Random the Chicken

I live about 20 metres from a chicken run that is a free range home to 12 chickens. Very happy chaps and chapettes they are too. Apart from Random. Random is so named because I thought that I was witnessing the act of random chickens on a regular basis, but no, it’s the same chicken doing the same thing, so I named him Random for no very good reason.

So this is what Random does. Not every day, from time to time.

He/she (haven’t made my mind up and don’t have my ‘Discerning Sexuality of Chickens Handbook' with me) we’ll call him he because he seems to have pretty nifty wobbly bits on the top of his head and under his chin.

Anyway, sometimes he decides that he has had enough of the chicken coop and so he clambers up a bit of wood (have you seen chickens climbing – bless ‘em) and then he kind of flies (have you ever seen chickens FLYING?) to the top of the fence and makes a very successful bid for freedom.

Several chickens try to emulate his endeavour, but fail at the clambering stage.

He then proceeds to shake his booty in the general vicinity of the coop. There’s a main road (by Greek standards) about 15 metres away – he never gets that far. He scratches and potters about within about a 5 metre radius of home.

Some nights he puts himself back into the hen house in the same way, clamber, fly (I’m being kind when I say fly) and back inside. Some nights he spends the entire night out on the town (well the veg patch).

The other amazing thing is that all the chickens live in complete harmony with the feral cats. I go and check them out regularly (you can see that July is quiet for me) and often one of the cats is lying under a tree INSIDE the chicken coop. And not one of the chickens bothers Random when he’s out on the razz.

I am greatly admiring of Random, the chicken. I admire his tenacity to get out and explore, I admire his self knowledge of how far it’s safe for him to go, and I admire his ability to know when he’s had enough and he choses to go back to some safety, security and company. Of course, I’m not saying that he consciously knows all this stuff, but who knows?

A chicken who understands his boundaries but is not necessarily limited by them.

My hero.

Sometimes it's hard to see the sun...

Sometimes the sun just doesn’t shine

It’s interesting. Last week we had an (uncharacteristically) part rainy week. 3 days of very off and on rain interspersed with sunshine and clouds. Didn’t matter how hard I tried to make the sun shine, it was simply beyond my abilities (for now!).

I had a friend over last week. She was remarkably philosophical about it. “Well”, she said, “it gives me an opportunity to do things I might not have done if I’d been on the beach all day”. Great attitude. And you know something, there are LOADS of things to do when the weather is misbehaving. It’s just a question of changing your perspective slightly. After all:

· You can still have a fab time

· You can still eat your bodyweight in baklava (I have been practising)

· You can still eat without having to wash up

· You can still sleep any time day or night (or day and night)

· You can still relax in beautiful surroundings

· You can still daydream (I’m a queen in this department)

· You’re still NOT at work

· You’re still NOT having to do the housework and change the sheets

All these things are true.

It’s just a question of attitude. And 9 times out of 10, the things that you came to sort out (am realising that everyone who comes on holiday has SOMETHING to sort out) get sorted out in your mind. Realisations are made, plans are cemented, decisions are arrived at.

I’m beginning to understand that when people say they want a holiday to lie in the sun and forget stuff that this isn’t always the case. Some people just need some distance (mentally and physically) from their lives at home in order to get some objectivity and you don’t necessarily need the sun to do this. Of course, it’s great when the sun shines and you ARE lying on a beach. But rain does not preclude a good time, neither do clouds. As unexpected as they may be, they offer hidden gifts and insights, we just have to open to them.

How many times have we believed that a certain set of circumstances is necessary in order for us to move forward and we await a ‘perfect’ opportunity? When in fact, sometimes we just need to make the most of now and find the opportunity in the circumstances that exist...

The obvious and rather parmesan flavoured comment to make about the (let me reiterate UNCHARACTERISTICALLY) unsettled weather is that it makes you relish the sun when it does make an appearance.

Rather than taking it for granted, it’s a gift.

Bit like life.

Enjoy.