Chickens and change....

I didn't post a Thursday thrift yesterday because I spent my hours before heading to work outside-with my chickens.

As chicken converts will tell you, it is far too easy to become enamoured by chicken antics. Yesterday I cleaned out the straw from their coop-closely monitored by the Chicken Committee of Management! Ruby and Betty head this committee- although our young rooster Bebe Le Pew would like to think he rules the roost!

I raked the old manure filled straw out the door-where the girls happily pounced on it, scratching madly and snaffling any bugs they found. If Bebe found any tidbits, he would politely cluck deep in his throat and duck his head a couple of times, indicating to "his" ladies that " Look, I Rooster, have located this prime piece of protein purely for your pleasure!"

Bebe Le Pew's presence ( as unplanned as it was) has added much to our flock. From the early morning shenanigans ( when he wakes up in a "loving" mood and the girls try to dash past him when I open the door) to his standing sentinel to protect "his" ladies from the local Magpie Mafia; he entertains us daily!

Anyway, after clearing the old straw ( and laying it on one of the new vegie garden beds) I laid the new. That's when the Chicken Fiesta started! The flock of 9 launched themselves with glee into the fresh layer, munching up any bugs and spiders they could find. This went on for an hour or so before Rusty headed to one of the laying boxes; unfortunately not long before Betty decided that she too needed to attend to her daily contribution to our egg collection.

Rusty refused to budge, Betty became more demanding-even trying to push Rusty out with her ( Betty's) rear end! By the time that Betty climbed on top of Rusty I was in hysterics! Despite the fact that there was another available laying box, neither girl would give ground and eventually both laid their eggs. :)

Refreshed by my time with the flock, I headed off to work with a smile on my face.

Tonight we are expecting our youngest daughter, her partner and their 2 week old daughter for their first visit since our grand daughter's birth. We will also have two of our grandsons staying over.

This visit set me to musing about our lives and our current place in them. His Lordship and I were young parents and thus find ourselves in our mid 40's with 5 grandchildren-we wouldn't have it any other way!

Many of our friends have young families or are just beginning their's now-and many of them lament the fact that if their own parents are still alive, that they are often too old to have the energy to spend a lot of time with their grandchildren.

In days of yore, our situation would have been the norm; but these days "careers" have become so important that the median age for first time parents is becoming older and older. Ergo, as is that of the grandparents. Thus many parents are finding themselves relying on childcare and without the supportive wisdom of the older generations.

I wonder if this is truly a good thing for society?