Saturday, 24 October 2009

Well We're Moving on Uh-up...

We are the proud owners of a new tumble dryer AND a new chest freezer. Both are brand new, though not for want of looking for a preloved dryer or freezer needing a new home. Maybe it's the credit crunch effect, but there were more buyers looking for chest freezers than sellers offering one in our local papers and on-line. Dryers were easier to find, but there was little difference in the cost of a new A rated energy-efficient model versus an older, energy-questionable model. I feel positively modern now.

Then, as suddenly, the feeling passed as I took possession of our recently dispatched meat chickens.



I'm worried that there are another 16 chickens to go in and possibly not enough freezer space to accommodate them. The problem is getting worse the longer I delay killing them as they just keep getting bigger and bigger. Plus it's pheasant season, and I need room for some pheasants which are free meat. A third freezer is out of the question. I think.

We shot yesterday and I took Podge who is working her first proper pheasant season. She was what you would call a 'late bloomer'. Most of her siblings were working at 18 months old, but Podge is 3 years now. Still, she's got the heart of a lion (and the jaws of a gin trap) and after a long hot day of picking up pheasants, she still carried this big bird up from the bottom of the valley:



It is nearly as big as she is, and heavy too. I don't know how she does it but she loves doing it - at least judging by the howling and barking I hear when she gets left behind on a shoot day.

Not all the dogs were as busy as Podge yesterday:



I only got up to make a cup of tea. I wonder if they'd jump in my grave as fast. Pip would - for any residual body heat. Dakota would just to check that I didn't have any biscuits still on me.

4 comments:

Terry Scoville said...

Ah yes limited freezer space. Actually not such a bad concern to have. Surely better than a empty freezer. As for Pip and Dakota I can see they are opportunists at heart. Can't blame'em I suppose. Sure made for a nice photo. My Jet was quite like your Podge, when she was younger. Took til she was about 4'ish to really hunt on her own.

Colette said...

Lily can match the bed photo, but she doesn't even need the opportunity of me getting out of bed to gate crash mine. Podge really looks happy.

And..... new freezer AND dryer!!!!!!

What ever next, you'll be buying pre-spun wool!!! Only joking. Hope to cathc up this week.

Half term - Bliss!!

Whit Spurzon said...

Great pupper pictures!

Jennifer Montero said...

Thanks Whit - they're always happy to pose for a picture if it means more time in the bed for them!