked at ...
Walkies around my little island is a treat when the sun is shining but not so great when the wind is roaring and the rain relentlessly pouring from the grey skies ... people seem much more friendlier on a sunny day too! If it's a nice day, once I get home I'll hang the washing out,
and feed the girls ...
I do love to be at home all day ... I know this isn't for everyone, and I am lucky that I can do this ... but I do work hard, honestly!
This is how I'd like to spend my day ...
And this is the reality ...
Most of my day is spent cleaning the most filthy, smelly pieces of furniture and giving them a new life. I know that I can't keep everything ... but sometimes it's very hard to let go! I've just finished this little cupboard ... it was very fiddly and took a long time as it has lots of nooks and crannies ... but I got there in the end ...
I think it will have to go though, I just don't have any spare walls left ...
This is another piece I've just finished ... my favourite part is waxing and distressing, it can surprise me sometimes how this simple process can really make a piece 'sing'. I love setting up my furniture at fairs and displaying my bits and pieces on them. I'd secretly love a job as a window dresser or house doctor!
Sometimes I have to put my paintbrush down and pick up a needle and thread instead, I have a commission to finish today for a very lovely lady who is collecting it tomorrow, so can't stay chatting too long ... If I am running out of projects I might just go for a runout to my favourite places, looking for treasures, but otherwise, I'm happy to stay at home pottering ... and if I'm very lucky, a friend will drop in for tea and cake
This is a little lamp I upcycled last week. I'm definitely not adept at sewing, but I've worked out a way of revamping lampshades that doesn't test my abilities too much!
I hear the door opening ... is that the time already?
Hopefully tea will be ready, and afterwards I'll pick up my sewing or do a bit of crochet while watching the telly (wasn't The Great British Sewing Bee fab?) and before I know it, The News is on and I'm back to where we started ... a good night's sleep and I'll be ready to do it all again tomorrow ...
N'night, sweet dreams!
Love Claire xxx
When Steve has gone to work, and Millie to college, I make the beds, run round tidying up ... picking things up and putting them where they belong; collect washing and crockery that has been deposited around the house, and put into the corresponding machines. If I know what we're having for tea I'll prepare this or put something into the slow cooker.
The time this frees up later in the day is invaluable ... I don't have to worry about getting a meal on the table on time because it's done. If I haven't already done so, I'll have breakfast. By this time I am getting looked at ...
Walkies around my little island is a treat when the sun is shining but not so great when the wind is roaring and the rain relentlessly pouring from the grey skies ... people seem much more friendlier on a sunny day too! If it's a nice day, once I get home I'll hang the washing out,
and feed the girls ...
I do love to be at home all day ... I know this isn't for everyone, and I am lucky that I can do this ... but I do work hard, honestly!
This is how I'd like to spend my day ...
And this is the reality ...
Most of my day is spent cleaning the most filthy, smelly pieces of furniture and giving them a new life. I know that I can't keep everything ... but sometimes it's very hard to let go! I've just finished this little cupboard ... it was very fiddly and took a long time as it has lots of nooks and crannies ... but I got there in the end ...
I think it will have to go though, I just don't have any spare walls left ...
This is another piece I've just finished ... my favourite part is waxing and distressing, it can surprise me sometimes how this simple process can really make a piece 'sing'. I love setting up my furniture at fairs and displaying my bits and pieces on them. I'd secretly love a job as a window dresser or house doctor!
Sometimes I have to put my paintbrush down and pick up a needle and thread instead, I have a commission to finish today for a very lovely lady who is collecting it tomorrow, so can't stay chatting too long ... If I am running out of projects I might just go for a runout to my favourite places, looking for treasures, but otherwise, I'm happy to stay at home pottering ... and if I'm very lucky, a friend will drop in for tea and cake
This is a little lamp I upcycled last week. I'm definitely not adept at sewing, but I've worked out a way of revamping lampshades that doesn't test my abilities too much!
I hear the door opening ... is that the time already?
Hopefully tea will be ready, and afterwards I'll pick up my sewing or do a bit of crochet while watching the telly (wasn't The Great British Sewing Bee fab?) and before I know it, The News is on and I'm back to where we started ... a good night's sleep and I'll be ready to do it all again tomorrow ...
N'night, sweet dreams!
Love Claire xxx
Tuesday 1 April 2014
April come she will ...
A pinch and a punch, the First of the Month!
I don't really want to be pinching and punching anyone, so I'll just say "White Rabbits" ... Happy April everyone! (How on earth did that happen already?)
I'll be back soon!
Love Claire xxx
I don't really want to be pinching and punching anyone, so I'll just say "White Rabbits" ... Happy April everyone! (How on earth did that happen already?)
I'll be back soon!
Love Claire xxx
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